Page 59 of Frost and Felines

Kieran's jaw tightened, and without warning, he pulled her against him, his mouth capturing hers in a kiss that made her knees weak. It wasn't gentle or polite – it was possessive and demanding, a statement more than a goodbye. Mallory found herself responding despite her better judgment, her fingers gripping the front of his shirt.

When they broke apart, she could see the stubborn determination in his eyes, but he said nothing more as she picked up her bag and turned toward the door.

This was for the best, she told herself as she stepped outside. The cold January air hit her face, stinging her eyes – or perhaps those were tears. Either way, she didn't look back.

Mallory kept her chin up as she marched toward her SUV, each step taking monumental effort as she fought the urge to collapse into tears. Her keys dug into her palm, the physical pain a welcome distraction from the emotional hurricane brewing inside her. She had made the right choice. The responsible choice. So why did it feel like she was tearing her own heart out?

The parking lot stretched before her like a vast, empty wasteland, her dark blue SUV waiting faithfully at the far end. Just get to the car, she told herself. Don't look back. Don't think about his smile, or the way his eyes crinkled at the corners when he laughed, or how perfectly your head fit against his chest…

"MALLORY!"

The deep, commanding voice cut through her thoughts like lightning. Heavy footfalls pounded the pavement behind her, growing louder with each second. Mallory froze, her breath catching. She didn't turn, couldn't bear to see him one more time. It would break what little resolve she had left.

"Mallory, wait." Kieran's voice was closer now, slightly breathless. "Look at me."

She turned slowly, her heart slamming against her chest. Kieran stood barely a foot away, his broad shoulders heaving, his auburn hair disheveled. His blue eyes burned with an intensity that stole what little breath she had left.

"What are you doing?" she managed, hating how her voice trembled.

"Something I should have done days ago." He closed the short distance between them in one stride, his hands gripping her shoulders. "You can't leave."

"I have to?—"

"No." The single word was like a command, brooking no argument. "You're running scared, and I get it. But you're dead wrong if you think you're meant to be alone."

Mallory shook her head, snowflakes beginning to drift down around them. Perfect timing, as always. "Look," she said, pointing upward. "It's already starting. I'm not safe to be around."

"A little snow never hurt anyone," Kieran said, brushing a flake from her cheek with his thumb. "You're not a curse, Mallory. You're a blessing. Do you have any idea how much better a man I am because you crashed into my life?"

"Kieran—"

"I can't do this without you." His voice dropped lower, more vulnerable than she had ever heard from the typically confident tiger shifter. "I don't want to. Every room in that inn will echo with your absence."

The snow fell faster, circling them in a private little storm. Mallory closed her eyes, feeling her control slipping.

"What if I hurt someone else? What if next time it's much worse?"

"Then we'll face it together." His hands moved to cup her face, forcing her to meet his gaze. "Don't you get it? We're stronger together. Whatever comes, whatever storms—literal or figurative—we can handle them."

Mallory's heart twisted painfully. Even now, even after seeing what she could do, he wasn't afraid.

"If you truly can't stay here," he continued, his thumbs stroking her cheekbones, "then I'll come with you. I'll pack upright now. The inn, the business—none of it matters if you're not in my life."

The snow slowed its descent, hovering midair around them in a picture-perfect moment. Mallory stared at him, stunned by the conviction in his voice, the rawness in his expression.

He really just offered to give up his entire world for her.

"You can't give up the Hearthstone," she finally said, her voice but a whisper. "This place is your dream. Your creation."

Kieran's blue eyes blazed with fierce determination. "And you're more important than any of that."

His words hit her like a powerful physical force. No one had ever put her first like this—not since Eli. The realization crashed over her, completely washing away the walls she'd built around her heart.

"That's the most idiotic, wonderful thing anyone has ever said to me." A laugh bubbled up from somewhere deep inside her, and the snowflakes around them began to drift gently downward again—but this time, they sparkled with sunlight breaking through the clouds above.

"I mean it," Kieran said, his hands warm against her cheeks as he still cupped them. "Inn or no inn. I choose you."

Mallory shook her head gently. "No. You don't have to choose."

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