Page 33

The words hang in the air between us, honest and terrifying. I half expect him to pull back, to tell me it's too soon, to panic.

Instead, he cups my face in his hand and says, "Me too."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah… More than you know."

He pulls me down and kisses me, slow and sweet and full of promise. When we break apart, I'm smiling so hard my face hurts.

"We should probably get up," I say eventually. "It's the middle of the afternoon and we're lying in bed like we have nowhere to be."

"I like having nowhere to be."

"Don't you have to go back to the station?"

"Eventually. Not yet."

We do eventually drag ourselves out of bed, though it takes longer than it should because we keep getting distracted. When I try to stand, my legs are shaky and Kieran has to steady me, which makes him grin like an idiot.

"Stop looking so pleased with yourself," I say.

"Can't help it!"

I pull on his t-shirt and my underwear, and he puts on his jeans and nothing else. We end up in the kitchen, and the food from Mae's is still on the counter, long cold.

We eat it anyway, standing there feeding each other bites and laughing about how ridiculous we are.

"This is the worst lunch I've ever had," I say.

"Same. Worth it though."

"Definitely worth it."

When we're done, we collapse onto the couch. I'm tucked against his side, my legs draped over his lap, and we're not talking. Just existing together in the quiet afternoon.

The cottage is warm from the wood stove, and outside I can hear birds and wind in the trees.

"I should check my phone," he says eventually. "Make sure nothing's come up."

"Okay."

He reaches for his jeans and pulls out his phone. I watch his expression as he scrolls through messages, and then I see his entire body go tense.

"What?" I ask, sitting up.

"Ethan's been texting." His voice has changed, gone cold and flat. "Trevor's back in town."

Everything inside me goes still. "What?"

"He's at Ray's store. Asking about you again." He's already standing, grabbing his shirt from where we left it in the bedroom. "I have to go deal with this."

"Kieran..."

"Stay here. Lock all the doors. Don't open them for anyone except me or an officer." He's pulling on his shirt, tucking it in with military efficiency. "I'm serious, Lyla. Lock everything and don't leave this cottage."

"What are you going to do?"

"Make sure he leaves. Permanently." He comes back to me and cups my face, and his expression is fierce. "I promise you, he's not getting near you. Okay?"