Page 90 of If You Loved Me

He shifted so we were able to look at one another. “I don’t say it nearly as often as I should. Mostly because I don’t know how to communicate my feelings very well. When it comes to you, Sarah, I feel a hell of a lot.”

A smile had my lips tilting upward.

“I need you to know that you saved my life. Before you came along, I was a shell of a man. Tired of waiting for something to change in me, but too scared to do anything about it. When you asked me out on a date, I felt excited for the first time since I went to prison. I stopped myself from giving in to it because I was ashamed. I felt like I deserved tobe punished for what I’d done and how it stole time away from my family.

“Then I saw you on that Ferris wheel and I think some part of me knew I’d loved you even then. My soul called to yours and from that point on, there was no more resisting you or what I felt.

“And I know that choosing to be with me hasn’t been the easiest path for you. It’s caused a riff in your life that I wish I could mend more than anything. I just want you to know that I will spend the rest of my life making sure you feel like your choice was worth the sacrifice.”

My heart fluttered at his proclamation and the way love shone in his eyes as he slipped his hand through my hair, letting it rest at the base of my neck. I realized I would always feel electric when his hands were on me. Our love ran too deep for me to not be affected by his touch.

“Well, there’s one vital mistake you’ve made, cowboy.” I grabbed the lapels of his coat and brought him closer to me. “It’s thinking that there is anything in this world that I wouldn’t happily sacrifice to be with you. And it’s not just because I love you beyond measure. It’s because you’ve been my strength when I had none. You supported me and showed me what family means when my own family was never capable of doing that.

“You’ve made me feel brave when I was scared. And you’ve taught me that there are so many moments to cherish if I’m just willing to let my heart be open to them. You let me love you and it’s the best thing I’ve ever done.”

He chuckled, a warm throaty laugh as silver lined his eyes.

“I love you,” I said. “And I’d give up everything to keep doing that.”

Warmth spread through my face when his lips met mine. He pulled me close, running his fingers down my spine as I opened up for him. His tongue rolled against mine in a slow tantalizing motion that had heat pooling in my center. A preview for what was surely to come later tonight.

“Sarah! Ranger!” Someone called for us, their voice echoing through the trees.

“Damnit,” Ranger whispered against my mouth. He grabbed my ass and groaned. “I’m getting a piece of this later.”

“I’m down for that, cowboy. But I still have a bouquet to catch.”

“If that’ll get you to marry me faster, then maybe I’m not as upset.”

I waggled my eyebrows at him. “Maybe I could be convinced.” We turned to head back to the reception area. We called out to whoever was yelling our names to let them know we were coming.

The only people in line for Willow’s bouquet were Callie Rose and me. She had a look of tortured pain on her face asshe tried to hide herself in the corner of the dance floor even though her brother kept urging her to move forward. She shot him a crude gesture and Ranger laughed.

Fine by me, I had one goal in mind and that was to catch the flying bundle of flowers.

“Ready?” Willow looked at us over her shoulder.

I rubbed my hands together, playfully.

“That’s my girl!” Ranger called to me, his hands creating a cup around his mouth.

“One! Two! Three!” The flowers soared through the air, tree canopies, and the open night sky a perfect landscape above.

I was thankful I didn’t have my heels on anymore because Willow threw long and I had to dart backwards to catch them. The stems landed in my hands, delicate petals flickering to the floor from the impact.

“Woohoo!” I hollered, raising my arms above my head. More petals flitted down around me.

Everyone clapped and Ranger dashed onto the dance floor, picked me up, and spun me around. I let my head tilt back as laughter bubbled from my chest.

When we stopped, I slid down his front and showed him the now-destroyed bundle of flower stems, with only a few petals remaining.

“I got it!”

“You know what that means now, sugar.”

“What’s that?”

He smiled at me. “We’re next.”

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