Page 111 of Hot Knot Summer
The mention of the cabin sends ice through my veins. “You think they’ll find something?” The words come out smaller than I intended, and I can’t help wringing my hands.
Atlas takes my hands, gently prying them apart and wrapping them around his waist instead. His touch is warm, grounding. “It’ll all be fine, you’ll see. I promise.”
The words are burning on my tongue before I can stop them. “So, once it’s all done and the police no longer require me to stay here, you want me to?—”
“Nope.” His voice is firm, but there’s amusement dancing in his eyes. “Don’t say it.”
“You don’t know what I was going to say.” My voice has that stubborn edge it gets when someone tries to tell me what I’m thinking.
“I do.” He leans down and kisses the tip of my nose, and I scrunch my face. “You’re going to ask if we’re going to want you to leave and go back to your boringlittle town where nothing happens and no one appreciates how fucking incredible you are.”
My mouth drops open. “How did you… that’s exactly what I was going to say, you smug bastard.”
He throws his head back and laughs, and the gorgeous sound turns my insides to liquid fire again. That three-day scruff has him resembling some sort of rugged wilderness god. I want to trace every line of his jaw with my lips.
“I know you better than you think,” he says, still grinning. “I can practically see your brain working, calculating exit strategies and worst-case scenarios. But here’s the thing, Emma… you’re not going anywhere. You’re ours now, and we want you to move in with us for good. Bring your things from your town. We’ll help you pack. This is your place now.”
“Are you serious?” My voice comes out barely above a whisper.
“Dead serious.” His expression turns fierce, possessive. “We marked you with our bite, Emma. You belong to us now. All of us. And we’re not letting you go.”
Joy bubbles up in my chest, bright and effervescent. I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face as I throw my arms around his neck and hug him hard, pressing my whole body against his.
“You have no idea how happy that makes me.”
He kisses the top of my head, his arms tightening around me like he’s afraid I might disappear.
I freeze for a beat, still holding onto him, heartthudding in my chest. Did he really just ask me to move in with him?
God. This is happening.
Am I ready for this?
I mean, yes, technically, I don’t have a place right now. So, moving in sounds perfect in theory. Logical, even. But moving towns? Starting over? Putting my toothbrush next to theirs and waking up in the same bed every day? That’s not nothing. That’s… big. Huge.
And what if I mess it up?
I pull back just enough to meet his gaze, nerves suddenly jamming in my throat.
His eyes soften as he lifts his hand, his thumb brushing slowly across my lower lip.
“Hey,” he says, voice low and steady, like he’s trying to tether me to the ground. “Don’t overthink it.”
I blink at him, caught between laughter and tears.
“Let’s just have fun today, okay?” he continues. “We’ve got time to figure everything else out.”
And somehow, I believe him.
“So then… day out?”
“Absolutely.” I pull back to grin up at him. “Lead the way, Chief.”
We head downstairs, and I hear Levi and River’s voices before we even reach the bottom. They’re in the kitchen, gathered around the coffee pot as if it holds the secrets of the universe.
“Morning, sweet thing,” Levi says when he spots me, abandoning his coffee to cross the room. His eyes are warm and appreciative as they sweep over me.Before I can say a word, he takes my hand and spins me away from Atlas.
“Hey!” I laugh, stumbling slightly as Levi pulls me against his chest.
