Page 24 of Just My Luck

Fear and anxiety slowly faded away as I exhaled.

This is what Sylvie meant by a fortress. Safety.

When I opened my eyes, Abel was looking at me, and my lashes lowered as I glanced away. “Thanks for letting me hide out for a little bit. Abel, this is—” I breathed in deeply and appreciated his property with a smile. “This is so charming.”

A tight, flat-lipped nod was his only response.

Clearly he was uncomfortable with my praise, but he deserved to know how beautiful his home was. “Can I get the grand tour?” I asked, hoping to lighten the mood.

Abel reached back and scratched at the base of his skull. “Sure.”

I looped my arm through his, and when he didn’t pull away, I beamed up at him and let him lead the way.

Here goes nothing.

TEN

ABEL

I couldn’t fuckingfocus with Sloane’s arm looped through mine. Her warm, comforting scent rose up and filled my nose as I unlocked the front door to my house and gestured for her to step inside.

It was strange having a woman in my space. When you spend as much time as I did locked in an eight-by-eight cell, you learn to appreciate your surroundings. My home was my sanctuary, and in the time I’d been back, I’d done everything I could to make it feel complete.

The ranch had been purchased with family money from a retired couple who’d decided Michigan winters no longer suited them. I’d held on to a few of the vintage pieces they’d left behind.

To no one’s surprise, I preferred subtle, moody tones and clean lines.

Sloane’s grip on my arm tightened when we walked inside. “Oh! Abel, this is gorgeous!”

From the covered front porch, we entered into the vaulted ceiling of the great room, which was open to the kitchen and dining room toward the back.

Sloane clasped her hands in front of her chest. “May I go in?”

Struck by her cute politeness, I smiled and nodded. “Look around.”

Sloane smiled at the stone hearth along one wall as she walked toward the heart of the home.

She pointed at an end table that flanked the couch. “I love this furniture. It’s so modern but with a vintage feel to it.”

I nodded. That had been exactly what I’d been going for. “My brother Whip built those. He’s a bit of a woodsmith on his days off from the firehouse.”

“I’ve met him. He makes Emily very happy. Though I didn’t realize he had hidden talents.” Her pretty hazel eyes went wide, and her eyebrows bounced. “I wonder what yours is.”

I shrugged. “Don’t really have one.”

She playfully harrumphed. “I doubt that.”

Heat sizzled up my back. I may be out of practice, but there were a few things, under different circumstances, I wouldn’t have minded showing Sloane. Things one might consider talents—at least, no one had ever complained before.

I watched as Sloane went deeper into my home. The kitchen was also an open concept, with raised bar-top seating, a decent-size kitchen island, and doors leading from the eat-in dining area to the backyard.

Adding windows to the home was one of my first projects—I’d never wanted to feel locked in, stifled. I needed the openness the windows provided to feel like I could breathe.

To her right, a hallway led to the remaining bedrooms and bathrooms. She raised her eyebrows expectantly.

I jerked my head and shrugged. “Go ahead.”

With a delighted squeak, she padded down the hallway. The rest of the house was no-nonsense, with two spare bedrooms and a primary suite. I tensed, wondering if Sloane would want to look inside the rooms. My blood pressure wouldn’t be able to handle seeing her in my bedroom—I knew that for damn sure.

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