Page 115 of Married With Lies

“I’ve already left,” he says. “That’s what I’m saying. You’re my home now.”

“Say it again.”

“I’ve left New York and I’m here to stay. If you’ll have me.”

“Of course I’ll have you. But I want you to repeat the part where you profess your undying love for me.”

“I don’t think I used the word undying.”

“You should have. It’s a good word.”

“In that case, hold on.” He tackles me to into the grass then hovers over me, smiling, when I’m pinned down on my back. “Sadie, you have my undying love, my undying devotion, and my undying commitment.”

“That’s not bad. But I can think of something that would make it better.”

“Oh yeah? What?”

“Kiss me, you asshole.”

He roars out a laugh. “Asshole, huh? Guess I’m rubbing off on you.”

“You can rub off on me anytime, Carmine Connelly.”

“Good to know, Scraps.” He lowers his head and shuts me up with a kiss.

I get carried away in a hurry, wrapping my legs around him and pulling his shirt up to feel his skin. He sucks my neck and presses between my legs to prove the passion definitely isn’t one sided. His hand goes under my shirt and explores my breasts. His thumb slides into my bra and discovers the hard pebble of my nipple. But before we get too hot and bothered to speak, I put a stop to the action and wiggle out from underneath him.

He lays on his side, leaning on his elbow with an exhale of frustration. “Do you need me to declare my undying love again before I can touch your tits?”

“I might but first I have a question. I don’t see a car. How did you get here? Did you teleport from New York?”

“Almost. I grabbed the first flight out. After connecting flights in Dallas and Phoenix, I finally reached the Durango airport in the middle of the night. Then I paid a very happy Uber driver a thousand bucks to drive me out here. I didn’t want to scare the daylights out of your household by banging on the door so I decided to hang out with the dogs. We had a good time. My suitcases are in the utility room. By the way, you need a better lock on that building. I picked it open in thirty seconds flat.”

“Did you? Impressive. I’m lucky to have hooked a man with so many talents.”

He cocks an eyebrow and slowly runs his eyes over my body. “How’d you like to get better acquainted with some of my talents right now?”

“Probably impractical out here in the grass.” I jump to my feet and pull on his arm. “I might get hives and I’d hate to emotionally scar the horses. Plus people are going to start showing up any minute. Let’s bring your stuff into the house. I want to get you moved in before you change your mind.”

He swings his arm over my shoulders. “Not a chance. You’re stuck with me now.”

“That’s good news. But I have one more thing to say.”

“What’s that?”

“I love you too, Cale.”

He looks down and touches my face. “That’s something I’ll never get tired of hearing.”

Peggy must have seen us from her kitchen window. She steps outside, arms crossed, and takes note of the two suitcases Cale is lugging to the house.

“You must be planning a longer visit this time,” she says.

Cale sets his suitcases down. “Is that all right with you, Peggy?”

“You don’t bother me too much,” she says, which is ecstatic praise in Peggy Speak. Next she nods to me. “I left you both some breakfast on the table. You’d best get to it before the cats do. I’ll take care of the morning chores.”

In order to stifle any arguments she immediately begins marching at a quick pace in the direction of the barn.

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