With a breath, I made a promise. And with a kiss, I sealed it.

“I’m yours,” I said against her lips before taking them.

Forever was written in that kiss.

When it finally broke, I gazed down at her, brushing her hair from her face with a smile on mine. “I knew they were keeping me from something, but I had no idea you’d done all this.”

Tess laughed. “We hatched the plan yesterday.” Her smile faded. “I’m sorry. For what you’ve been through the last few days. I should have been there for you.”

But I shook my head. “I didn’t know how to handle it either, and I don’t blame you for needing time.”

She gazed up at me in wonder. “Anyone else would have been furious with me for pushing them away like I did.”

A chuckle. “Four days we were apart. Granted, they were four of the longest days of my life, but you needed a couple of days to process my ex-wife telling a room full of people she was pregnant with my baby. You weren’t being unreasonable, and you have nothing to apologize for. And Wendy won’t bother us again. You were right, Tess. She would have always manipulated me, and I would’ve let her. But not anymore. I promise you that.”

A sheepish expression touched her face, brightened her cheeks. “Wendy came here yesterday. She told me everything, and after talking to your mom … well, we thought maybe there was a way we could help her after all. We need an extra set of hands, and she needs a stable job with insurance and an employer who understands her situation, who can be flexible if she needs to take a few days off. We want to give her a chance, if you feel the same.”

I searched her face. “Is that really what you want?”

“It is. I believe her. And I want to help her.”

“Then I’m in.”

“All in?” she asked with a sidelong smile.

“All fucking in.” My eyes traced every plane and angle of her face. “I can’t believe you’re here. I can’t believe you came back to me.”

“Oh, I didn’t go far,” she said on a laugh. “I love you, Luke Bennet. And I’m not going anywhere.”

She tightened her arms around my neck, and I leaned in, knowing exactly what would happen before it did. I knew the moment our lips would meet, knew the way she would taste. I knew the softness of her lips and the familiar curves of her face, fitted in my palm. I knew her. And in that moment, I realized she always would come back, and I always would be waiting.

Because the way I loved her would never fade. And as safe as she was in my arms, I was safe in hers.

We wound together, a tangle of arms, bodies flush and kiss deepening. God, how I’d missed her. And for a moment, I gave myself over to the joy of finding what I’d thought I’d lost.