Four
Morning sunlight filtered through the closed blinds, rousing her. She’d slept soundly, and now her body was tender from the intense lovemaking she’d shared with Brant.
After their first session, he’d surprised her by bringing the picnic into her bedroom, and they’d sat in bed, catching up over delectable treats he’d packed.
Hours later, he’d insisted on doing all the cleanup while she rested. Then he’d returned to her and sexily taken her from behind before tucking her against him.
With a smile, she opened her eyes.
Realizing his side of the mattress was vacant, she abruptly sat up, dragging the sheet against her naked body.
Loss knifed her heart. He hadn’t even said goodbye. Just like the last time.
She should have known better.
Shaking, her pulse pounding, Kara fled toward the shower. This time, she was stronger. Or at least that’s what she tried to tell herself. She could survive this. There was a lot of work to do at the lodge.
But even when she was fully dressed and heading for the coffee shop, a knot was lodged in her throat.
“Kara!”
At the sound of Brant’s voice behind her, somewhere in the trees, she froze. He was still here? It wasn’t possible. And part of her wished he had simply left. She was barely holding herself together as it was, without the awfulness of pretending their time together hadn’t mattered.
Determinedly she continued on.
“Kara! Wait!”
Within moments, he overtook her, and he stopped in front of her. Damn him. He was devastating with the sun playing off the highlights in his dark hair. Everything about him reminded her of the way he’d treated her last night, like a goddess.
“We need to talk.”
She gave him her brightest, fakest smile. “Thanks for the orgasms. I’m sure you need to get back to Nevada now.”
“Don’t.” He took her by the shoulders, tight, not hard, but enough to communicate his angst. “Just don’t. What we had was special. Fucking mind-blowing. And you can’t pretend it didn’t matter.”
“It was.” Kara hated how her voice wavered. “But—”
“Hear me out.”
“I’ll be late for work.” But then she shook her head. “I can’t do this.” The man was nothing but heartbreak. “I need—”
“A man who’s there for you, all the time.
Someone you can trust.” He loosened his grip, but he didn’t let go.
“I realized that last night. When I was cleaning up after our dinner, I saw your pictures. Your rugs. Hell, even your bedding. You brought it all with you from the other place. You created a home, stability. Am I right?”
His insight shocked her.
“I want to wake up next to you every day for the rest of my life.”
She shook her head. “You’re right about everything, which is why this—we—can never work.”
“I love you, Kara.”
“You…?”
“I love you.” His voice was strong, and his words were confident. “I’ve cared about you since the beginning, but I was a damn fool for not realizing it before. I can’t lose you.” His shoulders shook, undoing her. “This morning, I called my boss—Hawkeye—to let him know I’m done going on missions.”
She couldn’t possibly be hearing him right. While she’d been afraid he’d left, he’d been planning their future. “You’re moving fast.” He’d upended her world again, but this time it was to make her dreams come true.
“We’ve been together for a long time, and there will be no more secrets between us.
I want to marry you, buy you the house of your dreams, start a family.
” He exhaled. “I sound fucking desperate, and I am. I can’t lose you.
Hawkeye has a number of field offices, even one here in Jackson, and a transfer is an option.
We can live anywhere you choose.” His brow was furrowed with worry.
“Damn it, Kara. Put me out of my misery. Tell me you love me.”
“Yes. I love you, Brant. I have from the beginning. That’s why I drew a heart on your latte.”
He swung her from the ground into his arms and cradled her body against his chest. Laughing, joy exploding through her, she wrapped an arm around his neck.
“You’d better let your sister know you won’t be in today.” His eyes were deep green, and his expression was purposeful. “I’ve got plans for you, Mrs. Gibson-to-be.”
“I haven’t agreed to marry you yet.”
“Oh, you will. You most certainly will.”
“You sound pretty confident of that.”
He carried her toward her cabin. “I have massive powers of persuasion.”
“Do you? We’ll see about that.”
“Challenge accepted.” He kissed the top of her head.
Kara curled against him, believing in him and their future together as man and wife.
Thank you for reading Stay with Me!
Check out more of my books by visiting my website here!