Page 59 of A Rogue Cowboy's Kiss

She lifted her chin. “Yes.”

Tension coiled through him. “This is my legacy, Bella. You don’t get to take it from me.”

She frowned. “It’s not your legacy! Starting another revenge quest is an excuse not to live. The man who killed your mom is dead. He’sdead.It’sover.”

“It’s not over! Someone came after you. Twice!” He pushed back. “I can’t sit around eating. I have to get started. I have to go—” He stopped when tears glistened in Bella’s eyes. “Bella?—”

She shook her head and held up her hand to silence him. “You don’t get to choose to die anymore, Falcon. You made me fall in love with you again, and when you did that, you forfeited the right to go do stupid, unnecessary things that are going to get you killed.”

He stared at her, stunned. “You fell in love with me again?”

“I did. And guess what? You aren’t the only one who suffered loss as a kid. I did, too. I don’t trust anyone but my family. And you made me trust you again, so your choices are no longer only about you.” She put her hand on her heart. “I thought you were dying,” she whispered. “I thought you were dying right next to me in that truck. It was awful, Falcon.”

Shit. He ran his hand through his hair. “I’m sorry?—”

She didn’t give him a chance to speak, talking right over him. “You know the Harts protect each other, Falcon. You’ve been gone for a long time, but the rules still apply. You don’t get to risk your life anymore. Brody and Dylan agreed with me. It’s over. It’s done. We’re taking it away from you.”

The tears streaming down her cheeks made it impossible for him to be angry at her. But… “If someone on Dylan’s team dies because they took over my issue?—”

“Stop!” She held up her hands. “Just stop, Falcon. They’re professionals!”

“I know but?—”

She interrupted him. “It’s just one excuse after another, isn’t it? You don’t really want to get married and have kids, do you? It’s your dream, but you’ll always have an excuse not to do it, won’t you? Because at the end of the day, you’re more scared than I am.”

He stared at her. “I’m not scared. I’m a protector. I need to protect you.”

“No.” She tossed her spatula on the counter. “Brodyis a protector. He steps into life fully. You’re just using the danger as an excuse to run from life, and from those who love you, who would have given you the home you lost so long ago.”

Tension coiled inside him. “I’m not running from life.”

“No? What if I told you I’d marry you? Right now? This second. What would you say?”

His breath caught in his chest. “You want to marry me?”

She froze and then lifted her chin. “Falcon, will you marry me? Right now? Brody will marry us. He has a license.”

The tension in the air was so thick he could taste it.

This moment, this woman, it was everything he’d ever dreamed of.

She waited, watching him. “Falcon?”

He swore under his breath. “I can’t. Not until it’s safe.”

“Of course not.” Hurt flashed across her face. “You never would have married me, would you? You always would have found a reason.”

“That’s not true?—”

“Are you so sure about that?”

At her challenge, he paused. Was she right? He trusted Bella’s judgment. What did she see that he didn’t?

When he didn’t answer, she tossed a sponge at him. “This is why I don’t date. This is why I’ll never get married. Because even the men I should be able to trust, aren’t worth it. When you were unconscious, I told you that I loved you, but that I couldn’tmarry you because I could never be the wife and mother you dreamed of. But I take that back. I’ll never marry you, because you can’t be the man I deserve. Clean up after you finish eating. I’m going for a ride. Don’t follow me. Just…don’t.”

Then she turned and walked out the back door, leaving him at the kitchen counter.

He wanted to go after her.

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