Page 74 of Camilla & Dallas
And she loved him back with every fiber of her being.
They walked along a dirt road.Dallas had asked her to take a drive with him, and after the conversation she’d had with Isabelle, Camilla couldn’t refuse. She needed to tell him how she felt before she lost him again. If she waited too long and he left, what would she do?
Wallow.
That answer was easy enough.
Dallas’s hand tightened on her own and he pulled her to a stop. He turned to her, his eyes beseeching. “You know how I feel about you, right?”
Her mouth went dry and she nodded, prepared to tell him she felt the same, but he pressed a finger to her lips.
“Good. You know I care about you more than anything. So listen when I tell you this. I’m not going anywhere. Never. I’m sticking around. And if that means I’m sticking around to have you in my life as a friend, I’ll do it because it’s been seven yearsof torture—of not having you in my life—that I can’t think of a worse end than not to see your smiling face every single day.”
She blinked several times.Friend? Fear swallowed her whole. Was she too late?
Opening her mouth again, she was once more stopped by him.
His voice seemed more urgent this time. “I got a new job.”
“You did?” she blurted. “But you loved your job.”
“I did—do.” The first hint of a smile tugged at his lips. “I’ll still be doing something similar—just with not as much pay. But it doesn’t matter. What matters is that I get to stick around.” He practically dragged her then, without warning. She stumbled after him until they rounded a bend in the road and came across a for sale sign slapped with another sign in bright red lettering.Pending.
“This place ishopefullyabout to be mine,” he whispered.
She gaped as she took in the immediate vicinity. An adorable cottage-style home was nestled between several aspen trees. There was a small barn and a dog run. The property had to sit on at least a couple of acres.
Camilla swung her attention to Dallas. “You’re… staying?”
He cupped her cheek. “I know. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I didn’t want to get your hopes up if something fell through. You deserve honesty, but I swear this is the last thing I’ll keep from you.” His words came out in a frantic rush, and it was almost too cute how nervous he’d become. She stood on her toes to kiss him so he’d stop rambling.
Dallas’s arms came around her waist, and together they looked at the cottage. She turned in his arms and gave him a kiss. It had been too long since she’d felt this… happy.
Camilla pulled back and smiled at him. “I forgive you.”
“You do?” he whispered.
She nodded, chewing on her lower lip. “I just needed… time, I think. To wrap my head around everything that Cheyenne had done. How things had turned out. I had to… grieve… for the time I lost with you.” Tears rushed to her eyes, but she blinked them away. “I think… I was prepared…” She shook her head with a nervous laugh. “I would have gone with you, Dallas, if you’d asked.”
His eyes widened. “You would have?”
Camilla nodded. “It would have been hard, but if there’s one thing I’ve figured out in the last couple of days, it’s that I love you too much to let you walk out of my life. Again.”
He pulled her against him in a bone-crushing hug, then whispered kisses all over her cheeks until he found her mouth again. When he withdrew, his eyes were shining with his own unshed tears. “Do you remember what I said to you when we first met? When we danced for the first time?”
She let out a surprised laugh. “I seem to recall something crazy.”
He shook his head. “You called me crazy—because I said I knew you were something special.” Dallas’s expression sobered. “And I was right. Do you remember what else I said?”
Camilla searched her memories, then the blood drained from her face as she glanced up at him. She couldn’t voice it out loud. Too fast. She didn’t want him to think that just because she was prepared to take a step forward, she was ready forthat. He confirmed her suspicions when he spoke next.
“I said it was only a matter of time, remember?”
“Dallas—”
“And if I were a lesser man, I’d take you to?—”
Her heart galloped in her chest as she plastered her hand over his mouth. “Dallas.”
