Page 72 of Sweet Home

He was so handsome. She had always known it, had even fought against the desire to fantasize about him falling in love with her. And now that she knew the depths of his kindness, it was even harder not to wish…

“What’s going on?” he asked her.

“I—I,” she stammered, feeling her cheeks heat at the thoughts she had just been entertaining. How could she be so greedy as to long for something romantic with West when he had already done so much for her?

“You ran out,” he said, his eyes narrowing.

“I think I was just a little overwhelmed,” she said, realizing suddenly that she wasn’t anymore.

She was warm again, and her breath came easily.

He makesme feel safe.

“And now?” West asked, stepping closer.

“Now I feel better,” she told him truthfully. “I always feel better when you’re here.”

The strangest expression danced across his face and then disappeared into a scowl. West began pacing, stomping down to the other end of the porch and then turning back to her.

“What is it?” she asked, her heart falling. She worried that somehow, he had read her thoughts on her face, and he didn’t appreciate them.

He stopped in front of her, the hard set of his jaw softening a little.

“Dulcie,” he said, his voice so deep it sent a little thrill down her spine. “I’m going to tell you something. I’m only going to say it once, and then we’ll forget it ever happened.”

She nodded slowly.

“You came into our lives so quietly,” he said after a moment, shaking his head. “I thought I could help you. I thought…”

She waited, watching him frown and search for the right words.

“I thought you were just a sweet girl in trouble,” he said. “I thought I could save you. I didn’t know you were here to save me.”

He took a single step closer.

“It’s not just Elizabeth you brought out of her shell,” he said softly. “I’ve been right here, but I haven’t been myself for a long time, not until you came along. I was going through the motions, but I didn’t feelalive.”

She held her breath, wishing more than anything thathe was really saying what she had longed for so helplessly.

“I think you were sent here for us,” he said, stopping in front of her. “And I’ll always be grateful to have you in my life. As a sister, if that’s what you want.”

“As a sister?” she echoed, disappointment making her chest ache.

“If you want,” he said, nodding. “But, Dulcie, if you ever wanted more…”

“More?” she breathed.

“I’ve been telling myself that I could hide it from you,” he said, shaking his head. “But you probably already know.”

It began to occur to her that maybe her wildest dreams weren’t as wild as she thought, and that maybe one last impossible wish was going to come true.

“I have feelings for you, Dulcie,” he said at last, his voice rough with emotion. “I know it seems like it hasn’t been long enough for that, and I know you’re younger than I am. You probably just want to live your life, and I’m here to help you with that, not to ask for anything more. Unless it’s what you want too.”

There were a million ways Dulcie could have answered. She could have told him that she didn’t think there was a time requirement for having feelings because she’d been half in love with him since the night he brought her home. She could have said that their age difference didn’t matter to her, or that the idea of living her life without him made her feel empty inside. She could have told him that she loved him, loved him with every fiber of her beingand couldn’t believe how lucky she was that he had feelings for her too.

But the words tangled in her mind, and she knew she couldn’t do her heart justice while the man she loved stood in front of her, his soul bare to hers, his eyes filled with a love so sharp it looked like pain.

She found herself reaching out tentatively to stroke his rough jaw as she gazed up into his eyes, praying that her gaze told him all he needed to know.

---