Page 16 of Montana Rain

A few more turns, and we pulled up to a nice little house with a good amount of property around it. When I hopped out of the truck, she waited for me to jog around and open the door. This time, I did take her hand and help her down.

“It’s as good as any other place.”

“That’s not a reason.”

I sighed. “Because Daniel came to visit me in the hospital when no one else did. And the people here are some of the only people who know me and can still look me in the eye, even after I was the king of all jackasses.

“So when Daniel had a lead on this place, it felt like…it felt like it was meant to happen. It was a good time to come here and let the FBI figure out what they want to do with me and for me to figure out what I want for myself.”

We were at her door now, and she fiddled with her keys.

“But Rayne, I’m not going to pretend it had nothing to do with you.”

Her breath caught. “Cole—”

“Let me finish,” I said gently. “There is something between us, and I know you feel it. I know you’re scared of it. And I’m not going to pressure you into something you don’t want. But I will be here for the next four months, and I want to show you who I am. Who I can be. I’m the man who’s going to challenge you and make you blush and tease you, because I don’t think you have anyone in your life who does that. But if, when I leave, you still don’t want whatever this is? I promise you’ll never hear from me again.”

She turned toward me. “You could have gone anywhere.”

“But I came here.”

The way she looked up at me, she wasn’t trying to move away. She was leaning closer. “You drive me a little crazy.”

I couldn’t stop the smile on my face. “I know.”

We came together like an explosion.

Her lips felt just as soft under mine as they had the first time, when we’d been pressed up against my car. Now I couldn’t help but press her up against her door. Because I needed more of her. More of her, and I needed to feel every inch of her against me.

No whiskey this time, just that damn cherry lip gloss flavor that haunted my dreams and had me waking up, panting, hard and aching for this incredibly beautiful, fucking maddening woman.

Rayne wound her hands around my neck, and my fingers were in her hair, holding her steady. Drawing her deeper into me. I pulled her away from the door and molded her body to mine, one arm keeping her close, because something deep and raw was satisfied when I held her. And no matter how long I kissed her, I couldn’t escape the feeling that it wouldn’t be enough.

She groaned and pressed her hands to my chest, pushing me away. Letting her go was the hardest thing I’d ever had to do.

“I can’t,” she breathed.

Her words were a knife in my gut. Just like the first time. They were laced with emotion I couldn’t interpret, but it didn’t seem like she wanted them to be true either.

“Rayne—”

“I’m sorry.” Her voice was small and quiet. “I’m sorry, Cole. I can’t.”

Like she didn’t believe the words she was saying, she rose on her toes and kissed me softly one more time before turning and unlocking the door.

She closed it behind her, and I stared at it, unsure of what to do or say. What was there to say? She hadn’t pushed me away at first, and she hadn’t denied it when I said there was something between us she was afraid of.

There was something.

But something else was getting in the way.

I meant what I said. While I lived here, I would challenge her and show her the man I could be. And if it wasn’t enough, then it wasn’t enough. Pressing a hand to my chest, I ignored the pain of that feeling.

For long moments, I stared at Rayne’s door, hoping she would change her mind and come back outside.

She didn’t.

Scrubbing a hand over my face, I went back to my truck and started the drive back to the cabin. Rayne said she couldn’t. Not that she didn’t want to. I would hold on, and be there, in case that couldn’t turned to could.

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