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“I’d never hurt her. Not in a million years.”
Brett considers me and nods. “I believe you. If my sister has to be with somebody then I’m glad she’s with a guy I can trust.”
I watch incredulously as he slaps me on the shoulder before pulling Daisy into a quick hug and heading for the door. Before I can register what just happened, he says, “See you guys later. And Daisy, don’t forget to text Emily back. She was blowing up my phone yesterday worrying about you.”
He waves and vanishes out the door. A few moments later, we hear his truck as he heads down the mountain away from us. Once he’s gone, Daisy and I stare at each other.
“What the hell just happened?” I ask.
Daisy blinks. “I think…that some kind of alien life form is using my brother as a host body.”
I snort. “I mean, yeah, that makes more sense to me than Brett being so calm about this.”
Daisy’s expression melts into a smile and soon, she’s laughing. “I can’t believe it!” She runs to me and I grab her, scooping her up into my arms just like when I got her out of that trap. “This is amazing,” she gushes. “I thought everything would be ruined, but he didn’t even mind!”
“Your brother is full of surprises.”
She looks thoughtful. “I wonder what he meant about knowing how it feels. I didn’t know Brett had been in love before.”
“Neither did I,” I tell her honestly. “Like I said, he’s full of surprises.”
Daisy beams, those ruby-red lips curving upward, and I kiss her hard, relief rushing through me. I never would have let Brett come between us, but fuck, it’s so much better this way. I know Daisy would have been devastated if her brother hadn’t accepted our relationship, and now, there truly is nothing to stop us from being together.
“I meant what I said before,” I tell her as I pull away from our kiss. “About being in love with you. I know it sounds crazy to be saying that so soon and hell, I never used to believe in any of that love-at-first-sight shit, but the moment I saw you behind that counter…I fell in love with you, Daisy. There’s no other way to explain it. I knew right then and there that you were the only woman I would ever want. The only woman I could ever be with. You know that, right?”
Daisy beams at me, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “I love you too, Lincoln. I’ve loved you all my life. There’s never been anybody else. And there never will be.”
My heart soars as she loops her arms around my neck and kisses me, her tears wet against my cheeks.
My perfect Daisy.
Mine.
Forever.
10
Daisy
My weekend with Lincoln is like a dream. We talk by the fire for hours, we cook meals together, we watch movies…or at least, we try to, but we usually end up on top of each other before the credits roll. Lincoln shows me his favorite places around Snowfall Ridge—the prettiest waterfalls and the wildest trees—and, of course, we spend a lot of time in bed. And in the shower. And on the floor. And pretty much anywhere around Lincoln’s cabin.
I’ve been dreading Monday. I love my job, but I’m not looking forward to seeing Jake again, and I know I’ll miss Lincoln while I’m at work. But time waits for no woman, and Monday has rolled around at lightning speed.
I can’t wear one of Lincoln’s t-shirts to work, so he drives me back to my apartment where I quickly pull on something more suitable before we head for Heavenly Cakes.
“You sure you don’t want me to come in with you?” Lincoln asks for the hundredth time.
My lips twitch into a smile. “I promise I’ll be fine. I can handle Jake.”
“I know you can.” Lincoln’s grip is tight on the wheel, anger burning in his eyes. It’s the look he gets every time Jake is mentioned. “I just figured you might want some backup.”
“This is something I have to do by myself.” I reach over to squeeze his hand. “But thank you. It means a lot.”
Lincoln stops the truck outside the cake shop, still frowning grumpily. “If I can’t come in then I’m sitting out here until I see that asshole leave. I won’t just drop you off here and leave you with a guy like that.”
My protective mountain man. I love how determined he is to defend me.
“Okay, deal,” I tell him. “But if you see Jake walk out, don’t do anything crazy. Don’t hit him or murder him or anything.”
