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But she’d known, hadn’t she? There had always been something between them. Friendship, trust, loyalty, and now, love.
Blake swallowed hard and slid his hand through her hair and down to her neck. “You have my heart. All of it. I’d give it to you over and over again. Every time. I love you.”
Everly released the breath she’d been holding. “I love you too.”
Blake pressed his lips to hers, sealing that special vow between their hearts. Loving Blake was all consuming. It was everything. It was what she’d been searching for her whole life.
Home. Blake was her home.
When he released their kiss, he rested his forehead against hers. “I’ve wanted to tell you that for years,” he whispered.
Blake’s devotion and patience had her gasping for breath. She’d loved him too, but in friendship. Still, he’d always been there, encouraging her, waiting for her, and standing beside her through anything and everything.
She’d been stupid to ignore her love before, and she wouldn’t make the same mistake again.
They stayed cuddled together on the couch for hours. Blake asked about everything that had been going on during the few days since Ridge had told her the truth about what happened years ago. But the mix of wedding exhaustion and emotional turmoil over the news from Ridge had her fighting back yawns.
“I think it’s time to get you to bed. We have a lot of work to do tomorrow,” Blake said as he brushed his hand over her hair.
“I know. I’m not looking forward to carrying those boxes up the stairs at the main house.”
“I’ll carry, you unpack. Teamwork.”
Everly chuckled and yawned again. “Sounds like a plan.”
Blake stood and extended a hand to her. She took it and let him lead her up the stairs. Outside her bedroom door, Blake stopped and pulled her close. “Tomorrow’s the day.”
Moving out was bittersweet. Everly loved living here, but moving out now that she had somewhere else to go was best.
“I love you,” Blake said again.
“I love you too. I’ll never get tired of saying that.”
Blake pulled her close and released a heavy breath. “Me either.”
He tilted his head as he leaned down, gently pressing his lips to hers. They moved slowly, unwilling to rush anything in this moment. Blake was the epitome of patience, and his thorough adoration had her knees weakening.
Too soon, Blake pulled back. “Good night, Ev.”
“Good night.”
Blake took a step back, letting her hand slip from his. He waited until she closed her bedroom door between them, and she heard his retreating footsteps through her door.
She was leaving tomorrow, but this wasn’t the end. It was only the beginning.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Blake
Blake pulled up to the reception hall and jumped out of the UTV before it came to a complete stop. Holding the covered plates with both hands, he shoved the big wooden door open with his shoulders and headed straight to Everly's office.
It had been three weeks since she'd moved to the ranch, and Blake was determined to slip out to the venue to see her any chance he got.
Today, his excuse to see her was lunch.
Linda stepped out of Everly's office, leaning only slightly on her cane. She'd been shot last year, and running the venue was part of her new lease on life.
Knowing what Linda Collins had done to her family kept Blake at a distance, but Everly was confident the woman had changed. He trusted Everly, and that meant he was slowly warming up to Linda. She'd sought Everly out as her assistant, so the woman’s discernment must be strong.
