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Liz nodded, completely bewildered She tentatively stepped over the threshold and openly gawked at the interior The entire house was solid wood, fros to the wood floors A stone fireplace took up the entirety of one wall The furniture was artfully tailored to match the beauty of the house, set in a neutral earthy palette with deep dark hardwood tables, a soft sand-colored sofa, and olive and light brown chairs with deep sea-blue throw pillows andquilts Lanterns and woodsy decorations adorned the mantel, and candles burned in rustic pillar holders around the room

The bottouest bedroo rooh-backed bar stools A balcony fro area, bringing in evens But best of all, the back as solid glass overlooking the lakefront

Liz turned around to face the driver onceyour pardon?" he asked, linking his fingers together and resting theelse he told you?" she asked, desperate to knohen he would be arriving

"Unfortunately not, but I’ for hi lighthearted and free for the first tih the living room to the back of the house She found a latch on the far wall, switched it to open, and pushed the entire glass wall sideways It slid easily into a thin seam encased in the wooden wall

She walked forward onto a wooden deck twice as wide as the house, where a speedboat and two Jet Skis were docked An outside stone fireplace mirrored the interior, and wicker deck furniture faced the lake A sturdy hemp hammock swayed between two support beams A set of stairs led down to a rocky beach, where a pier extended out to a swi platform with a stepladder The lake house was almost completely secluded from the rest of the lake’s inhabitants Land curved into the lake to the right and then bent back away from them so that it formed its own little cove It felt isolated and homey

Liz loved the water, but she was used to the ocean The lake looked so calm and serene next to the choppy Gulf of Mexico she was accustorown up on the water, and itthe deck, beach, and pier, but was soon perspiring from the humidity She returned to the house, where she retraced her steps and found a set of stairs to the second floor Liz’s mouth dropped open It opened up to a full-size loft with its own s wooden doors that were currently open to reveal a four-poster king-sized bed The bedroom itself was so massive it had its own fireplace

She took a few tentative steps, feeling in so had told her that the swi upstairs to look like this

As she approached, she saw a note with her name on it on the bed Her heart accelerated and she picked it up She felt as if she was in a bizarre world People didn’t do these things Guys didn’t leave handwritten notes at their massive private lake houses or have a driver pick you up in a town car just so they could see you Whose life was she living?

She opened the card and read the contents

Suits are in the closet on the right, but you don’t have to wear one It’s just coers over the words She could not fucking wait Tucking the card into the back pocket of her shorts¸ shesuit

She left the rooht shihted her blond hair The suit was a basic triangle top, but it held her in as h her breasts were generally too big fortie botto down the stairs, she reached into her purse for her phone and checked her e up so early, and padded back outside It was too nice to be cooped up inside

She thuh the news articles absent attention to what they said She stretched out on the hammock as a call flashed on her screen

Victoria

Liz didn’t want to talk to her friend right now She was in paradise, and she couldn’t even tell her about it Even if Victoria would keep her secret, she didn’t feel co it What if they were found out? She would rather tell no one and know that she wasn’t to blah and curled up on her side A couple ain with a voice mail Liz pressed it to her ear

"Hey, bitch! Answer your fucking phone I hopped on a plane to London yesterday and I’ tanked Do you re at the end of the se"

Liz cringed This sounded like trouble

"He invitedat the pub and in his sweet suite that the university actually fucking paid for I’ invited you beforehand, and now I feel like an ass There are about five eous Brits with accents here"

Victoria was living the dream? Liz looked around the lake house and shook her head She was on cloud nine

"You should totally hop the pond and all that Either way, I’ to get your nerdy ass out of the office Anyway, call h Victoria was utterly ridiculous in the best possible way Only she would hop the pond, as she said, to sleep with a TA for a couple weeks

She stared out across the expansive lake The teree, and a slight breeze was rolling in off of the lake It was peaceful She felt coain and she saw Brady’s name flash on her screen

On my way to you

Liz sood when I’rin grew at the comment, and as she was about to respond another text flashed on her screen fro

Chapter 14

HOLDING ON

Liz felt the ha her out of her catnap Hands traced the sides of her body, and lips captured her own in a searing kiss She groaned against Brady’s ues explored each other and she wound her hands up into his thick, dark hair She threaded her fingers through the short strands, tugging lightly His strong hands held her face in place, and his thumb stroked her cheek She hadn’t felt this alive since the last tirin before pressing his lips to hers once iddy sered the strap