Page 41 of Sugarloaf Ridge Lies

I angle my body to face her and swipe my thumb over her cheek. A smile curls at her lips as she blinks with sleepy eyes.

“If it helps, Liv, there are parts of my life I’m not willing to share with just anyone. If I’m bein’ honest, I’m kinda not sure how.” Or if I can. Mum would certainly have something to say about that. Secrets are meant to stay that way, but shouldn’t it be my choice? After all this time, shouldn’t it be up to me who knows about my birth story?

“Me too,” she whispers. “But I want to try.”

“Then how ’bout we do just that, huh?” I shrug. “Try. There’s no right or wrong, we give it our best shot.”

She sighs and tightens her grip of my hand. “My last boyfriend cheated on me. Guess that’s someplace to start.”

“What?” My blood heats. Son of a bitch. Why on Earth would a man look at another woman if he had Liv?

“It was my fault,” she says, her voice small.

“No,” I bark out. “There’s no excuse for that. You’re either with someone, or you’re not.” I’ve never cheated and never will. Call me simple, but one woman should be enough, and if she’s not for you, you call it quits before you jump into another woman’s bed.

She heaves a sigh. “I wasn’t in a good place after I lost my family. We hadn’t been dating long, before it happened. I was a mess, pushed him away.”

What happened with her family? Is it that bad? When will she be comfortable talking about them?

“Regardless of what was goin’ on, cheatin’ is a dog act.”

Liv slowly nods, her silky hair slipping over her shoulder. “It’d been a while before that since I’d been with someone. As much as I want to move things forward with us, I don’t want to rush, you know?”

Is that why she seemed out of sorts when I ran into Sally at the pub that night? Was she thinking I’m the kind of guy to fool around on her?

“Hey, that’s okay.” I tuck her hair behind her ear. “I promise I’d never do that to you. I can’t get my head around how any man would if he had you.”

“I took it too far. I thought I was ready. I’m sorry.” Her eyes flash to the semi-bulge in my jeans. Her heated gaze twitches it back to life.

I lean in and kiss her cheek. “Hey, don’t apologise. We take it as far as you want, when you want, ’kay?”

“‘Kay.” She nods, her sweet smile like an arrow to my heart. “Hey, you like chocolate?”

I wink. “My oath.”

She fusses about in the kitchen for a bit, returning with two hot cups of cocoa and a block of Cadbury chocolate. My sweet tooth sings at the sight.

We spend the next hour or so snuggled on her couch. Talking, laughing, and smooching. I share with her my hopes for the farm, and she reminisces about parts of her youth, camping beneath the stars and toasting marshmallows. She misses the simple things about small-town life, which makes me more eager to share those things with her.

Liv falls asleep in my arms, and like a creep I stare for a while, watching her chest rise and fall, listening to her breathing peter out into long slow breaths. I shift beneath her and carry her bridal style down the hall until I find a bed unmade, with half a dozen pillows of various sizes scattered on the floor.

When her head hits the pillow she startles, eyes wide and glazed. “I fell asleep?”

“You must’ve been tired.”

She rubs at her eyes. “Sorry. Do you have to go?”

I sit on the edge of the bed and bring her hand to my mouth, kissing her knuckles. “Yeah. Got an early start.”

Liv weaves her hand around the back of my neck and teases at my hair. A rush of goosebumps charge over my skin.

“Can I see you tomorrow? When you’re done with stuff around the farm?”

As if I’m going to be able to keep away. “Absolutely. I was thinkin’ you should come out to the farm. I should be done by sundown.”

“Ooh!” Her eyes widen as if she’s remembered something important. “Can we have a fire? I can bring jumbo marshmallows and stuff to make s’mores.”

A chuckle rumbles up my throat. I can’t remember the last time a woman got excited about a campfire, but I fucking love it. “Yeah, sugar. We can.”

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