Page 103 of Redemption

“Come on.” I rinsed her down, then myself, then the tiles before switching off the water. “Let’s go to bed.”

I wrapped her in a towel, and she went inside. I checked the perimeter as I did every night and locked up before heading down the hall to the bedroom. I checked my phone for any missed calls. Vaughn had left a voice mail that the man behind Sloan’s threats had been caught. But when I’d tried to call him back after dinner to find out more, he’d been unavailable.

Sloan was already in bed, a book in hand, when I arrived. I wanted to tell her the news but not until I had more information. I knew the topic upset her, understandably so. And I didn’t want to send her into a tailspin when she was winding down for bed.

I put on some athletic shorts and brushed my teeth before joining her in bed. “What are you reading?”

“It’s a steamy romance. Nate’s next movie, in fact.”

“Ah. Right.” I’d seen some of that author’s novels floating around Nate’s house. But I didn’t remember Sloan reading much romance in college. “What do you like about reading romance?”

“This might sound cheesy, but I like that there’s always a happily ever after.”

“That doesn’t sound cheesy.” I took her hand in mine. “Sometimes when life feels crazy or beyond our control, it’s nice to return to something that feels safe, maybe even predictable in a way.”

“Exactly,” she agreed, shutting the book and placing it on her nightstand.

“So just how steamy are we talking?”

“There’s definitely a plot,” she hedged, her cheeks pinkening. “And the sex scenes further the plot.”

“Are they hot?”

“Yeah.” She gave me a heated look. “They’re hot.”

“One of the guys I worked with at Hudson is big into romance.” Not that I’d be working with Connor or any of the Hudson team much longer. But I didn’t tell Sloan that—I couldn’t. At least, not yet.

“Seriously?”

“Yeah.” I nodded, thinking of Connor or “Cujo.” “His wife works for a big publishing house, and they fell in love over books.”

“So he read romance to impress her?”

I chuckled. “Something like that. But then he fell in love with the stories too.”

Sloan turned and faced me, tucking her hands beneath her cheek. “I’m surprised you never married.”

I lifted a shoulder. “It was hard to fathom spending my life with someone when my heart has always belonged to you.”

She smiled. “I love you, Jackson.”

“Love you too,” I said, still in a state of disbelief. When she’d said it earlier, I could’ve chalked it up to something in the heat of the moment. But now that things had cooled down, and she’d looked at me directly as she said those words, I knew she meant them with her whole heart.

She laughed.

“What?” I asked.

“You seem surprised.”

I caressed her shoulder. “I’m grateful. I wasn’t sure I’d ever hear that again from you.”

She leaned in, cupping my cheek. Her gaze was sincere and full of love. “I love you.” She said the words slowly, enunciating each syllable.

I kissed her. “I love you too.”

“Can we…cuddle?” She wore a sheepish expression.

“Of course,” I said. “You know you never have to ask.”

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