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Dylan had always prided herself on telling the truth. But the words were harder now.

Maybe because they mattered more.

More than any words ever really had before.

“I don’t know what to think about you. About…being here. It isn’t how I thought it would be.”

“How so? You thought we’d just be fighting for six months?”

“Honestly? Yes. I thought I could deal with that, could understand it. Was kind of excited by the idea of it really. The challenge of proving to someone around here who I really am. But this…”

Her words trailed off. Her hand was pressed to his heart. And Fletcher knew exactly what she meant. He kissed her palm quickly. “Yeah, no kidding. Not exactly something I expected.”

“It’s that whole not a real woman thing?” There was a teasing tone in her words. But he took it seriously.

“I think…you scared me. From the very beginning.”

“Yeah, right. Me, scared you? You wanted me in handcuffs.”

“We’ll explore that idea later. I’ll buy a pair,” he warned. He shifted until he could turn and lean against the wall, with her between his raised knees. As they watched out the front window together.

She felt like she was exactly where she was meant to be.

“Way to get a girl all fired up,” she said around a yawn. “Honestly? You do scare me. This.”

“And you scare me. I’m not going to lie about it either. It feels too important, too real, for me not to be honest about it. I just looked at you one night, and the next thing I knew I couldn’t get you out of my head. You are still in there. Probably will be forever.” And he wanted it just like that. But if he told her that right now, Dylan would bolt right out into the snow. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m not going to rush you, but I am not going to let you go either. You don’t feel at home at the inn, and hell yes, I completely understand that. Why should anyone expect you to? You have every right to not feel at home there. You do; no one can force it on you or has the right to even try. But you can be at home with me. If that’s what you want. I am not going anywhere. I will always be here. You can count on that.”

Then he was kissing her. But Fletcher wasn’t certain he had kissed her at all. It might have been Dylan taking charge and stealing his soul forever once again. Ben…his brother said Talley women were good at that. And Fletcher fully believed it.

He just held her right there and kissed her. He didn’t ever want to let her go. So he didn’t. He just carried her to the couch when the time was right. And loved her. Showed her with his body what words couldn’t quite say just yet. They made their choices together.

When they were finished and his heart rate had settled, and he knew this was the woman he wanted every night for the rest of his life, Fletcher scooped her up into his arms and held her, for a precious moment, right there by the window. He carried her to his room, to his bed, where he had wanted her for so long.

And kept her there all night.

Right where he wanted to keep her forever.