Page 93 of Lost in the Moonlight

“Okay, we might have to draw some lines in the sand regarding our conversations. He’s my boss and like a favorite uncle. I don’t want to know how you two are enjoying each other.”

She chuckled again. “I, on the other hand, want to make sure you’re actually figuring out how to enjoy someone.”

I made a garbled noise. “Gross, Mom.”

“If it’s gross, Lincoln is doing it wrong.”

It was my turn to laugh. “Oh no. There’s nothing wrong with what he does. I’m just not sharing it with my mother.”

“That right there. Your laugh. The way your voice changed so it’s now full of delighted pleasure. I want to kiss him myself for giving it to you.” Her voice got soft and tender again.

“I’m hanging up now because I’m not sure I can survive the embarrassment if we keep talking,” I said, my lips curving upward even more.

“I love you, kiddo.”

“Love you too, Mom.”

When I hung up and turned to go back to the cake pans, my gaze landed on Lincoln lounging up against the archway to the hall. His hands were tucked in his pockets, and his hair was ruffled as if he’d been running his fingers through it. My body lit up. My heart soared. He was so damn beautiful, and somehow, he’d become mine.

Mom and Lincoln had both lost so much, and yet they were both ready to try again. To reach for love and happiness. My trying to protect them wasn’t the answer. I was only bringing myself, and them, hurt and sorrow by doing so.

If this ended, it would hurt more for every second we spent together, but Mom was right. I had to let both her and Lincoln make their own decisions about how they lived and the risks they took. It was only completely selfish if I wasn’t upfront with them about all the possible outcomes. If I laid all the cards on the table, and they still chose to stay, to gamble with me, then it was okay. Wasn’t it?

I doubted I’d ever completely convince myself that it was.

It wasn’t the only thing Mom had been right about. She’d said I’d spent too many years trying to protect the one parent I had left, the only family I had, and it was exactly what I’d done. In doing so, I’d allowed the Viceroys to have even more power over me because I’d still been letting fear drive me even if I hadn’t known it. Living fully, regardless of what had happened or what might come ahead, allowed me to take back the power. It could be my own revenge for what they’d stolen. Maybe it was time I let Lincoln do for me what he’d said I’d done for him—let him lead me out of the shadows and into the light.

? ? ?

After falling asleep tucked up tight against Lincoln, I woke disoriented just a few minutes before my alarm was set to go off. The space beside me was empty. When I sat up, I found Lincoln sitting on the love seat, his phone lighting up his face as he swiped at the screen. He looked up as I moved.

“Did I wake you?” he asked.

I shook my head. “No, it was my body clock. Did you sleep at all?”

He put his phone down and made his way over as I slid out of the bed. “I got about four hours. That’s pretty good for me.”

He leaned in and kissed me sweetly, and my body instantly lit up. Achy and sore as it was, I still wanted him. Wanted to experience the sparks we felt every time we were twined together. Wanted the light I’d tried to convince myself was worth the risk after hanging up with Mom. All the deep emotions from the last two days turned the tender kiss into something frantic and wild. It took every effort I could summon up to pull my lips away from his.

“Even if my body hadn’t screamedno more, I’d still have to stop us from getting lost in each other again. I need to go home, shower, get ready for work.”

His gaze dropped to my mouth, and I felt the intense longing in them, the desire to stay just like this. Even though our bubble had popped, we were still hidden away here momentarily. Still keeping the world at bay a tiny bit longer.

“Maybe you should quit. Start your own business out of my kitchen.”

I laughed until I saw he was partially serious. “I love working for Hector.”

“I love having you in my house.” Our eyes locked. It wasn’t quite a proclamation of love, but it was close. We’d danced around it several times yesterday, but it seemed way too fast and too soon to say it.

Instead of responding, I untangled myself from him, gathered my things, and headed for the door. I wasn’t at all surprised when Lincoln tagged along with me as two men escorted me to my house where I got ready for work and then into the black SUV with tinted windows that drove me to The Tea Spot.

They told us to stay in the car while two of the bodyguards entered and cleared the café, using my key and alarm code. When one of the men came back out, it was with a grim expression on his face. “No one is in there.”

The ‘but’ hung in the air.

“What is it?” I asked, dread spiking through me.

“There’s some graffiti.”

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