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“It’s okay,” she told herself, signing her name with a flourish. “I’ll find something else. There’s more than one cabin in the mountains. I’ll still—”
God, who was she trying to kid? Who was she being brave for? She was all alone here. No mom. No Jenna. She could cry and wail and weep if she wanted to—for all the good it would do her. It had already been two weeks. Sage had forgotten all about her and it would really be a good thing if she could do the same.
Nodding, she picked up the sheaf of papers, slid them back into the envelope her real estate agent had dropped off and then sealed it. It was done. Her house was sold. Her new life was about to begin. She only wished she could be happy about that.
When the doorbell rang, she jumped up, eager for any distraction to take her mind off her depressing thoughts. To keep her too busy to think of Sage and everything that might have been.
She pulled the door open and there he was. For a second, his presence didn’t really compute. It was as if she’d spent so much time thinking about him that her mind had actually conjured a vision of him just for her. But that silly thought was gone the moment he opened his mouth.
“We have to talk.”
“No, we don’t.” Colleen shook her head and tried to close the door, but his booted foot kept it open. “I’m really not a masochist, Sage, so if you don’t mind I’d appreciate you just going away. If you’re here to apologize, thanks. You’re forgiven. Happy trails and all of that.”
God, what it cost her to tell him no. But how could she let him back in, even temporarily? Salt, meet wound. No. She just couldn’t do it. Already she wasn’t sleeping or eating and her eyes were constantly red from all the tears. She had nothing left.
“I’m not here to apologize,” he muttered through the gap between her door and the wall.
“You’re not?” She glared at him through that same gap. “You should be.”
“You already forgave me, remember?”
Frowning, she was forced to admit he had a point. “Fine. Then there’s no reason for you to be here at all. So go away.”
“Beback misses you.”
“That’s just mean,” she snapped. He knew how much she liked his dog. How much she wanted one of her own.
“I miss you.”
“You miss the sex,” she countered because she simply would not let herself believe anything else. She was through building castles in the air. Just because he was here didn’t mean anything between them had changed.
“Sure I do. Don’t you?”
She looked into his eyes, those really amazing, wonderful, soulful eyes and couldn’t deny it. Naturally she missed the sex. “Yes.”
“And you miss me,” he said softly.
Oh, she did. She really did.
“I’ll get over it,” she told him and shoved harder on the door. But the man was just too strong for her.
“I don’t want you to get over it. Or me.”
“Sage...” She sighed, leaned her forehead against the door and murmured, “Please go away?”
He reached through the gap, covered her hand with one of his, and Colleen felt that so familiar zing of heat that whispered inside her, urging her to listen. To let him in. To remember how good they were together. But remembering wouldn’t change anything, so why go there?
“Why are you here?” She pulled her hand free of his, though she missed the warmth of his touch.
“I have to show you something,” he said softly. “Will you take one more trip with me up the mountain?”
“Why should I?”
“There’s no reason in the world you should,” he admitted and pulled his foot out of the doorway. “But I’m asking you to anyway.”
If he’d tried to smooth talk her into it, she might have refused. Instead, he’d played a new game. Honesty. And frankly, she was tired of fighting him. She knew she’d regret it later, of course, but at the moment, going with him was just easier.
The ride was tense, neither of them talking much. Colleen’s mind was whirling with possibilities and questions. Why had he come? Where were they going? Why?
She sneaked glances at him, and he was always the same. Stoic. Eyes focused on the road ahead, which should have relieved her, since this drive could be treacherous. But she wished that he would glance her way. Give her some indication of what was going on. Instead, he drove the narrow, winding road up the mountain in silence, passing his ranch gates, and she turned in her seat to look at them as they drove by. “I thought we were going to your house.”
