Page 145 of Crossed Wires: The Complete Series

“I ran down the hall to Harper’s room just as Ross was rushing out. The son of a bitch was zipping up his pants.”

“Bloody hell,” Amy whispered. “Did he…had he…?”

“No. I got there before he could…” Andrew took a deep breath, steadying himself before he was able to say, “Rape her.”

Amy closed her eyes. “Thank God.”

“I punched the motherfucker hard enough to knock him out. Then I grabbed a suitcase and started shoving a bunch of shit in it. I picked Harper up and I carried her out of there.”

Amy couldn’t stand the distance between them any longer or the pain etched on every line in his face. She left her chair and knelt before him. “You saved her, Andrew. Where’s the shame in that?”

“I should have gone when she called. Should have taken her away from there before it got that far. I let her down, Amy. I didn’t protect her.”

Andrew was a strong, proud man. Those attributes had likely been there since birth. She couldn’t imagine how many nights he’d suffered, thinking of how he’d failed his sister. The pain he carried for so many years must have been unbearable.

“You’re a good man, Andrew. You took your sister out of hell. You brought her here and provided a safe, loving home. Even when your dad passed away, you stuck around and raised her. You’re amazing. Loving. Wonderful.”

He started to shake his head, but she refused to let him deny the truth. “Bloody hell, Shaw. Stop beating yourself up over this. It’s time to let the past go. You and Harper are both alive, healthy, together. Start facing forward, looking toward your future. The past can’t hurt either of you anymore. Besides, Harper clearly doesn’t blame you.”

“How do you know?”

“I know because she misses you. She may have calledmethis morning, but I guarantee it was your voice she really needed to hear.”

He gestured to his cell. “Yeah. I can tell. She ran off to Australia without telling me and she’s been ringing my phone off the hook since then.”

“She’s in class right now.”

He frowned. “Class?”

Amy nodded. “She’s teaching my students at Farpoint Creek Cattle Station. It’s just outside Cobar.”

Andrew’s eyes softened, though the sadness still lingered. “You really are a cowgirl, living on a ranch.”

She laughed. “No. I live on a station and there’s no cowgirl about it.”

“Come to bed with me?” His request was hesitant, uncertain. Spoken by a broken man.

She smiled and kissed him on the cheek. “There’s nowhere on earth I’d rather be.”

They held hands as they climbed the stairs together. Kissing, they took turns slowly undressing each other. Neither of them seemed inclined to stop touching, to break the connection.

He lifted her, placing her gently on the mattress before crawling over her body. She loved being sheltered beneath his large, strong form. Andrew continued to kiss her as he pressed his cock inside, the path a familiar one to him now. He understood where to press, appreciated how fast, how hard she liked it. He knew her body.

He knewher.

And now, she felt like she knew him. It made the moment so much more precious. And painful.

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, holding him to her tightly as they rocked together. Time stood still as they clung to each other. For so many years, she’d felt lost, just a little out of step with everyone else around her.

With Andrew, she was the true Amy. It was a precious gift he offered.

When they came, it was together. Bittersweet and beautiful as the clock continued to count down.

Tomorrow he’d say goodbye. Fly away on other adventures, traveling off the beaten paths, while she returned to one that was way too familiar in Australia.

Funny how Farpoint didn’t feel like home anymore.

She wondered if it ever would again.