Page 30 of Weston’s Treasure

“Weston, seriously, when this is over and I go home, back to work, back to my life, it won’t work out.”

“Why?”

“Because I work two-week rotations. Meaning I live at the yard for two weeks. It will get old.”

Now she was grasping at straws, the tiny red ones a bartender puts in frilly pussy drinks. They were so thin but she was fighting to get a handful.

He couldn’t deny that her being unavailable two weeks out of the month would suck, but it wasn’t a deal-breaker. Weston’s work schedule was unpredictable and that sucked, too. But it was certainly doable.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”

“And what I’m trying to tell you is when it comes and you find you don’t want to cross it, I’ll be the one heartbroken.”

Fuck, her honesty was killing him. He’d said he didn’t want to start a relationship where she masked her feelings and goddamn if she hadn’t torn that bitch off and was laying herself out there. Something that Weston respected a whole hell of a lot. He actually envied her courage.

Weston’s hand left her thigh and went to her jaw. He gently lifted her chin and captured her eyes. So damn pretty. Even with the hurt he was learning she’d lived through, they were still bright and pure. Honest when she wasn’t spitting fire.

“I promise, I won’t hurt you.”

“You say that, but you won’t be able to stop it. I won’t be able to stop it.”

“Do you think I’m stupid?”

“What?” she startled. His question obviously took her by surprise. “Of course not.”

“Then you’ll have to trust me that I’m smart enough to know what I got with you is worth moving forward. Trust me to know that if I wasn’t sure, I’d cut you loose.”

“What do you think you have?”

“Treasure.”

Silver’s eyes drifted closed and Weston silently waited her out, letting his words settle, and hopefully penetrate.

“See. That right there,” she said when she opened her eyes, “is how I know I’ll be shattered when you figure out I’m not enough for you.”

He wanted to argue—rail against the stupid doubts her mother had planted—and he would’ve if he thought his words would help. But Weston was also smart enough to know words meant shit. She’d heard enough of them in her life, unfortunately, the wrong kind, so she wouldn’t believe anything he said.

The thing that would make Silver believe was action. And it was a good thing Weston was an action man. He wasn’t good with flowery sentiments, didn’t have the time or inclination, not that he wouldn’t give what he could to Silver with his words, but he’d show her. And that was what would make the difference.

“Take a chance,” Weston pleaded.

“But—”

“I’m not asking for a commitment in blood. Just the chance to see where this goes. Enough trust that I wouldn’t be asking if I wasn’t sure this is what I want.”

“You’ll trample my heart.”

“I’ll have a care, Silver. I will not hurt you. Take a chance.”

“I’ll think about it,” she relented.

Weston debated the wisdom of graciously accepting her answer and letting the topic drop. But quickly came to the decision he would not hold back, he wouldn’t be someone he wasn’t when he’d asked her for openness. She deserved to know where he stood and who he was. Nothing good would come from hiding it when she’d find out anyway.

“You should know that while you’re thinking about it I won’t be sitting around twiddling my thumbs.”

“What? Does that mean you’ll be…” she trailed off, too flustered to ask what she wanted to, but the hurt in her eyes was enough for Weston to puzzle out what she was trying to ask.

“Told you once and I meant it. No one enters our relationship, so you shouldn’t have to ask that question. But I’ll clarify, I won’t be seeing other women. But neither will I let you lock yourself in your head trying to come up with excuses why this won’t work. You go ahead and take your sweet time, because while you are, I’ll be proving to you I’m worth the chance you’re gonna have to take. So in the end, you’re gonna take it, and you’ll know I’d never hurt you.”