Chapter 10
Carter
Getting shot hurt less than this.
My heart is breaking in my chest as I sit in the grass and cradle Scout to my chest. She’s crying, sobbing, and each tear is a cut to my heart.
“It’s okay. Whatever is wrong, I’ll fix it,” I promise, trying to soothe her, but it’s no use.
She either doesn’t hear me or doesn’t believe me. I look around, trying to find something out of place. I still don’t know why she was running away. Did her dad contact her? Did she see something or someone lurking outside? Why wouldn’t she come to me instead of bolting?
My foot is starting to fall asleep.
Scout is calming down now, her tears slowing as they roll down her cheeks. I brush a few drops aside, then stand, lifting her easily in my arms and heading for the house.
I’m on high alert, waiting for someone to jump out or for Scout to start fighting me again, but all is quiet as we go inside.
I sit down on the couch, cuddling her, and start to rock back and forth slowly.
“Why did you run?” I ask softly.
She stiffens in my grasp. “I heard you,” she whispers, looking gutted.
I scan my mind. Heard what? What happened to make her run? What was I saying?
“Heard what?” I ask, drawing a blank.
“That you lied,” she snaps.
She tries to shift off me, but I hold her in place, my hands gripping her hips.
Tears fill her eyes again. “You never ordered the part for my car. You were never going to. You want to keep me trapped here. You want to take away my choice, just like my dad and Leonard.”
I open my mouth, but she speaks first.
“I thought you were different,” she whispers brokenly.
Fuck. I feel like shit. Hudson was right. I shouldn’t have tried to force Scout to choose me. I should have let her decide for herself. Now I might really lose her… unless I can open up and tell her everything.
“I don’t want you to leave,” I say slowly. “I can’t lose you.”
Scout turns her head away from me.
I take a shaky breath. “Scout, I love you. I fell in love with you the second I saw you in that damn wedding dress. I’ve never felt this way about anyone before. It was like we were soulmates, and as soon as we were together, it all just clicked. You’re what I’ve been missing all of my life.”
Scout’s shoulders ease slightly, but she doesn’t turn to look at me or relax in my hold.
“I’d lose my mind if you left. Fuck, just thinking about you being out there where I can’t protect you makes me anxious. I want to be the one to keep you safe. I want you to trust me, to want to be with me too, because I know I won’t survive without you.”
“That’s crazy,” she says weakly, her fingers twisting in her lap.
“It’s not. I know you’ve felt this connection between us too. You wouldn’t have agreed to stay with me that first night if you didn’t know that we were meant to be.”
“I—”
“Don’t lie to me, Scout. Or yourself.”
She looks away, and I see her take a deep breath.
“It’s too soon,” she protests softly.
I shake my head. “It’s not. It’s right. It’s fucking destiny. Think about it, Scout. How do you feel about me? Really?”
I hold my breath, waiting for her to admit what’s between us.
“I love you,” she admits, finally meeting my eyes.
“Thank fuck,” I growl, slamming my lips down on hers.
Her fingers grip the front of my shirt, and she clings to me as I kiss her, my tongue licking into her mouth and tangling with hers.
I pull away, sucking in a breath, wiping away the last of her tears. “I love you too, Scout. More than anything. More than I even thought was possible.”
“I still don’t think I can stay here.” She sighs. “My dad and Leonard are still looking for me, and we’re so close to them. I don’t want to constantly be looking over my shoulder or waiting for them to pop up.”
“Yeah, I have a solution for that too.”
She raises an eyebrow at me. “What’s that?”
“Marry me.”
She stares at me in shock.
I lean forward, kissing her lips quickly. “We love each other. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. And if we’re married, you can’t marry Leonard or anyone else. You’ll be off the table to them. You’ll be mine.”
“I—You’re crazy!”
I grin, shaking my head. “Crazy for you, maybe, but I’m also right, and you know it. So, what do you say, Scout? Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
She laughs, shaking her head like I’m nuts, but I see the way her eyes glow. She’s happy. She’s in love. With me.
“Yes!” she says finally.
I holler in excitement, pinning her back to the couch and settling between her thighs.
“My wife,” I sigh happily.
She giggles. “Technically, your fiancée,” she corrects.
“Not for long.”
My lips claim hers again, and we sink into the kiss, our bodies molding together. Scout’s hands sink into my hair, and she moans as I nip at her bottom lip, silently asking her to open for me.
Her tongue slides against mine, and I groan, tugging on the soft strands of her hair as we deepen the kiss. Scout’s hips rock against mine, and I break the kiss reluctantly.
“What now?” she pants.
I smile, kissing her nose. “Now, we head into town. It’s time for us to get the ball rolling on this wedding. First stop, the courthouse for our marriage license. Then, the jewelry store.”
There’s so much to do. We need to book an officiant, get rings, tell Hudson and Hazel, and pick a date. I make a mental list as I stand, and Scout beams up at me as I offer her my hand. As she slides her palm against mine, I think about how lucky I am that her car broke down outside my place.
And how happy I’m going to make my girl for the rest of our days.