Page 18 of Her Mountain Man Giant

I hear Violet say my name, but I can’t speak. A million old emotions are surging up inside me—rage, misery. But mostly guilt. Always guilt.

Why was Violet looking at this?

I tear my eyes away from the screen and meet her gaze, my heart aching as I say, “You don’t believe me? About the accident?”

“Of course I believe you.” She looks crestfallen, taking a step toward me. “I’m so sorry, Tanner. Those forums are all total garbage. I was just curious to see what they were like…please don’t think I believe any of it.”

I can see the earnestness in her expression and feel some of my tension ease. With a deep sigh, I run a hand over my beard.

“It’s okay. I get why you were curious. All that matters to me is that you believe me. I loved my brother…I would have died before hurting him?—”

She flinches, holding her hands up to stop me. “You don’t need to defend or explain yourself. I believe you one-hundred percent. I’m so sorry for making you doubt that.”

Her eyes glisten with tears, and I sit down, pulling her onto my lap. She rests her head on my shoulder, sniffling quietly.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispers. “I feel terrible that you had to see all that crap again because of me.”

“It’s okay, sugar. I promise.” I hold her tight, rubbing her back. “Honestly, knowing you think it’s all bullshit helps a lot. Takes some of the power away.” I sigh, my eyes flitting back to the laptop screen. “They’re just words. Stupid words.”

“You’re right,” she says. “It’s all so dumb.”

My eyes land on the wordBahamasand I roll my eyes. “They’re still talking about me running away to the Bahamas, huh? They were already spouting that one back in 2007. Must be some poor bastard living out there who looks just like me.” Despite myself, I chuckle. “I think Jason would like that theory. He always had a good sense of humor.”

Violet lifts her head to look at me, smiling despite her red eyes. “Yeah?”

“Mhm. You know, one of the old theories was that Jason was actually a robot, created by the NBA as an experiment to see if robots can play basketball.” I shake my head. “Someone else was convinced that we were both lizard people from another planet. Jason would havelovedthat one.”

In my mind’s eye I can see him, head tipped back, laughing that booming laugh that seemed to shake the whole room. Then I swallow down the lump in my throat and close Violet’s laptop.

Enough.

I’ve spent too long living in the past. For eighteen years, I’ve been existing out here in the woods, but never really living, isolating myself because I felt like I deserved it. But I can’t live that way anymore. Violet deserves more than an old grump who can’t let go of his demons. I need to be better—for her.

Because I love her.

Hell, I think I loved her from the moment I saw her. She makes me feel alive. Happy. She makes me want to be a better man—somebody worthy of her. I’m not going to hold her back, tethering us both to my past like an anchor. It’s time to embrace the future, and Violet is who I want standing by my side through it all.

“I need to ask you something, sugar.”

She lifts her head up from my shoulder, still sitting on my lap. “Yes?”

“How would you feel about staying here with me?”

She smiles. “Sure. I’d love to stay another day?—”

“No, Violet.” I cup her cheek, my heart thudding as I look at her. “I meant how would you feel about living here with me?” Her mouth falls open, and I inhale sharply before continuing, “I know it’s crazy—too fast, too soon. But I don’t want to be apart from you, sugar, even if it’s just a mile or two.”

She blinks up at me, her eyes wide. “Really? You mean it?”

“Of course I mean it.” I run my thumb against the soft skin of her cheek. “You belong with me, Violet. When I said you were mine, those weren’t just words.”

I wish I knew what she was thinking. She looks pensive, biting her lip, and I brace myself for her to say no.

“I think it’s nuts,” she says eventually. “Just like quitting my job and moving to the woods to write romance novels was nuts.” Her face splits into a gorgeous smile. “I also think I’d love it more than anything.”

My heart leaps. “Is that a yes?”

“Yes!” She lets out a delighted laugh and throws her arms around me. I hold her tight, smothering her pretty face with kisses as pure joy streaks through my veins.

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