Page 40 of In Full Bloom

The shock on her face at my outburst quickly settles into the hard lines of anger.

“I wish I could stay. If I could just live out here on the farm and pretend it isn’t a part of Kauri Creek then I would, but I can’t. I’m trapped here. I need a place I can put down roots and actually grow. I’m never going to get that here. It’s all caught up in the past and I refuse to live in a place where people hate me for something I didn’t even do. I don’t want to be here because it makes me remember. And I don’t want to remember.” Her voice finally gives up and breaks. “You don’t get the right to accuse me of anything, cowboy. I already told you I can’t be what you want, because I know I can’t stay. I can’t get involved. I won’t do it to Sadie and I won’t do it to you.”

A tear spills over and streaks down her cheek. She’s breathing hard, her face flushed and fists clenched at her sides.

“Princess,” I say, my voice soft as the frustration evaporates at the sight of her pain. I step close.

She raises a balled fist and presses it to my chest, right above my heart. It’s not a gentle caress. It’s a warning.

I ignore it.

“Princess.” I say again, reaching up to swipe away the tears that continue to fall. “You know the good thing about memories? You’re always making new ones.”

“I’m aware of that,” she grumbles, still holding me at arm’s length with the fist against my heart. Symbolic really.

“So, if you don’t want to go, make new ones. Make new ones here, with Olivia and Flynn and Sadie … and me.”

“It’s not that easy. And who says I don’t want to go? Maybe I do want to go. Maybe I can’t wait to get out of this place.”

“You just said if you would stay you could. God, you’re so stubborn it’s infuriating.”

“See, you don’t even want me here. You said the other day that it would be easier if we never saw each other again.”

“Fuck’s sake, princess, that was after the first night. Not after the rest of it. Not after I got to know you and you kept calling me cowboy like it didn’t drive me insane, or maybe you called me that because you know it does, which now that I know you is probably more your style. You’re fucking gorgeous and sassy and incredible. Of course I want you to stay.”

I’m breathing hard now too, staring down at this infuriating woman who I do not want to let go. She’s looking straight back at me, tear stained cheeks and fury in her gaze.

Fuck it.

I throw caution to the wind and put it all on the line as I bend down and press my lips to hers.

19

KATIE

Dallas’s mouthcomes crashing down on mine and it wipes every thought from my head.

I’m not sure if we’re arguing and mad at each other, or not.

Right now, with his lips pressed against mine and his hand cupping my jaw to tilt my chin just the right way, it seems irrelevant.

His tongue brushes against my lips and I open for him. Any resolve I had before is gone. I virtually melt into him as he kisses me.

He’s gentle, but also completely in control. He knows exactly what he’s doing and he’s not afraid to prove it, exactly the way I remember.

My fingers clutch at his shirt. The hand that held onto his chest to keep him away, now pulling him closer and helping to hold me on my feet as my knees wobble, threatening to give out completely.

He pulls away, but only for a breath before he pressesanother kiss to my cheek and breathes into my ear. “We don’t want you to go, princess. Give us a chance. A chance to make new, better memories.”

Reality comes crashing back in and I shove Dallas away.

“I can’t,” I say. “I’m leaving, hopefully by winter. It’s probably best if we just forget about the friend thing.”

I spin around and climb back over the railings, leaving Dallas staring after me. I don’t care. I need to keep the distance. I’ve managed to avoid him most of this week, I should be able to manage it for another few months.

Even if all I really want to do is crawl back into his arms.

I am not being that girl again. I’m not just going along with everything because a gorgeous man convinces me he loves me. Not that Dallas is anywhere close to loving me, but I still can’t change my plans for him. I can’t.

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