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It couldn’t be better.

“Cash,” I breathe, because I can’t formulate proper sentences now that my heart has beat its way out of my body.

He takes my face in his hand, doing that thing where he wipes away my tears with the calloused pad of this thumb. “It’s no secret I’m in love with you, Mollie. I’ve been—” He clears his throat. “I wanted to wait for the right moment to tell you. Not when we’re naked or working or whatever. And that’s all we seem to do these days. Be naked or work.”

I fist his shirt in my hand. “That so bad?”

“I ain’t complaining.” He arcs his thumb over my cheek. “But I wanted this to feel special. I also don’t want you to feel alone after a pregnancy scare. I told you not to worry, and now you know why I said that. I’m in, honey. I have no idea how you feel or where your head’s at. But now you know what’s goin’ on in mine.”

I can’t.

I cannotevenwith this man.

I can only yank him to me and crush my mouth against his. Our teeth collide and it hurts a little, but Cash only laughs, tilting his head so he can lick into my mouth with long, luxurious strokes of his tongue.

I have to tell him how I feel.

Iwantto tell him.

“I”—kiss—“love”—kiss—“you.”

He smiles against my lips. “That’s a fuckin’ relief.”

And now I have to tell him the other thing.The not-so-great thing.

My heart is throwing elbows inside my chest. The pressure is unbearable.

Cash deserves to know. Our relationship clearly isn’t a flash in the pan for him. I don’t want to lead him on if there isn’t a way for us to be together.

If I’m ultimately going to end up in Dallas and he’s going to be here, we can’t do long-distance forever. And our lives in each of those places are so,sodifferent. How could we possibly bring them together?

How can I possibly leave this man?

I break the kiss and lean my forehead against his. We’re both breathing hard.

“I’m in love with you, Cash. But Dad’s will—the stipulation keeping me on the ranch—it got struck down.” I swallow. “I think—Cash, I have to go back to Dallas.”

CHAPTER 29

Cash

COWGIRL ERA

My heart sputters,then stops altogether.

I open my eyes and see Mollie looking at me. A thick rim of tears lines her bottom lashes. Her eyes toggle frantically between mine.

She’s looking for something. What, I don’t know.

But somehow, I know deep down that I can’t give it to her.

Certainty maybe? Is she asking me to make the choice for her to stay or leave? Course I’ll beg her to stay. Hell, I’m more than a little crushed those tests on the seat there didn’t give us a different result.

I want Mollie to stay. I want her in my bed. In my life.

I want to put a baby in her.

But that ain’t my call to make. Begging would only muddy the waters.