Page 11 of Mountain Man's Flirty Farmgirl
“But then someone said you fell, and I realized I’d rather go through hell with you than heaven without you.”
She didn’t say anything at first, then she reached for my hand. “I was wondering when you were going to stop being stubborn.”
My chest ached. I laughed once, rough and low.
She squeezed my hand. “I don’t want perfect, Blade. I just want real.”
“I’m real, all right. Real messed up. Real bad at talking about my feelings. Real grumpy.”
“Real hot.”
That got a smile out of me.
She sat up straighter, moving slowly, and I reached out to steady her. She looked better already.
“You okay?” I asked.
“Getting there. I think I need real food.” But then her eyes met mine again, and the lightheartedness faltered just a little. “I thought you regretted it. This morning…the way you avoided me. You didn’t even look my way.”
Guilt hit hard and fast. I shook my head. “No. God, no, I didn’t regret it.”
She looked down at our joined hands. “I wasn’t going to chase you. I told myself it was one night, and if that’s all it was, I could live with it. But…” Her voice wavered slightly. “But it would’ve hurt. It already did. I woke up feeling like I’d handed you something important and you just—walked away. I told myself not to expect anything, that you were probably just being nice. But I kept hoping. And then you didn’t even say hi.”
I reached out, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “I didn’t walk away. I ran. Because I was scared. Because you mean more than I was ready to admit.”
Her eyes filled, not quite tears, but close. “Then stop running.”
“I already have.”
We sat in silence for a moment, fingers still intertwined. It was the kind of quiet that felt full instead of empty.
Finally, she let out a slow breath and leaned her shoulder against mine. “I thought last night was the start of something. Not just a one-time thing. And the thought that it meant more to me than it did to you was worse than I expected.”
I turned to her and cupped her face in my hand. “It meant everything to me. I just didn’t know what to do with that. I’ve never had a woman like you before. Never felt what I feel when I look at you.”
Her lip trembled. “I don’t need you to be anything but yourself. You don’t have to prove anything. Just…don’t push me away. I don’t want this to be temporary.”
I nodded, words sticking in my throat. “It’s not.”
She laughed. “You better be sure, Blade Osborn. Because I fall hard.”
“So do I.”
We sat a little longer, her head resting against my shoulder, the ice pack forgotten beside us. Finally, she straightened.
“Okay,” she said with a determined breath. “I’m starving. And I’m not passing out again.”
I stood and held out a hand. “Come on. Let’s get you something to eat and a seat in the shade.”
She stood with me, her hand still in mine. We stepped out of the break tent, and I didn’t let go.
People watched us, whispering. I didn’t care.
Sienna looked up at me, beaming. “So, should I get you a vendor badge for next year?”
I leaned down, brushing my lips against hers. “Only if it comes with a girlfriend pass.”
She grinned. “I think I can make that happen.”
