Page 72 of Montana Silence

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I brushedMara’s hair off her neck, letting the strands fall through my fingers. Our breath was coming back to us, but I didn’t want to move yet.

“Was it worth trying?”

Mara arched her back, pushing her body into mine, and I had my answer. “Yes. Yes, it was.”

She turned over and snuggled closer. “I want to try everything with you.”

“We can do that.” I sank the same hand into her hair and gently pulled her head back so I could kiss her neck. “We’ll have to spend a lot more time in bed, though.”

“You say that like it’s a problem.”

“Definitely not,” I murmured the words into her skin. “Just making sure you know, so when I lock you in here with me, I can say I warned you.”

She laughed, breathless. “As long as we hydrate.”

God, I loved this woman.

Mara sighed and stretched. “I don’t want to move.”

“Then don’t.”

“I have to. I need to pack. Or repack.” Her suitcase still sat at the end of my bed, filled with clothes.

I pulled her in, heart pounding. This was a risk, and I still wanted it. “When we get back from Phoenix,” I whispered. “Will you come back here?”

“Yes.” She took a breath. “If that’s okay. We still don’t know who sent me the boxes, and…I like being here with you.”

“I was going to ask when you came back here, if you’d just like to unpack.”

Her little gasp terrified me as much as it gave me hope.

“Your cabin is beautiful,” I said. “And I understand if you don’t want to leave it. But I can see you here. I can see your flowers outside and your ivy climbing up the side of the house. I can see your clothes in the closet, and your toothbrush already lives next to mine.

“Most of all, I can see going to sleep with you every night and waking up with you every morning.”

I pulled her back so I could see all of her face, and her eyes were wide and glassy with tears. Lucas said it would feel right, and it did. Now was the time. “I’m falling in love with you, Mara Greene. I know it’s a big thing to say, and I don’t expect you to say it back. But I need to tell you. I don’t even think I’m falling anymore. I aminlove with you. I want a future with you. I want to make a home with you, and no matter what happens, I want you with me.”

Her mouth opened, and no sound came out. I grinned and kissed her. For once, I was glad she was speechless. It was a good sign.

Mara reached out. She moved her hands and arms and legs to wrap around me entirely and buried her face in my neck. I’d never felt more at peace than in this moment with her. The fear of failure was still there, but as long as I was holding Mara, nothing else mattered.

“Is that a yes?” I asked softly.

She nodded and tapped her fingers on my back. Two taps. Two taps. Two taps.

Packing could wait. I rolled Mara beneath me and kissed her. We needed each other far more than we needed clothes. Or to pack. We needed this more than we neededbreath.

“Liam,” she whispered and shook her head. “My voice.”

“I know.” It would still disappear, especially when she was overwhelmed. “You’re still speaking to me, sweetheart. I hear you.”

Two taps.

We didn’t need any more words for me to show her how in love with her I was.

Mara

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