Page 72 of Wrangled
“Shepard walked you back to the ranch house. You didn’t put up a fight.” It’s the truth, just with a bunch of details missing. I’m such a bitch. Here and now, I have the perfect opportunity to tell him. Yet when I open my mouth, nothing comes out. It takes me a minute to sift through my feelings. I’m not scared of his reaction in the sense that I think he’ll hurt me. No, I’m scared he’ll leave. I’ve grown to like having him here in my space, and the thought of risking that makes me choke on any words of explanation. Scrambling for something else to use as an excuse, I remember the snippets of conversation I heard between him and Shepard.
“I heard you and Shepard talking last night,” I blurt out, wincing at how shrill it sounds.
He stalks closer, his arm pulling me toward him as if he’s worried I’ll run. “We were just talking.”
“Really? Because it felt like more than that.”
He sighs, leaning down to press his forehead against mine. “I’ve not exactly hidden from you how much I want you.”
I bite my lip. “You haven’t pushed for more than this, though,” I whisper, knowing I’m encroaching on dangerous territory.
“I don’t want you to think that’s all I’m after.”
“What if I said that was all I have to give?”
“I’d call bullshit.”
I huff out a laugh. I wish I had half of this man’s confidence. “Can we just play things by ear? I wasn’t prepared for you or Shepard. And mentally, I’m not sure I’m in the right place to be making promises I don’t know if I can keep.”
“Everything is at your pace. You want to slow things down or speed them up, you tell me. I’m not going anywhere, Calliope. Ifeel more at home here with you than I have anywhere else for a long fucking time. I’m not going to do anything to jeopardize that.”
“What if I do? What if I fuck it up so bad, I won’t be able to come back from it?”
“I don’t deal with what-ifs. I don’t see anything you can do that would turn me away, especially not this early in the game, when we haven’t made any promises to each other. Just live your life, Opie. I’m more than happy just standing here beside you, watching it happen.”
I can’t help but smile up at him. “I don’t know what kind of serendipity brought you into my life, but I’m thankful for it. I feel more myself with you than I ever do alone. I don’t understand it, but I know I like it enough not to question it.”
“Maybe it’s the fates at play, or maybe it’s magic.”
I tense and swallow. “You believe in magic?”
“Before I met you? Absolutely not. But now, how else can I describe what’s happening between us?”
Feeling a little spooked at his words, I look away, not sure what to make of it all. Was this just a chance thing, or is something magical afoot here?
I cough to clear my suddenly dry throat. “You have plans for today?”
“Thought I’d get started on your workspace, if that’s alright with you.”
“Yeah, sounds perfect. I’m going to start planting in one of the pastures I had you get ready.”
“You sure you don’t need a hand with that?”
“I’m sure. I’m only doing a section of it for now, but I know where to find you if I need you.”
“Good.” He kisses my head and takes a couple of steps away before I frown. “What’s wrong?”
I turn and look toward the entrance of Corvis Wing. “Someone’s coming.”
“How do you always know that?”
I look over my shoulder at him and wink. “I can read the land, cowboy. Can’t you?”
He huffs out a laugh before moving up beside me. We watch as an unfamiliar car approaches. They stop, and a man in a cheap suit climbs out with an envelope in his hand.
“Calliope Hart?”
“That’s me.”
