Page 50 of Stay for Me

“Bowen, you got one minute to get your ass to Diana’s house, or I’m adding more ashes to Denver’s fucking mountain,” the cowboy threatened, turning to face me fully now.

He was going to kill Lucas.

I stepped forward, shaking my head. “No, please—”

Suddenly, my back was against the house, my gun pulled from my grasp, my hands pinned above my head, his single one holding my wrists together in a tight grip. The heat of his touch coursed through my body, warming me in a way I’d never felt before. The slight chill of the summer night couldn’t diminish it. Hell, I was half certain the harsh Colorado winter couldn’t snuff out the heat of him, his gaze, his touch. He was nothing but fire, a fire I wanted to be consumed by. My nipples pebbled underneath the silk of my nightie. The right part of my robe had fallen off my shoulder at some point, exposing the lace and thin strap of my gown.

Time stopped and all I could see, all I could feel, was him, my cowboy.

I whispered his name as if it were a prayer, my chest heaving.

In ten years, my favorite touches from him were the two times his fingers gripped my chin, holding me hostage as his gaze pierced my soul. Both of those times, I wanted him to kiss me. Both of those times, I’d silently begged him to give into this—whatever this pull was between us. Both of those times, I’d hoped it wasn’t one sided.

Loving someone who didn’t love you back was a version of hell I never thought I’d ever have to be in.

Yet, here I was, trapped in this endless torture for over a decade with no idea how to escape it.

I stopped breathing as he leaned closer to me, keeping his body angled away from mine. When his eyes came into view, I saw nothing but anger, both of us hidden underneath the shadow of his hat now.

“If you’re going to carry a gun, then learn how to fucking use it,” he pushed out through his teeth, his fingers tightening around my wrists as he brought up his other hand, both my gun and phone in his grip. “Disarming you was the easiest thing I’ve ever done, Diana.”

My eyes collided with his again, my lips parting.

His nostrils flared as his jaw jumped underneath his trimmed beard. It wasn’t trimmed the last time I saw it. It had been wild, untamed, just like him. “If you’re going to carry a gun, then make sure no one can take it from you. You got me?”

I blinked, unable to form words.

“Diana,”he growled.

“You’re h-here,” I stammered, my voice cracking with disbelief. “Y-you came.” His features softened then, his eyes flashing, the realization hitting him too. My next words were thick, filled with an emotion I’d tried to keep bottled up for years. “You’re off Hallow Ranch.”

Silently, he released my hands, and my arms fell, my robe fully falling from my shoulders, bunching at my waist. The cowboy sighed through his nose as he caught my chin in his fingers, his eyes scanning my face.

“You’re here,” I repeated, doing everything in my power to not wrap my arms around his neck and bury my face in his chest. Tears filled my eyes, my bottom lip trembling as I shook my head. “You—you came for me.”

Mags left Hallow Ranch for me.

He came for me.

“Didn’t like that fear in your voice, baby,” he murmured.

Baby.

My heart cried out, aching for him. “You’re really here,” I croaked.

A muscle jumped in his cheek, his hand shifting to cup my face, his thumb hooking underneath my jaw. “Diana.” His voice was soft, making me weak in the knees.

It hadn’t been one sided.

He felt it too.

Slowly, I put my hands on his chest, holding his eyes. Lucas and all the other crappy parts of my day were long forgotten. “Mags,” I whispered, my eyes dropping to his lips.

He said nothing, but like mine, his heart raced too.

This was it.

This was finally it.

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