Page 39 of Heart of Stone

“You’d better.” Stone crossed his arms over his chest. “Now if you two will excuse my rudeness, I’d be obliged if you’d go back to town and spread your happy news. I’ll have Mary pack up James’ things. I’m sure that he’ll want to stay at the hotel in town until the weddin’, to be near his beloved.”

Agnes walked over to Stone, craned up on her toes, and gave Stone a soft kiss to his cheek. There was gratitude in her soft brown eyes, and Stone got over his surprise at her unexpected action quickly enough to return her wry smile.

“Let’s go.” Agnes took James’ arm, and then she nodded to Luke and Stone with the air of a lady who was taking her leave of a perfectly normal social situation. “Good evening, gentlemen. I do hope you’ll both come to the wedding.”

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Stone gave a James a warning look, wanting to make certain the man realized that if there wasn’t a wedding, he didn’t have a future. “I’m lookin’ forward to it.”

James led her out, his expression grim, and it wasn’t long before Stone heard the front door open and then close again, and he turned to Luke, relieved to have that burden lifted at last, only to find Luke gazing bleakly at him.

“I’ve got go, too.” Luke’s voice was low and pained. “I thought I could do it. I thought I could be satisfied with stayin’ here and helpin’ you with the ranch. I thought just bein’ near you would be enough, but it ain’t. I want to bewithyou. I ain’t stupid. I know I can’t tell most folks that I fancy men. Dandy Jim was right about that much. But I ain’t got to live alone and in fear neither. Priss and Sarah made it work, and hell, even Miss Agnes got her man, such as he is. I wantmyman, too, one who ain’t afraid to be with me no matter how risky it is.”

Stone gazed back at Luke, the words making his heart ache for what Luke had been through and yet at the same time erasing the last of his own uncertainty. Lukedidstill want him, despite of what he’d put Luke through, and it was about time Luke got what he wanted.

He stepped closer to Luke, putting his hands on his shoulders and gazing into his eyes. “Are you sure it’s worth it? Are you sure I’m really who you want?”

The bleak look on Luke’s face shifted into a confused frown. “You think I would’ve stuck around all this time, tryin’ to help you fix everything Dandy Jim broke if I wasn’t sure? T’weren’t because of the ranch,” he retorted hotly. “It’s just a place, and I ain’t takin’ nothin’ with me but my clothes when I leave ‘cause I don’t give a damn aboutthingsneither. I know what I want, and if it ain’t here, I’m goin’ to go find it somewhere else.”

“It’s here.” Stone wasn’t well acquainted with happiness, but he felt it now, a warm glow inside of him like a fire on a cold winter night. Stone had finally learned that it didn’t matter a damn what anyone else thought. He’d rather have Luke than a hundred ranches, because he’d learned the truth. Home wasn’t a place; it was a person, and for him, that person was Luke. “Believe me, it’s right here, and I ain’t about to let you go off and try to find it in someone else’s bed. You’re mine, Luke Reynolds, and I’m yours.” With that, he pulled Luke into his arms and captured his lips in a deep, hard kiss.

Luke let out a startled yelp that was swiftly muffled by the kiss, and for a moment, he stood frozen, as if he was paralyzed by pure shock. But then his brain and his body seemed to catch up with what was going on, and he slid his arms around Stone’s shoulders and parted his lips, responding to the kiss at last.

Stone gave a small growl of satisfaction as Luke began to kiss him back, and he took his time, exploring Luke’s mouth and reacquainting himself with the way Luke tasted and felt. Then he lifted his head and stared down into Luke’s eyes. “If that offer to share your bed is still open, I want to take you up on it. And not just for one night. For every night.”

Luke stared up at Stone, looking dumbfounded, and then he scowled and punched Stone’s shoulder hard. “I ought to kick your ass from here to Reno, makin’ me wait all this time! Do you know how much time you’ve wasted that we could’ve spent in bed already? What the hell did you wait until I was about ready to walk out the door for anyway?”

Stone flushed. “I reckon I ain’t exactly the smartest guy in the world. I’ve been tryin’ to tell you for a while now, but somethin’ was always happenin’ to get in the way. I was getting’ worried I’d messed it up so bad that you’d just pack up and leave.”

“Well, I was about to,” Luke grumbled, but there was little heat in his voice, and he rested his hands lightly on Stone’s shoulders. “I reckon youain’tso smart if you ain’t figured out a man stickin’ around after bein’ turned away and havin’ a ranch burned down around his ears means he still wants you.”

“Well, I ain’t exactly experienced when it comes to someone wantin’ me,” Stone admitted. “And I’ll probably still worry about somethin’ bad happenin’ to you because of me, but I can’t take seein’ you unhappy anymore.” He rested his palm against Luke’s cheek. “I miss your smile. I didn’t even realize how happy seein’ it made me until you didn’t smile no more.”

“I ain’t had much reason to smile without you.” Luke leaned into the touch. “I know you don’t want nothin’ to happen to me, but I could break my neck tomorrow gettin’ thrown off a horse. If you waste your life worryin’ about what might happen, you won’t never live it and be happy.”

“Yeah, I guess I finally figured that out,” Stone admitted sheepishly. “So, speakin’ of bein’ happy, do you want to stand here all night jawin’ about how stupid I am, or do you want to go to bed?” He was quite willing to listen to anything Luke needed to say to him, but he hoped Luke would prefer actions to words.

“Bed,” Luke decided at once, and then he gave Stone a look. “I ain’t done jawin’, though, so don’t think you’re gettin’ off the hook that easy.”

Stone gave him a wicked smile. “If I’m good enough, you won’t have the strength to jaw. Not for a while, at least.”

“Well, that remains to be seen, don’t it?” Luke gave a little snort of amusement. “You better be able to back up those big words, or you’ll give me somethin’ else to jaw about.”

“I think I can find a better way to keep your mouth busy.” Feeling better than he had in months – maybe even better than he ever had before in his life – Stone captured Luke’s hand and pulled him toward the stairs. The worst seemed to be over, and he was looking forward to starting over again with Luke; and this time, he intended to make sure he made sure Luke knew that in his arms was the only place Stone ever really wanted to be.

CHAPTER24

As they headed upstairs, Luke kept glancing over at Stone, still a little in shock at this sudden, unexpected turn of events. He had no idea what had prompted Stone’s change of heart, and part of him wondered if he’d end up being rejected again in the morning once Stone had time to sleep on it and maybe change his mind.

“Your room or mine?” he asked once they reached the top of the steps.

Stone squeezed his hand as though he could see Luke fretting. “Mine. At least until we can pick which one we want to makeours.”

“You sure about that?” he asked, searching Stone’s face intently. It was foolish, maybe, to worry so much instead of just enjoying himself for however long it lasted, but he couldn’t be casual about this, not when he was in love with Stone. For all he’d blustered about finding a man somewhere else, he knew that wouldn’t be possible until he’d managed to get Stone out of his system, which wouldn’t happen for a long, long time.

“I’m sure.” Stone pulled Luke into his bedroom and closed the door behind them before turning and looking at Luke somberly. “I know I ain’t given you much cause to trust that I’m goin’ to be there for you in the mornin’, but I swear I will be. I ain’t good with words, but....” He stepped closer and reached out to stroke Luke’s cheek. “I love you, Luke. I never said that to any man before, and I ain’t goin’ to say it to any man but you. No matter what happens, you’re the only one I want, and I’m goin’ to stick by you. Unless you decide you don’t want me no more, and even then I’m goin’ to do everything I can to change your mind.”

Luke knew he was staring at Stone like a fool, but he couldn’t help it. That was the last thing he’d expected to hear Stone say, and for a moment, he wondered if he was dreaming and he’d wake up to find out things were just like they had been for months.

“I’ve been stickin’ by you, and I ain’t goin’ to stop now. I love you too, and I ain’t leavin’ unless you make me go.”

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