Page 17 of The Truth

“Very okay.” She wanted to snuggle right up to him. Which… totally too soon. Totally too soon.

She tucked her feet under the blanket, shifting slightly closer, stretching her toes toward the heat of his leg.

"I like seeing you like this."

Her fingers twisted the edge of the blanket. "Like what?"

"Relaxed."

She exhaled, letting her shoulders sink deeper into the cushions. "Cookies are powerful like that."

She stayed where she was and just listened for a moment. To the sounds oflifearound them.

"Can I ask you something?" she asked.

“Of course.”

“What are youreallyafter?” Well, that came out all wrong. “I mean… why are you spending so much time with me lately? Are you just being… nice? Preachery?”

“What exactly is preachery? And… I am spending time with you because… you fascinate me, Ayla Fisher. And I find myself wanting to spend every single moment with you that I can.”

“Like… your brother and my sister fascinated? Because… open and honest is the way I roll, you know.”

“Me, too.” His hand cupped her cheek, for the longest moment. “I promise to always be honest with you. I want to bewithyou. To spend time with you. Because I find you morefascinating than I have ever found a woman in my life. But if you want me to back off, I will.”

Well, she didn’t wantthatat all.

“I don’t want you to back off at all, Reverend Hiller. Not even for a moment. I’m just not entirely certain what happensnext,here.”

“I don’t think I am, either. Why don’t we just figure it out together?”

Ayla bit back a gooey sigh. Yes, this man was the perfect man. No denying that now. And Ayla… wasn’t going anywhere.

12

They’d stayedat the ranch with Genny for days. Ayla wasn’tentirelycertain why they weren’t going back to their own house just yet. Aubrey had said the sheriff had told her it was safe now.

But they weren’t.

Something about the Gorgeous Hiller boys needing to repair the ramp leading into her bedroom hallway—it had been torn out somehow, which she totally did not understand—and Grady had insisted the ramp needed replaced before it was safe for her to return. He was doing the work himself, he’d said, so that he knew it would be one hundred percent done correctly this time.Safe.

Aubrey had wanted to be there when Genny came home. And… they had been. Days ago.

Genny was napping right there on the couch. Ayla was watching over her, while she studied. Just in case Genny needed something. Greer was cutting potatoes for potato salad in the kitchen nearby.

Everyone else was gone—Guthrie had been called in to help with a baby. Chad and Aubrey had both returned to the hospital today. Ayla really didn’t want to think about her sister beingat the hospital—not after what had happened. She still hadn’t processed what had happened to Aubrey and Genny, not fully. How could she?

That man had justsnapped.And stabbed Genny. Because he thought helovedher. Well, Ayla wouldn’t ever fully understand that.

Grady and Gene were out doing ranchy type things.

And Gunn was off somewhere, taking care of his congregation’s various needs. She’d wanted to see him. Reverend Hiller was a very busy, busy man.

Last night on his garden patio had been… real. Different. They had talked out there for hours.

Until the sun had come up, and his eyes had widened. He’d checked his watch, she’d giggled.

He’d carried her back inside, to where her crutch waited. To where one Giavonna Hiller was up, wandering around the house with something obviously on her mind, and that had been that.

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