Page 14 of A Rogue Cowboy's Kiss

His gaze went to Bella. “If you don’t want me to stay with you, just tell me.”

Dammit. Everyone in her life was much too observant.

She took a breath. “Honestly, I’m feeling conflicted about it. I came out here to forget about my past. To try to find out what it would be like to be someone other than Bella Hart.”

His brows shot up. “Bella Hart is pretty fucking awesome.”

“I agree,” Meg said.

Bella’s throat tightened. “Thanks, guys. I just?—”

“I don’t need to stay. It’s fine.” Falcon’s gaze was shuttered, unreadable. “I’ll be in the area for a few days though. Text me if you need anything. Otherwise, I’ll see you around.” And with that, he gave them the typical Falcon nod and then turned around and strode across the ballroom, heading toward the patio.

“That man is an enigma,” Meg said as they watched him leave. “He keeps everything so locked down. I have no idea if he’sinto you romantically or not, but he was pretty adamant about how awesome you are. As your sister, I appreciate that.”

Bella watched him walk out of sight, around toward the front of the estate.

“Question for you, Bella,” Meg said.

“What’s up?”

“If he were interested in you, is there any chance at all that you might want to follow that path? Because if there is even the tiniest chance, then I think you need to consider that you might never have this opportunity again. Falcon doesn’t reach out often, and we both know that.”

Bella looked at her sister, her heart starting to race. “If I said he could crash on my couch, it doesn’t mean anything, right?”

“It doesn’t mean anything unless you both decide it does.”

Bella watched Falcon disappear from view. “All I want is to start a different life,” she whispered. She felt so desperate for change that she could barely breathe. “He’s only my past.”

“At the moment, yes, but he could be your future.”

“I don’t want that future,” she whispered.

“Then there’s your answer.” Meg put her arm around her. “I love you, Bella. Don’t question your choice. Believe in yourself, and know that I love the heck out of you, as do all the rest of the Harts. As does Falcon. You’ll never lose that, no matter what path you take. You know that, right?”

Bella nodded. “I know.” She looked at Meg. “I gotta go.”

Then she took off running across the ballroom to go get Falcon before he drove away.

SEVEN

Falcon changedhis mind and headed toward the ocean instead of his truck.

He found the stairway down to the water, and decided to be civilized and use them instead of slamming his way down the dune. He jogged down the steps, his boots thudding on the weathered boards.

He reached the sand and strode to the water’s edge, letting the low tide hit his boots.

Eyes closed, he raised his arms up, breathing in the salt air, the ocean breeze, the roar of the surf.

Bella was lost to him.

He’d waited too long.

She didn’t even want him on her couch as friends.Fuck.Did he not even have her as a friend anymore? He was that tainted?

His timing had sucked.

He should have listened to Brody.

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