Page 13 of Before You Can Blink (Rust Canyon #4)

“Almost there, baby,” I promised, chest heaving as I struggled to draw in full breaths with how worked up I was.

I released her body, letting it fall to the bed before covering it with mine. My hands tore at her clothes, mindless in my need to touch her bare skin.

“Jett!”

Her sharp tone, combined with both of her hands shoving at my chest, had me rising to my knees. One look at the sadness etched on her face had a lead weight settling in my gut.

Before I got the chance to ask what was wrong, she blurted, “We need to talk.”

I reared back as if I’d been slapped. Those words were infamous, spelling certain doom for any relationship.

Scooching up the mattress, she sat against the headboard and banded both arms around her bent knees, effectively curling in on herself. “I got a job offer.”

My heart fucking stopped. This had always been a possibility; I knew that. Hell, she’d been actively applying up and down the eastern seaboard since the day I met her. But somehow, I’d managed to push it to the back of my mind, too busy falling in love with her.

The irony of this whole situation was impossible to ignore.

I was the one who said I couldn’t offer her more.

I was the one who said we were only keeping this casual.

I was the one who said I wasn’t sticking around .

The big man upstairs was probably having a real good laugh at my expense right about now.

Voice hoarse, I managed to croak out, “Where?”

Daisy’s gaze lifted, a glassy sheen coating her beautiful blue eyes. “Maryland.”

This was it—the end of us.

The blinding agony of that reality was unbearable, almost as if someone had sliced into my chest with a dull knife to rip my heart out. I could practically feel myself bleeding out, the life slowly draining from my body.

There had to be another way. I couldn’t just let her go.

Then it struck me.

I was off the bed and moving without conscious thought. “I have to go.”

“Jett.” My name came out on a broken sob. “Please don’t. I—”

Spinning around, I raised a hand to cut her off. “I’ll be back.”

She shot me a doubtful look, tears streaming freely down her face.

“I promise. Give me an hour, tops.”

Daisy’s eyes squeezed shut, and she let out a shaky exhale but nodded her agreement.

It killed me to leave her upset, but hopefully, I would be able to make up for it when I returned.

“Where the fuck is it?!”

Panic rose to the surface while I continued to tear the house apart. I was already well over the hour I’d promised Daisy. By now, she probably thought I wasn’t coming back, that I’d cut and run like a coward, when, in fact, I was ready to double down when it came to that girl.

Huffing and puffing, I stepped back, my gaze sweeping over the kitchen, which now looked like a tornado had blown through it, hoping to find some secret hiding spot I might’ve missed.

Both hands flew to my hair, where I pulled on the short strands as a scream of pure frustration clawed its way up my throat.

“Looking for this?”

At my mother’s voice, I whipped around, and the sight of the velvet jewelry box held in her hand had relief crashing over me so hard that I sagged against the kitchen counter.

The air left my lungs in a rush. “How did you know?”

Betsy Sullivan clicked her tongue. “Any fool with eyes can see you’re in love with the girl. As soon as I heard she got a job in the city, I knew you’d take action.”

The way she said it, you’d think I was the absolute last one in Rust Canyon to realize I was in love with Daisy. Suppose that made sense; denial and inexperience meant I didn’t know what signs to watch for.

“The offer still stand?” I asked cautiously, referring to the night a few years back when she’d told me if I ever found the one, I could give that girl the ring my pop had given her.

She leveled me with a glare before rolling her eyes.

“You know what? Now that I think about it, I forgot I promised it to my other son.” A loud scoff sounded.

“’Course it still stands. Now stop wastin’ time and go make sure to give that girl your last name.

And while you’re at it, try not to get yourself killed before she pops out a couple of kids, or else that name will die with you. ”

Laughter broke free from my chest, and I shook my head as I stepped forward to retrieve the ring. “Don’t get too excited. I’m not cut out to be a dad.”

My mother hummed. “Pretty sure most men say that.”

Maybe, but I meant it. It was bad enough that I would be dragging Daisy down by asking her to walk beside me on the rough road ahead; I couldn’t do that to an innocent kid.

I snatched the ring box from her hand, shaking it over my head as I walked out the front door. “Thanks for this, Ma!”

In response, all I heard were her grumbled words about needing to clean up the mess I’d made.

Before I knew it, I was back at Daisy’s place, pounding on the door like my life depended on it. Who was I kidding? My entire future depended on it.

My breath caught when the door finally swung open to reveal the girl of my dreams. And I instantly regretted running home to get the ring because the woman standing opposite me looked utterly broken, and it was all my fault.

Hugging her waist, she stared back at me with bloodshot, red-rimmed eyes.

Swallowing around the lump formed in my throat, I asked, “Can I come in?”

With her eyes cast downward, her voice smaller than I’d ever heard it in her reply. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

I nodded, understanding her reluctance. “That’s all right. I can do this out here.”

Twin tears crested Daisy’s lashes, spilling down her cheeks. “All I wanted was to have a conversation like adults, but instead, you ran away. I know we said we were going to keep things casual, but that doesn’t mean I don’t care about you, Jett. It still hurts that we have to end this.”

Inhaling deeply, I made sure she was done speaking before I dropped to one knee.

A gasp split the air when I produced the velvet box and cracked it open. “Jett, oh my God, what are you doing?”

I took one of her trembling hands in mine as I began to pour my heart out.

“Daze, you blew into my life and made it better in so many ways. First, you became my best friend, the person I wanted to share all my secrets and dreams with. Then, you became my lover, and that added this whole new layer to the foundation we’d already built.

You’re my safe space, the person I run to when I need comfort or encouragement.

When something exciting happens in my life, you’re the first one I want to tell.

My world stops turning when we have to spend time apart. ”

Shaking my head, I let out a wry laugh. “This is, hands down, the most selfish thing I’ve ever done in my life.

I have absolutely nothing to offer you. I don’t have a place of my own where we can live, no job security, and if this ring hadn’t been promised to me, I wouldn’t be able to afford one.

But I’m so in love with you, Daisy, that I can’t let you go.

So here I am, on my knees, begging you to marry me because the idea of not spending every day with you for the rest of my life makes me feel like I’m dying inside. ”

Daisy’s free hand rose to her cheek. “You love me?”

“Yeah.” A sheepish grin pulled at my lips.

“And you want to marry me?”

“More than anything I’ve wanted in my entire life, Daze.”

She arched an eyebrow. “Even more than becoming a rodeo champion?”

“You wanna know the truth, darlin’?” The slight dip of her chin was all the permission I needed to proceed. “Someday, the sun is gonna set on my rodeo career. What I want to share with you will last forever. So, yeah, I want you more than any championship I may or may not ever win.”

The woman standing before me stared down at me unblinkingly for so long that sweat began to gather at the back of my neck. My chest constricted, making breathing a struggle, as the reality that she might turn me down entered my brain for the first time.

Then it struck me that while I’d told her I loved her, she’d never expressed that she felt the same way.

Feeling like a total idiot for misreading this situation so badly, I was seconds from pushing off the ground, intent on popping into the bar to lick my wounds—otherwise known as getting so drunk that I forgot my own name while trying to forget hers—when she whispered a single word.

“Yes.”

My heart stopped beating, and I rasped, “What did you say?”

Blue eyes shining bright, Daisy nodded. “Yes, I’ll marry you, Jett.”

I was on my feet in a flash, my empty hand coming to rest on the side of her neck as my thumb stroked her jaw. “Really?”

Daisy rose on her tiptoes to press her lips to mine, murmuring against them, “Really. I love you too, Jett.”

“Fuck.” My eyes slid closed, warmth settling over my heart like a weighted blanket. “Can’t tell you how good it feels to hear you say that, Daze.”

“So much for casual, huh?” she teased.

“So much for only passing through,” I countered.

Her musical laughter filled the air. “This town’s kinda growing on me, and there’s one cowboy in particular who’s caught my eye.”

“That so?” My mouth trailed a line of kisses down her neck. “Must be something special if you’re willing to stick around for his broke ass.”

“The heart wants what the heart wants,” came her breathless reply when I sucked on a sensitive spot .

“Daze?” I spoke against her skin.

“Hmm?”

“Let’s get this ring on your finger because I’m itching to fuck my fiancée.”

A dreamy sigh sounded as she pulled back, cheeks flushed. “I like the sound of that.”

I slid the modest diamond onto her left hand. “Don’t get too used to it.”

Her brows drew down in confusion. “Why not?”

“Because there’s no way in hell I’m leaving for the season in March without making you my wife first.”

Daisy gaped at me. “You want to get married in the next two months?”

“Don’t see any point in waiting, do you?”

She took a step back, sputtering, “B-but there’s so much to do. The planning alone will take longer than that.”

A chuckle vibrated through my chest, and I shook my head. “Not down here, honey. We tell the right few ladies we wanna get hitched, and they can have it set up in a week.”

“A week!” I winced at the high pitch of her screeched words. “I can’t get married in a week! I want my dad to walk me down the aisle, and he’ll need to put in for leave.”

Closing the distance between us, I pulled her close, pressing my lips to the top of her head. “Deep breaths, Daze. I said it could be done in a week, not that I expect us to be at the altar this time next Saturday.”

She clung tight to me, her face buried in my chest. “Okay.”

With our bodies pressed flush, I felt the shiver that rolled through her as the winter wind whipped around us.

“Come on, let’s get you warmed up.” I rubbed her biceps as I walked her backward enough to latch the door behind us .

Her dainty hand gripped mine, leading me up the stairs to her tiny apartment. When she peeked over her shoulder at me with a smile, I thanked my lucky stars that I would get to keep her forever.

February

“You doing all right, man?” Wade’s hand clamped down on my shoulder as we waited at the front of the church.

With my stomach twisted in knots, I swallowed roughly before offering a grunt in response.

“You know, it’s not too late to back out.”

My head whipped around and under my breath, I hissed, “The fuck?”

Wade put both hands up. “Wouldn’t be doing my duty as your best man if I didn’t at least check to make sure you weren’t having second thoughts.

Especially with how fast this came together.

” His eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Unless there’s something you’re not telling me about why you’re rushing to get hitched.

” When I merely glared at him, he elaborated, “You know, like a bun in the oven . . .”

I scrubbed a hand over my face. “Starting to think I should’ve asked Murph to stand up here beside me instead of you.”

My best friend’s face filled with mock outrage as he placed a hand to his chest. “That hurt, Jett.” He quirked an eyebrow. “So, is that a no to the little Sullivan bundle of joy?”

I swear to God, if looks could kill, Wade would be six feet under in the graveyard out back.

“I’m marrying Daisy because I love her and want to spend every minute of the rest of my life with her. ”

He gave me a salute. “Got it.” Casting a curious glance my way, he asked, “Then why are you sweating bullets?”

“Her dad hates me,” I admitted. “Doesn’t think I’m good enough for his baby girl.”

Wade grimaced. “Sucks, but can you really blame him?”

No. I couldn’t. As far as Commander Ed Morrison was concerned, I was no better than a bum.

He didn’t respect my job and respected me even less because his daughter would be the primary breadwinner in our household.

The way he saw it, she was taking care of me, not the other way around.

But nothing lit a fire under my ass like working to prove folks who didn’t believe in me wrong, and that’s what I planned to do.

Music filled the church, and my back went ramrod straight.

This was it. The moment I made Daisy mine for all time.

The double doors at the end of the aisle were pulled open, and my knees nearly buckled when my beautiful girl came into view. I didn’t even register the dress; my eyes were firmly fixed on her face as she beamed back at me during her trek down the aisle.

Then, suddenly, she was standing before me, and my lungs filled with air. Being in her presence literally breathed life into me.

I reached for Daisy while nodding to her father in acknowledgement. “Commander.”

A low rumble that could have easily passed for a growl sounded from his chest, but he let her go, giving her away and entrusting her into my care from this point forward.

It was a gift, one I wasn’t sure I deserved, but I accepted it anyway because my selfishness reached new heights when it came to this girl.

The service passed by in a blur. The only thing I could focus on was Daisy .

Before I knew it, the vows had been recited, the rings exchanged, and I was given permission to kiss my bride.

Forever with the love of my life began today.