Page 8 of Big and Bold
He moves across the room and sits down on the coffee table in front of me. “I don’t want you to just move in with me, Annie.”
I lean back, and he leans forward. “I want you to let me make it up to you.”
I hold my hand up. “I don’t want that. I don’t want your guilt or?—”
He grabs my hands and holds them. “Please, Annie. I’m asking you to do this for me.” He shakes his head. “And I know you don’t owe me a damn thing, but I’m begging you, please do this. I’m not ready to let you go.”
I gasp. “But?—”
He cups my face again. “Annie, please, I’m going crazy here. Give me thirty days…”
I pull from his hold. “And if I say no?”
He just smirks at me and looks around the tiny apartment. “I’ll hole up here with you. I’ll follow you around Red’s Diner, and?—”
“Your ranch will fall apart without you.”
He doesn’t seem worried. “The ranch is the least of my worries right now.”
I stare back at him wide-eyed. This is not the same Dustin that I’ve lived with for the last year. I lick my lip. “I saw you qualified for the Classic.”
He nods. “I did, but if you don’t want me to do it, I won’t.”
Shocked, my mouth falls open. “Who are you, and what did you do with my husband?”
His face softens. “I like that. Keep calling me that.”
I roll my eyes at him. “Dustin, I won’t ask you to stop rodeoing. You love it.”
He shrugs, almost sad like. “The only way I’m doing the Classic is if you’re with me.”
I look into his eyes, and for the first time, I see a vulnerability there. “You know this is crazy, right?”
He’s still holding my hands, and he strokes his thumb across my wrist. “This past week, I’ve felt like I was going crazy, Annie. I can’t lose you.”
I open my mouth and then close it. I know I should tell him no. I know that if I don’t walk away now, I’m just going to drag out the inevitable. It’s on the tip of my tongue to say no when Dustin squeezes my hands and leans in. “Please, baby.”
I blow out a breath. “Thirty days… and then you sign the papers.”
He doesn’t hesitate. He stands up. “I’ll help you pack.”
I stand up too. “What? Right now?”
He walks toward the bedroom. “Yep, right now.”
I could argue with him, but it’s pointless. I only have clothes to pack up, so I grab my suitcases from the closet and lay them on the bed. Side by side, we work on collecting my stuff, and the whole time, I’m wondering if I’m doing the right thing… or if I’m making the biggest mistake of my life.
CHAPTER 7
DUSTIN
Relief.
Already, I feel better having Annie back on our ranch.
We’ve spent the day together. I helped her pack her stuff up and then loaded it in my truck. I followed her to the ranch, where we spent the day unpacking and getting settled. By midafternoon, she was getting huffy with me, and I’m sure it’s because I’ve been glued to her side, so now I’m giving her a break. She’s on the front porch, and I’m biding time in my office, acting like I’m catching up on paperwork when all I’m really doing is giving her a minute to herself before I follow her outside.
She’s been quiet most of the day, and it’s driving me crazy. When I can’t stand it any longer, I jump up from my seat and stalk to the front door. The screen door screeches, and Annie pulls her gaze from the mountains to me. “Hey.” I smile.
