Page 229 of Hold Me Until Morning

It was over.

And having her tucked up against me that way? With her heart beating in sync with mine? Her breaths even and her body whole?

I swore that the hands on the clock tattooed on my chest started to tick again. Because I was no longer living on borrowed time.

No.

I was living for them.

I laid there wide awake, breathing her in while she slept in my arms.

Inhaling her aura.

Strawberries and cream.

And I held her until morning.

Just like I was going to do for the rest of my life.

EPILOGUES

HAILEY

Country music played from the speakers and dust flew behind Cody’s truck as he barreled down the dirt road that wound through the deep woods outside of Time River. Blips of blue sky flashed overhead as we traveled beneath the soaring trees that touched the heavens.

The windows were down, and the wind gusted in, whipping my hair into a disorder, while still managing to wrap me in the greatest sense of peace.

I looked over at the man who sat in the driver’s seat, wearing jeans and a dark-blue tee and a cap with those soft locks peeking out the bottom and curling around his ears. Tattooed arms stretched out, the bulky muscle flexing and bowing beneath the intricate designs as he held onto the steering wheel.

My gaze caressed his profile. His strong brow and chiseled cheeks, his rugged jaw covered by a beard that he had let grow a bit thicker.

My breath hitched at the sight of him.

It seemed it didn’t matter how many times I looked at Cody Cooper. He was forever going to have that effect on me.

“Is this it? Are we almost there yet?” Excitement rang from Maddie’s voice where she sat in the backseat buckled in her booster, and she tried to push up higher so she could see out the windows.

Cody glanced at her through the rearview mirror as he slowly followed the bumpy, uneven dirt road that was little more than a path carved out by truck wheels. “One minute more, and we’ll be there.”

Squealing, my daughter threaded her fingers together like she was issuing a prayer. “I can’t even wait,” she shrieked. “I’m pretty sure this might be one of my favorite days in all of forever. What do you think, my favorite Mr. Cody? Is it going to be one of your favorites?”

Affection pounded from his spirit, and he chuckled. “Yeah, Button, pretty sure it’s going to be.”

At that, he tossed a glance my way. Creases deepened at the corners of his eyes as he set his delicious mouth in one of those grins when he found me just staring at him, and he reached out and squeezed my thigh with one of those big hands. “Though I have to admit, every single one of my days are my favorite.”

Warmth heated my cheeks. My heart throbbing full.

Yeah, every single day had become my favorite, too, even though there were moments that were incredibly difficult. Moments when it felt like I might splinter apart from how badly I missed Lolly.

My love for her was so great that it physically hurt, and agony would spear through me like the piercing of an arrow whenever I thought of her.

When I thought of how fiercely she’d loved us. When I thought of the sacrifice she had made. When I thought of what she’d been willing to give in order to offer us safety.

There were also moments when I reeled, my spirit in turmoil over the truth of who my father was.

The truth of what he had tried to tie me to.

The truth of what he’d done to Brooke.

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