Page 46 of A Rogue Cowboy's Kiss

She was his whole world. Worth waiting all this time.

But what did the future hold? She didn’t want to get married. Have kids. Move back to the ranch. She didn’t even want a relationship.

Would he give up all the things he wanted for a sliver of the light that she was willing to give him?

Right now, he felt no doubt. Absolutely. Without hesitation.

But he also knew that he would always regret not having a family. A wife. Kids. A home.

Would that regret be fair to her? To him?

Maybe he was lying to himself that he could handle a family. Maybe she was right. Maybe this was the path he was supposed to be on.

And then he thought of Gordy, and the other kids in his group. The kids who had no home, like him. Who never would have a home, unless he made one for them.

He pulled back to look at Bella, sleeping in his arms.Bella.He loved her. Always had. With all the capability of what was left of his heart. Was it enough? And, enough for what, exactly?

TWENTY-ONE

Oh,boy.

Falcon was temptation, so much more than Bella had any business challenging herself with.

They’d been at the catering event for an hour, and Falcon had been circling her, on high alert, watching the crowd, completely standing out among the throngs of well-dressed people. He was wearing jeans, boots, and a light jacket that covered his gun. He looked like a bodyguard.

There was nothing soft or approachable about him.

She was pretty sure everyone there would believe he had spent some time as an assassin for the military or something comparable.

He was hard. He was cold. He was focused.

But after today, she knew the soft side of him, and it was too much to handle, honestly.

He made her want to give up her dreams to be with him, and that would destroy her.

“Bella!”

She turned as Piper and Kitty walked up, grinning with relief to have some girl energy near her. Tears filled her eyes when she saw them. “Hey, guys.”

“Whoa!” Kitty put her hands on her hips. “What’s with the tears?”

“I’m not crying. I don’t cry.” Bella wiped her cheeks. “It’s all the onions.”

“For all that’s beautiful and girly, don’t lie to me, Bella,” Kitty said. “What is going on?”

“I just—” Involuntarily, Bella’s gaze went to Falcon, who was still making his rounds, always nearby, but also, always watching everyone in the crowd.

Piper and Kitty followed her gaze, then Piper grinned. “You slept with him?”

Bella lifted her chin. “No, I?—”

Kitty snorted. “Another lie! Girl, I’m going to have to retract my recommendation for you to buy Diana’s business! I don’t like lies!”

Piper frowned at Bella, ignoring her business partner. “What’s going on?”

Bella hesitated, but these were the women she wanted to be friends with. This was the life she wanted to build in Boston. “I’m falling for him, but he wants to get married, have kids, and live on the Hart Ranch. I need to get off the ranch, find my own identity, and I don’t want to get married or have kids.” She paused. “But I feel like I would walk away from everything that matters to me for him.”

Understanding filled Piper’s face. “The curse of being a woman,” she said softly. “All we ever read are stories where women do that.”

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