Page 125 of At the Edge of Surrender

Thighs I was currently pressing together to try to quell the unbidden need he conjured in me.

I inhaled a shaky breath, prying my attention from his and turning it out the passenger window, praying he couldn’t read me the way I was sure I was reading him.

Completely useless considering the rough scrape of a chuckle he emitted.

The road curved to the left where it came to a T at a road called Vista View.

In an instant, awe tightened my chest.

It was definitely a view. So gorgeous you had to wonder how a place like this existed.

The large lake was set out in front of us, stretching far in either direction.

High mountains peaked at its backdrop, tips jutting into the bluest sky where they surrounded the lake on all sides. The sun was ablaze as it slowly sank toward them, its arms sending glittering rays tumbling across the placid surface of the water.

A dense forest hugged the water’s edge, homes and cabins tucked beneath their sanctuary.

“Look it, we found the lake again!” Maci screeched.

Low amusement rolled out of Kane as he made a right onto the road. “That lake is huge. You’re pretty much going to find it wherever you go in this town.”

Kane pointed through the windshield at a large building that sat on the far side of the lake.

“That right there is The Sanctuary, the motel Theo owns. He’s on the farthest northern side. But then Otto and Cash, who you haven’t met yet, have a view of the lake on those mountains way back there.”

He hooked his thumb toward the back window.

Maci squirmed in her car seat, frustrated she was pinned by the straps. “I can’t even see it.”

“That’s because it’s too big to see all at once unless we’re way up high on one of those mountains, but I’m thinking you and I should spend some time exploring all of it.”

“On a boat?!” Elation streamed out of her.

Kane chuckled with a nod. “If that’s the way you want to do it, we sure can.”

“I never been on a boat.”

“Sounds like we’re going to have to fix that then.”

One second later, Kane turned on his blinker and made another right into what appeared to be a secluded neighborhood.

My pulse sped an erratic beat.

Why did this have to be so uncomfortable? Make my stomach churn with a nausea I couldn’t shake?

These were the people who would replace me. People who would get to be a part of Maci’s day to day.

It both hurt and filled me with hope.

Lush trees towered above us, the thick, dense branches stretched out over the road and into the yards, shielding the massive homes that rested beneath their guard.

Kane made an almost immediate left onto a driveway that led down to a two-story house made of dark woods and stone and was fronted by a gorgeous wraparound porch.

There were a couple of motorcycles parked out front, and Kane came to a stop behind them.

“Is this it?” Maci peeped.

“Yep, this is it,” Kane said as he shut off the engine.

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