Page 18 of The Rancher's Wedding Betrayal
She could feel him watching her, studying her every move, and this just made her even more nervous. "I...I thought...we could finally talk about that."
"Which is?"
"That night...eight years ago."
Hunter went very still. “Go on."
“I don’t know how Midnight got out," Eve admitted jerkily. “But I just want to say what I should’ve said before. It wasn’t me. It w-wasn’t me, and it h-hurt so much that you accused me.”
To her horror, she felt tears welling up, spilling over before she could stop them. She wiped at them angrily, hating the weakness.
“All these years, I’ve been so angry at you for believing I would do something like that. For not even giving me a chance to explain. For treating me like I was—” Hunter had crossed the room while she was still speaking, and his arms were around her as soon as her voice broke.
She resisted for a moment before collapsing against his chest, the tears coming in earnest now.
“I’m sorry." Hunter's voice was tight, his lips brushing against her hair. "I'm so damn sorry, Eve. I should have known better. I should have trusted you, but I didn't."
“Please d-don’t hurt me like that again,” she whispered, the words muffled against his shirt. “Please.”
"I promise, love." It killed Hunter to hear her beg like this. "I won't hurt you like that again. I'm sorry."
They stood like that for what felt like hours, Hunter holding her while the storm of emotion gradually subsided. When she finally pulled back to look at him, she was surprised to see his own eyes suspiciously bright.
“I was an arrogant ass,” he said quietly. “I was so convinced I knew everything, so sure of my own judgment. I never stopped to consider...”
“That you might be wrong?” she finished with a watery smile.
“That I might be wrong,” he agreed, brushing a tear from her cheek with his thumb. “I’ve spent eight years regretting how things ended between us, Eve. Not just because of what happened with Midnight, but because I lost you.”
The raw honesty in his voice made her heart clench. “You have me now,” she whispered.
Hunter’s eyes darkened at her words. For a breathless moment, she thought he might kiss her, might finally take what she’d been offering since that night by the pool. Instead, he stepped back slightly, creating a small space between them.
“It’s late,” he said gently. “You should get some rest.”
“Can I—” Eve hesitated, suddenly shy. “Can I stay here tonight? Just to sleep,” she added quickly. “I don’t want to be alone right now.”
Something complicated passed across Hunter’s face—desire, tenderness, and something deeper she couldn’t quite identify. Finally, he nodded.
“Of course.”
He led her to the bed, pulling back the covers. Eve slipped off her shoes and lay down, still in her dress, too emotionally drained to worry about pajamas. Hunter moved to the other side, shedding his shirt but keeping his pants on as he joined her.
For a moment, they lay side by side, a careful few inches between them. Then Hunter reached out, drawing her against his chest, his arm settling protectively around her waist.
“Is this okay?” he asked, his breath warm against her ear.
“Yes..." Eve's tone was already drowsy, and she was already struggling to keep her eyes open. “It’s perfect.”
Eve drifted off in Hunter’s arms, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat lulling her into a deep, dreamless sleep.
Hunter remained awake, watching her in the dim light filtering through the curtains. Her face in sleep was peaceful, vulnerable in a way she rarely allowed herself to be when awake. The tear tracks on her cheeks were still visible, a silent accusation of his past cruelty.
How had he been so blind? So quick to judge, so unwilling to listen?
The realization hit him with the force of a physical blow: he was in love with her. Completely, irrevocably in love with Evelline Ramirez.
The knowledge settled in his chest, both terrifying and exhilarating. He should tell her. The words were there, just waiting to be spoken.
