Jacob looked at Hud in the dark ambient light of the truck’s cab. “You know about this?”
“We all do,” he said. “We want you back where you belong. With us. And if those jobs don’t appeal to you, then we’ll find something that does.”
“They appeal,” Jacob said. More than he’d imagined they could.
He got out of the truck.
He entered his cabin, tension curling through him. He was beyond exhausted after traveling for the past seventy-two hours to get back here and had no idea what to expect. He and Soph had communicated via email and Skype here and there, but connections had been spotty and she’d been vague about her plans.
Terrifyingly vague.
Was she here? Would she stay? And if so, for how long? He wanted forever, but he didn’t very often get what he wanted.
The cabin was dark, and he didn’t turn on any lights as he dropped his duffel bags and walked straight through the living room to his bedroom.
The glow of the moon slanted in through the window, casting the room in blue shadows. He moved to the bed, his knees nearly giving out when he saw the mass of long red hair scattered across his pillow.
Sophie lay sprawled in the center of the bed, deeply asleep, taking up all of the space. It took him a few seconds to realize what was different about the room.
The closet was open, filled with her clothes. She had several pairs of shoes scattered on the floor. One peek into the bathroom assured him that she’d taken over there as well, bottles and brushes…How many brushes did one woman need?
Moving back to his bedroom, he noticed the blanket on the bed was hers. There was a plant in one corner and her jewelry box was on the dresser. And a pair of undies on the floor by the bed gave him hope she was in there naked.
That she was there at all was a miracle on its own.
His hand shook as he shut and locked the door, doing the same for the window, making them safe for the night.
Then he sat down heavily on the chair by the bed and just watched her breathe. She was here.
She was his.
And he was absolutely hers…He closed his eyes for a second and then opened them.
And found her looking at him.
Sophie had been waiting for this moment for so long she could scarcely breathe. She’d done her best to go on with her life and continue to make it as good for herself as she could. She’d started her concierge service and had more business than she knew what to do with.
She’d spent time with Kenna and the other Kincaids. She’d settled into Jacob’s cabin, feeling warm and safe and deeply attached to the place, unlike anywhere else she’d ever lived.
That was all Jacob.
He wasn’t there, but she could feel his presence, and she thought about him a lot. Thought about what it would be like when he returned home.
And here he was, leaner than he’d been, tanned from long days in the sun, hair once again military short, eyes dark and filled with things that caught her breath.
“You’re a sight for sore eyes,” he said.
“You too. Jacob—” She broke off, nervous. He seemed content to wait for her to gather herself. He was excellent at that. God, she’d missed him. “Just so you know,” she murmured, her heart pounding hard. “I did as you suggested. I made myself at home.” She trailed off as…victory? satisfaction?…flickered across his face. Maybe both, but what caught her by the heart and wouldn’t let go was the intensity of his eyes and a smile that warmed her to the bone.
“You’ve made another choice,” he said.
“Yeah,” she breathed. “I’m home.”
He stood and strode straight for her, leaning over her to kiss her long and deep, one hand sliding up her spine to cradle the back of her head.
She gripped him tight, her fingers running up his arms, bared thanks to his T-shirt. His skin was chilled. “You’re cold,” she said. “Come in here. Let me warm you,” she whispered, and lifted the covers in invitation.
Holding her gaze, he stripped and climbed into the bed, pulling her into the circle of his arms. A low, rough, heartfelt groan escaped him as he pulled her naked body to him. “We’re both home now,” he said.
Epilogue
Six months later
Sophie had never been so happy and so miserably sick at the same time. Currently she was kneeling on the floor in the bar’s bathroom, trying to decide if she was done. She hadn’t had any alcohol, but upon reflection, the second order of hot wings might’ve been a serious error in judgment.
Kenna was helping to hold her hair back. “Honey, you should’ve canceled tonight if you were sick.”
“I’m not.” Pretty sure she was over this latest bout, she sat back and eyed the diamond wedding band on her finger. Jacob had put it there two months ago, on a weeklong vacay in Hawaii, where they’d stood together and exchanged vows. It still gave her a thrill to see the ring. “I’m okay now.”