Page 49 of Lead Me Knot

Lauralee

“Is that code for I don’t want to have sex?”

I shoot Baylor a look, but I can’t hold it for more than a second without laughing. “Of course not.”

“That’s my girl.” He kicks off his shoes and strips out of his clothes while entering the bedroom.

Connecting physically becomes the foreplay to lying together afterward.

It’s my favorite part. When he has his arms around me, I don’t mind letting the hours tick slowly by.

Despite thinking I’d fall asleep the moment my head hit the pillow, I find contentment in listening to his steady breathing.

He’s comfort to my soul wrapped in a big, sexy package.

But I am thirsty, so I sneak out of bed and into the kitchen.

Standing in front of the sink after filling my glass with water, I look at this tiny apartment and think about the purpose in which I built it.

It was supposed to be rented out, but I’ve only had one reservation come of it—Baylor’s.

I’ve taken over, c raving a freedom I didn’t realize I was so desperately needing.

Spying the photo, I pick it up off the coffee table and study it again. Though I’ll never forget that day or the feeling I had when it was taken, it needs to be framed. I want to see it every day when I wake up and one last time before bed.

I set it back down, eyeing the envelope that I never opened after discovering the photo.

Sitting on the edge of the couch, I pull the papers out of it.

I don’t know what to make of this thick stack of legal documents.

Baylor never said what it was. He only said he was fixing this mess.

It had to do something with the lease or the management company, but what mess exactly? There were a few . . .

Since it’s too dark to read the fine print, I switch on the small lamp by the TV and sit on the floor nearby so the light hits the paperwork.

As requested by the client . . . blah, blah, blah.

Change of ownership . . . I flip the page. Greene Ventures. Lauralee Knot. I read the line again, not following the legal jargon in the bulk of the paragraph. Transfer of titles. Blah blah. My name is listed among four others, with the owner listed beside it. Owner of what?

I keep scanning until I find the address listed, not of my shop, but of the entire building, which comprises four commercial spaces, including the fifth, listed as the apartment above it. No . . . he didn’t do that. Did he?

Jumping to my feet, I hurry back into the bedroom and climb into bed, facing him. “Baylor?” No response. “Are you awake, Baylor?” I ask, gently rocking him by the arm. He groans, but I can tell he’s still asleep. “Baylor, wake up,” I say in a voice higher than normal.

His e yes fly open. “What is it?” I think he’s still caught between sleep and being awake.

When his eyelids begin to dip again, I hold up the papers. “What have you done?”

Popping his eyes open again, his expression is dragged down. “Fuck, what have I done now?”

“This.” I rattle the papers in the air above his head. “Did you already do this, or it’s not a done deal yet?”

He turns to look up, but confusion wrangles the neutral expression he had been wearing. “This being? Want to fill me in?”

“This contract transferring ownership of the building and shop, even this apartment, to me?”

“ Ah .” He rolls back to his side as understanding seeps back in. Closing his eyes, he says, “I had that drawn up for you. You’ll never have to worry about rent again because you’ll own it.”

“With a mortgage, right?” God, how am I going to pay that?

He lifts his lids again, but I can see he’s struggling to stay awake.

“I bought the building outright. Even the delinquent taxes were paid in full as well. The unpaid taxes helped in the negotiation.” His lips curl up at the sides even though his blink has kept his lids closed longer than they should.

My heart is jumping so hard in my chest that I can barely contain it. “Baylor?” When he opens his eyes again, I ask, “For real? This is real? This is what you were going to give me? The entire building?”

Reaching over, he runs the back of his fingers over my cheek and down the side of my neck. “Yeah, baby. It’s all yours if you want it.” His grin is dreamy and as sweet as this gift he’s given me, enticing me to want to make love again. “I already signed it. All you have to do is sign it, too. ”

“I can’t.”

Fully awake now, he adjusts his shoulder, angling his head slightly away as he looks at me out of the corner of his eye. “Why not?” he asks, as if he can safeguard himself from bad news.

“Because there’s one major mistake.”

“Which is?”

“My last name isn’t going to be Knot anymore. It’s Greene.”

I’m dragged by my hips under his body so fast that I squeak and burst into giggles.

With one of his knees spreading mine as he pins my wrist to the mattress on the sides of my head, he kisses me once, but only as a tease of what’s to come.

“Lauralee Greene. Sounds perfect together. Like it was meant to be all along.”

Wrapping my arms around his neck, I pull him closer, and whisper, “Destiny.”

Lounging in the hammock, I point at the fort. “I think there should be a window on the back to see the river and on this side so they don’t have to open the door to look out toward the house.” I pop another piece of popcorn in my mouth and then take a sip of my water.

Baylor pokes his head out the opening where you enter the tree house.

“Would you like to come up here and help build it?” He’s gotten a little snippy since the beginning of August is hotter than Hades in Texas.

Four days in and they’ve built the main hangout, but since they want a fort, the plans call for an expansion deck elevated on the roof.

Beckett and Macon are playing in the river not too far away, but Baylor is determined to finish this in the next two days so he can work on the car again.

After only a few evenings with a spotlight aimed under the hood, he’s not gotten more than the engine attached.

It’s not running in any capacity, though.

Tagger hasn’t said a word about him working on it either. Yet. We know the bet will eventually need to be addressed. I’m thinking sooner than later.

“I’d be happy to, but I know there’s not enough room for me and your ego to work inside that small space.” Entertaining myself, I smirk.

“You know what, Shortcake?”

“What, stud?”

“You’re looking fine enough to take for a dip in the river.”

My hand stops just before tossing another piece into my mouth. Is he serious? “Is that a threat?” I chomp down again.

“It’s a promise, baby.” He hurries out, starting down the ladder.

Popcorn goes flying as I spin to work my way out of the captivity of the hammock. “Oh no, you don’t.” I finally land on my feet just as he jumps to the ground, and I start running for Christine’s house. “No, Baylor!”

I don’t stand a chance, and when I look back at his sexy hunk of a man all shirtless and sweaty—to die for gorgeous—my steps slow. I’m scooped into his arms and tossed over his shoulder over fake protests. “ Oh no. ” I emphasize each word and slap his ass. “What are you going to do to me?”

Swinging me around into his arms, he’s already laughing. “You’re a bad girl, Mrs. Greene.”

I lift to bite his bottom lip and then lick it.

“You take me back to that new truck of yours, and I’ll show you how bad I can be.

” About-facing, he starts in the right direction.

As much as I’d love to mess around with him in the air-conditioning of that big tru ck, my responsible side comes out. “We can’t leave the boys at the river.”

That same bottom lip is now sticking out. I kiss it just before he claims, “That’s a shot of reality. Maybe I don’t want kids after all if I can’t fuck you anytime I please.”

“Aw, we can do it later when they get bored and leave you to finish the fort yourself.”

He sets me on my feet and wipes the sweat from his brow. “Remind me again why I agreed to build this.”

I purposely bump into him as we head back to the building site. “Because you’re a great uncle.”

“Fine.” He rolls his eyes. “I’ll finish it.”

It took three days, but Christine held a ribbon cutting for the big day. Tagger says, “It’s impressive, guys.” Patting Beckett’s back, he asks, “Did your uncle help at all?”

Beckett eyes Baylor and grins. “He helped some.”

We laugh. All of us have been out here at different times to watch and help. I pat Baylor’s shoulder. “You did good.”

Leaving the boys to play, we walk back with Chris and Tagger. He’s carrying Daisy on his shoulders while Christine holds the baby strapped to her chest. Walking beside her, I ask, “Getting any sleep these days?”

“Some.” She rubs the baby’s back over the padded carrier. “It’s good to have my brother back for an extended time.”

I glance over at him and Tagger a few feet behind us. “Yeah, he’s grown on me.”

“I can tell by how much you two are hanging out lately.”

This time, I keep my eyes aimed ahead as we reach the field from the woods. “Not much else to do in this town.”

“So might as well do each other.” She bursts out laughing.

I don’t know whether to laugh or fess up. “Did you really just say that?”

She’s still laughing when she replies, “I get it. There aren’t many people to hang around with our age.” When we reach the steps of her front porch, she stops. “We’re having a summer soiree kind of dinner on Friday night.”

“Fancy.”

Holding the railing, she plants a foot on the bottom step.

“Not that fancy and very last minute. I thought it would be a nice time to wear a pretty dress. I’ll take Daisy to pick flowers we can put in our hair.

Candles on the table with wildflower bouquets.

The guys can clean up and look presentable again.

We can invite your mom out as well. Just a big family kind of get-together. ”

I can already visualize it. Her front porch with a long table, cloth tails flowing in the breeze and candles lining the length of the table. So romantic. “Sounds beautiful. What can I bring?”

“Dessert as usual, if you don’t mind. Maybe some that you have left at the end of the day. We’ll be happy to take them off your hands so they don’t go to waste.”

“Friday is cheddar biscuit day, too.”

Pointing a finger at me, she narrows her eyes in warning. “Don’t show up without my favorite food in the world.”

I laugh. “I would never.”

“It’s settled. How’s seven thirty? It’s really too hot before then.”

Five o’clock in the evening really is unbearable. Using my hand, I fan myself as drips of sweat roll down my back. “That works for me. I’ll invite Mom.”

“No worries. I’ll send her a text with the details.” She starts up the steps. “I’m going in before Julie Ann and I get overheated. Is Baylor giving you a ride home, or do you need Tagger to? ”

“I’m sure Baylor will be happy to.” In fact, I know he’ll be happy to give me a ride.

I keep that gem to myself because she and the baby don’t need to hear my naughty thoughts on her brother.

“See you Friday.” I turn to the guys, who seem to be deep in conversation, and hold out my hands. “I’ll wait in the truck. Keys?”

Baylor tosses me the key fob.

Just as I get in the truck and close the door, I punch the button and turn up the air-conditioning full blast on my face. The other door opens, and Beckett climbs in. “Hey there, where are you boys going?” Through the windshield, I spot his friend running inside the house.

“Macon’s getting us lemonade, so I thought I’d wait with you.” Unexpected.

I sit back, glancing at Baylor through the windshield as I try to cool off. “It’s hot.”

“Yeah.” He turns to me and says, “I’ve kept your secret like my uncle asked me to.”

I still feel like I’ve been exposed somehow, but it’s him, and I know his heart is gold.

He’s also only nine. What’s he going to do, extort us for a new video game to keep it a little longer?

Maybe I’ll just buy him one as a thank-you gift.

“We both appreciate it very much. I know it’s a big one to keep.

” We had decided to let the baby own the limelight like she deserves.

It felt like it would be odd to be celebrating her birth and then instantly steal the attention away.

It’s been a few weeks, though, so I do think it’s okay to share the news soon.

I’ve been dying to, and the cloak-and-dagger sneaking around and pretending we’re only friends is tiring.

He says, “You know you’re Uncle Baylor’s secret ingredient? That’s what he told me. ”

“I don’t know what that means, Beck. What’s the secret ingredient?”

“It’s the magic that makes something work. Grandma Grange told me it’s the love put into things, like her succotash or the fort. When you care about something, it shows in everything you do.”

I’m in sweetness overload and smiling ear to ear. “How did you know I’m his secret ingredient?”

There’s such innocence in the way he shrugs. “He was different when I visited. Happier. Not that he wasn’t, but?—”

“I know what you mean.”

“He had a picture of you guys. When he looked at it, Christine would call it smitten kitten, but I don’t really know what she means when she says it.” His brows pull together in confusion. “She called me a smitten kitten when I showed her a picture of Amy in the yearbook.”

“You’re not getting married, are you?” I playfully tease.

He could shake his head right off his neck if he’s not careful. “No, but I’m glad you and my uncle did.”

“Me, too.” I reach over and wrap my arm around him in a side hug. This kid has a knack for getting right to the meat and potatoes in life, even when the adults can’t. “Thank you for sharing with me.”

Macon walks down the steps, spilling lemonade over the edge of the glasses. “Yeah.” He shrugs again and hops out of the truck. Now that I’ve cooled down, I hop out too, and move to the passenger seat just as Baylor cuts in front of the truck.

When he gets situated in the driver’s seat, I say, “I want to tell everyone we’re married on Friday night.”

His grin kind of says it all, but when he reaches over to hold my hand, he says, “Friday night it is. ”