Chapter 27
Justice stood in her bathroom, staring at her reflection in the mirror, feeling as though the woman looking back was someone both familiar and brand new.
She had taken longer than usual, letting the hot water wash away the day’s tension and shampooing the smoke smell from her hair.
Once out, she had smoothed lotion over her skin, the light, clean scent clinging to her like a whispered promise.
A touch of blush warmed her cheeks, a sweep of mascara darkened her lashes, and a dab of gloss gave her lips a soft sheen.
After drying her hair with a round brush, she let it tumble into loose waves that framed her face. Pulling on a simple long-sleeved T-shirt and her favorite jeans, she slipped her feet into ballet flats. Comfortable. But as she stared at herself now, nerves coiled tight inside her chest.
She hadn’t lied to Tyler earlier that day. She did want him. And hearing him admit the same had sent a thrill through her that hadn’t left since. But now, with the moment so close, doubt began to creep in, winding through her mind like a slow-moving fog.
What if the fireworks I think are there don’t go off? What if they do for me but not for him?
The thought made her stomach knot. What if we have a quick fling... and it ends awkwardly?
It wouldn’t be the first time she mistook something temporary for something lasting, but it would be the first time the man lived just a meadow away from her front door.
She dropped her gaze to her shoes and let out a long breath, heavy with the weight of uncertainty.
Tyler wasn’t just a new flame. He had already woven himself into her life and into her father’s life.
Jack liked him, enjoyed having him over for dinner, and trusted him.
Am I about to risk a friendship, a neighbor, and a comfort I didn’t even realize I needed. .. for something that might not last?
Her phone buzzed, cutting through her spiraling thoughts. She pivoted quickly, walking into her bedroom where her phone lit up with a name that sent her heart flipping—Tyler. Without hesitation, she answered. “Hey.”
“Are you still coming over?”
His voice was low, and she could hear the tension threading through it. Surprised, she gave a small laugh. “Absolutely, yes. Why?”
“I just thought you’d be here by now,” he admitted, the vulnerability in his voice smoothing some of her raw nerves.
She teased lightly, “Are you waiting nervously for me?”
A soft chuckle on the other end, then the honesty that melted her. “Yeah. Honestly? Yeah, I am. But you’re worth the wait.”
Her breath caught, her heart squeezing at the simple, beautiful truth of his words.
Gone was the fog of doubt. In its place, warmth bloomed.
“I’m on my way,” she promised, her voice soft but sure.
After disconnecting, she grabbed her jacket and purse, slipping her phone inside.
She had already told her dad she was going over to Tyler’s.
Jack had lifted a brow, his grin knowing. “You ready for your date?”
Blushing fiercely, she had shaken her head. “Dad, please. We’re just spending some time together.”
He’d stepped closer, his strong hands landing gently on her shoulders. “Sweetheart, you’re a grown woman who’s been on plenty of dates. I get that it feels different because Tyler’s next door. But I like him. He’s been a good friend to both of us. And I trust your judgment. So go have fun.”
Emotion swelled in her chest at her dad’s easy acceptance, his belief in her. Still, instinct tugged at her. “Are you sure you’re going to be okay?”
“Sweetheart, I’m heading up to bed now. I’ll see you in the morning.
” Jack bent and pressed a kiss to her cheek, a gesture so simple yet grounding.
Justice watched him move carefully up the stairs, the familiar ache of love and gratitude blooming in her chest. Her mother had been her best friend, and when she died, Justice felt the loss with every fiber in her being.
So had her dad. And the two of them forged an even closer bond through their shared grief and journey to find a new balance in their lives.
Sucking in a deep breath, she let it out slowly, steadying herself.
She double-checked the house alarm, then slipped outside, shivering slightly as the cool night air kissed her skin.
She still marveled at how quickly Tyler and the others had secured her home and shop.
A tangible reminder that she wasn’t facing things alone anymore.
Even though Tyler’s house was just a short walk away, she chose to drive.
Just in case Dad called, she reasoned. I don’t want to be stumbling through the dark if he needs me.
Pulling into Tyler’s driveway, she turned off the engine and hesitated for just a heartbeat, nerves fluttering wildly.
Before she could talk herself into spiraling again, the front door opened.
And there he was. Tyler stood in the doorway, leaning casually against the frame, bathed in the soft glow of the porch light. Tall. Solid. Steady. Every thought she’d had about him from the way he had quietly become part of her days, her evenings, and her heart rushed up and tangled inside her.
He started down the steps, and she jumped, realizing she had been staring. Probably gawking. God, he probably thinks I’m a nutter. Flustered, she shoved her door open and stepped out, her heart hammering as she walked toward him.
“I was afraid you weren’t going to come in,” he teased lightly, laughter dancing in his voice.
They met at the bottom of the steps, and without hesitation, his arms swept around her, pulling her in close.
The contact felt natural, like it had always been meant to happen.
She melted against him, her cheek finding his chest, his chin settling on the top of her head like a missing puzzle piece snapping into place.
“I’m nervous,” she whispered into the fabric of his shirt, her muffled voice raw with honesty.
“I am, too,” he admitted, his voice low and rumbling against her ear.
The confession surprised her, and she pulled back just enough to look up at him.
She had expected him to brush off her nerves with a teasing smile or a cocky reassurance.
Instead, he met her vulnerability with his own.
The admission soothed something deep inside her, easing the tangled knots that had wound tight.
“Hearing you say that,” she said softly, “makes me less nervous.”
He grinned and shifted, keeping his arm draped around her shoulders as he guided her up the porch steps.
Side by side, they crossed into the house.
Inside, he slid her jacket from her shoulders with a tenderness that had her pulse quickening for a whole different reason.
He tossed it over the back of the couch without a second thought.
Without a word, she kicked off her shoes, curling her toes against the warm wood floor, feeling grounded.
“I know we just ate,” he said, a little roughness in his voice, “but would you like something to drink?”
Justice turned toward him fully, catching his hands in hers. His big, capable fingers curled around hers instinctively. She stared up into his face and slowly shook her head.
“No, thank you,” she said, her voice steady now, thick with emotion.
“I don’t want anything to drink. I don’t want to talk.
I don’t want to listen to music or go through all the steps people think they’re supposed to before something real happens.
” Her hands squeezed his gently, needing him to understand.
“If we start doing all that, I think my nerves would just... explode.”
For a beat, he simply stared at her, his expression unreadable. Then, squeezing her hands back, he said gently, his voice a velvet promise, “Sweetheart, you’re in control here. There’s no pressure. No expectations. It’s just you and me. Whatever happens... happens because you want it.”
“I don’t want to do anything right now,” she whispered, her heart hammering in her chest, “except go to bed with you.”
For a moment, she wasn’t sure whose heartbeat she heard pounding so loudly, or maybe it was the echo of both of them, already moving in sync.
“Are you sure?” he asked, his voice thick, rough, almost reverent.
She nodded slowly, keeping her gaze locked to his. “Yes. I’ve been thinking about it… and I know you have, too. I just want everything else to disappear until it’s only you and me, nothing between us but skin and need and whatever we find in each other.”
A deep, raw rumbling chuckle escaped him, and then he moved quicker than she would have ever expected from a man his size. He scooped her up into his arms as though she weighed nothing at all.
She gave a startled laugh, instinctively clutching his shoulders as he carried her, careful to shield her head from the doorframe and her feet from the railing. His strength and tenderness wrapped around her like a second skin.
She barely noticed anything about the upstairs of his house. Her world had narrowed to the solid feel of him, the heated promise in his arms, and the way her heart seemed to drum a frantic rhythm against his.
Before she could fully catch her breath, they crossed the threshold into a bedroom, and his mouth found hers—hot, hungry, and utterly devastating. If she had feared the fireworks wouldn’t come, she needn’t have worried.
The instant his lips sealed over hers, and his tongue swept inside, her body lit up like a struck match. Every nerve ending sparked to life as he tasted and claimed with the velvet slide of his tongue against hers, shooting pleasure straight down her spine.
Still holding her securely, he slowly bent, laying her across the bed with exquisite care.
His body followed, fitting against her with a rightness that stole her breath.