Page 49

She laughs harder and her hand shifts.

“Hold. Still. Now I need to scan it again.”

“When am I going to be here when you aren’t?”

“Whenever youwant.”

She gives me another curious look. “Really?”

The system beeps, accepting her handprint, and the door unlocks. I gesture toward it. “Afteryou.”

“Well, that’s really nice,” she says as she opens the door. “And I didn’t get you anything.”

“You came to visit me for a week and a half. That was pretty awesome.”

She wiggles her fingers. “And now I can come back whenever Iwant.”

“Exactly.” I prowl after her as she moves restlessly through the house. This is our last night together for a while, and it’s put us both a little onedge.

She stops in my bedroom door, spinning around just as I catch her again.

The look we share is hot enough to incinerate all of Rifle, but I’m not ready to get naked and fuck her just yet. There’s something else I want tosay.

“From the first second I saw you, I wanted you,” I tell her hoarsely. “I wanted you when you were digging into my life, I wanted you when you were yelling at me. That first day in the truck, when I thought you were seducing me for a story, I wanted to give in. You can have me however, whenever you want. I’m yours.”

“That scares me a little, in a good way,” she whispers. “I didn’t see you coming. I don’t know what to do withyou.”

“Yeah.” I kiss her temple. “I know the feeling.”

“I’m yours, too,” she admits. “In every way. I know it’s crazy to say that, but…”

“I’m falling in love with you.” There. I saidit.

She blinks atme.

I clear my throat. “Toosoon?”

She bursts into tears. “No. God, I’m going to miss you somuch.”

I pull her into my arms. “Good?”

She nods into my chest and mumbles something I can’t make out. I kiss the top of her head and she mumbles again.

“Baby, I can’t hearyou.”

“I’m leaving my heart here with you,” she says, lifting her face again. “Just so, you know, you can finish that whole falling in love thing while I’mgone.”

I pick her up and she twists her arms around my neck as I kiss her. Her mouth tastes like lemonade and happiness, and I lose myself inher.

I may have her heart here, but she’s taking mine with her, too.

God damn it. We should have seen this coming, but even if we did, I don’t think either of us would want it any otherway.