Page 53 of Marrying a Cowboy

“So, what was so important that you needed to fly all the way here to tell me.”Hold your ground, Emma. Don’t give into his deep eyes and soulful gazes.If only her pounding heart wouldlisten.

Austin glanced over at Bert one more time but then took a step forward as if he no longer cared that there was another man intruding on theirconversation.

“I was an idiot,Emma.”

She swallowed so loud she could hear it reverberate in her ears. “Yeah, I’dsay.”

“No, you don’t understand. I was a complete idiot. I pushed you away. I convinced myself that you’d be better off alone. That loving you meant that you’d get hurt. And. . .” He stared down at his hands. “I couldn’t stand the thought of you getting hurt. Not after mymom.”

Emma’s stomach twisted at the sight of him in so much pain. All she wanted to do was stand up and tell him that everything was alright, that she’d forgive him. But she couldn’t. He’d really hurt her. Alot.

“You can’t control that. Loving people means taking risks. It means walking around with your heart in someone else’s hands,” Bertinterjected.

Austin and Emma both stared at him. Bert smiled. “Sorry. My mom has me reading a lot of relationshipbooks.”

Emma turned her attention back to Austin who was pointing his finger at Bert. “You’re right. You are absolutely right.” Austin turned back to Emma. “Truth is, I’d rather spend every minute we have together loving you, than thinking I’m protecting you by keeping youaway.”

He knelt down in front of her and pulled out a box from his back pocket. Emma’s heart sped up so fast, she thought she just might pass out right here. He raised his gaze to meet hers. It was so full of love and fear that it took her breathaway.

“Emma George Maverick, please forgive your stupid husband and be my wife. For real.” He pulled open the box and extendedit.

Emma moved her gaze from the ring and then up to his face. Was he serious? Suddenly, completely overwhelmed, she bolted from her chair and raced toward the exit. This was becoming too much. Why did he all of a sudden want to be with her? He’d basically told her days ago that he didn’t love her but now he wanted her to be hisrealwife? She wasn’t sure her heart could take anotherbreak.

Once outside, she took a deep breath and stared out at the New York skyline. It was breathtaking at night. She wrapped her arms around her chest and leaned against the railing. The door behind her opened. She closed her eyes as she felt Austin step up next toher.

“I’m sorry,” he said. His voice was low withemotions.

“Why do you want to marry me?” she asked, keeping her eyesclosed.

Silence filled the air as she held her breath. Wow. If it took him this long to come up with a reason to marry her, maybe they shouldn’t betogether.

“Emma, you are my other half. You are all I’ve ever wanted in a woman and everything I didn’t know I needed. You are the first thing I want to see when I wake up in the morning and the one person I want to kiss atnight.”

A small sob escaped her lips as tears formed on her lids, but she couldn’t bring herself to look at him. What if he was lying? There had been many times in the past where she thought he was telling the truth. He’d fooled her one too manytimes.

“How do I know what you are saying is thetruth?”

“I called my grandmother and told her everything. I haven’t gone to sign the papers. The ranch means nothing to me. If I get it or not, none of that matters anymore.” She felt him move closer to her. “All I want is you. All of you. I want you by my side as I walk through life. I want you in my bed. I want you to be the mother of my children,” his voicedeepened.

Emma opened her eyes to see him standing inches from her. His expression was serious as he stared down ather.

“Kids?”

Austin shrugged. “I figured we owe it to the world to create those beautiful kids everyone keeps saying we’dmake.”

“But you don’t want kids.” A tear escape and trailed down hercheek.

Austin reached up and brushed his fingertips across her skin. “Out of everything I told you while you were with me, that was the only lie.” Then he paused. “Well that and that I didn’t love you or want you around.” He smiled down at her. “But everything else wastrue.”

She studied him. What was happening? Did Austin really want to be married to her? “Are you sure? I can’t get hurt again.” If there was even a chance that he could change his mind, she wanted him to be honest rightnow.

“Emma, I’m not anybody without you. You are my everything. Please, say you’ll come back with me.” He leaned closer to her. “Be my wife for real thistime.”

Emma’s gaze trailed down to his lips that were inches from hers. “I will under onecondition.”

He raised his eyebrows as he slipped an arm around her waist. “Okay.”

“Ask me to marryyou.”

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