Page 70 of Saddle and Bound

Her body trembles as she lifts her head again, her tear-streaked face breaking me all over again. For a long moment, she just looks at me, as if searching for something.

Finally, she takes a deep breath, her voice shaking as she speaks. “Alex… I’m afraid.”

My heart tightens at her words. “What are you afraid of, princess?”

She hesitates, her hands twisting in her lap.

Then, slowly, the words begin to tumble out. “Everything. Leaving. Staying. Messing up. Messingusup.” Her voice cracks on the last word, and she looks away, her shoulders slumping.

I reach out, hesitating for only a moment before resting my hand lightly on hers. “Rosie, look at me.”

She does, her eyes glassy with unshed tears.

“You won’t mess us up,” I say, my voice firm but full of emotion. “I don’t care where you want to be—here, in L.A., or anywhere else. I just want to be with you. If you want to stay, I’ll be the happiest man alive. And if you want to go back to Los Angeles…” I swallow hard. “Then I’ll find a way to make it work. I’ll follow you.”

Her breath catches, her lips parting slightly in shock. “You’d… you’d do that?”

“I would. Wherever you are, that’s where I want to be.”

She stares at me, her tears finally spilling over. Slowly, tentatively, she leans forward, resting her head against my shoulder.

For a moment, I just hold her, my hand lightly stroking her back.

“You’re not alone in this,” I murmur. “Whatever you’re afraid of, we’ll face it together. I promise.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Ethan wiping away a tear. Then, without a word, he slowly gets up and walks away, leaving us wrapped in our intimacy, as if he knows this is a moment meant only for us.

Her voice is muffled against my shirt, but I hear her whisper, “I’m sorry I pushed you away.”

I pull back just enough to look at her. “It doesn’t matter. What matters is that we’re here now.”

She nods, her lips trembling into a small, tentative smile.

The sun rises behind us, painting the sky in shades of gold and pink. For the first time in days, I feel hope. Rosie is in my arms, and for now, that’s enough.

Chapter 42

Rosie

Alex's words echo in my ears, making my heart tremble. I can't believe what I've just heard. This stubborn, annoying, incredibly sexy and sweet cowboy... he's just laid his heart bare before me. And I? I'm simply stunned, disbelieving, yet suffused with a happiness I never thought possible.

His hands on my face are warm, reassuring. His eyes, so sincere and full of love... I'm not sure I even deserve it, damn it! This thought makes me feel dizzy.

I mentally retrace the last few days, after the camping trip, after that magical night under the stars. I've behaved horribly toward him, I know that. Fear paralyzed me, pushing me to shut myself away like a hedgehog. That evening at the Rusty Spur, when he asked me to dance with that irresistible smile of his, I felt panic overwhelm me. I asked him for time, stammering an excuse, and then I began avoiding him like a coward.

And him? He's been simply wonderful, far more than I deserved. He's given me all the space I needed, without questions, without pressure. Even now, looking into his eyes, I can see how much my behavior must have hurt him. The guilt twists in my stomach.

He told me he'd follow me to Los Angeles if necessary. Los Angeles! Him, who loves this ranch more than anything in the world. Him, who would suffer in a big city like a bird in a cage. Yet he was willing to do it. For me. This thought takes my breath away.

And this awareness, this act of love so great and selfless, has given me the strength to open up, to confide in him my true thoughts. To admit that I want to stay here, with him.

"Alex," I whisper, my voice trembling with emotion, "I don't know what to say. You're... you're incredible."

Okay... well, very eloquent, Rosie, well done! Now Alex will really know how you feel. My inner voice scolds me, making me realize I'm not doing a very good job.

His words continue to echo in my mind like a sweet melody.You can trust me completely, Rosie. You can entrust me with your heart, your dreams, your fears. And damn it, I want to. I want to trust him with every fiber of my being, even though the idea terrifies me.

I take a deep breath, trying to find the right words to express the whirlwind of emotions I feel inside. "I've never been good at relationships. I've always kept people at a distance, out of fear of suffering, out of fear of losing myself. I've never had a real relationship. But you... you've torn down every one of my defenses. You've barged into my life like a hurricane, upending every certainty I had. And this terrifies me and exhilarates me at the same time..." I start to panic. Oh god, I'm so bad at this.

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