Page 89 of Lead Me Knot

Baylor comes out of the bathroom not disappointing me one bit that his shirt never seemed to make it on over his muscular torso. I want to lick those abs and bite his shoulder. Is that normal? Probably not, but I don’t care. He makes me want to do all kinds of things I never saw myself doing, like secretly getting married. Though I always throw the caveat of the loan in there to make excuses to myself. Deep down, it may have been the driving force, but my “I do” was for me.

Walking over to the peninsula, I drop the mail on the counter. “We need to figure out what we’re doing when it comes to others knowing about us.”

Suddenly looking sheepish, he says, “I do need to confess something.”

“Do I need to sit down for this?”

“I hope not. I told someone about our secret.”

I grip the counter for support. “Our secret that we’re married?”

Baylorcomes to me, taking me by the waist and swaying me back and forth. So innocent, but I know his game is to butter me up. “He knew. I could have lied, but I think he’ll keep the secret. He promised me he would.”

“Who’s he?” I point my finger at him and poke him in the chest. “If you tell me Tagger?—”

“Beckett.”

“Beckett?” I lower my hand, hooking my finger into his belt loop. “What do you mean, he knew?”

His shoulders hang high before he drops them back into place. “I don’t know. The kid saw right through me with his super senses. He asked me point blank on the plane this morning. I could have lied, but I really think he already knew.”

My heart kind of melts. I love Beckett and his intuition. It makes me wonder what he saw in Baylor that tipped him off. I might never know the answer to that, so I ask, “What did he say when you told him?”

“He said he was happy that we’re happy together.”

“That’s so sweet.” I huff and then hug him. “It’s hard to be mad about that. I just hope he keeps the secret until we’re ready to share.”

“Which is?”

I giggle under his ticklish kisses. “Something else we need to talk about before you leave again.”

His spine straightens, and he grins. “Hold that thought. I need to get something from the car. I think it’s going to make you very happy. I pray to fuck it does.”

“I’m conflicted on the praying to fuck. Is that a good thing?”

Walking to the door, he says, “Yes. It’s a good thing. I’ll be right back. I have something for you.”

I lean against the counter and watch him head out. “I love presents. Hey, you going shirtless?”

“I’m giving anyone spying on us a show.”

He’s ridiculous. His heavy steps rattle the staircase outside as he rushes down to the parking lot. I turn to the mail to sort through it, but stop on the third letter. “Way to ruin my day.” The property management company’s return address is bolded in the corner and the envelope is stamped with the word reminder, as if I needed one. It’s what I worry about most of my day.

I rip it and open the letter inside just to further irritate myself. Scanning over it, it’s the same thing I already knew. Decision due. Ludicrous rent increase. Sign here. The same as all the emails that Josten guy has sent. Though admittedly, I haven’t received one this week, which is odd, considering how frequently he was emailing prior.

Does he really think I’m going to just sign this? He’s a fool. This isn’t even the full agreement. I’m sure some buried clauses won’t benefit me in there, and he just wants me to sign my rights away without a care. I scowl when I see his signature and the management company bolded under his name again. But then I catch a phrase I overlooked the first time.Representing Greene Ventures.

The print under it is small, but it’s legible. I wrap my arm around my waist and take a deep breath as I study it closer.

Greene Ventures.

Everything from the county to the family to my new last name is spelled the same. I’m used to seeing and hearing it all the time in Peachtree Pass, but that’s an odd coincidence.

New York, New York.

There are millions of companies in that city. It’s huge. This doesn’t confirm anything. It also doesn’t deny it.

The phone number listed.

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