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Arms still crossed, she dropped her gaze to his chest while shrugging her shoulders. “Maybe you read too much into my words that day.”
“Really?” he asked. “How does one not read everything into I love you?”
“You tell me,” she shot back. “You’re the one who told me to leave and walked away.”
The hurt he’d inflicted seeped into her voice. She couldn’t help glancing up to see his reaction even as she clenched her jaw at the revealing words.
Anguish darkened his eyes. “I thought it was what I needed to do.” He grimaced slightly. “It was what I needed to do—I just wish I hadn’t hurt you doing it.”
“Why?”
“Because I knew I loved you then, but I could never ask you to give up your dream. I didn’t want you to end up hating me someday.”
“Better I hate you that day instead of letting me make my own choice?”
“I was damned either way.” The frustration in his voice sent his hand up to rake through his hair. “If we’d had more time...”
If her father hadn’t shown up they would have had another week. But that would’ve only made it harder for her to leave. Or, Reyes might have let her stay, and she very well may have ended up blaming him for the loss of her dream when it would not have been his fault.
Letting her think their night together meant nothing to him had been awful, but it sank in what he’d been willing to give up for her. It made her want to…smack him.
And kiss him.
23
Reyes was dying to reach out for her, to take her in his arms and kiss away the hurt or whatever else was keeping the distance between them, but he was also afraid to push too hard. He didn’t know what he’d do if she couldn’t forgive him.
“More time wouldn’t have mattered,” Raine said with a shake of her head.
Desperation nipped at his nerves, but he forced it back down. Like with the thoroughbreds, he needed to be
patient.
“Everything was so…raw that morning,” he said quietly. “But if we’d had more time, I would’ve realized you didn’t have to stay. I could’ve gone with you, instead. I can go with you.”
“But I’d never ask you to leave the place that brings you peace after what you’ve gone through. I know how much you need to be there.”
Hope flared at the empathy in her words. At her use of present tense, not past.
“Not after you.” He finally gave in to his need to touch her, reaching for her crossed arms, pulling a hand free to capture her fingers with his. “I haven’t slept with the light on since you left.”
Her soft smile added a splash of gasoline to his hope.
“I don’t need the light anymore, but I do need you. If you’ll still have me, that is.”
She sighed and dropped her gaze to their joined hands, as if searching for the words she wanted to say. When she tried to pull her hand free from his, he panicked and held it tight while grabbing for her other one.
“I dare you to love me again.”
“Really?” She laughed. “You think that’s going to work?”
Her gaze lifted then, and his heart jolted at the tears in her eyes. “Don’t cry. Please, Raine, I’ll do whatever it takes,” he vowed. “I’ll even get on my knees to beg your forgiveness if you want.”
She arched her eyebrows. “I’m going to want you on your knees at some point, but not right now.”
Her teasing words sunk in and brought a flood of relief. They swept his mind to a place that sent his blood racing through his veins, and the sass in her eyes turned up the heat a good ten degrees.
“As for your dare…”
