AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I shook my head. “All of his letters are marked with just the letter T. And that’s not all,” I said, moving closer to him. “There are secret compartments in the armoire in my grandmother’s bedroom. I found her perfume recipes in one of the hidden drawers and a locket in the other. I think the necklace was from T. All that was engraved inside were the words ‘yours always’. He signed off all his letters with those words.”
Jensen shook his head and smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “Looks like we have a mystery on our hands. Do you think there’s more in the house?”
I shrugged, rubbing my forehead in frustration. “No clue. I’ve been through every closet and drawer in the place. I even asked Georgia if she knew anything since she was close to my grandmother, but she had nothing to offer.”
A gust of air escaped Jensen’s lips as he ran a hand over his hair. “I don’t know where else you could look for clues other than your house. At this point, it seems like a dead end.”
I nodded slowly, sinking back into the couch with a sigh. “Sadly, we’ll probably never know who her secret love was.”
It was a secret my grandmother took to the grave, and the thought made me ache with sadness. She must have cared for T deeply if she had kept his letters safe for all these years.
* * *
Jensenand I talked until the digital timer on the oven dinged. The intense aroma of garlic, oregano, and freshly grated cheese greeted us as we opened the oven. We carried our steaming plates outside to the patio, where we sat at a round glass table covered in a red checkered tablecloth. The chilled night air was surprisingly refreshing after the heat of the day, and while we ate, the crickets serenaded us.
Jensen gave me ideas on places to look in my grandmother’s house for more clues. It was kind of a stretch to think she would hide something with the canned goods in the pantry, but there was no telling. This was my grandmother we were talking about. Anything was possible with her.
Once we had finished dinner, I helped Jensen clean up the kitchen. When I looked over at the microwave clock, I noticed it was nine o’clock.
“Uh-oh, it’s getting close to my bedtime. I should probably go,” I joked, placing my wine glass in the dishwasher.
Jensen chuckled and placed the last dirty plate inside. “You’re not staying for dessert?” he said, turning to face me.
There was a desire-filled longing in his eyes that made my heart flutter. I didn’t want to leave. Yesterday, I told him there wouldn’t be a repeat of that Christmas night all those years ago, but who was I kidding? I wanted that connection with him, to feel his touch and allow myself to get close to someone. And it wasn’t just anyone I wanted to be close to . . . it was him. It had always been him.
“What do you have for dessert?” I asked, my voice breathless.
Jensen stepped closer and his gaze seemed to search my face as he spoke. “Actually,” he said, the warmth in his grayish-blue eyes growing brighter as he closed the distance between us. “I didn’t make anything. I was just hoping you’d stay.”
His lips were mere inches away now, and my chest felt heavy with anticipation. “For how long? An hour? Two?” I wondered nervously, not daring to look away from the mesmerizing depths of his gaze.
He shook his head, a subtle smirk appearing on his lips as his breath brushed against my skin. “I was thinking all night.”
My heart pounded in my chest and so many emotions swirled within me. Were we ready to take that step so soon? Jensen brought his hands up to my face, caressing both cheeks tenderly until our noses were nearly touching.
“Please, Everleigh,” he pleaded softly, brushing his lips against mine in a gentle kiss. “I want you, and I know you want me, too. Haven’t we waited long enough?”
I felt my resolve weaken as I placed my hands over his, our fingers locking together like two pieces of a puzzle. Yes, we had waited long enough—there was no doubt about that in my mind.
“Yes,” I answered quietly. “We have.”
With that, he deepened the kiss, his tongue exploring every corner of my mouth as his hands roamed over my body, igniting a fire within me that I hadn’t felt since our first night together all those years ago. I moaned softly as he swept me up in his arms and carried me to the bedroom, never once breaking the kiss.
As he laid me down on the bed, I couldn’t help but feel a mix of excitement and nervousness. He leaned over me, his lips brushing against my ear.
“Are you sure this is what you want? There’s no going back.”
“I don’t want to go back,” I whispered. “All I want is you.”
21
EVERLEIGH
The thunderous sound of rain pelting against the roof jolted me awake from a dream so vivid I thought it was real. I didn’t realize I had been crying until I felt the wetness on my pillow. It was the first time I’d dreamed of my grandmother since she passed. We were on the beach in Aruba, and she was dressed in the skimpy red bikini she had bought to embarrass me. Not a moment went by where there was silence between us. There was so much I had to tell her, and she was right there with me, happy and so full of life. We floated on rafts in the ocean and drank strawberry daiquiris adorned with little umbrellas. I wanted to believe it was her visiting me; that was how real it felt.
I sat up and noticed Jensen’s side of the bed was cold. Luckily, I could hear him moving around the kitchen. I got out of bed and dressed quickly. When I reached for my phone on the nightstand, there was a text from Nyla.
Nyla: Good morning! I hope you had a great time with Hottie McHotpants. Not to rush you or anything, but I found something you’re going to want to see.
