Page 132

She pressed her palm to his cheek. “So long as I have you, I’ll be happy anywhere.” Then she looked down the road in front of them at the house he’d grown up in. “If this is where you need to be—”

“I need you.” He appreciated that she’d even entertain the thought of moving to Montana with him, but he couldn’t ask her to do that, and he liked Blackrock Falls. “Yes, this place is a part of me. My family is important. I’m not losing this or them. I’m just doing what I’ve wanted to do for a long time, living the life I want. And that’s with you.”

“Then, you’re not mad?”

His heart melted for this beautiful woman. “That you bought a house because you want to make a life with me in it? No, Angel. I’m happy. And I can honestly say, it feels damn good after all the shit I’ve been through. But if that’s what it took to find you . . . Worth it. Every second. All the pain. I’d do it all again justto have you.” He fisted his hands in her beautiful hair and pulled her into a deep, demanding kiss, knowing she’d feel the connection that kept getting stronger, the love that grew each and every day.

They lost themselves in each other, like they always did when they kissed.

The blast of a car horn popped their intimate bubble.

Mason glanced past Lyric’s beautiful face and kiss-swollen lips to stare at his three cousins in the black Range Rover pulled up beside them.

Hawk drove with his big brother, Lincoln, in the front passenger seat and baby brother, Damon, in the back.

Hawk shook his head and shouted, “Get a room.”

Mason grinned. “Jealous.”

Hawk growled and drove off.

Mason settled back in his seat and drove the rest of the way to the house.

The guys were all out of their car waiting.

“Who is who?” Lyric asked.

He pointed out each of his cousins by name. And even though he knew she was going to do it, it still shocked him to see Lyric jump out on her side, walk right up to Hawk, throw her arms around his neck, and hug him.

Mason was close enough to hear her say, “Thank you for bringing him to me when I needed him.”

Lyric didn’t let Hawk go after the polite amount of time you’d hug a stranger. But Lyric had decided Hawk was her friend, and that was that for her.

Mason knew how it felt to be hers, so it didn’t surprise him that Hawk remained unsure about what to do with her, but he also didn’t back away.

Hawk stood there, hands at his sides, face a mask ofno emotion. But Mason knew deep down, he couldn’t resist Lyric’s love, that bright light that drew Mason and everyone else.

Lyric waited Hawk out. So did Mason. Even Lincoln and Damon stood, staring and waiting and probably hoping to see something come alive in Hawk.

Mason understood and could sense something deep inside of Hawk needed this to break through to the part of Hawk that didn’t want to feel anything anymore.

Lincoln and Damon held their breath, hope filling their gazes that Hawk would finally let someone in.

Ever so slowly, Hawk wrapped Lyric in a hug and whispered something in her ear that made her laugh. He held her for another moment, then looked to Mason. “If you don’t make her stop, I might decide to keep her.”

Lincoln and Damon both let out relieved laughs.

Mason didn’t have to do a thing.

Lyric stepped back, sliding her hands along Hawk’s jaw and saying, “We’re best friends now, but I will always and forever be his.”

Mason gave Hawk and the others a cocky grin. “Don’t forget it,” he warned his cousin.

Still, Lyric hooked her arms through Hawk’s and Mason’s, and they walked together up the porch steps, Lincoln and Damon bringing up the rear.

Lyric glanced up at Hawk. “How did the meeting with Charlie pan out?”

Hawk gave a disgruntled sigh. “Thank you for the contact. We got into the spirits competition. Damon will represent the brand in June. I don’t know how you did it.”