“We’ll be careful,” Dad promised, looking straight at Mal.
Mal nodded once and stepped back. Dad took the cue and headed off at an easy walk, though I knew he’d bump that up to a lope once they got past the paddocks. He’d take the straight route through the fields to the event barn and they’d be there in less than ten minutes.
“He’ll let us know if he needs Bluey for the trip back,” I said, hoping to ease some of his worry.
Mal nodded again and I was grateful when he leaned into me. I put my arm around him and he let out a tiny noise. I wanted to gather him close but he was holding himself too stiffly for that to be a good idea. Instead, I gave him a little nudge.
“Let’s walk. You start talking.”
He trailed along beside me but he didn’t immediately start speaking. I steered us toward the cabins, wanting to put this conversation firmly in the “personal” category. While I had nodoubt he’d have been comforted if I led him to the barns, I needed him to know this had nothing to do with work.
We were halfway there when my impatience got the better of me. I figured I could prod a little. “What happened between picking up Payton, stopping at the library, and then getting home, Malachi?”
He stiffened further, and I wasn’t sure what part of the sentence made him react. That I called it home? I thought he was starting to consider Blue Creek as his and Payton’s home. That I used his full name? He never seemed to mind when I used it, but it occurred to me that was usually in a more intimate setting.
“The library,” he muttered, and there was something hurt in his tone. “Kathy said something.”
I couldn’t help the snort that escaped. “That busybody? Ignore anything she—”
“No, Crew. You don’t get it.” He pulled away almost violently and put distance between us. He crossed his arms over his chest and he wouldn’t look directly at me. “She said if she’d known the way to bag a Harrington was to go work on the ranch, she would have done it years ago.”
I frowned. “So?”
He let out a growl. “So people are going to think that I only came here to hook up with you. That I’m some lazy gold digger who doesn’t put in an honest day’s work. That I’m not worth….” He made another frustrated noise.
I cocked my head. “Who cares?”
“I care,” he ground out, his eyes flashing. “You really don’t get it, do you? You’ve always had everything. This great family and profitable ranch and stability. Who can touch the Harringtons? She thinks I’m just hitching my wagon to yours because that’s the only way I amount to anything.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” I said, and I knew I was using the same tone that I used on a wild animal, but in that moment, Malmimicked one. I reached out, but he stepped back quickly. Okay, no touching. I held up my hands. “I know that’s not the truth. Iknowhow hard you work and what you are capable of. Your competence is what drew me to you. Us, our relationship, has absolutely nothing to do with you working on the ranch. It’s just how we met.”
He narrowed his gaze. “But that’s not what it looks like to everyone else.”
“I can’t control other people’s reactions.” I wanted to scoff again, dismiss this for how silly it was. But clearly Mal’s old demons were surfacing. I hadn’t even known they were there. Not this deep and this big. “But I know better.You know better.That’s the important part. And just as important is that everyone hereknows better.”
I made my tone firm because I really had to hit that point home. I needed him to see exactly how my family and the staff at Blue Creek Ranch viewed Malachi Trevino. He was amazing and competent and so fucking talented. He was beautiful and loving and kind.
“My farm failed,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “The shame in that—”
“Is not yours to bear,” I nearly yelled. I took a breath. “It was your father’s bad decisions. You did the best you could with what you had. And when you had to make the hardest decision and sold, you pulled yourself up. You put yourself out there. And landed another job.”
“And then I immediately hooked up with one of the owners at the new job. Do you know how that looks?” His snort was self-deprecating.
“It wasn’t immediately. And it’s certainly not a hook up.” I kept the growl out of my voice but only just. I stalked closer and this time, Mal didn’t back up. Instead, he lifted his head and stared me in the eye. I saw it then, the desperation and worry, but alsohow badly he wanted to belong. It was all over his expression. I smiled slowly. “We’re in a relationship, baby. One I hope is going to last a very, very,verylong time. And the world outside this ranch is going to think whatever they’re going to think. Even if they know the truth, they’ll form their own opinions. But we can’t worry about that.”
I pushed into his space and when I reached for him, he allowed it. I took him into my arms, tugged him all the way against my chest, and though there was still tension in his body, it was lessening. I kissed his hair and kept my lips there as I continued.
“You belong to the Harringtons now. You and Payton. This is your home. And there is no shame, at all or in any way, as to how that happened. More importantly,” I grabbed his chin and forced his face up so he could see I meant every word I was about to say. “You’re mine. I’m falling in love with you, Malachi. Let the shame and anger go, okay? You’re right where you belong.”
Mal’s eyes were wide, disbelief there. But hope too. I wasn’t sure which emotion would win. Then he pushed up and kissed me, hard and fast, and full of everything he was feeling. I let him take the lead, gave him everything he wanted, so he could understand just how much I cared about him.
When we broke the kiss, we were both panting. I cupped his face in my hands. “I want you here. My family wants you here. Payton, too. Don’t doubt that. Please.”
Mal closed his eyes, swallowed hard, and nodded. After a few seconds, he opened his eyes again and he looked more solid. His voice was quiet when he said, “I think I needed to hear that.”
“I’ll remind you any time you need,” I assured him, giving him another quick kiss. I waggled my eyebrows, “Now, how about we go snuggle on the couch and kiss some more?”
Mal chuckled, though it sounded a little strained. He gently pulled out of my arms, but didn’t go far. “If you don’t mind, I think I’m gonna take Jaina out for a ride.”
