Chapter 31 #2
“I’ll let you get some rest.” He heads for the door, boots clicking on the linoleum. “Ryker will pick you both up in the morning.” With that, he leaves, closing the door.
My heavy eyes close, feeling the tiredness kicking in and the stress from the day pulling me under. But I don’t want Sadie sleeping on the side of the bed.
There’s enough room for two.
I try to wake her slowly, but she jolts anyway with panic in her eyes. “It’s okay.” I squeeze her hand.
“Kit,” she brightly smiles with glassy eyes.
“Come up here.” I pull the blankets back, gesturing for her to lie next to me.
She moves in beside me, resting her head on my chest as I wrap my arm around her. “I’m so sorry,” she murmurs, heartbreak lingers in her voice.
“Shh,” I run my hand through her hair, pushing it away from her face. “Rest, it’s alright.”
She lets out an uneasy breath, pulling me closer with shaky hands. “I was so afraid.” Wetness from her tears soaks through my hospital gown. My fingers draw circles on her lower back, settling her until her breathing returns to normal. “I was so afraid I wouldn’t get to tell you.”
“Tell me what?”
“That I love you.” My heart skips a beat, fluttering in my chest. “I feel like I’ve been in love with you for weeks. And I was afraid I wouldn’t get to tell you.”
I smile. “Well, now I know.”
Warming rays from the sun drift over my eyelids, waking me from a deep sleep. Sadie walks in a moment later, wearing a grey hoodie and jeans, holding two coffees.
“Good morning, Cowboy,” she smiles.
“Good morning,” I reply, my hoarse voice gets stuck in my chest.
She hands me a cup and sits on the side of the bed, staring at the steam rising off the hot liquid.
I’m about to ask her what’s wrong when the words come pouring out of her.
“I’m so sorry. I know I promised I’d never be reckless again.
But Blake was in there, and no one believed me. I—I didn’t know what else to do.”
I study her for a moment, taking in why she feels the need to apologize, when it hits me. “I’m not mad at you, Sadie.”
Her doe eyes flash to mine. “You’re not?” Her dark brows furrow in confusion with a flicker of frustration in her eyes. “I ran straight into the fire, despite what Ryker told me to do, and you’re not mad at me?”
She broke her promise to me. She put herself at risk.
Maybe I should be mad, but I’m not.
My words come out slowly, so they’ll sink in. “You saved Blake’s life. You saved his horse. I’m not mad at you for that.” I place my hand in hers, gripping it firmly. “We would have lost much more than a barn yesterday if you hadn’t been so brave.” The bravest woman I’ve ever met.
“And you wouldn’t be stuck with those scars for the rest of your life,” she argues, pointing to my right arm. “Your arm was literally on fire, Kit.”
“At least my tattoo sleeve is okay,” I tease, gesturing to it. And honestly, it could’ve been far worse. I could’ve lost my arm or my life. I’ll take the scars.
She shakes her head, trying to hide the smile tugging at her lips from my joke. “You should be furious with me.”
“Would you be mad at me if I ran in after Ryker?”
She sighs. “No, I wouldn’t, but he’s your best friend—”
“And Blake is one of yours.” A fact that I’ve known for quite a while now. Sometimes it scared the hell out of me. Their connection. But I’m confident about her feelings for me, and I’m confident about the trust between us.
“Look, the only reason I’d be mad at you was if I’d lost you. But I’m sitting right here next to you, and it’s the only place I want to be. So I’m not mad, Sadie. I’m thankful.”
She smiles with blush in her cheeks, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. “And the ranch? Did you really sign the papers for me?”
Of course, she found out, not that I’m surprised. This was supposed to be a conversation for our date, a romantic offering on my knees, but I guess we’re having it now.
“Yes. I did,” I smile.
“But didn’t you want it?” she pushes, searching my eyes for the answers.
“No,” I sigh. “No, I didn’t want it.” Her face contorts in shock and confusion, looking pained. “I never wanted the responsibility. But those feelings changed when I fell for you. When I realized what you needed.”
Her brows furrow. “But… why? Why wouldn’t you want Lone Pine?”
My thumb brushes across her smooth skin. “I know being here was your dream, Sadie, but it wasn’t mine.”
Her shoulders slump, eyes dropping to our entwined hands.
“Not at first, anyway,” I rectify with a smile.
“I’ve been avoiding making decisions for years now.
Avoiding people. I don’t even know if I had a dream, except to be a loner for the rest of my life.
When Cole offered it to me, I couldn’t fathom how to live up to his expectations.
To be what he needed. But it turns out that it was inside of me all along.
I just didn’t know it. Not until you came along. ”
She smiles, fiddling her hand in mine.
“When you first moved in, Sadie, I couldn’t wait for you to leave.” Her eyes flare, but before she can say something snappy, I grip her hand tighter. “But I signed those papers for you. Because I knew that if I offered it to you—if I offered you a permanent future here, you would stay.”
Her brown eyes bore into mine. “What are you saying?”
“We haven’t talked much about the future except that you don’t want to marry me,” I smirk, and her eyes fall to the bed. “But I can give you a home. A place where you feel safe, if that’s all you’ll allow me.”
“That’s a very big gift, Cowboy,” she softly smiles with glassy eyes, placing a hand on my chest. “The best gift I’ve ever received.”
“Good,” I smile.
She pauses, biting her bottom lip. “But maybe someday I could allow you more. If you still want it,” she adds, as if she thinks my feelings for her would ever change.
“I’ll be waiting,” I confirm.