Page 59 of Disarming The Rancher

There was a whole lot on Brax’s mind as he watched the EMT as he finished wrapping Raleigh’s ankle. Thankfully, it was a bad sprain, not broken. The very real thought he’d almost lost her sucked the air from his lungs. Taking in a breath hurt and his chest cramped.

Sheriff Lawler came jogging over.

“There is no bomb. Thought I’d deliver the news personally,” he said.

“What was it then?” Brax asked as relief washed over him. He exchanged a glance with Raleigh and saw the same reaction.

“One of those alarm clocks that makes a ticking noise,” Lawler supplied, his chest heaving. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a perp to lock up.”

“Thank you,” Brax said. “For everything you’ve done.”

Lawler nodded, smiled, and then turned back toward his SUV in the distance.

“You’re all set,” the EMT said to Raleigh.

Now that she’d come back to town and made her way into Brax’s heart, he couldn’t envision a life without her. It might be for nothing, but he had to tell her how he felt. See if there was a chance the two of them could find common ground.

His arms ached to hold her again. So, he cut a straight line right to her, catching and holding her gaze.

Words escaped him so he hauled her against his chest and looped his arms around her waist. She leaned into him and the familiar jolt of electricity rocketed through him as he looked into those beautiful eyes. One word came to mind…home.

He dipped his head down and claimed her mouth one last time. Saying what he had to might ruin their budding relationship. He had to risk it. He had to know if she felt the same way.

In that moment, nothing mattered more than the feel of her lips moving against his. She brought her hand up and grazed her fingers over the day-old stubble on his chin.

With heroic effort, he pulled back. He leaned his forehead to rest against hers as he took a second to catch his breath. This woman, this incredible woman.

“You are beautiful, Raleigh. And I mean inside and out,” he began, hoping the words would come as he took a tentative step forward onto unfamiliar turf.

She smiled up at him and his heart took a hit.

“I thought I lost you…” He stopped right there as emotion stuck in his throat, jumbling up the words he was trying so hard to get out before he lost it. And Brax never ‘lost it’ with anyone. But then this was Raleigh. She was the definition of one-of-a-kind and he knew in his heart he would never come across anyone who could hold a candle to her. “I can’t walk away. I can’t live my life without you in it.”

“Maybe you don’t have to,” she said, and it was the first sign of hope the magnitude of what was happening on his end might be a two-way street.

She locked gazes with him. He could stare into those emerald eyes of hers forever.

“What are you saying?” he asked.

“I have feelings for you that I’ve never experienced.” She dropped her gaze.

“Not many people have the power to wreck me, Raleigh. It’s you. Only you. You hold the key to my future in your hands because I’m in love with you,” he said.

She blinked up at him like she was trying to grasp the implications of what he’d just said. For a few seconds that felt like minutes, he held his breath.

“You love me?” she asked, disbelief clouding those eyes.

“I’ve never loved anyone like I love you, Raleigh. You’re incredibly strong. You have more talent in your pinky than most have in their whole bodies. You’re smart. You’re determined and you have the kindest heart. You don’t back down from a fight either. You’re special and—”

“Are you sure about that, Brax?” she countered, looking at him like she was searching for a head injury. “We have a history that goes way back and you’ve never shown the slightest interest until now.”

“Why would I? The age difference was a big deal back then,” he defended. “You were too young and, besides, I thought you were a real pain in the backside to be honest.”

He couldn’t hold back his grin at the memory.

“So were you,” she fired back with a stiff elbow to his ribs.

“Not that young,” he clarified.