Page 57 of King of My Heart

My pulse raced, my breath caught in my throat, and the world around us turned silent. I opened my eyes and met his own, smiling gently when I realized that this was very much real.

“Tell me this is forever,” I whispered.

His jaw ticked, his eyes flickering with emotions that mimicked mine. His hands flexed on my thighs as he moved up to brush his lips on mine. “If you want it to be.”

Chapter 17

DARWYNN

Checking out of the tiny house wasn’t as bittersweet as I thought it would be. The moment I handed the keys back to Theresa, her eyes sharp as ever, I felt a strange sense of relief. Maybe it was because I knew I wasn’t really leaving Hilton Beach.

Not yet, anyway.

Yesterday, when I brought up having to check out this morning before ten, he glared at me with the most unhappy expression I had ever seen. He had always been grumpy, but the way he looked at me was an all-new look. He didn’t want me to leave, and with a stern voice, he said, “You’re staying.”

Of course, I couldn’t say no to that. He invited me to stay at his place until we figured out what was next.

“So,” Theresa said, locking the front door of the tiny house, “are you going back home now?”

I shook my head, smiling tightly. “I’m actually staying for a while. At Caspian’s.”

Her brows shot up. “He actually invited you to stay. Well, I’ll be damned.”

“Is it that surprising?” I asked with a small laugh.

Theresa shrugged. “I didn’t think he’d want you to stay for longer, seeing as he liked being alone. But…it seems that helikes having you around. For whatever reason. You’re just his son’s girlfriend.”

Despite her confusion about why I was staying, her words warmed me more than I cared to admit. I smiled. “We get along quite nicely.”

She huffed, slowly shaking her head. “Go figure. You showed up out of nowhere without a warning, without knowing each other beforehand, and with the stupid idea of reuniting him with his son.”

I knew what she was getting at. Before I came, Caspian was done with his past. He wanted to live his life quietly and without company. But I believed that I came to find him at the right time.

Or…I was the person he was missing in his life.

Either way, I was here, and I wasn’t leaving.

Not unless Caspian kicked me out of this village himself.

“All right,” I said, giving her another tight smile. “Thanks, Theresa, this place was nice.” I picked up my bags and headed down the two steps of the porch. “I’ll see you around.”

A small nod was all she gave me before she left, and without giving our conversation any more care, I walked to Caspian’s house, where he was already waiting for me on the porch.

His arms were crossed over his chest, and he watched me carefully as I stepped up to stand in front of him. I dropped my bags on either side of me and smiled up at him. “Here I am. But you don’t really look so happy that I am.”

He scoffed. “What did Theresa say to you?”

Ah. He must’ve seen us talking outside the tiny house.

“Nothing. She asked if I was going back home, but I told her that I was staying with you.”

“And she made a snarky remark, I guess?”

I shrugged. “Pretty much. But I handled it, and I don’t think she caught on that we got closer.” I smiled again, tipping my chin toward the front door. “Will you let me in?”

He lifted one finger. “There are house rules.”

I raised my brow, amused. “I’ve been in there before, Caz.”

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