Page 134 of She Wolf

“If I’d have known that even mentioning you staying here would have made you bolt, I never would have said anything.”

“You can’t censor what you say or not tell me how you feel. I should never have done that. And the things that I said, God Gunner, you are not selfish. Not with me, or Jack, your friends, family, on the ice,” I shake my head. “Or even in the bedroom. You are the most selfless person I have ever met.” And I really do hang my head in shame.

What kind of person would say that to a guy like Gunner? He stands, pulling on his neck.

“The fact that you left though. That’s not good, right? We should go back to how it was—dating. You asked for slow. It was me that didn’t want to remember that.” He seems so discouraged, even his voice doesn’t sound like him.

I can’t stand the way he looks right now. It makes everything else kind of just fade away. The hangover, the stiff muscles, and the niggle of doubt, all gone with one look at him hunched over on the end of his bed and that’s when it hits me.

I am literally the biggest idiot on the planet. No, in the universe. Sitting up I try to pull him closer, but he doesn’t budge.

“I’m so sorry, Coralie.” Is he kidding right now?

Huffing, I get off the bed and go in search of my purse. I scramble for my wallet and on a shaky breath, hand the crumpled piece of lilac card over.

“What’s this?”

“It’s my deepest, darkest secrets. Open it,” I nod. He gingerly unfolds it taking care not to rip it. It’s obvious I’ve had it a long time. His eyes scan my writing and then he looks over at me and grins.

“Your deepest darkest secrets, eh?”

“Yep. See Gunner Grey, I’ve been gone for you for what feels like an eternity.”

He nods, refolds it, and hands it back to me. I slip it back into its little compartment and then put it all away. Then I take a few tentative steps and kneel in front of him.

“That’s the one by the way.” He says tipping his face to look at me.

“The one what?”

“The pet name you’ve been searching for. You’ve been using it all along, from day one.”

“I have, haven’t I.”

He nods his head. “I love it. I always have.”

“You do?”

More nodding and his cheeks flush. He’s cute this one.

“Come here,” I say, and he follows me back up to the pillow end of the bed and arranges himself so I’m lying on his warm chest.

“Wanna know why I freaked out last night?” He nods.

“I felt like I was gonna lose myself all over again.”

The forlorn look that crosses his face nearly kills me. “But you know what conclusion I came to?”

“Was this before or after the tequila?” he asks cricking his neck to see me.

“During.”

“Right,” he nods.

“We’re the real deal. I don’t need to be worrying about your friendship with Casey or your relationship with Jack.” Gunner’s eyes snap to mine.

“You’ve been worrying about Casey and about Jack? Why? Me and Casey are big boys. What’s there to worry about there? And Jesus, Coralie, I would never treat Jack any differently. Never, ever.”

“If we broke up—”

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