Page 90 of Stockman's Stowaway

He arched his eyebrows. ‘You were trying to protect me?’

Mia twisted her fingers as she meekly screwed up her face. ‘I panicked.’

‘Yes, you did.’ He gently gathered her fingers and gave them a tender squeeze. ‘But that’s okay. It’s our first trip to town since the incident.’

‘And I had to ruin everything.’

‘No, Mia,’ he said, lifting her chin with his fingertips. ‘You finally accepted that you and Willow are partners. And I saw how far Bree and my brother Ryder were willing to go to protect you. And for someone like Ryder, that’s a big deal.’ Considering how Ryder was quite clear about Mia’s place on the property.

He crouched down and patted the dog. ‘You’re a good girl, choosing the right family.’

Mia gave a slight gasp, only to bite on her lower lip.

‘What’s wrong?’

‘I can’t—’

‘What is it, Mia? Tell me.’

Thirty-four

Mia squeezed her eyes shut, her whole body in knots but it barely stopped her trembling. ‘Please don’t hate me when I tell you something. You may not like it, or me.’

‘Mia, look at me.’ Cap tenderly stroked her hair.

Slowly she opened her eyes to face Cap, the beautiful, kind and caring man.

‘You can tell me anything.’

Even if it meant losing him.

‘Go on.’

He deserved to know.

She took a deep breath and whispered, ‘I can’t have children.’

Cap stepped back, eyes widening.

‘I know it’s early to say these things, but you can’t love me, not when you have the chance to be with someone else who can give you a family. I can’t get pregnant.’

‘Why? How long have you known?’

‘Since I was a child. I had such severe cramping on my first period that my mother took me to the hospital. That’s when they learned I had underdeveloped ovaries and was infertile. It’s a birth defect.’

‘How do you feel about that?’

‘Right now, not so good.’

‘Why not?’

‘I mean, I accepted it when younger, but now I’ve met someone like you… So, I’ll understand if you want to end this, I get it. I’m—’

‘Are you serious?’ For the first time Cap scowled at her as he stepped in closer. ‘Do you really think that little of me.’

‘You deserve to have someone who can give you everything.’

‘Who said I wanted children?’

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