Until You're Mine

Jessibug_19 1 story

Summary

He was never a stranger. He was the safety she didn't know she needed... and the danger she never saw coming. Lila Brown lives a quiet life tucked away in the snowy woods of Rangeley, Maine. Between long shifts at the local market and caring for the aunt who raised her, she's learned to keep her head down, hide the ache of loneliness, and carry her dreams in silence. She's used to being invisible-until the day a man with kind eyes and a calm voice walks into her store and calls her by name like he's known it forever. Detective Desmond Richardson is charming, polite, and always seems to be in the right place at the right time. But beneath the surface, he's something else entirely. Calculated. Devoted. Dangerous. He's watched Lila from afar, studied the rhythm of her life, and convinced himself of one undeniable truth: He was meant to protect her. As subtle kindnesses become routine and his presence begins to feel familiar, Lila finds herself drawn to the man who seems to understand her better than anyone else ever has. But shadows move quietly in Rangeley. And while Desmond's love feels safe... it's also consuming. Because for a man like him, love isn't something you fall into. It's something you claim.