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“I’m hoping you’ll help me.”
“I was hoping you say that. I know the perfect place for it. It’s just a few doors down from the sheriff’s station. Let’s finish eating, and I’ll take you to you look at it.”
“Oh my goodness! Thank you, Pauly. You’re the best.”
We finish eating, and I help clean up. My cruiser is parked just outside. I lead her to it and put her in the passenger seat. For the entirety of the five-mile drive, she talks non-stop about her ideas for her restaurant. I don’t get a word in edgewise, but she looks adorable and excited. I could listen to her talk for the rest of my life. God willing.
I pull up in front of the empty building and get out of the car to open her door. A good thing about a small town is that everyone trusts everyone. The realtor is in Charleston, but she left the door unlocked. This would never have happened in Florida.
“Now, I don’t know for sure what this space was used for, but I think it was a diner. It’s outdated, but we could… I mean, you could update…”
“No, we… I like the sound of that, Pauly,” she says as she walks around the room, going into the kitchen. When she comes back into the room, she comes right to me and throws her arms around me. She’s jumping up and down, her body pressed against me in the best fucking way possible. “This is going to perfect.”
“Yes, it is,” I say, but I am not referring to the building.
Her excitement is contagious. Her mouth touches mine, and the scent of lemons fills my nose. I forget how to breathe. She pulls away from me much too quickly for my liking.
“I’m so sorry. I don’t know what came over me,” she says, her face red.
“Don’t apologize, sweet girl. You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to taste you,” I growl, pulling her back to me. Her eyes widen, but she doesn’t stop me. Turning my head and leaning down slightly, I press my lips to hers, tentatively at first, but when I trace them with my tongue, she opens her mouth, letting me in. She sags against me and begins to kiss me back. This is everything I knew it would be. More even. She is so responsive to me and my touch. It’s like a fire has been lit between us. I know I’m going to have to force myself to stop. I can’t take this any further. I can’t take what isn’t mine but should be.
“Oh, am I interrupting?” Lloyd asks from behind us. I was so wrapped up in Miri that I didn’t hear the door open or close.
“Of course not, Mayor Hollow,” Miri says, stepping back from me and turning to face him. She smiles at him, and I fucking hate it. The irrational jealousy I feel at her simple nicety toward him is fierce. It’s all-consuming, bordering on crazy as fuck.
“I’m glad you’re both here,” he says, coming forward. He shakes my hand and kisses Miri on the cheek. Nope, don’t fucking like that. It takes everything in me not to drag her to my side.
“Oh, how can we help?” she asks.
“So, I’ve thought about this long and hard, and I’ve matched you two up, and it looks like I was just in time too. It looked pretty steamy in here,” he says, chuckling. He’s matched us up? Elated doesn’t begin to cover what I feel. She’s going to be mine, and I can’t fucking wait.
“Us?” Miri asks, touching her fingers to her now swollen lips.
“Unless you have some objection?”
“No!” Miri and I both shout at the same time.
“Yeah, I thought not. When would you like to get married? Alton is already on standby, of course.”
“Three days from now,” Miri answers after thinking for a moment. I was about to say right the hell now.
“Why so long?” I ask, taking her hand in mine.
“Your brothers should be here,” she says. “Logan will need enough time to get here.”
“You remembered?” I ask. We discussed my family weeks ago.
“Of course, I remembered.”
“Alright, three days from now. Congratulations,” Lloyd says before taking his leave.
In three days, the woman of my dreams will be my wife.
Thank God.
ChapterTwo
Miriam
