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The sun peeked through the shades, and Paige turned her face away from the bright light, stretching her aching limbs. Austin grunted next to her, and then his arms wrapped around her, pulling her into him. His breath tickled the back of her neck, and she squirmed in his grasp.
“Morning, babe,” he mumbled in her ear and planted a kiss on the back of her head.
“Morning.” She stretched again, letting out a high-pitched squeal. Rolling, she took in his sleepy eyes and tousled hair. He looked sexier than she imagined Thor did in the morning, and Austin was all hers.
“No nightmares?” he asked, and the sudden concern filling his eyes shot straight to her heart.
“No. None.” She smiled, and his face relaxed, smoothing over the worry lines in his forehead. “So, when do you want to get married?” she asked, directing the conversation away from anything negative.
He lifted his shoulder in a shrug as a yawn captured his voice. “We could fly to Vegas today if you want.”
“I’m trying to be serious,” she said.
“I am being serious. I’m ready to get married.”
“I have to at least get a dress,” she said and wondered why she was being resistant to the idea. Las Vegas would provide the small private ceremony she craved, but the idea of leaving the safety of this town didn’t settle well. They hadn’t been attacked or haunted since they set foot back in Hanover, and she set the original protection spell to keep them out of harm. Paige didn’t want to tempt fate.
“I was hoping to marry you before I start my residency,” he said with a pout.
Despite the nerves jumbling in her stomach, she nodded. “I’d like that. But Las Vegas?”
“There is more to do out there than just gamble.” He raised his eyebrow. “Besides, I’ve already booked the trip.” He reached into his drawer and fanned a couple of airline tickets at her with a grin.
She balked. “What about my job?”
“Already taken care of.”
She had no more valid arguments, and she rolled onto her back, staring at the ceiling.
“What’s the matter?” Austin propped up on his elbow, staring down at her.
“The protection spell won’t work outside of Hanover.” She met his gaze.
His smile faded, and his gaze dropped to the tickets before returning to hers. “We can’t hide in this town forever.”
She swallowed hard and nodded even though every cell in her body screamed against the idea. She wanted to marry Austin, but leaving their safety net brought forth a thousand doubts. “What if he comes back?”
Austin closed his eyes for a moment, and the expression that crossed his features unnerved Paige. It was almost murderous. When his eyes opened again, they stared at the tickets in his hands before moving to hers.
“He won’t.” He delivered the answer with a level of ferocity she had never heard in him before, and his conviction impacted her enough for her to nod.
“Okay.”
The slow grin that formed on his lips pulled a smile from Paige, despite her misgivings. He practically bounced out of the bed in response and had the suitcases on the foot of the bed in a matter of minutes.
Paige didn’t move as fast as Austin. She headed into the bathroom to take care of her morning needs and brush her teeth. Before she returned, Austin had already packed his bag and was now working on packing hers.
She leaned against the doorjamb and watched him as he debated which bathing suit to pack. Surprisingly, he opted for the one piece.
She cleared her throat. “The bikini is more comfortable,” she said.
He spun in her direction. “I was thinking you might want more cover up and less sunburn,” he said, flashing her that awkward smile he wore whenever he miscalculated.
Paige moved to her bureau and started pulling out clothing. “How long are we going for?” she asked, pausing with a handful of underwear.
“Five days, and I’ve already packed most of your things. You just need to pick out a dress, a pair of sandals, and grab your cowboy boots.”
“When did you pack my stuff?” There was no way he had time when she was in the bathroom.
“The other night when I did the laundry,” he answered, taking the underwear out of her hand and putting it back in the drawer. “Go pick out a dress.”
Paige rolled her eyes and crossed to the closet. “What kind of dress?”
“One for dinner and a show.”
She glanced over her shoulder, impressed with his planning, and picked out one of her sexiest dresses along with a pair of sandals.
“Don’t forget your boots,” Austin added as she turned away from the closet.
She grabbed the worn cowboy boots from the back of the closet and brought her clothes over to the neatly packed suitcase. She started to shuffle through what he’d packed, and he closed the top on her hands.
“I promise, you have everything you need,” he said and glanced at his watch. “We don’t have much time before we have to haul it to the airport.” He zipped the bags. “And I know you want to take a shower.”
“Austin?” she asked, and he turned back towards her. “Thank you.”
He grinned and grabbed her hand, pulling her into the bathroom. They stripped and stepped into the warm shower, cleaning off the remnants of last night before dressing in comfortable clothes for the flight.