Page 105 of The Rancher's Secret Relationship

She poked her head out of the window. "I said I love you."

"I know."

"And?"

"You already know how I feel," he said patiently.

Blake pouted. "But I still need to hear the words."

"You don't."

"Please? Please? Pretty, pretty please?"

"If I tell you now, will you promise not to drive and text?"

"I pro—-"

Thornton suddenly bent down, and the rest of her words disappeared in a sweet, hard kiss that had her breathless and wanting more.

He sucked on her lower lip hard before pulling away. "Your promise?"

His girlfriend nodded.

"And Blake?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

She squealed, and he almost smiled at the way she kept giggling as he watched her drive away.

Life was good, he thought to himself as he walked back to the shop. All the heartbreak and misunderstandings seemed to have happened an eternity ago, and that was all thanks to Blake.

He had been ready to bribe and grovel, do anything that night to make sure he would be able to keep her in his life, but instead she had smiled tearily up at him and said,It's like what you said. Everything's going to be fine.

And it had been.

They had made love that night and talked everything out the next day.No fuss. No drama.Because that was just how Blake was.

And after that...

Life became really, really good.

And two hours later, it became a lot better, and it all started with a phone call.

"Hartland Bookshop."

"Thorn."

He recognized the voice right away. "Slade. You're back from Denver?"

"Just today, and...we've got a problem."

Thornton frowned. "Kady?"

"Guess again." The cafe owner's smirk was evident in his tone.

Ah.Thorn's lips pressed together. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

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