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"Are you sure? I just thought you know, it might be hard for you, being around the baby."
She wanted to tell him that yes, being around the baby was hard in its own way, but that it was seeing him that had thrown her over the edge. But to admit that was to show more weakness than she was willing to.
"I'm o—" to her utter humiliation, her voice cracked on the "kay" and once again she burst into tears.
He pulled her into his chest and she couldn't stop herself from wrapping her arms around his waist and snuggling close. It felt so good to be held by him, her cheek pressed against the firm wall of his chest, smelling his unique masculine scent, that it made her cry that much harder.
And then his soft voice murmuring, "I'm sorry sweetheart. I know it's hard for you, how it brings up bad memories."
Was he trying to torture her? "It's not just the baby," she choked out. "It's you, and me being so stupid." So much for not showing weakness. But she'd already humiliated herself by bursting into tears. Why not go all in?
"I was so afraid, so convinced you were going to hurt me, that I screwed everything up and hurt you instead."
"It's okay," he whispered, holding her tighter.
"It's not okay! I thought I was getting better, but I'm still a total basket case, and I don't blame you for not wanting to be with me."
His chuckle rumbled through his chest, and her stomach flipped as she felt him press his mouth to the top of her head. "You may be a basket case, but you're still the woman I'm madly in love with."
Her heart stopped for a split second, then started to pound against her ribs. She looked up to find him staring down at her. His expression was serious, his eyes turbulent. "And it turns out I’ve got more of my own baggage than I wanted to admit."
She listened as he explained that just as she had let her experience with Gregory color how she saw him, he had let his experience with his ex-fiancée influence his reaction to her apology.
"And here, when you talked about her, you seemed so wise and well-adjusted about it.
"Apparently not as well-adjusted as I thought. Turns out, I was so afraid of making the same mistakes, I told myself it was better for me not to give you another chance."
She swallowed hard. She thought she knew what he was getting at, prayed that it was true, but was afraid to believe. "And now?"
"I think now it's my turn to ask you for another chance." One hand came up to cradle her cheek, the stroke of his fingers sending a shiver through the whole of her. "I'm sorry I was such an asshole when you came to apologize. If you think you can forgive me, I'd really like another shot at this."
Her eyes widened, her eyes filling with tears even as her mouth pulled uncontrollably into a smile. "Are you kidding? There's nothing to—"
Her words broke off as he covered her mouth with his. Her lips parted against his, heat rolled through her as his tongue slid gently inside. His hand tangled in her hair as he kissed her with a hunger that bordered on desperation.
Her response was just as hungry, just as desperate, as she clung to the amazing man she had come so close to losing.
He lifted his mouth and rested his forehead against hers. "I love you, Colleen."
"I love you, too." She placed her hand over his heart, felt its pounding match hers beat for beat.
He kissed her again, and her body's swift, eager response reminded her how much she'd missed him in her bed in the last month.
"I suppose it would be bad form to sneak off into one of our hosts' bedrooms?" he murmured against her neck.
"I'm tempted, but the fact that both of our mothers are out there gives me pause."
He sighed. "While that didn't completely kill my boner, it definitely brought it down to half-mast."
She giggled. "I'll come out to the ranch later. I know Sarah will understand."
Sarah was more than understanding. The moment she spotted them as they rejoined the party, faces flushed and hands linked, she approached them with a wide smile on her face. "You two look like you've resolved some things."
"I guess that's one way to put it." JT slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her snugly to his side.
Sarah's eyes narrowed and the corner of her lips quirked up. "I'm guessing you still have a lot more to "talk" about," she lifted her fingers in air quotes. "Preferably someplace private?"
"Yeah, we really do have a lot more to talk about." JT slid his hand to Colleen's hip and gave it a firm squeeze.
