The Cinnamon Bun Book Store (Dream Harbor, #2)(75)

She smiled, slow and mischievous before she captured his mouth with hers. He grabbed her then, wrapping his arms around her and lifting her clear off the sand. She squeaked in surprise and he licked the sound from her lips.

‘Wait!’ she said. ‘I brought you something. We’re crinkling it.’

He reluctantly put her down and she thrust the folder she was holding toward him. ‘Here.’

‘Um... Thank you.’

Hazel sighed in exasperation. ‘You didn’t even open it.’

He opened the folder, squinting in the dark.

‘It’s everything you need to fill out and file with the town and the state. I think we can by-pass a realtor and do a direct sale between you and the town but you’ll need to contact your bank and I don’t think it would be a bad idea to hire a contractor and definitely an architect for the structural assessments. Obviously, before we put this up for rent they would need to be inspected...’

‘Haze.’

‘Yeah?’ She stopped, blinking up at him.

‘Thank you.’

She beamed. ‘You’re welcome. But I want you to know I don’t really care about these houses.’

‘For someone who doesn’t care, you sure did a lot of research.’

‘No, I just meant that I don’t care if you do this or you do fishing tours or bartend at Mac’s or do whatever other plans you might come up with. You don’t have to prove anything to me, Noah.’

He swallowed the unexpected emotion from his throat.

‘Oh.’

She moved closer and leaned up on her tip toes. She planted a kiss on the tip of his nose. ‘Yeah, oh. And I would love to come to Thanksgiving.’

Noah grinned. ‘My sisters are going to lose their minds.’

Hazel laughed. ‘Can’t wait.’

‘Let’s go inside.’

‘Yes, please.’

She took his hand and he led her to the house. He’d lit it up like a gift for her. Like he needed proof that he was worth it, like evidence that he was serious enough for Hazel, but she hadn’t needed it at all. She’d just needed him.

He probably should have guessed that.

He didn’t care if Hazel ditched the bookstore tomorrow and wanted to leave town and become a circus performer. She could shave her head or decide she wanted to take up rock climbing, and he’d be on board. Hazel wasn’t her job or her curls or her cute button-up blouses. She was the tart spark of blueberries on his tongue, she was salt air and rainy days, she was the perfect book. She was kisses and secret smiles. She was everything. He just needed her.

And the fact that she felt the same about him was enough to make him feel like he could do anything. Like his feet didn’t even touch the sand anymore. He floated after her into his half-finished project and for the first time in a long time, he felt confident. He felt like enough.

She opened the door and they tumbled inside away from the cold wind and the crashing waves. She didn’t let him catch his breath before pressing him against the closed door. Her arms were around his neck, her lips on his.

‘I love you,’ she murmured and he couldn’t help smiling against her mouth, happiness bursting bright and sharp in his chest.

‘I love you too, Hazel Kelly.’

She made a happy little sigh as he pulled her closer against him and every happily ever after he’d ever read finally made sense. This was it.

Happy.

Forever.

He’d make sure of it.





Chapter Twenty-Nine





Noah tossed her folder of documents onto a little table as he pulled her to the bed.

‘We’ll work on those in the morning.’

‘So many pillows,’ she teased as she flopped back into the cozy pile.

An actual blush worked its way up Noah’s cheeks. None of the filthy things he’d said to her had ever caused such a reaction as his confession. ‘They’re for you.’

‘What?’

He crawled onto the bed next to her, pulling her flush against him like he couldn’t bear to have even an inch between them, which was good because she wanted to be pressed against him for at least the next twenty-four hours or until this all felt real. Noah was in love with her. She was in love with him.

It was...

Unfathomable. Unbelievable. Unexpected.

Even if maybe she should have seen it coming. Maybe she should have seen all along what Noah’s glances really meant, what him wanting to spend time with her was really about, but does anyone ever really believe they’ll find something like this? That someone will love them for who they really are?

It was perfect. And Hazel wasn’t expecting it.

But now that she had it, she sure as hell was going to hold on with both hands. Literally.

‘I bought them for you,’ Noah was saying as she traced the line of his pink cheeks with her finger.

‘You bought me pillows?’

He smiled, lopsided and sweet and Hazel’s stomach swung from the rafters. ‘I wanted you to be comfortable if we ever ended up here.’

‘Wow.’

‘I’ve got it bad for you, Haze.’

She grinned. ‘Oh, yeah?’

‘Hell, yeah.’

‘I’ve got it bad for you, too.’