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“Still got four weeks,” he says in a low voice.
“It’s close enough.” I move for the trunk.
He mutters a few curses before he catches me by the arm, drawing me forward. “Not close enough, Ruby.” His gaze searches my face. Heated. Angry. “You were gonna leave without saying goodbye.”
The accusation stings.
“It’s too hard to say goodbye.” I drop my gaze to the ground. “Besides ...I did what I came to do.” I swallow hard. “The ranch is safe. It’ll be fine. You won’t even miss me.”
Some sort of miserable noise shakes out of him. “Won’t miss you? How can you think I wouldn’t miss you? I miss younow.” He runs a hand down my bare arm, fists the material of my dress. I can feel my traitorous body, my heart, aching to arc into his. “Every day I’m not by your side, I miss you. Every day you’re not in my bed, every day I’m not kissing you, I fucking miss you, Ruby.”
Each word is like a stake in the heart. Beautiful. Devastating.
“Charlie, don’t do this.”
Wrenching away from him, I try to close the trunk, but his massive hand catches the lip before I can slam it shut. Reaching inside, he takes the bag and sets it on the ground.
I glare at him, then I swear, because I left my laptop in the cabin.
I punch a finger in his iron chest. “I’m leaving, Cowboy, and you can’t stop me.”
His eyes flash. “The hell I can’t.”
Ignoring him, I spin on my heel and stalk toward the cabin.
“Runaway Ranch.”
The deep, rumbling voice behind me causes me to freeze in my tracks.
“Don’t.” I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to ward off his words. If he goes any further, I’ll launch myself into his arms and never let go.
I hear the crunch of gravel before Charlie’s broad-shouldered form stands in front of me. “You wanted to know.” There’s desperation in his tone, an urgency I’ve never heard before.
“Not anymore. It’s too late.”
He flinches like I’ve twisted a knife in his chest.
Heart racing, I rush up the front steps and into the cabin. I can’t let him do this, especially now that I know about Maggie.
Too deep.
We are both in too deep.
Floorboards rattle as Charlie storms after me.
Inside, the air is thick with sunlight and mountain air. I grab my laptop off the kitchen table and hold it to my chest like a shield. “I don’t want to know, Charlie.”
He stands in the doorway, his hands fisting at his hips. There’s a war playing out on his face, emotions attacking like a battle. “Fuck, but I’m tellin’ you anyway.” A steeling breath catches in his lungs, then he says, “It’s called Runaway Ranch because I loved someone and she died.”
“No. No.” I shake my head, backing away from him. From his confession, from the awful look on his face, and especially from the frenzied beat of my heart. “Charlie, don’t do th—”
“I loved her and she died and I lost my mind. I came here. I wanted to forget, so I ran away from everything and everyone.” His throat works. “And you’re the first thing in ten years I’ve wanted to run toward.”
Oh god.
I’m shaking. I set my laptop back on the counter so I don’t drop it.
Expression thunderous, Charlie stomps his way to me. Rough hands shoot out to grab my arms. “I asked you what you wanted after our first night together. And you said the summer.”
