Page 37 of Merrily Mine
She shook her head. “Not really.”
I knew what she meant. “I have to go home,” I told her, even though I had no desire to leave her. “I need to check on things at the ranch, and Whiskey…”
She gave me a sad smile. “I know.” Emily ran her fingers through my hair. “We always knew this would have an expiration date, didn’t we?”
I shook my head, gripping her backside. “It doesn’t have to. Come with me.”
“What do you mean?” She looked confused.
“Come back with me, back to my cabin. I don’t want this to end.”
Her eyes widened. “I…”
I kissed her passionately, needing her to understand what I was saying. “Come with me, not because you have to because of the storm. Not because we’re stuck together, but because you want to. Say yes for no other reason than you want to be with me.”
She worked her lower lip between her teeth, as if she was trying to work it out inside her head. “But, Mason…”
I knew what she was going to say. That we’d never work. But that wasn’t true, and we both knew it now.
“I want to see where this thing is going. You can see it too, can’t you? That we could be so good together. Maybe it’s crazy, but I like to think it was fate. Walking into that bar that night—finding you there—and then these last few days together. It feltright.”
Emily’s hand rested on my cheek, rubbing slightly at the scruff there. “How long are we talking?”
“Through Christmas, if I can convince you. But I’m not going anywhere, baby. This—you—are all I want. All you have to do is say yes.”
She shut her eyes, her breath coming out rough. And then she smiled. “Okay.”
“Yeah?”
“Yes.”
And then I kissed her—because I was fucking ecstatic. It might not have been forever—but it was a start.
“Thisis where you live?” Emily’s eyes widened as she took in the cabin. It had taken us a few hours to tidy the house, plus turning off the generator and making sure everything was still in working condition after the storm.
I’d called my mom as Em packed her bags, and she’d reassured me that my dad was getting the road between our properties plowed as we spoke.
It felt strange coming back here. Like I was a different man now than I was when I’d left it days ago. And looking over at the woman in the front seat, the one whose thigh my hand rested on, maybe I was.
I ran my free hand through my hair, trying to see this place through her eyes. Her parents lived in a giant house. Would she think it was too small, too shabby? “Yeah,” I said, looking at the A-frame building.
“Mason, it’s beautiful.” She placed her hand over her heart. Her green eyes practically sparkled when she looked back at me.
My heart leapt, unprepared for the unbidden reaction to her soft smile. “Really?”
“Uh-huh.” She nodded, leaning in to kiss me quickly. “Will you show me around?”
I grinned. “Gladly.” Getting out of the truck, I walked around to her side, opening her door for her. I slid my hands around her waist, lifting her out onto the truck and setting her down in the soft, powdery snow. She interlaced our fingers, and we walked together towards my cabin. I’d go back for our bags later.
Sweeping her up into my arms, I took the steps up to the deck two at a time, and didn’t put her down until I’d unlocked the door and carried her inside.
Something about this moment felt monumental.
Like carrying my bride in over the threshold.
She wasn’t—but damn if I didn’t want her to be.Too soon, Mason,I tried to remind myself. I was getting ahead of myself, and I needed to slow down.
But secretly, I couldn’t help but hope.
