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Ellie stood. “Oh, I think you are. Come on. Let’s get you sorted in the bunkhouse.”
“But—”
“G’night, Coop,” Jackson called.
“Have fun, you two,” Ellie replied, her tone as mischievous as ever.
“I should probably turn in too.” Lexi shifted as if to rise.
“Don’t go. Please.” He grasped her hand. “Sit a little longer?”
“Don’t you have to get up early tomorrow?”
“Yeah, but that’s nothing new. Having time alone with you like this is.”
After a long moment she nodded, then resumed her position in the chair.
He wove her fingers with his, marveling at the texture, the softness something he was fast coming to associate with this remarkable woman.
Night sounds surrounded them, the hoot of an owl, the distant howl of a wolf. The darkness pressed in, allowing space and quiet for thoughts to untangle, revealing truth. And the truth was he was falling in love with this woman. Keith was right. He wanted to love somebody like Lexi. He wanted her to love him too. And while she might have said there was nothing between them, others clearly disagreed. And the fact she let him keep holding her hand suggested she might not be living up to her decree either.
“Did you mean that before?” she whispered.
“What part?”
“The … the part about not yet.”
He smiled, and really wished these deck chairs weren’t meant for one. “I sure did.”
The starlight revealed the ripple of her throat as she swallowed.
He shifted until he could see her more clearly. “Keith is right.”
“Keith?”
He nodded. “Since I met you, it’s like I can breathe deeper, more fully. I feel like you believe in me, and I …” His throat grew dry. “And I don’t often feel like I believe in myself.”
“Oh, Jackson.”
He tensed. That wasn’t pity, was it?
“I know exactly what you mean,” she whispered.
His heart eased. That had been compassion. Empathy, for sure. Whatever it was, it emboldened him to speak more honestly still. “Lexi, I don’t have much to offer, but I also know I don’t want to live with regrets anymore. And I can’t help but feel that if I never said anything then that would be a huge mistake.”
“Said anything about what?”
Please, Lord.“I … I’d really like to see if maybe there can be an us one day.”
“Us?”
He swallowed. “You. And me.”
Her eyes blazed into his.
“I think you’re special. Unique. Beautiful. So kind. I meant what I said the other day at your parents’. You’ve been so compassionate and patient and forgiving. I really like you, Lexi. I mean, Ireallylike you. And … and I know I’ve said and done a whole lot of dumb things, but I hope you know you can trust me.”
CHAPTERFOURTEEN
