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I smile up at him. “You went out of your way to set up a room for the girls you help?”

“Yeah. I just figure they’ve already been through so much that they should, at least, have a nice, safe place to sleep.”

I lay my head on his chest as I stare out of the windshield, unable to wipe the smile off of my face. His heart… it’s just so pure and warm and as crazy as it sounds, I’m already feeling something for him. I hesitate to call it love since we haven’t known each other for that long but it’s…something. Something powerful, all consuming almost. Something that fills me up and makes me feel happier than I can ever remember being and something that I’m terrified to lose. How is that possible? How can I be so attached to whatever these feelings are after only a day? It defies all logic and reason which is maybe why Mercedes told me to just follow my heart. But how could she have known that he and I would have such a connection?

“Here we are,” Sawyer says, cutting into my thoughts and I blink, turning to a cute little Tudor-style brick house as Sawyer pulls his truck into the driveway. There are stones leading up to an enclosed front porch and bright flowers line the base of the house on both sides as well as adorable bay windows that I just want to spend all day reading in.

“This is your house?”

He nods, a slight blush staining his cheeks. “Yeah. Do you like it?”

“I love it,” I answer, turning back to the house. It feels stately despite its small size and still manages to evoke a feeling of home in me that puts me completely at ease. Sawyer turns off the truck.

“Come on. I’ll show you around.”

He takes my hand and threads his fingers through mine as he opens his door and steps out, pulling me along behind him. Once I’m out of the truck, he shuts the door and leads me up the front walk as his thumb brushes the back of my hand and electricity zips up my arm. I feel lightheaded and weightless, like I’m floating along next to him and every time he glances down at me to flash me a shy smile, my heart thumps a little bit harder.

We walk up onto the porch and a piece of paper taped to the front door catches my eye at the same time that Sawyer sees it. He scowls and rips it off the wood before unfolding it. As he reads whatever it is, his face grows more irritated and I study him, my heart sinking at the look on his face.

“Everything okay?”

He glances over at me and nods as he hands me the paper. “Yeah, just an issue with… well, I guess you could call her my ex.”

“You want me to read this?” I ask, staring up at him with wide eyes and he nods. My thoughts are sluggish as I try to wrap my head around why he would give a girl he just met yesterday a note from his ex-girlfriend to read. “Why?”

“Because I like you, Juliette. And I’m not about to ruin this by not being one hundred percent up front about everything.”

Where in the world did this guy come from? And why the hell did just the word “ex-girlfriend” make me feel all kinds of jealous and possessive? I stare at him for a second, trying to work through my confusing thoughts and emotions, before turning to the note in my hand and sucking in a breath as I unfold it.

Moose,

I’ve been trying to reach you for a couple days to apologize about our last phone call. I didn’t mean anything that I said and I want to talk to you. Please reach out when you get back from your trip.

T

“Um… I, uh… I don’t know what I’m supposed to say here. You don’t owe me any kind of explanation…”

“I know,” he says, squeezing my hand. “Remember earlier when I said I picked the wrong women? Well, she was one of them and I’m showing you this note because I meant what I said. I like you, Juliette, probably more than I’ve ever liked anyone and I know Tawny well enough to know that this probably won’t be the last time we hear from her but I’m telling you now, nothing is happening there and it never will again. I don’t want her.”

“Okay…” I breathe, still unsure of what to say. “I’m not… You don’t have to… We…”

He turns to me and unlaces his fingers from mine before taking my hand and pressing it to his chest. “Look, I’m not crazy, okay? I know this is happening fast and I’m sure your head is spinning just as much as mine is but more than anything I want to explore this feeling…”

My fingers flex against his chest as his heart thunders against my palm, almost matching mine in its intensity and I nod, struggling to breathe.

“Is that something you want, too?”

I nod again. “Yes.”

He flashes me a brilliant smile that lights up his entire face and his blue eyes sparkle as he stares down at me and closes the distance between us, his other hand cupping my cheek as he leans down and presses his lips to mine tentatively. My entire body comes alive and I melt against him as a soft moan slips out of me. He releases my hand but I don’t move it, gripping his shirt to pull him closer as his large arms wrap around my waist and pull me into his body and his tongue flicks against my lips. I give in, allowing him to take all of me as a hand slips into my hair and grabs a chunk of it. He doesn’t give it a tug or use it to control me like most men but just holds it almost like he’s saying that he’s got me and if we fall, we’re going down together.

Chapter Thirteen

Juliette

I walk into the office of Champagne Dreaming, the blog Mercedes told me she started when I spoke to her on the phone last night and marvel at the marble floors and sleek furnishing. Not that I’m all the surprised. Mercedes has always been just a little… extra when it comes to her work and home spaces. She used to say that our apartment was a retreat so it should look like one.

“Can I help you?” a young woman with bright red hair asks as she glances up at me from behind the large oval shaped desk. I smile and nod.