Page 99 of Every Silent Lie

“Truth?”

“Yes, the truth.”

“I’ve lost count.”

He dunks his finger in the cream on my plate and wipes it on the end of my nose. “I still love you.”

And that’s the end of that? I know I can’t hide my surprise.

“I’m not interested in how many men you’ve slept with, Camryn. All I’m interested in is that you will only sleep with one man from this moment forward.”

Fuck. Could I love you more? “You bought a whiskey brand your father wanted, then?” I ask, taking Dec’s lead and moving forward rather than back. Although I’m still super curious about his father, which I appreciate is moving back a little, but still. I’ve gone back in time too. For the benefit of my future.

“Correct.”

“Why?”

“Because it was a good deal.”

I raise my brows and take a bite of my pastry.

“Don’t raise your brows at me.” He leans across, wiping my face with a towel.

“No daddy issues, though?” I mumble around my mouthful, restraining my smile.

“None at all.”

“Okay.”

“Okay,” he parrots.

I shrug. “Okay.”

He narrows one eye, dumping the towel and collecting his coffee, drumming his fingers on the counter. My lips purse, watching him trying to figure out what he can say that might convince me he doesn’t give two shits about his father. “Okay,” he murmurs, tipping his cup to his lips, circling around the island to my side, taking slow, casual paces.

I keep my body forward, my eyes following him until they can follow him no more. He’s behind me. Flakes of pastry dust my fingers, floating down to the plate as Dec pushes his back up against me, leaning past me to place his coffee down. Hot breath hits my ear, and my spine rolls one vertebra at a time until it’s ramrod straight. “I think it’s too early to be up on a Saturday.” He turns me on the stool to face him, my pastry hanging in my limp hand.

“Me too.” Taking a bite out of my pastry, I chew, anticipation back with a vengeance, while Dec studies me thoughtfully. “What?” I ask, mumbling around my mouthful.

“Did you see the first aider?”

“Huh?”

He reaches for my cheek, turning my face a little.

“Oh, yes, of course.”

“Does it hurt?”

“Not so much.” He hums his doubt and pops a kiss on my nose, turning me back. “Does that mean we’re not going back to bed?” I ask.

“Sounds like I need some energy.” Reaching for the plate, Dec plucks an almond croissant off and rips off a piece like an animal.

“You better have two of those,” I say, slipping the last of my breakfast past my lips. “Maybe three.”

Dec laughs, and the sight is nothing less than incredible. I swallow around my smile, suitably full, and dust off my hands. “I like this Camryn,” he says, taking his elbows down to the island, leaning on them, making his biceps bulge and his stomach crease.

“I like her too,” I admit.