Page 36 of Easton’s Claim

No, because he’d held it back for fear of scaring her away. If he thought for one second that she didn’t want him the same way he wanted her, he’d drop it.

But she did.

Maybe she wasn’t ready to admit the full extent of her feelings for him, but she wanted him, physically at least, and she loved him at least a little, he was sure of it.

She looked over at him again. “All these years, you never did or said anything to let me know.”

“You were married.”

“You came to the wedding.”

“Hated every second of it, but yeah.”

“Why? Why would you come and watch me marry another man if you loved me?”

Because I’m a masochist.“Because I didn’t want to let you down.”

Her eyes filled with sadness, regret. “I’m sorry, that must have been awful. I never meant to hurt you.”

“I know. But I freely admit that was the second-worst day of my life, after my mom died.” And a few years after Piper had married that asshole, Wyatt was wounded and their dad had the stroke.

A sad smile quirked her mouth. “You hid it well. You came up and hugged me and kissed my cheek after the ceremony.” She swallowed. “Then you wished me the best and told me to be happy.”

He nodded. He’d been dying inside, knowing she legally belonged to another man, thinking he’d lost her forever. “I’ve always wanted you to be happy. Even if it wasn’t with me.”

“But I wasn’t.” She studied him with haunted eyes. “And you knew I wouldn’t be, didn’t you?”

“It doesn’t matter what I thought.”

She shook her head, her eyes shimmering with tears and the sight gutted him. He curved a hand around the side of her face, rubbed his thumb over the silky softness of her cheek. “Don’t cry,” he whispered, aching.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” She wiped impatiently at her eyes.

“Would you have left him if I had?”

“No, and I wouldn’t have believed you back then anyway,” she admitted, sounding miserable as she lowered her gaze and drew in a shaky breath. She didn’t pull away from him though. “God, I was so stupid.”

Easton didn’t blame her for saying she wouldn’t have believed him back then. He’d been hell on wheels when he’d come out of the Marine Corps. Fast women, faster cars. Since joining the DEA he’d grown up a lot, matured so much since then. “He fooled a lot of people for a long time. Even his own parents.”

She was quiet a moment. “I knew he had problems. He dazzled me, I guess is the right way to describe it. Swept me off my feet and I thought when he hit a rocky patch that things would get better, because we loved each other. That he would be able to cut back on the drinking and the meds. I had reservations going in, I saw the signs, and yet I ignored that little voice in the back of my head that told me not to go through with it. I made a huge mistake, and I’m still paying for it.” Raising her head, she met his eyes and the haunted look in them made his heart squeeze. “I didn’t see the truth until it was too late.”

Was she talking about him as well? His pulse beat faster, hope and anticipation ballooning inside him. “Me neither. I didn’t know how bad things had gotten until I was home last time. I hate that you went through all that.”

“It doesn’t matter now.” She shook her head, her expression full of amazement. “All this time, I never saw you.”

He didn’t say anything, just held her gaze and waited as a long, loaded silence pressed between them.I’m right here in front of you now. I’ve been here all along.

Slowly she turned her body toward him, pulled an arm from beneath the blanket and reached up to cup the side of his face. “But I see you now,” she murmured. “I can’tnotseeyou, no matter how hard I try. And I don’t know what the hell to do about that.”

Every muscle in his body tightened. He felt that innocent touch everywhere, and her words exploded through him in a heated rush that made him dizzy. There was no time now for the romantic, seductive plan he’d envisioned for them these past few months. Not with her still set on leaving and the threat to her safety hanging over their heads.

“Maybe you should just trust your heart then, and let go of everything else.”

She gave a rueful snort and shook her head. “I don’t trust my heart anymore.”

“Yes you do. You’re just afraid to follow it.”

“Yeah, I’m terrified. I don’t want to mess up what we have.”

---