He grabs me by the hips, then spins me so I’m pinned against the counter. He plunges his hands into my hair and brings his mouth down on mine. I gasp against his lips. Pleasure heats my blood, and the kiss turns desperate. My hands are in his hair, and his slide around to cup my ass.
He drags his mouth down my neck—kissing, nibbling, sucking, and setting my nerve endings on fire. “What happens if he comes back?” he asks, but his hot whisper against my ear feels so decadent that I have trouble focusing on his words. He sucks my earlobe between his teeth, and I gasp at the sharp sting that sends warmth pooling between my legs. “You don’t have to answer now, but I need you to think about it.”
“Think about . . .” I grip his arm to keep him from pulling away, but he steps back anyway. “What?”
“If Colton comes back. If he’s okay, and there’s an explanation for everything. If he didn’t cheat on you, and you can forgive him for disappearing and for shutting you out before that. What happens then?”
“That’s a lot of ifs,” I mutter.
He searches my eyes and shakes his head. “Maybe it’s not fair to put so much stock in a hypothetical question, but I need to know.”
I can’t answer for the memories I can’t retrieve, but I know exactly how I feel right now. I want Levi, and only Levi. But he’s right. And while his question is hypothetical, I know Colton’s very much alive and planning to come back.
“I’m supposed to be on my way to Brayden’s already.” He rakes his gaze over me and shakes his head, as if walking away is causing him physical pain. “Jake will kick my ass if I screw up the schedule for the day.”
“Go. We can talk later.”
“I’ll see you at the ceremony.”
Levi pulls on a shirt—and I watch because I’ve become a desperate perv and need to get my thrills where I can. He grabs his tux bag and heads out, setting the alarm on his way. When he’s gone, I finish my coffee and then grab my bag from the guestroom and head to the shower. I’m glad I packed a dress for Ava’s wedding. But when I get out of the shower and put lotion on my legs, I’m not thinking about my friend and wanting to dress well for her special day. I’m thinking about Levi and the way I want him to look at me tonight.
I want him to want me when he sees me.
Am I betraying Colton? He seems to believe we’re going to be reunited when he’s no longer hiding, and despite believing I couldn’t return to him, I still have too many unanswered questions. Should I feel guilty about what I’ve been feeling for Levi?
Levi’s question makes sense, and since Colton is alive and well, I need to figure out for myself what happens when he comes home and our lives return to a semblance of normalcy—assuming they ever do. To me, it’s clear that whatever was between me and Colton was already coming to an end before I saw him with Molly, but I know there’s more I’m missing. Sometime between then and now, I agreed to marry a man who’d broken my heart. A man who’s hiding for reasons I don’t understand and whom I feel compelled to protect.
Levi
Brayden’s place is full of family, and the cacophony of voices has me grinning the second I walk in the door. I hang my suit on the banister and head to the back of the house, where the kitchen overlooks the oversized family room and the big stone fireplace.
Mom and Dad raised the six of us in this house, but after Ethan’s wife died, Mom moved in with him to help with Lilly. Since we weren’t ready to get rid of our family home, Brayden moved in here to take care of it, making my eldest, workaholic brother the unlikely host of the Jackson weekly Sunday brunches and any holidays we don’t celebrate at the cabin.
“How’s the groom this morning?” I ask Jake when I step into the kitchen.
My older brother grins at me over his coffee. “I’m better than Shay.”
My sister is at the kitchen table, cradling her head in her hands. “I’ll be fine. Just give me a minute.”
“You didn’t stop after talking to me, did you?” I ask.
She lifts her head and squints in my direction. “I talked to you?”
My jaw drops, and I turn to Jake. “Is there a reason my normally sensible sister got blackout drunk last night?”
Jake frowns. “She wouldn’t say, but I’m guessing it had something to do with the guy at the bar who couldn’t keep his eyes off her.”
“Did not,” she mutters. “I was celebrating with my family. Is that such a crime?”
“It is if you puke at my wedding,” Jake says.
“She’s a liar,” Brayden says, joining us in the kitchen. “The excessive drinking was totally about the guy at the bar.”
Shay scowls. “Fuck off.”
“Language!” Mom shouts from the family room.
My brothers and I laugh, but Shay just holds her head.
“I’ll fix her up,” Brayden says, smacking Jake’s shoulder. “No worries.”
“How’s Ava this morning?” I ask Jake.
“I called, but Molly answered the phone and reminded me it’s bad luck for me to see Ava before the ceremony. Apparently, phone calls count as seeing.” He shrugs. “I’m ready to sign the papers and have my bride all to myself on the beach for a week.”
“Your bride.” Grinning, I shake my head. “I’m happy for you two. I’m sorry everything else is such a mess.”
“Me too, but she’s tough and handling it all with grace.” He puts his coffee cup down. “Come on. We’ve gotta get dressed before the photographer gets here.”
On our way to the stairs to retrieve my suit, my phone rings. The screen shows a New York area code. I wave it at my brother. “I’ve gotta take this.”
“Go for it. Meet us out back when you’re dressed.”
I nod and step onto the porch as I accept the call. “This is Levi Jackson,” I say, shutting the front door behind me. “Is this Isaac?”
“Isaac’s my assistant,” the man says. “He gave me your message, but I wanted to return your call myself.”
From my pocket, I pull the business card that I took from Ellie’s purse this morning. She was still sleeping, and I was up for my morning run and thinking about the name the woman at the gallery had given her. The card had the name Isaac and a phone number. I called Isaac this morning and left a message.
“My name’s Tate Andrews,” the man says. “I understand you’re interested in Bauer’s Discovery collection?”
I know that name. Tate. That’s the guy Ellie worked for after college. The one who knows Nelson. Ellie thought Tate may have been behind Nelson convincing her to forge the Bauer paintings.
“Are you still there?” Tate asks.
“Yes. Sorry. You’re right. I’m very interested. I heard you might be able to connect me with the paintings.”
He sighs heavily. “I wish I could help you, but unfortunately, no one has seen those paintings in years. I wanted to tell you about some other opportunities I have, since you’re clearly the kind of collector with a taste for truly special pieces.”
I have to bite back a grunt. I mentioned in my message that money wasn’t an object. Apparently, that equates to “good taste” in Tate’s world. “I really want the Discovery collection. I’m not interested in anything else.”
“Are you sure? I could get you other Bauer pieces or even—get this—artwork done by the model in the Discovery paintings. She’s real cutting edge, and does mosaic work that—”
“I’m not interested. Can you tell me who might be able to connect me with what I’m looking for?” I take a risk and add, “I’ve heard whispers about a dealer in Jackson Harbor having connections.”
“Ellie can’t help you,” he says. “She’s not in the business anymore. I regret ever getting her involved to begin with.”
“I understand, but—”
I hear the soft beep as he ends the call.
Where are those paintings?
Ellie