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This time, they’re tears of happiness.
“Oh, Weston. West. Of course you’re worthy. I love you, too! That’s why I’m here,” I say, smiling too wide for my face. “So I could quit my job, ditch my apartment, and come home for good. But you were supposed to be at the hospital or laid up at home...when I got back, I wanted to find you and tell you I’m never leaving Dallas again. Unless you want to live somewhere else, then... we’ll both move there. I’ll go anywhere you want.” I’m babbling, trying to catch my breath in the emotional storm because my heart keeps pounding clear out of my chest.
“You—what?” he asks, doing a double take. “You came back here to quit your job?”
“Yep. Already handed in my resignation. I’ve got a flight back to Bismarck at noon tomorrow. That’s where I left the Herbie parked. I planned on driving straight to Dickinson, to see you in the hospital. Are you sure you’re okay? Your leg must be hurting terribly.”
“The leg’s fine. I couldn’t lounge around another second when I found out you left. I couldn’t wait to see you.” His hand slides around the back of my neck, my shoulders, his fingers flicking at my hair. “Right now, I can’t wait another second to do this.”
The instant his lips touch mine, my entire being melts at the incandescent love that burns me. It’s like my heart springs open, finally free to release the love I’ve bottled up for this man for half a freaking lifetime.
“Love you,” he whispers into my mouth as our lips separate.
We press our foreheads together.
“I was so afraid I’d have a hard time convincing you to take a chance. These feelings are real. Always have been,” I say.
“I was straight-up foolish. That’s all there is to it. I knew you were falling hard for me years ago when you were still a kid. Knew it because I already felt an inkling of the same thing. But with our ages and our lives, I couldn’t act. I had to give you a taste of life beyond that little town. Shit, what’ll you do going back there? We don’t even have a museum in the whole county...”
“Oh, I’ll figure something out. I have ideas,” I say, feeling my lips twist in a smile as I run my hands down his wall of a chest. “Also, you were right to make your move, even when I hated it. I never would’ve left Dallas if you were around—maybe not even if you sent those letters. You were all I ever wanted, West. You still are.”
“Shelly, fuck...” He grasps my shoulders, gingerly digging his thumbs into my skin until I catch his eyes. “You’re all I ever wanted when I thought it was impossible. Also, there’s more you need to know.”
“More?” My heart races.
I don’t want him to elaborate on things that hurt him, haunting memories for my sake.
He’s explained enough and he owes me nothing.
“I don’t need every detail,” I say. “I know your time over there was rough. Friends perished and you needed time to heal. Just like you’ll need time for your leg when you’re not running across the country to Romeo me back to you.”
“Whatever, Juliet.” He grins. “You know you like it.”
“I do. I also understand. People need time and love and support to fully heal. That’s what I want to give you. I’m proud of you for serving and I’m proud as hell of how you’re coping in a healthy way, always raising money for other folks in need. All I need you knowing is how much I love you. I love who you were, who you are, and who you’ll be.”
He kisses my nose.
“And I finally see the woman you’ve grown up to be. I see her and I’ve fallen hard, right through the damn floor,” he growls.
Because it’s him, I laugh at the sweet, snarly way it comes out.
“See? I’m not the same girl I was when you were writing those letters. I left town, saw more than I wanted—that happens in D.C., like it or not—and I’m mature enough to know what I want. You. You’re stuck with me now because that’s never changing, West. We’ll have our ups and downs like everyone, I bet, but nothing has broken us so far. Not even a couple scummy creeps I had to fight off with nettles. If we got through that, we’ll make it through anything.”
“Sorry I was so stubborn for so damn long. I should’ve figured this out years ago.”
I loop my arms around his neck.
“Enough. We can spend the rest of our lives making up for lost time.”
His hands run up and down my sides, a hunger glinting in his eyes.
“I’ll agree to that.”
My libido kicks in, but I tell myself to squelch it while telling him, “Hold on, cowboy. You’ve just come off a long flight when you shouldn’t be traveling at all and you have a bullet hole in your leg.”
“So?” He snorts.
“So.” I give him a quick kiss. “No fooling around until it’s healed. Doctor’s orders.”
