Page 83 of In Full Bloom
Her breath stutters and catches. A fresh wave of tears spilling from her eyes. “You can’t say things like that to me.”
“Why not? It’s the truth.”
“Because, didn’t you hear me? I can’t stay here.”
I shrug and slide a little closer to her. “Katie.” I wait until she meets my eyes. “Remember that picture of Sadie’s? Our family portrait? That’s what I want … It doesn’t matter where.”
Her mouth drops open, shock striking her silent for a long moment. But I’m not shocked about my statement. It’s the truth: I’ll follow her anywhere, if she’ll let me.
Katie works her jaw, as if trying to find the words to respond to my admission. Finally, she whispers, “I can’t ask you to give up your lives because I’m a complete mess.”
“We wouldn’t be giving up our lives. We’d be getting you and I can one hundred percent guarantee that Sadie will agree with me on this one. You belong with us, no matter where we are.”
Katie slips her fingers from mine and I’m bereft at the loss. She presses her hands to her face, hiding her expression from me.
Seconds pass, stretching into minutes, and with each one, my heart slowly begins to disintegrate.
I thought we’d be enough for her, but I was wrong. She doesn’t want this. She probably wants a clean break with no reminders of Kauri Creek or the Sheridan brothers.
I’m about to push up to my feet, to give us both some space when she drops her hands, twists around so her knees are no longer pulled up between us, then she throws herself into my arms.
I barely manage to catch her—and myself—before we go tumbling backwards.
“I want that more than anything,” she whispers against my chest as she buries her face in my shirt.
I exhale a long, hard breathe. Thank fuck for that.
She makes a sound halfway between a sob and a giggle and I realise I’ve said it aloud.
I hold her close as she clings to me and I breathe in the scent of her. To hold her is all I want for eternity, but this kneeling position is about to break me.
“Princess, as much as I always love having you in my lap, perhaps we could reposition, otherwise my legs are going to riot on me.”
She giggles again, the sound still thick with tears, and shifts away. I spin around and settle in the spot beside where she was sitting, my back resting against the rock wall, then I scoop her up and place her back in my lap. I expect she’ll curl into me sideways, but she turns herself so her knees fall to either side of my hips. The position pushes her skirt up and my cock proves it’s incapable of reading the room when it goes hard. “God, you’re going to be the death of me, princess,” I grumble as sheleans her head against my shoulder and presses a soft kiss to my throat.
“I’m sure you’ll be fine. I haven’t managed it yet.”
“You’ve damn well tried though, haven’t you?”
She snorts out a laugh and the lightness in it shoots me straight through the heart. She’s back with me. I haven’t lost her.
But I need the certainty.
“Katie, I need to know for sure … are you in this with me?”
She sits up and I try not to notice the way her weight shifts in my lap and what it does to me. Her face is tear-stained, with smudged makeup beneath her eyes, which are still watery. She looks exhausted, but also beautiful, because this woman never looks anything other than beautiful. She studies my face, takes several deep breaths and then nods.
“You’d move for me? You and Sadie?” Her voice is hesitant, like she can’t quite believe I’m being straight with her. Maybe after the things Toby did to her she doesn’t trust anyone’s word.
I nod and Katie releases a shaky breath.
“I’m all in, Dallas. I want you more than anything. You and Sadie.” She cups my cheeks with her palms and looks me straight in the eye. There’s determination there, but also a whole lot of fear.
I hope my next question doesn’t change her answer. “So, even when I tell you things you probably don’t want to hear, you’ll stay with me?”
She sighs and bites her lip. Her eyes drop away for a moment and I stay stock still, waiting for her decision. “Yes,” she whispers finally. Then her serious expression fadesand the sassy, confident, sexy-as-hell one slips onto her features. “I still might not listen though.”
I shake my head and press a kiss to her forehead, my lips curved by a smile. “I wouldn’t expect anything less from you.”
