Page 33 of Ride a Cowboy

“Did you like that?”

Leave it to Hank to cut to the chase. “Yeah. I did. This doesn’t make me like a slut or anything, does it?”

Hank chuckled while Porter groaned. “I’m going to let you field that one, bro.”

Macie looked up just in time to see Porter walking toward the back door. Without another word, he was gone.

“What did I say?”

“You spoke your mind. Porter’s intimidated by that. He’s never really mastered the art of talking to women.”

“Just fucking them, huh?”

“I’m sure he wouldn’t appreciate that description, but yeah, maybe. He’s more the strong, silent type.”

“Funny. That’s sort of how I think of you.”

Hank helped her rise from the table, tugging her into his embrace. “Not always easy to get a word in edgewise with you, Whiskey. Be surprised if most men didn’t come across that way to you,” he joked.

She lifted her head so that he could see her face and feigned annoyance. “You asked me what I thought.”

“I did.”

Macie reached for the T-shirt she’d tossed to the floor earlier and pulled it back on. “Well, that was something,” she said. Her wits were slowly beginning to return. And with them, her voice. “Certainly didn’t expect that when I got out of bed this morning.”

Hank grinned. “Me either.”

“You’re really okay with it?”

Hank hesitated just a heartbeat too long. “Yes.”

He was lying. She could tell. And it pissed her off. So she gave him another shot at the truth.

“Really?”

He nodded, his response quicker this time. “I told you, Macie, there’s nothing I won’t give you. I love you.”

It was the first time he’d ever said those words. Though Macie had felt his love, almost from the very beginning, hearing him admit it filled her with so much emotion, it seeped out before she could stop it.

Tears sprang to her eyes.

“Dammit,” she whispered. She was not a sappy person, not a crier. Unless she saw one of those Facebook clips people always shared of military men coming home to their delighted dogs, who would leap into their arms and make those pitiful, beautiful wailing sounds. Those videos always prompted a big cry, but other than that, she was solid as a rock.

Hank spotted the tears instantly, cupping her cheeks. He pressed his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. “I never thought I’d feel this way again. When Sharon died, I thought she’d taken my heart with her. You’ve proven me wrong.”

And with that, she was completely undone. She sniffled loudly as a sob escaped.

“Dammit,” she repeated. “I hate crying. Makes me look awful.”

He grinned. “You’re beautiful. You’re always beautiful.”

Her throat had seized up on the tears that were now pouring out of her eyes, but that didn’t stop her from choking out the words she’d waited an entire lifetime to say. “I love you too.” In her mind, she’d always imagined herself sounding much sweeter as she’d speak them softly to the man who stole her heart.

Instead they came out too loud and hoarse and hiccupy.

Hank didn’t appear to mind that he’d just opened his heart up to a blubbering fool. He hugged her tightly once more, gracing her with the single biggest smile she had ever seen on his face.

He didn’t say any more. He just held on to her until she pulled herself together. Then he blotted her face with a napkin, fried her up some more bacon, tugged her onto his lap and fed her.

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