Love, Utley (Love Letters #1)

“We’re not eating here” is all I tell her as I plate up two dishes containing heaping piles of lemony noodles and sautéed shrimp.

“Okay. Where are we eating?” I see her glance toward the back of the house, but we aren’t going outside either.

I set my beverages on the tray, then tip my head toward her glasses. “Grab your drinks, Babe.”

She slides off the stool and does as she’s told.

Hannah follows me as I walk past the main living room and down the hallway that leads to a set of rooms underneath my bedroom.

The first room is my home office.

The next room…

I pause. “Mind opening the door for me?”

Hannah looks at me suspiciously since the door isn’t latched shut, but she moves ahead of me and uses her elbow to swing the door open.

And then she stops.

She just stops.

“What… What is this?” Her question is quiet.

“My study,” I reply just as quietly. “Or you could call it my little library.”

SEVENTY-ONE

HANNAH

It’s not mine.

This room isn’t mine.

It’s his.

But…

I take one step forward as my heart shimmies up my throat.

“Maddox.” I take another step. “It’s…”

“You like it?” His tone holds a hint of hesitation, and I need him to stop that. Right now.

“Maddox.” I turn to face him. “This is fucking magical.”

His face cracks into a wide smile. “So… you like it?”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” I turn back to take in the room. “This is my new favorite place on earth.”

I’m not even joking.

I step farther into the room.

The walls, where you can see them, are painted a deep green. But there’s not much of it to see.

The wall opposite the door is all windows. The sun has set, so the dark panes reflect the room back at me.

And goddamn, this room is what dreams are made of.