Page 47 of Marrying a Cowboy

“Austin, look at me,” shesaid.

His jaw muscles flinched as he kept his gaze trained on anywhere buther.

“What’s going on?” She wasn’t going to get out of the truck until he started talking toher.

“Emma, just let me get you inside and clean you up,” he said. His voice was low and full ofemotion.

Something was really wrong. But, she’d respect his feelings. So, she just nodded and held onto the hand he’d extended. He guided her as she climbeddown.

Her body was sore, but there wasn’t anything broken. They walked in silence as he helped her into the house and led her into the bathroom. Emma sat down on the toilet while he started running water. After he got a wash cloth good and soaked, he turned back around. There was a pained expression as he reached out and began dabbing hercheek.

“Aus—”

“Emma.”

Emma met his gaze. “You go first,” she said. Honestly, she really wasn’t sure what she was going to say. If he was willing to break the silence, she’d lethim.

“After you’re cleaned up, I’m going to take you to the airport.” His voice had dipped so low, she had to lean in to hearhim.

“What?” There was no way that he’d said what she thought hesaid.

“You need to go back to NewYork.”

In eight tiny words, Austin had reached into her chest and squeezed her heart so hard, it took her breath away. “Excuse me?” There was no way she was going to sit here and let him say these things to her. No way she was going to let him send her away. What had she done? Did he really not mean those things he’d said in front of his grandmother just a few hoursago?

No. Austin Maverick wasn’t going to run away. She wouldn’t let him. As she swallowed against the emotions that choked her throat, she steadied her mind. She was going to fight for this. She just hoped he’d let her. There was no way she could handle another heart break. Not from her fake husband and not fromAustin.

Chapter Eighteen

Austin

Austin focusedon Emma’s cheek as he dabbed at the dried blood. His stomach was in knots as he tried to sift through his emotions. The memory of watching Emma’s body fly back after the cow had rammed her. The thought that she could have been seriously injured or worse, dead. All of those feelings had taken up residence in his chest making even the slightest movementunbearable.

He needed to clean her up and get her out of here. This was not the place for her. He was not the guy for her. She’d only get hurt around him and he couldn’t be the cause of someone else he cared for getting hurt. Not when he had something to say aboutit.

He might not have been able to save his mother, but he’d save Emma. Save her from his stupidity. He should have known better than to involve her in the rescue. Who was he kidding? He couldn’t keep anyone safe. History had taught him that and it was time he started listening to his pastmistakes.

So, no matter how hard she as staring at him, he wasn’t going to give in. He would clean her up, pack her bag, and get her on the first flight back to New York as soon as hecould.

“Austin, why are you sending me away?” Her voice was strained, like she was trying to keep her feelings at bay. Feelings that he desperately wanted to hear, but knew the moment they were spoken, he’d never be able to let hergo.

So, he muscled down the ache in his chest and said the words he knew weren’t true but needed to be said. “Because we’re done. Gran’s signing the ranch over which means you’ve completed your end of the bargain. You don’t need to be here anymore.” The statement tasted disgusting on histongue.

Especially when he knew it wasn’t true. His heart was breaking at the thought of her leaving. At the thought of not having her around in the darkest of night or brightest of day. He wasn’t sure if he was going to be able to walk around his house again without thinking abouther.

He clenched his jaw. That wasn’t his choice anymore. He’d already failed someone in his past, he wasn’t going to do it with Emma. She deserved someone so much better than him. And he’d make sure she got on the plane so she could find that person. After all, he was kidding himself to think that he was the one. He wasn’t the one for her or anyoneelse.

He dared the pain in her eyes and met her gaze head on. He steadied his emotions enough to show her that he had no feeling for what he’d just said. They were business partners in this, that wasall.

Emma’s eyes were wide and the pained look in them broke his already hemorrhagingheart.

“What are you saying?” sheasked.

Austin moved over to the sink where he rinsed out the wash cloth. “We’re done,” he said. He tried to force strength into his voice but it sounded weak, even to him. “You need to goback.”

When he turned back around, Emma’s gaze had turned to stone. “What?”

He shrugged, forcing every move. He needed to act like what he was doing wasn’t breaking his heart. She needed to believe that he didn’t care about her. That he wasn’t sick to his stomach from the thought that he’d never see her again. Or that she’d never really know just how much he’d grown to care forher.

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