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She couldn’t fix any of that stuff. She couldn’t take his childhood away and give him a happy one instead. She couldn’t make anything in the past better.
She realized now that she had probably done the best thing that could possibly have been done for him when she’d been faithful, even though he hadn’t asked. Even though he hadn’t been around, even though he hadn’t kissed her before he left and declared his feelings.
If that didn’t convince him that she loved him, she figured there probably wasn’t a whole lot that would.
“You know I’d do that again, as bad as it hurt.”
“Of course. Because that’s the kind of man you are. I know you didn’t want to.”
His smile said that he appreciated the fact that she acknowledged that. That he wasn’t bloodthirsty and didn’t have an ax to grind or any kind of male posturing to prove. That the fight had been for her.
“I love you,” he said, still smiling.
“I love you too,” she said simply.
“It’s hard for me to believe.”
She lifted her brows.
“But I do. Mostly because you waited. You were faithful. You didn’t give up on me, find someone else, and walk away.”
“No. I’ve got a feeling that in this lifetime, you’re the only man for me. So take care of yourself.”
“Maybe I’ll just let you do that.”
“Well, I have a tendency to be clumsy. And I come with some cows.”
“Don’t forget about Chewy.”
The dog whined at their feet, and they both looked down and smiled.
“I don’t want to think about it, but Chewy is getting older, and she’s not going to be with me forever, but...you are.”
“Yeah.” His eyes rested on her arms, still dark, still swirling with the motion. “So about that night when I walked away?”
“Yeah?”
“I don’t think there’s a day that’s gone by that I didn’t pray that I’d get a second chance.”
“A second chance?”
“To kiss you.”
“Oh.” Her fingertips started to tingle.
“How about now?”
“Now? I don’t think so.”
He lifted his chin, his lips pressed together, his eyes showing disappointment, and a little confusion, and maybe pain at what he perceived as her rejection.
“You waited too long. It’s my turn. I’m kissing you.”
He let out a breath, laughing a bit, and then he stood still. “All right. That’s fair. I can give you that.”
“Good. Because I was going to take it even if you didn’t give it.”
“Really?”
