Page 374 of The Cowbears of Curvy Bear Ranch

Daisy blushed as she pushed a piece of crust around on her plate. If his mom was right, then she still had a chance with him. The tension in her body released. She just had to wait him out. She’d get him to forgive her and they could talk about a futuretogether.

As she forked another mouthful of warm, gooey huckleberry filling into her mouth, footsteps sounded in the hall. She choked down the pie as she spun to find Greg storming into the kitchen. When she saw the fury in his eyes, she dropped her fork. It clanged against the side of the plate before landing on the floor. She shrunk back as he placed his palms on the table and leaned across to glareather.

“Well?” hedemanded.

Chapter13

Greg seethed with anger.How dare she come flitting back here pretending everything was okay? She’d abandoned him. She’d acted like the night they’d shared in the forest had meant nothing. That his confession of being completely in love with her wasn’t worth hisbreath.

He clenched hisfists.

“I…”

“What?” hedemanded.

“I’m sorry that I left. But I won’t leave again. I’ve spent the last few days alone and it’s given me time to think about what’s important in my life. You’re the sweetest, most caring, most interesting man I’ve ever met. I can’t lose you,”shesaid.

“You should have thought about that before you took off,”hesaid.

“I know. I can’t do anything about that other than to tell you that I’m sorry and I was wrong to leave you. Please,” she pleaded. “Please give me another chance. Haven’t you ever made a mistake? Haven’t you ever loved someone but then done somethingthoughtless?”

He dropped his gaze to the floor and studied the intricate pattern in the wood. A part of him wanted to forgive her, to pull her into his arms and never let her go. But another part couldn’t get over the betrayal. If he gave in to her now, was he setting himself up formorepain?

What if she decided a week from now, or a month from now, or a year from now that she didn’t like living on the farm? Would she pack up and leave in the middle of the night? Would he wake up one morning only to find himself completely aloneagain?

He shook his head. He wasn’t ready to forgive her and he wasn’t sure he ever would be. Maybe his dad had been right. Maybe he should wait for a woman who showed that she could uphold her commitments. Being a farmer’s wife wasn’t an easy life, and if she couldn’t focus one hundred percent of her time and energy to helping him run things, then it would never work. He didn’t just have his own life to worry about; he had a family legacy touphold.

There was so much he wanted to do. So many ways he hoped to transform the land. Eventually, he wanted to run a bed and breakfast so they could get income from all the tourists visiting Yellowstone. He’d like to get some cattle and try his hand at creating a ranch. It would be hard work, but nothing like the back-breaking work of farming. He wasn’t convinced she would be able to adapt and he couldn’t takethatrisk.

No. It would be better to cut ties now. He’d have to find a way to stop thinking about her all the time. Even now, as she stood across from him, he could smell her earthy scent. He’d never forget how her silky skin felt under his hands and he’d carry their night of lovemaking with him forever. But he couldn’t give up his future dreamsforher.

“Go home,” he said. “It will never work between us. I was wrong when I said I cared. Idon’t.”

Her jaw dropped. Before she could respond, he turned on his heel and rushed out of the room. He flung open the front door and almost plowed into his father. After mumbling an excuse, he ran into the forest and didn’t stop running until he reached aclearing.

In a cracking, twisting, snap of bones and sinew, he shifted to his bear form. He roared and bounded through the woods, running farther and farther away from his home. He couldn’t go back as long as she was there. The thin thread of resolve would break and he’d give in to her pleading. She’d given him no real indication that he could trust her, and he couldn’t afford to fall for her liesagain.

* * *

Daisy stood so quicklythat the chair toppled over. After quickly uprighting it, she hurried pastBetty.

“Be careful,” Bettycalled.

“I will,” Daisy said with determination. She wasn’t about to give up on him without afight.

As she burst out the front door, she nearly knocked over Mr.Grant.

“Sorry, sir,” she yelled over hershoulder.

She whipped her gaze from left to right, then spotted a flash of movement in the woods. As she ran across the road and into the forest, her heart pounded. She wasn’t in the best shape, but she didn’t care if her heart exploded out of her chest as long as she could make himlisten.

A roar sounded from somewhere off to her right. She changed direction and hurried past clusters of huckleberry bushes. Her skirt caught on the edge of a branch. After tugging it free, she slowed her pace. She still had a general idea of where she’d last heard thebearroar.

As she plodded through the forest, a rumble of thunder rolled across the sky. Dark clouds gathered overhead to cast shadows across the earth. She cursed. Great, just what she neededrightnow.

“Greg!” she called. “Where are you? I need to talktoyou.”

She paused, listening intently for any sign of movement. Off to the right, bushes rustled. She peered into the densethicket.