Page 30 of Darla's Christmas Knight
But Bobby kept his feet firmly on the foot rung, preventing the chair from swiveling. He wanted answers. Wanted everything out in the open. He took her hands in his. “Waiting.”
Pursing her lips, she narrowed her eyes.
He merely raised his brows.
“Fine,” she spat. “You really want to know?”
“I do.”
She tilted her chin up. “I don’t trust you.”
The statement stung. But it wasn’t unexpected. “It’s not like before. I’m here for the long haul.”
Her eyes, still damp from the tears, shone as bright as polished onyx. “I want to believe you. Robert.”
Hearing her say his full name did something to him in a deep, visceral way. Pity it was said in a very sarcastic tone. “You opened the door and let me back into your life again, love,” he calmly pointed out, “and I have no intention of leaving. Because I’minlove with you. You,Darla Joyce Miller, hold my heart and my soul, and I am desperate to be part of your life. Toremainpart of your life. Till death do us part.”
She blinked. Rapidly. Then. “You … Are you …? You’re notproposing, are you?” she ended in an urgent whisper.
The shock in her voice was a stab to his heart. He gave a hard laugh to cover his hurt. “Hell, no.”
She blanched, her vibrant skin taking on a dull greyish brown hue, her eyes stricken before she averted them. She tried to pull her hands from his grasp, but he tightened his hold and leaned in. “Look at me.” He waited until she — very reluctantly — met his gaze. “When I propose, and Darla, it’s awhen, not anif, there will be no doubt inyourmind aboutmyintentions.”
Color flooded back into her cheeks. “That wasn’t part of our agreement,” she snapped, yanking her hands free.
Fuck. This woman will be the death of me.
“This” — he waved a hand between them — “was never about a baby. It was all about you. About a way to worm my way back into your life. That I get a baby,yourbaby, out of the deal is a marvelous bonus.”
“Oh.”
He almost smiled. Almost. But he was too worked up, and she had tried his patience to the nth degree. And hehadresponsibilities back at the ranch.
He got to his feet, towering over her. “I love you, Darla. I have loved you for many years. I will love you tomorrow and the day after. I will love you till the day I take my dying breath. But right now, I am going back to the ranch. Not because I am running from you, despite your vexing behavior. But because snow is expected tonight, and I need to check up on the horses before I turn in. I suggest you take this time to think about what I said. And remember … Iwillbe back.”
He snagged his keys, his wallet, strode to the door, and let himself out before he changed his mind.
*
Darla stared out the window with dismay. The expected light dusting of snow turned into an overnight storm that dumped more than a foot of the fluffy white stuff. She hated driving in the fluffy white stuff, thanks to an accident whiledriving in the fluffy white stuff. It hadn’t been a bad accident, but the feeling of helplessness with her car sliding across the road and ending in a ditch still haunted her. With everything going on in her life, she hadn’t gotten around to replacing her balding tires. Driving her car in such bad conditions was reckless. And she had two home visits this morning, which meant a lot of time on outlying roads.
She placed a hand on her midriff.
Risking her life was one thing, but it wasn’t just her safety to consider anymore.
She’d have to call her brother. Ask to use his Jeep. Listen to his lecture. For sure her mother would hear about it and add her two-cents worth.Andshe’d have to spend her free afternoon at King’s getting tires replaced. “Dammit,” she muttered, knocking her head on the glass.
The sound echoed around her bedroom, and it took a momentto realize it was someone knocking on her front door.
A quick glance at the bedside clock showed 6:10. Seriously? A visitorthisearly? She stomped out of the room (as much as one could stomp on thick carpeting) and out into the hallway. At least her feet made a satisfying slapping sound on the hardwood flooring.
She turned the lock and pulled open the door.
And gasped.
“Did you even look?” Bobby growled.
She blinked. “Look?”
