Page 46 of Montana Rain

“Rayne,” I said, softly this time. When she still didn’t react, I moved the pillow with her foot toward me as gently as I could, turning her body to face me. Even now, she wouldn’t meet my gaze.

“It’s all right, Rayne. I promise.”

“No, it’s not.”

“Listen to me.” I tucked a finger under her chin and lifted her eyes to mine. Misery, pain, and embarrassment filled them. “This could have happened to either of us. There’s no guarantee I wouldn’t have fallen in that exact spot. And while you being in pain makes me want to tear the world limb from limb, if it had been me, it would have been so much harder for you to find me and help me get back here.”

“And then you went and got the wood too,” she whispered. “You must be freezing. If I’d just let you do it like you wanted to—”

I moved, slipping my hand behind her neck. “No. We, of all people, know there’s no use in dwelling on the way things could have been. There’s only the way things are, and right now, we’re alive. We’re both safe, if a little worse for wear.” Shaking my head, I held myself back from gathering her in my arms, because it was the only thing that felt right.

“You don’t have anything to be embarrassed about,” I told her.

Rayne looked at me, her expression one I’d never seen before. It was hope, filled with determination. Bracing herself so her ankle was okay, Rayne closed the distance between us and kissed me.

Chapter 20

Rayne

I kissed him.

I kissed him, and there was nothing in the world I wanted more than to keep kissing him. This thing between us Cole kept talking about? I was done ignoring it.

Cold still clung to my limbs and my ankle ached, but this was more important. I needed this.

“Rayne, wait,” Cole whispered.

“No.”

He took my face in his hands. “Wait, princess,” he breathed the words before kissing me again, like the magnets between us couldn’t be pulled apart. “Are you sure about this? I can and will wait for you. I don’t want you to rush into this because of what happened.”

I pulled him closer. “It is that,” I said. “But it’s not just that. I’m tired of fighting it.”

He grinned. “So you finally admit there’s something here.”

“Don’t ruin it.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.”

A different kind of chill rippled through me. “As long as you know going in what happens to the people around me.”

“I’m not afraid of something that’s not going to happen.”

“It will.”

He kissed me lightly. “Now who’s ruining it?”

Nothing but the sound of the wind surrounded us as we came together. Cole’s kiss was already familiar, but now it was also different and filled with determination. Power that hadn’t been present before. How much had he held back the last time we’d kissed?

I pulled his shoulders, leaning back, and he stopped me. “Not yet.”

“What?”

“I’ve waited a long time to have you. We have all the time in the world right now, and I intend to memorize you slowly. Not taking a single moment for granted. Especially when you look so fucking beautiful in this firelight.”

My face and chest flushed with heat, banishing the last vestiges of frost from my bones. “Cole.”

His lips met my temple. “Close your eyes, princess. Let me take care of you.”

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