Realizing what the problem was, I cuddled into him. “She has to move out on her own at some point.”

Roane nodded slowly. “Aye, I know. Doesn’t mean I’m happy about her living alone.”

“I’ve lived alone for years. She’ll be fine.”

He heaved a sigh and looked over at Caro, who was pretending not to listen. “If you like the Beadnell house, you should make an appointment to view it. But I’d like to be there.”

“I’d like you to be there too.” Her eyes flicked to me. “Both of you.”

Warmed from her inclusion, I smiled. “I’d be happy to.”

As we sat down to eat at the dining table that night, Shadow lying beneath an open window, we dug in to the delicious satay sweet potato curry Caro had thrown together, and I felt a contentment I couldn’t remember ever feeling.

It scared the crap out of me.

Not because I was afraid of it.

But because it meant there was a very, very difficult decision looming ahead of me.

•   •   •

No one at The Anchor noticed that Roane and I walked in holding hands. Milly and Viola were run off their feet behind the bar, and the locals hadn’t spotted anything unusual as we stood with Shadow at our side. The tables by the fire in the dog-friendly area of the pub were occupied. Thankfully we waited only a few minutes before the two occupants of the smaller table departed. We grabbed it and borrowed an unused seat from another table for Caro.

It was cool. Roane and I were happy to be smooshed up together.

Still, for Caro’s sake, I tried not to be too touchy-feely with her cousin. No one enjoyed feeling like a third wheel. It was just after Roane bought us a first round of drinks that the bar started to quiet down a little. We grabbed the larger table when it emptied, and Viola was soon able to join us.

While she and Caro began chatting about the house Caro was interested in renting, Roane leaned in to whisper in my ear, “When can we leave?”

I shivered at the feel of his lips brushing my skin and turned to smile. “Why?”

Except I knew why as soon as I saw his expression.

This time I shivered with a deeper longing. “Oh.” My eyes rounded. “Again?”

His teeth flashed. “I’m sore from wanting you all the time, angel.”

I moved closer to him, my lips almost touching his as I murmured, “An angel you’ll corrupt by turning me into a sex addict.”

Roane’s reply was low and gruff. “That doesn’t sound like a bad thing to me.” He brushed his mouth against mine and I leaned in to deepen it.

“What. The. Fuck?”

The high-pitched question halted us, and we drew apart, amusement dancing in our eyes before we turned to Viola. She was half grinning, half gaping.