Page 87 of Rough Ride

She didn’t want to hear it. She’d been through too much. After everything, she just couldn’t take this.

“You’re just going to have to get over that shit, right now. Jesus, you almost died, right there and for a second, I couldn’t find your pulse. I thought you were fucking dead, and all you can say is that I didn’t follow your orders?”

She hadn’t been paying attention and got too close to the bed. He grabbed her hand and tugged her down. “I’m sorry, Crysta.” He pulled her down for a kiss. “Please stop crying. I can’t take it when you cry.”

“I’m not crying,” she said on a sob, then she realized she was crying.

“I’m sorry.”

“How can you say that? How can you care? You would have died without me, and you just have to admit it.”

“No worries,” he said then kissed the tip of her nose.

“And I’m not leaving. I’m staying here and you just better get used to it.”

He gave her a smile. “Okay.”

“And, at some point, you’re going to have to propose or something because my father isn’t going to be happy about me living with you.”

“Sure.”

She sighed, and then she realized what she had just yelled at him.

“Okay, you don’t have to marry me, but you have to stop all the crap about me coming after you. I thought you were dead and I didn’t want to live anymore.”

“No, love, you just said we have to get married.”

“I didn’t say have to.”

She tried to move away but he held her tighter.

“You did and now I’m going to hold you to it.”

“And why would you do that?”

“You stupid woman. I love you, too.”

For a second or two, she didn’t think she heard him right.

“You love me?”

“Oh, love,” he said cupping her face and pulling her closer for a kiss. “I started to fall in love with you when I first met you. Probably even before that.”

“You don’t have to lie, Eli,” she said, trying to keep herself from believing.

“It was Joe talking about you; something you said, something you did, and I couldn’t seem to stop thinking about you. Then you were here and you have this love of life that just amazes me. You’re kind and strong, and, damn, I love a woman who likes a good spanking.”

“Yeah?” she asked as a lump rose in her throat. No man had ever said those things about her.

“Yes, and I recall telling you I loved you when I got shot.”

“That doesn’t count. I thought you said it because you thought you were dying.”

“Silly woman.” He pulled her down for a long, wet kiss. “So, what do you say, Crysta. Marry me, raise some smartass kids, and run a ranch? Does that sound like fun?”

“That sounds splendid.”

He scooted over. She could see the wince and knew he had hurt himself.