Page 95 of Her Maine Distraction

We head downstairs slowly, and when we reach the bottom, I gasp – speechless.

“Tyler,” I breathe.

He finished his house.

“I worked every free minute I had to finish. For you.”

“For me?”

“After you left, I looked around and saw you everywhere. I saw you sitting by the window reading, or over by the fireplace with a glass of wine.”

The floors are finished in a dark chestnut brown and the walls are painted the color of sand. Walking over to the cushioned window seat that looks out at the beautiful blue ocean, I feel the burn in the backs of my eyes.

“It’s exactly what I envisioned,” I whisper, smiling as I walk along the floor to ceiling bookcases on either side of the big fireplace. They’re empty, though.

“I think you need some books.”

“That’s for you to fill.”

My smile doesn’t leave my face as I look around the room. Two big leather chairs are positioned facing the fireplace, and I can see myself curled up on one on a cold winter night next to Tyler as we unwind from work. Then we’d devour each other on the floor in front of the fire – flames licking at our bare skin.

Guiding me through the kitchen and into the living room, I gasp again. His house has literally transformed since the last time I saw it.

The dark hardwood floors match the den, but the walls in here are painted a calm blue that reminds me of the sky turning from clear to storming.

Tyler installed new French doors that lead to the back porch, and they give me an uninterrupted view of the ocean. A comfy couch sits in front of a large, flat screen TV that looks perfect for movie nights, and a few vintage looking hutches and shelves fill the corners of the room.

“How did you get all of this done so fast?”

“I couldn’t sleep.”

A wave of regret flows through me. “I’m sorry,” I mutter, squeezing his hand.

“No, don’t be.” Stepping in front of me, Tyler cups my cheek. “I thought I was just building this house for me. I like living by the water. The quiet. The peace of it all. But the minute you left, I looked around, and it all felt so empty and pointless. I was surrounded by silence when all I wanted was hear you laughing and see you smiling while baking in the kitchen, or laid out waiting for me in my bed. You make this house a home.”

“You did this for me?”

“Yeah, sugar”–he caresses my cheek–“I did it for you.”

My eyes sting with unshed tears, and I blink them back, placing my hands on his torso. “Kiss me,” I tell him, and he wastes no time in obliging me. “Thank you,” I whisper against his lips.

I wrap my arms around him, and a warmth spreads through me. He loves me. He made me a home.

“Thankyou, Ellie. You have no idea how much you mean to me.”

We take this time to hold each other, and I feel his heart beating under my cheek, the steady rhythm the most beautiful sound.

“Breakfast?” he asks after a while.

“Yes, please.”

“Come on, then.” Tyler walks me over to the kitchen island, and I hop up onto a stool. Propping my elbows up, I rest my chin on my fists to watch him work, loving my view.

“A girl could get used to this,” I tell him, and he turns to face me with a bowl of batter and whisk in hand.

“Good. That’s what I’m hoping for,” he says, giving me my favorite smile, those two dimples making my stomach flutter.

I always want to feel like this. I always want to feel like I’m continuously falling in love.

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