“You get us.” Lucky’s voice choked on the words, his emotions raw and shimmering on the surface of his skin like heat waves on Hawaiian sand. He released her arms and stepped away from her body, taking his heat and their connection with him.

“Lucky.” She reached out for him, but he sidestepped her touch and she dropped her hand.

“I’ve got to figure out how to get Eddie his money. When you figure out what you’re going to do, let me know.” He strode purposefully for the door and she had to shift into a light run to keep up with him. As he rounded the hall into the kitchen, she was able to grab him by the arm. He stopped, but refused to turn and look at her.

“Lucky, don’t leave like this.”

He whirled on her then, his expression hardened by his anger. “I’m not the one who’s leaving.”

She took a step back. He didn’t scare her, but the pain rolling off him in waves was a powerful thing. This wasn’t easy for her either. She wanted him to be right. She wanted them to be ones who made it through a lifetime together. She needed to believe.

She just couldn’t take the final leap of faith. The price for a mistake was just too damn high.

“What do you want me to do?” Her words were barely above a whisper, her chest was tight, and she couldn’t get a deep enough breath to fully vent her frustration and anger. She wanted to break something, to take one of those ugly-ass plates her mother collected off the wall and bash it to pieces on the hardwood floor.

“I want you to stay, baby. It’s all I’ve ever wanted. I want you to stay.”

His words, delivered simply and with sincerity, made her want to scream. He made it sound so damn easy. But it wasn’t.

He continued, “In case I haven’t been perfectly clear, let me spell it out. I love you. I want you to stay here and build a life with me. I’m direct—not romantic like you deserve. I say what I want, and that is what I want.”

His words spoke to something deep inside her, a place of drought dying for a long season of rain. But she couldn’t let his words sink in and fill her up. This was a decision to be made with her head, not her heart.

“I’m sorry, Lucky. I can’t.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

“What are you so afraid of, Taylor?”

Her chin jutted out like all the damn Elliotts’ when they were up against a wall. She shook the hair out of her eyes, their fire daring him to challenge her. She might leave, but not without facing some truth.

“Well, how about this for starters?” He advanced two steps forward, coming nose-to-nose with her defiance. “For such a kick-ass woman you’re a total coward. You’re scared we’re going to be a statistic and end up like your parents. Am I right?” He didn’t wait for her to answer. “Well, sweetheart, you’re out of luck because there are no guarantees. This is scary shit and you might get hurt, but you’ve gotta get over it.”

That woke her up. “You think it’s that easy? You can just spout some Dr. Phil bullshit and suddenly everything is okay? Well, fuck you.”

“Nice. I must be getting pretty close to the mark if you’re cussing me out already.”

“You act like it’s nothing for me to stay here and start over.” Taylor choked on the last word, her fist covering her mouth as tears welled up in her eyes and hung on her lashes.

She turned from him, hiding her face and heading for the stairs. Lucky followed her, unable to watch her walk away like this. She was hurting—hell, he felt like someone had taken a chainsaw to his chest—but if she was this upset that meant she cared. As long as she was here in Elliott, he had a chance to make sure she stayed.

“Taylor, baby.” He caught up with her at the stairs, looping his arm around her waist and pulling her up against his body. She fought him a little, her body tense and refusing to yield to him. Lucky nuzzled along her neck, kissing the sensitive flesh behind her ear, biting at the taut muscle underneath, making her moan and arch against him.

“Stay,” he growled against her skin and felt her shiver under his touch.

“Lucky. I can’t.”

He turned her, cupping her face in his hands. His heart breaking with the sadness on her face. “Don’t you feel this? Can you really walk away?”