Page 116 of Knot my First Rodeo

I sigh immediately, because I should've known that's what she'd hear.

"No."

"Well, that’s what it feels like."

"That's not what I said."

"But it’s what you meant."

I shake my head. "You're not a kid, Autumn."

She looks away toward the pasture, toward the horses, anywhere but me, and suddenly I understand why this conversation matters so much.

She thinks we've been holding back because she's not enough.

Jesus.

"No," I growl.

Her head turns back to me immediately, and I step closer to her.

"That's not what this is. If anything, it's the opposite."

Confusion flickers across her face.

"We didn't keep our mouths shut because we aren’t sure about you."

Her breath catches.

"We kept our mouths shut because we are."

I glance down at the ground for a second before looking at her again.

"You think it's easy telling a carefree nineteen-year-old omega she might be tied to three ranch idiots in Montana for the rest of her life? When she didn’t wanna come here in the first place?"

A smile pulls at her mouth, and I point at her immediately.

"Don't laugh. It's a serious question.”

She laughs anyway, and the sound is beautiful.

"I've got a whole life back in Virginia," she says.

"You do."

"You’re right, my brother's there."

"Yep."

"My friends are there."

I nod.

"But you guys are here,” she whispers.

Something in my chest cracks wide open, and I swear I could swoop her up and kiss her silly.

"Yeah, Darling." I grin. "We are."