Page 75 of Coming Home Country
Bex lifted onto her toes, put her mouth beside my ear, and whispered, “The offer of that clean slate still on the table?”
My knees nearly gave out.
With those words, every dream, every wish that had crossed my mind over the past ten years, suddenly became possible.
I didn’t care that she had a flight to catch tomorrow that would put a thousand miles between us. We’d figure it out. We had to.
Failure was not an option this time around.
Bex was mine, and nothing was going to keep us apart ever again.
Chapter 21
Bex
Wastherestillmusicplaying?
I couldn’t hear anything over the sound of my heart hammering against my ribcage as I awaited Tucker’s answer to my question.
If he said no . . .
No, he wouldn’t. Not after he confessed his love, confirmed my belief that we were soulmates, and admitted that he’d been just as miserable without me as I’d been without him all this time.
Not after building that house. For me.
Deciding to give him a push, words that had sat dormant inside my brain for a decade but were never said aloud rose to the surface.
“I love you, Tucker.”
His tortured eyes slammed shut, and a stuttered exhale flew past his lips. “Never thought I’d hear you say that again.”
Watery laughter bubbled up from my chest. “You and me both. But it’s true. I never stopped either. Not when you broke my heart. Not when you married another woman. Not even when I was engaged to another man.” Sucking in a ragged breath, I went for broke. “It’s always been you, Tuck.You own my heart and my soul, and now there’s only one piece of me left to claim. And I want to give it to you, tonight, if you’ll let me.”
The hands that fell to my waist trembled.
“Tell me that’s what you want too. To take me home and make me scream.”
Tucker’s grip tightened a split second before his eyes snapped open, revealing the blazing inferno roaring to life in their blue depths.
His voice was deep, rough even, when he spoke next. “You can’t talk like that in public, Bex.”
“What happened to not caring about other people?” A smirk formed on my lips as I threw his earlier words back at him.
Hauling me closer until my breasts were pressed to his rapidly rising chest, he brought his face an inch away from mine. “I said I didn’t care what theysaw. Never did I say that I didn’t care what they heard. The mere thought of another man picturing what I’m going to do to you the minute I get you alone and strip away this dress has me seeing red.”
I burst out laughing, thinking he was joking because the idea of Tucker being possessive was ludicrous.
But my lips slammed shut when I caught the steel glint in his eyes.
Oh shit. He’s serious.
A rumble vibrated from his chest. “It’s almost enough to have me putting you over my knee.”
Mouth going dry, my tongue darted out to moisten my lips. “Isn’t there some kind of oath you take as a doctor to do no harm?”
Tucker chuckled darkly, dipping his head to speak directly into my ear without being overheard. “You know, I had to look really hard to find it, but there’s a clause that renders that oath void when a naughty little brunette runs her mouth.”
My throat bobbed on an involuntary swallow, and my lust-drunk brain made a unilateral decision that if I was in for a penny, I might as well be in for a pound.
