Page 130 of The Best Thing He Never Wanted

That now-familiar shiver rippled down her spine. It was amazing what one little word could do to her. It had affected her so much the first time he’d said it, and now it had become something else entirely. Something that belonged to them.

He smiled down at her. “You still like that, don’t you?”

“I do. Very much.”

“I liked it when you called me darling too.”

“Oh my goodness, Blane. I’m sorry. I just didn’t…” She shook her head, frustrated with herself because there wasn’t any sensible way to finish that sentence.

“That’s all right.”

“No, Blane, it really isn’t.” She closed her eyes briefly. “I wish I’d called you darling every day.” Her heart broke a little as she said it, knowing that now she wouldn’t get the chance. “I’m sorry, darling.”

His arm tightened around her. “It’s okay.”

She looked up at him. “You do like it?”

“Yeah.” The smile that touched his face told her how much he meant it. “I do.”

They walked on for a little while in silence, his arm still around her shoulders, and when he tightened it again, she looked up and saw what he was pointing at.

“Pericles,” he said. “If you meet him on the road after… Don’t let him bully you, okay?”

She smiled, determined not to let the words after I’m gone steal it from her. “I won’t. I think we’re friends now. I’m rather grateful to him for proving there was nothing suspicious going on around here.”

Blane’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t comment.

When they reached the highest point of the road, he stopped before she did and looked out toward the sea. The thin blue line of water at the edge of the horizon didn’t bring her the same rush of joy it usually did, but his words from the other day came back to her. Just because there was a gray day and she couldn’t see it, didn’t mean it wasn’t still there. She would have to remember that. Even in the days ahead when Blane felt just as far away as the sea had on that rainy morning, that wouldn’t mean that what they’d shared here had disappeared. It would still have happened. He would still have been here.

By the time they got back to the house, there was nothing left to do. Blane’s bag sat by the door, and when he picked it up and carried it out to the Vitara, Bea’s hand came up to cover her mouth. She hurried back inside before he could see her face.

When she came out again, he was standing beside the open rear door of the SUV with his arms folded across his chest, looking almost as still and solemn as he had the first time she’d seen him in the arena in London. Here, though, all he was standing guard over were her bits and pieces: her sun hat, a beach towel, a canvas shopping bag, the little collection of her things that had accumulated in the Vitara over the last few weeks because—until now—she hadn’t needed to think about taking them out again.

She gathered them together slowly, making sure the car would be empty when she finally left it at the airport, that nothing of theirs would remain behind inside it. When she had everything in the bag, she couldn’t bring herself to take it back into the house. It was ridiculous and she knew it, but she wanted it to stay there in the back beside Blane’s duffel for one last ride.

She cleared her throat, and Blane’s arms closed around her.

“Might be able to get back out here,” he said. “Cash wants to talk about that training thing I told you about.”

She nodded against his chest, wiping her eyes against his shirt before tipping her head back and trying to smile. “You should bring Brooke.”

His eyebrows drew together.

“I don’t know her, but from everything you’ve told me, I think it would mean the world to her.” She gestured toward the valley. “And it is rather a beautiful place.”

His expression softened. “Yeah. She’d love it.”

Back inside, he did one last sweep of the house, moving through the rooms with the same methodical thoroughness he brought to everything, while she stayed in the kitchen and tried not to watch him too closely. When he came back, she managed a smile.

“You haven’t left anything you want, have you?”

His gaze met hers, and for a moment neither of them said anything. Then he shook his head, and she wasn’t sure whether they were still talking about his belongings.

When they couldn’t delay it any longer, they finally got into the Vitara, and Bea’s mouth fell open as Blane pulled through the gateway. The old gate was hanging there.

She twisted around in her seat to stare back at it, then turned to him. “You did it!”

He lifted one shoulder. “You managed to get some sleep last night—I didn’t.”