Page 70 of His Perfect Bride
He could feel his own body slipping down, as if his weight was simply too much for Pastor Abe to bear. Would he and Sage both tumble to their deaths below?
He managed to wrap his other hand around her second one so he was clasping on to both of her arms now. “Pull me up!” he shouted over his shoulder in the direction of the reverend. “Now!”
At the heave on his legs, Jackson tugged on Sage, attempting to drag her with him.
She’d turned her face up to his and was watching him with rounded eyes that were brimming with fear.
“I won’t let you go,” he said. “Not here at this moment, and not ever.” Now wasn’t the time or place to declare his love and intentions to her. But the words had slipped out anyway, almost inevitably.
She watched him with trusting eyes, her lashes wet with tears.
He hauled her again, pulling her up a few more inches. “Promise you won’t let go of me either.”
She managed a nod.
Behind him, Abe grunted. No doubt he was in agony with the strain of holding two people.
With another heave, Jackson dug deep inside to the last of the strength he had. “Pull now!” he shouted at Pastor Abe. The reverend seemed to put his whole body into the hauling, and at the same time Jackson poured out everything, roaring with the pain of the effort, tugging her the rest of the distance.
In the next instant, she was crawling forward on solid ground, using her feet to propel her upward even more. He didn’t stop pulling until she was well away from the edge of the cliff. Even then, he dragged her backward.
Pastor Abe released him and fell on his knees, breathing hard.
Suddenly weak and nearly sick to his stomach, Jackson sat back. He lifted Sage onto his lap then wrapped his arms around her and buried his face into her neck.
He’d come so close to losing her. Too close.
His heart was pounding hard, and he wheezed in a breath past his constricted airways.
Her arms slid around him, and she sidled closer so that he could feel her whole body shaking. She obviously understood, too, that she’d had a brush with death and had barely survived it.
His senses filled with the light fragrance of her soap, the softness of her skin, the silk of her hair, and the warmth of her body.
She was safe. She was with him. She was his. The three thoughts rolled through his mind over and over.
As his heartbeat slowed and his breathing evened out, one thought rose above all the others. He loved her. It began to repeat in his mind until it was a mantra that was echoing loudly.
Although he still didn’t deserve her, he loved her, and he wanted to do whatever he could to make himself strong enough and worthy of her. Even if that took a lifetime, he’d do it so she would always know just how much he adored her.
First, though, he had to apologize for last night.
He loosened his hold just a little.
As if sensing his need to say something, she tugged back, forcing him to release her more. “Thank you for saving me,” she whispered, her forehead now near his lips.
He didn’t restrain himself. He couldn’t. His lips brushed her brow gently, then harder as his passion swelled like it usually did.
She didn’t move, probably didn’t know what his kiss meant, not after last night.
He tilted away enough that he could see into her eyes—eyes full of questions and doubt and even pain.
“I love you, Sage.” The whispered words were out before he could stop them. “I should have said it last night because I knew it then. I’ve known it for a while.”
Her gaze softened. She opened her mouth to say something, but he lifted two fingers to her lips to silence her. He had to finish his speech before he lost his train of thought or got distracted or kissed her or all of those things.
“I don’t feel worthy of having you,” he said. “Not when I’m still a beast at times.”
“It’s okay,” she mumbled against him. “I understand.”
