Page 25 of The Runaway and the Rugged
“Hello? Earth to Garth.” Greta’s voice resonated in the air between us. Her muffled words were edged with irritation as she continued to call out to her brother, soon becoming less and less noticeable as he shoved it back onto his hip.
She was definitely going to kill him.
Each moment that passed became more intense than the last. My breathing was busy trying to keep up with the pace of my heart, while my heart seemingly wanted to beat its way out of my chest.
What I didn’t understand was why this gruff, rugged man was letting me silence him with my hand. Something tells me only a very stupid person would touch him without permission, and right now, that someone was me. So, why wasn’t he reacting? Removing my hand? Something?
Was it shock that made him immobile?
Whatever the reason, I was intrigued. Stupidly and foolishly so. And maybe that was his reasoning also. Finding a lost bride on his ranch, who happens to shut him up with a palm to the mouth.
It had to be fascination mixed in with a dash of confusion.
Right?
I was too caught up in the whys of it all, not realizing I was still covering his mouth.
Clearing my throat, I quickly removed my hand, letting it fall to my side.
“I’m sorry.” My voice quivered as I stepped back, creating a large enough space between us. “I shouldn’t have done that.”
God, I could barely look him in the eye.
“I just don’t want him to know where I am.”
I sought out Ella, needing a distraction from the absolute mess I’d gotten myself in. Her head was pointed downward, sniffing at the ground with her cute little nose flaring.
“I wasn’t going to rat you out,” he finally responded, his tone normal and unexpected.
“I didn’t know. It just seemed like you were going to…” I didn’t get to finish as he began to cut in.
“I was gonna tell her to meet at my house. Nothin’ more.”
“Your house?” I questioned, fidgeting with the fabric of my dress, wishing I could get out of it.
“Only place I can think of where your ex won’t find you.”
Your ex.
I shouldn’t like the sound of that as much as I did.
“Right.” I nodded, afraid to meet his stare that I could feel so heavily on my face. “Okay.” I swallowed, knowing we couldn’t stand here forever.
If I could, I would, but I knew that wasn’t an option.
“Before you get on the back of that horse, I need to hear again that this is what you want,” Garth said, no bullshit, no mincing of his words.
My throat felt unbelievably tight. A pain gnawing at the muscle, as if Nathaniel was here, pushing me to do the thing I desperately didn’t want to do.
Choose him.
But I wasn’t. I couldn’t. For so long, I always chose him. Never myself, and this time, I wouldn’t let him win. I wouldn’t let my guilt fall into the same trap again.
Never again.
Then with a deep, almighty sigh, I sealed my fate. “This is what I need.”
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