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When the kiss broke, Ruairidh’s eyes found hers. Glazed. Hungry. There was something raw and unsaid glimmering in them. His lips looked bruised, his dark hair mussed from her fingers. He looked… unravelled. She liked that. She liked knowing she could crack his iron composure.

“I love you,” he said.

Jenn stilled.

Had she—

“Yeah. You heard me,” he said, reading her as if her thoughts were written on her forehead. “I love you.”

Her brain scrambled. “You… love me?”

God, she sounded like an eejit. Maybe this was a soft goodbye. Him cushioning the blow.

“Yes. I love you. And I don’t need you to say it back. I just need you to know.”

Her breath hitched.

She searched his face—those steady, honest eyes. Hope flickered there, but so did something darker. Need.

Jenn grabbed his face and kissed him, hard. Mouths claiming. Teeth clashing. Hands grabbing. It wasn’t one of those tidy movie kisses. This one was messy and wild, pure and real.

When they broke apart, their foreheads stayed pressed together, ragged breaths mingling.

She pulled back to face him. “I love you,” she said.

Ruairidh blinked, almost dazed. “You… love me?”

Now he sounded like the eejit.

“Yes. I love you,” Jenn repeated, a grin breaking out across her face.

And then—laughter burst from her chest. It was unstoppable, a dam breaking: all the anxiety, relief, awe, and wonder of the moment spilling free.

They loved each other.

Chapter 44

“And I’m staying here. On Hellisay,” Jenn said once their laughter subsided. Her voice was soft but sure. “I signed the café lease today. It’s official.”

Ruairidh’s gaze dropped to her face, warm and steady. Pride flickered in his expression. “Are you happy?” he asked.

Jenn nodded, her chest tight with emotion. “So happy. I never imagined this in a million years. I can’t wait to try out all my ideas.”

“Well, I’m always here as your guinea pig,” Ruairidh teased with a quick, cheeky grin.

But then, just like that, his expression shifted—serious, intent.

“Move in with me.”

Jenn’s heart stuttered. The words seemed to hang between them, heavy and thrilling.

She just… stared at him.

He didn’t rush to fill the silence. He let her sit in it. He knew how her thoughts would crash and tumble, how she’d wrestle with them. He just waited. Patient as ever.

“Yes.”

The word escaped before she could overthink it. Her heart had answered first. Her head—well, that was still catching up.