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The rustling that Adam had been hearing for the last several minutes grew louder, and several people separated from the shadows, trees, and boulders they’d been hiding behind.
Nora wasn’t among them. That hurt a lot more than he would have thought. After the things he’d said, he wasn’t surprised and truly didn’t blame her for not coming to his rescue. But it didn’t stop the pain from spearing his already shattered heart.
“Ah,” Sunshine said, “I thought we’d been quieter than that.”
Woodson snorted. “Most of us were. Some of us need to work on our stealth skills.”
Sunshine waved him away and turned to rummage in Spurlock’s saddlebags.
“Stay out of there!” Spurlock yelled.
Preacher walked over and glanced down at him with surprise. “Bit of a nuisance, isn’t he?”
Adam snorted. “You have no idea.”
Doc clapped him on the shoulder. “This all feels a little anticlimactic, Brady. We were all set to come stage this big, dramatic rescue, and then you went and essentially rescued yourself.”
“Sorry?” Adam said. “I could use help with these, if anyone is still inclined to be helpful,” he said, holding up his shackled hands.
“I don’t know,” a voice said behind him, and he spun around, coming face-to-face with Nora. “I kind of like you shackled.”
Chapter Thirty-Five
Nora hadn’t been sure how she’d feel seeing Adam again. The words he’d hurled at her still burned through her mind. He’d played his part a little too well.
And now, here she stood, face-to-face with the man who’d brought her the greatest happiness and pleasure she’d ever known in her life—and the greatest pain. It was enough to make a girl’s head spin clean off her shoulders.
“Nora,” he breathed. Adam brought his hands up to cup her cheeks, chains rattling, and pulled her close enough he could press his forehead against hers.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “So, so sorry. I didn’t mean it. None of it. I had to make you think I did, couldn’t let him know what you mean to me. I’m so sorry,” he murmured over and over again, pressing kisses to her temple and forehead.
She brought her hands up to hold his and closed her eyes, just breathing in the scent of him. Her body reacted to him as it always did. She wanted to curl around him and never let go. Just his presence calmed her, and the tension that had kept her taut as a bow seeped out of her.
Even as her mind replayed every horrible, hateful word he’d hurled at her.
She stepped back, needing to put a little distance between them. His eyes searched hers, but she dropped her gaze, focusing on unlocking the shackles that bound his hands.
She dropped them at his feet, and he took a cautious step toward her, stopping just shy of touching her again. Part of her mourned that. Wanted him to just grab her and haul her against him. The rest of her appreciated that he was leaving it up to her whether she came to him or not. Even though she still didn’t know what she wanted.
No, that wasn’t true. She knew exactly what she wanted. What she’d always wanted, from the moment he’d first stepped up to help her load her father into that wagon.
Him.
But her bruised and battered heart couldn’t take any more if she was wrong.
“Why did you come?” he asked quietly, his words for her ears alone.
She flinched. “Do you not want me here?” she asked, though she was afraid of the answer.
He exhaled sharply, like someone had just knocked the wind out of him. “Want you?” He heaved in a breath, his fists clenching and unclenching, and finally he cursed, reached out to wrap a hand around the back of her neck, and hauled her to him with a groan, caging her in his arms. He dropped his face into her neck, inhaling with a shuddering breath, his entire body trembling against her.
“I will always want you. Always.” He drew back enough to meet her gaze. “Maybe not standing right by my side while I’m dealing with corrupt, murderous lawmen, because I want to keep you safe,” he said, aiming for a smile. “But otherwise, always.” He brushed a tendril of hair off her face. “You are the only good decision I’ve ever made.”
Was it possible for her heart to break and heal at the same time? Oh, what this man did to her.
“I just meant…after what I did…I didn’t expect…”
She shrugged and gave him a weak smile. “I couldn’t let some jackass come in and steal my husband.”
