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“I tried to talk her out of it,” I grumble.
She laughs. “I’m happy for him.”
I turn onto a dirt lane, and she perks up when she sees the helicopter in an open field. The blades start their slow rotation as I park off to the side and Mark and Dylan pull up next to us. She climbs out of the SUV with Dylan’s help. I hold my hand out for her and she takes it without hesitance, clasping her fingers through mine.
Mark and Dylan grin at us as I guide her to the waiting helicopter. She can’t contain her smile and my heart soars. She greets Walter with an enthusiastic wave.
“Good to see you again Ms. Sutton.” He nods at her and smirks at me.
I climb in behind her and Dylan follows while Mark takes the seat next to Walter. She grips my hand tighter as we take off, and I can’t keep my eyes off her as she watches the world go by. The sun sinks lower over the horizon as we make the hour and forty-minute trip to the horse ranch resort just outside of Austin.
She leans against me and dozes at one point and I brush her hair away from her beautiful face as soft snores escape her. I soak in the trust she’s giving me. It’s small but means everything.
The helicopter descends, and she wakens, adjusting in her seat. Dylan and Mark hop out first, shrugging into their blazers to keep their weapons out of sight. Walter powers off the helicopter, and I tell him to enjoy the resort for the next few hours. Liv slips her hand in mine, and we make our way to the staff waiting off to the side of the helicopter pad. Mark intercepts them and we follow them to a golf cart. They drive us to a secluded garden gazebo overlooking a small lake. Market lights cross the space above us, twinkling in Liv’s eyes as she looks around with wonder.
Dylan and Mark disappear as Liv gasps at the sight. “Wow. Luke, this is gorgeous,” she says, leaning against the railing.
I pull her chair out at the small table and she takes a seat. A waiter approaches and pours us wine. “So, do you own the resort?” she asks, taking a sip of the dark liquid.
I chuckle and shake my head. “No. One of Brody’s acquaintances owns it. He says hi by the way.”
People on horses pass by on the path near the lake below us and Liv watches with interest. “We can get a change of clothes and go riding after dinner if you’d like,” I say.
She squints at me. “You never mentioned that you can ride horses.”
I shrug. “I can’t. That’s Jackson’s territory. But I’d try for you.”
She chuckles. “We’ll see how it goes.”
We dive into small talk as we order our food and enjoy an appetizer. I love talking to her about anything and everything, but there’s an underlying tension that needs to be eased. Once we’ve finished our meal, I gather my courage. “Can we talk about our expectations? I don’t want to overstep or make any assumptions about our future.”
She tilts her head to the side and smiles at me. “Luke, I don’t know what to expect. All I know is that I don’t want to live in fear anymore. While I don’t agree with your methods, and I’m still convinced we could have found another way, I understand why you left. A part of me worries you’ll do it again. But I’m willing to take the risk because you’re worth it. We just need to make sure we communicate more effectively. I need to trust that you’ll tell me when something is bothering you.”
I take her hand and run my thumb over her knuckles. “No more secrets. I’ll tell you everything.”
She takes in a deep breath. “I tried so hard to let you go. But my heart wouldn’t let it happen. I dreamt about you almost every night. It’s like you never left. And then I find out about everything you did to make me happy, even though we weren’t together.” Her voice catches and I squeeze her hand.
She composes herself. “I tried to convince myself that you abandoned me. But you never did. You’ve always been there. In my dreams. In my life, just outside of view.”
I move out of my seat and kneel in front of her, wiping away the tears she struggles to keep inside. But she was never good at that. She feels with her entire soul. It’s one of the many reasons I love her.
“I meant what I said. I’ll always keep you safe. But you deserve more than just that. So, I also promise to keep you happy. I’ll never take your love for granted again.”
She cups my cheek with one hand and smiles through her tears.
“I love you so fucking much,” I say, my voice wobbling, and she wraps her arms around me. My tears drip onto her shoulder, and she squeezes me tight.
“I love you, too.”
I take her mouth in a searing kiss. Peppering a few more kisses on her lips as I release her, I stand, pulling her with me. The desire in her gaze sends heat to my groin. “Wait here.”
I take the short path through the bushes and find the waiter. I ask him for a blanket. He speaks into his headset and a minute later, a staff member runs out holding one. I thank them and return to Liv. She stands in profile, gazing out over the lake as the sun sets. I watch her for a moment and memorize her like this. The golden-orange light bathing her pale skin, making it glow. She’s mine. Now and forever.
I move up behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist and kissing her bare shoulder. She grabs onto my forearms and leans into me.
“Let’s go for a walk,” I whisper.
I take her hand and guide her down the pathway. There’s a stand of low-hanging trees in the near distance and I head towards it. She stops when the path ends and I help her out of her heels, carrying them over my shoulder while I take her hand and kiss her palm. She shoots me a challenging look that has my cock perking up and giggles as she takes off, running barefoot in the grass towards the trees. I chase after her, letting her have the lead. She looks back at me and her grin widens every time as her laughter floats in the air, tinkling like a bell. I’m a slave to her siren call. I always was.
