Page 60 of Combust
His chin dropped, and he appeared suddenly fascinated with the worn toes of his cowboy boots. “If you got somethin’ to say to me, say it now,” he muttered.
Dread threatened to close her throat and choke off her words. But then her bear surged up, and she was able to speak the most important words.
“I’m really,reallysorry for what I said, and for the way I’ve treated you.”
His eyes flew up to her face. She read astonishment in his burning blue gaze.
It gave her the courage to add, “I’ve missed you, a lot. My bear has been lonely without you around…and so have I.”
* * *
After fourteen days in hell, wondering whether he was a fool for hanging on at the ranch instead of moving on, Cade couldn’t believe his ears.
He couldn’t quite believe the evidence of his eyes and nose, either. After all the endless cold, solitary days and nights, it seemed like an honest-to-God miracle to have Maggie standing righthere, before him.
Her beautiful face was drawn and tired-looking, and there were dark circles under her eyes, like she hadn’t been sleeping much.
Well now, that makes two of us, he thought.
His bear hadn’t given him a moment’s peace since he stormed out of the firehouse. Cade had practically been sleepwalking through his chores at the ranch, and weariness weighed him down like a lead-lined duster.
“I didn’t know about what happened to you, but you were right,” she continued. Her sweet, musky scent was flooded with both happiness and fear, and she was shaking in her sensible work shoes. “Ididhave a fairy-tale childhood, and I’ve been a snob about it. I’ve made you feel bad about not knowing stuff I take for granted. I’m sorry.”
As he continued to stare at her, struck wordless with astonishment, she kept talking, the words pouring out of her as if she’d been rehearsing them the whole time they’d spent apart. “I think you’re smart and funny and sexy and strong. I like how polite you are to my mom and grandma, but that you were also willing to kick Andrew Brunborn’s ass for me.” Her lips stretched into a tentative smile, and he saw the corners of her mouth quiver. “I likeyou, Cade.Allof you.”
Well, damn. That was a hell of an apology, and a heartfelt one, too. He hadn’t expected that. Or the happiness currently sneaking through his veins.
“If we’re gonna clear the air between us, I got some apologizin’ to do, too,” he began.
This part wasn’t going to be easy. He’d spent his early adulthood so poor that his pride and the clothes on his back were the only things he’d owned.
And my fuck-ups. I like to think that I’ve always owned up to my mistakes.
He cleared his throat. “I was awfully thin-skinned, and too proud to explain myself afterwards. There’s some things I need to tell you about my life and how I got these scars.” He raised one hand and stroked the shiny patch of skin stretched across the back of the other. “But, not yet. It’s not that I don’t trust you, it’s just that I’m not ready to revisit those events. But I swear to you on my honor that Iwilltell you, someday.”
She nodded. “Whenever you’re ready.”
“And there’s one last thing I need to know,” he said. This was both the most difficult part, and the easiest. “Would you be willin’ to give my courtship another chance, despite me behavin’ like I’m two pickles short of a barrel?”
“Yes,” she said simply. “I’d like that. Alot.”
Joy lifted him so high that he was almost floating.
“Can I cook you supper tonight?” he asked.
She nodded. “I’ve missed being with you, Cade.”
They looked at each other for a long moment. Then she took a tentative step towards him, and that was all the encouragement he needed.
He swept her into his arms, relishing the way her soft curves nestled against him, and buried his face in her hair. She smelled so good: roasted coffee beans, vanilla, spices, and rum enhanced with her own sweet scent.
They stood like that for a long time, arms wrapped around each other, wordlessly soaking in each other’s presence after their separation.
When she finally drew back, it was only far enough to gaze up at him. “I’m glad we had this talk.”
In reply, he bent his head. Very slowly, he lowered his mouth to hers.
She raised her arms and slipped them around his neck, drawing him closer, until their lips touched in a gentle, almost chaste kiss.
