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I elbowed him in the ribs. “Hush, you nutjob.”
“You love me,” he retorted.
With a laugh, I bumped his arm. “I do.”
I stilled then, those two words holding more meaning now than they once had. Would I get to say them to him in front of our family and friends soon? We’d only been together a short time, but it had been a lifetime coming. I just wanted him to get on with it already.
* * *
Two weeks and five double dates with Paul and Shelby later, I was glad Will and I planned to hang out just the two of us tonight. Not that I didn’t love spending time as a foursome with my brother and dear friend, but we did that before Will and I got together. It was different now, of course, because we were so cuddly and cute. But still. Hanging out alone was new territory for us, and I loved the change.
I pursed my lips as I locked up my office at the B&B. Will would be deploying soon. We really needed to treasure these nights while they lasted. Sure, he would only be gone for six months, and I’d lived without him for so many years up until recently. But that had been different. Now, we were a couple, and the distance would seem far greater.
Choosing to brush off that line of thought and keep my head in the now, I walked through the venue toward my cottage, frowning when I saw a light on inside. Had I left it on? No, I distinctly remembered shutting it off before I’d stepped outside. It had still been near dark when I’d left for work this morning because I had a huge wedding this weekend, so the early morning light coming through the sheer curtains had been my only guide when I opened the front door. So, why was it on now?
My heartbeat picked up as I neared the cottage. Had someone broken in? Oh, crap. The thicker curtains that blocked out the light were closed over my sheer ones. I know for certain I hadn’t done that. My eyes traveled around the empty grounds. I’d stayed late and the place was deserted save for the staff and guests inside the B&B itself. Should I go back inside where it was safe and call Will?
Nodding once, I figured that was the smart thing to do. I turned back toward the B&B, my steps quiet and quick. Then my phone buzzed in my hand, and I looked down, relieved to see he was calling, almost like he’d known I needed him.
“Hey,” I answered in a low whisper “where are you right now?”
“Uh, where are you? When will you be finished working?”
I tried to keep my steps from echoing too loudly on the stone patio as I made my way back to the main house. “I’m finished now, but I think someone broke into my cottage.”
“Oh, uh, really? What makes you say that?”
“I know I turned the lights off before I left this morning, and someone closed the big curtains. I don’t see any cars over there or anything, but do you think they’re still inside?”
There was a long sigh, then he let out a shaky laugh. “Ah, come on, babe. You just listen to too many of those murder podcasts. Don’t you know it’s always the crazy wife who kills her husband? Who’d come after you?”
“Um, not true at all. There are tons of women getting kidnapped and murdered.”
He chuckled again. “Aria. I’m sure it’s fine. No one in their right mind would break into your cottage with a B&B full of people right in front of it. Go home and change so we can hang out.”
I bit my lip, looking up at the B&B before me. He had a point. But what if he was wrong? Shaking my head, I adjusted my grip on the phone, my eyes on the cottage. Then, to my horror, I saw movement at one of the windows. “Will.”
“What?”
“There’s definitely someone inside,” I said through clenched teeth. “I just saw something by the window.”
“You’re seeing things.”
“I am not. Now get on your motorcycle and come protect me when it really matters, you jerk.”
He let out an exasperated noise that set my teeth on edge, then promptly hung up. What in the world? I stared down at my phone. Oh, no he didn’t.
My eyes flashed back up to my cottage as I tried to figure out my next move. Maybe I should call the cops. They’d take me seriously. Just as I started to look back down to my phone again, the front door of my cottage flew open and none other than Will Paxton stepped outside. He held his hands in the air, letting them fall against his sides in annoyance.
“Woman,” he called across the deserted lawn, “get your dramatic butt over here.”
I grinned, practically dancing down the steps toward him. “What are you doing here, and why are you trying to scare me half to death?”
“I wasn’t trying to scare you,” he replied.
I hurried through the grass, the heels of my Louboutins sinking slightly into it. I normally took the gravel path that led to the cottage but cutting through the lawn was faster. “Well, you did. Where’s your bike?” I asked, looking around. Then I reached the porch steps, and my eyes widened as I looked behind him through the open door. About a million pink roses were visible even from here. “Oh my gosh.”
“I had Ms. Hattie drop me off. She helped me set this up, and I didn’t want you to see my bike outside.”
