Page 47 of The Taste of Deceit

“You scared of me?” he asks.

I move through the water until I’m kneeling in front of him.

“Will you always protect me?”

His answer comes without hesitation.

“Always.”

“Will you ever hurt me?”

His hand comes up to cup my cheek.

“I’d rather die.”

I search his face for another second before shaking my head.

“Then no.” I wrap my arms around his neck. “I’m not scared of you. Not even a little.”

He reaches for me with both hands, his fingers wrapping around my waist as he draws me forward. My knees slide along the surface of the tub until I straddle his lap. His mouth finds mine, tongue gliding softly against mine while one hand stays at the small of my back and the other moves through my damp hair.

He pulls back, his eyes locking onto mine.

“I love you so much, Sarah,” he murmurs.

I kiss him hard again.

“I love you too.”

Morning light slips through the curtains, warming the hardwood floor at the foot of my bed. I blink awake slowly, taking in the familiar room around me. The quilt covering us is the same one that sat on this bed for as long as I can remember, stitched by my grandmother before I was born. My dresser still sits beneath the window, and the shelves Mama decorated years ago are lined with old photographs of school dances, horse shows, and family vacations. Coming home always feels a little surreal, like stepping into a version of myself I tucked away years ago.

I turn my head toward Luca. He’s still asleep beside me, one arm draped loosely across my waist. Without his tailored clothes, expensive watch, or the weight of responsibility he carries every day, he looks almost boyish. It’s a side of him very few people ever get to see, and I never get tired of being one of them.

I smile to myself as I brush a piece of dark hair away from his forehead. His eyes open almost immediately, meeting mine before a sleepy smile spreads across his face.

“Morning, Baby Girl.”

“Morning.”

He leans over to press a gentle kiss against my forehead before settling back onto the pillow. “Sleep okay?”

“Better than okay.”

We take our time getting ready before heading downstairs. Mama already has breakfast on the table by the time we walk into the kitchen, and the four of us settle into an easy meal together. Most of the conversation revolves around the ranch and what Daddy has planned for the morning. Mama chimes in now and then, mostly to remind him not to work Luca too hard on his first day in the saddle. Daddy doesn’t make any promises.

Once breakfast is over, Luca and I carry our plates to the sink while Mama waves us away, insisting she’ll finish cleaning up. Daddy grabs his Stetson from the hook by the back door, and we follow him outside.

The morning air is crisp as we cross the yard toward the barn. Daddy slides the barn door open, and the three of us step inside. Horses shift in their stalls, ears flicking toward us as they recognize Daddy’s voice. The tack room sits just beyond the aisle exactly where it’s always been, every bridle hanging from its hook and every saddle resting on its rack.

Daddy disappears into the tack room, and I follow him. He reaches for his saddle while I grab mine from the rack beside it. Luca stays a few feet away, watching everything we do. His eyes follow Daddy as he slips a halter onto Buck and leads him from the stall. Then they move to me as I do the same with Daisy.

Daddy ties Buck in the cross ties before disappearing into the tack room again. When he comes back out, he’s leading Jasper.

“This one’s yours,” Daddy says to Luca. “He’s steady.”

Luca steps closer, letting Jasper stretch his nose toward him before running a careful hand down his neck.

“He’s bigger than I expected.”