Page 36 of Only One More Lie

Considering that the song that had just been playing happened to be “Frosty the Snowman,” Duke knew the chances were slim to none.

CHAPTER 16

Andi woke with a start the next morning.

She glanced around, uncertain where she was or what time it might be.

Then she realized she’d fallen asleep in Duke’s arms.

No wonder she’d slept so well. Being with him always made her feel safe.

After the events of last night, she hadn’t been able to calm down. So the two of them had talked on the couch. She must have drifted to sleep in his arms.

She settled back against him now, not ready to start the day.

The skies outside were gray, which probably meant it was morning and the sun was hovering on the horizon.

Slowly but surely, Andi was becoming accustomed to the Alaskan way of life. Endless snow, the Midnight Sun in the summer and hours of darkness in the winter, seeing the northern lights . . . those things felt like home.

She leaned into Duke. She felt bad that they’d come so far in their relationship and overcome so many obstacles only for her to take a step back. But she knew it was the right thing.

Before she committed to any type of relationship she needed to make sure things were as right as possible with herself. Notthat things would ever be perfect or that she’d ever be without flaws or issues needing to be addressed.

But the trauma she’d gone through needed to be dealt with. The last thing she wanted was to carry that baggage with her into a long-term, committed relationship. She needed to handle the emotional struggles that came with her trauma, so she didn’t end up taking those issues out on those around her.

Duke had been so patient with her in the process.

At the thought of him, she turned to study his face. The strong lines. The barely there beard. The slight wave to his dark hair.

He was so handsome. The man of her dreams, really.

His eyes fluttered open as if he sensed her looking at him.

Andi loved that sleepy look in his gaze. She truly hoped that one day they could wake up beside each other for the rest of their lives.

She just needed more time first.

He blinked before raking a hand through his hair and sitting up.

“Hey.” His voice sounded hoarse and throaty.

“I guess we fell asleep out here.” She glanced around, and her gaze stopped at the dining room table.

Ranger sat there with a cup of coffee in his hand, the man practically a shadow. She hadn’t seen him earlier. She hadn’t looked.

“Sorry,” he muttered nonchalantly. “Didn’t want to wake you. But I didn’t want to wake Simmy either, so I just tried to make myself a ghost.”

Andi stood and stretched. “Don’t apologize. We must have fallen asleep out here. We stayed up late talking.”

“I understand,” Ranger said. “It was a long night.”

She shivered when she remembered hearing the music begin blaring. When she remembered finding that snowman ornament.

She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes as she trudged toward the kitchen. “You have enough coffee to share?”

“Of course.” Ranger nodded toward the pot behind him. “Help yourself.”

As she grabbed two mugs, she prepared herself to get busy. They had a lot of work to do.

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