Hitched(45)

“So here’s what you’re going to do,” I say in a soft, but dangerous voice. “You’re going to get off this land and stay off of it until you’ve learned to behave yourself and are invited to come back.” I nod toward Dean. “And you’re going to call off your detective and get him out of sight of our farm.”

Kyle jerks his chin up. “I’ll do no such thing. I have every right to—”

“You have the right to observe us while we’re in a public place. You have no right to come onto our property without permission and take animals out of their pens. And you certainly have no right to camp in the Fricks’ pasture. One call and they’ll have the sherriff’s department out here so fast Dean won’t have time to roll up his yoga mat before he’ll be cited for trespassing.”

“I’m not technically in their pasture except to use the bathroom now and then,” Dean pipes up, “but camping on the side of a public road is against the law in Happy Cat. I mentioned that to Kyle, but he said no one enforced those laws.”

“Well, we can make sure they’re enforced now,” I say, casting a tight smile Dean’s way. “My brother’s a firefighter and real close with the local law enforcement.”

Dean nods, glancing up at Chewy. “Well, I guess I’m ready to head out, then. He can keep the hat if you don’t mind. It looks good on him.”

Huh. Chewpaca stole Dean’s hat while we were all arguing.

“It does, thank you,” Hope says, relief in her voice as she hurries off the porch and past Kyle and me. She takes Chewy’s lead from Dean, stroking the alpaca’s nose as he nuzzles her neck in welcome and his tail begins to wag.

“That alpaca is mine,” Kyle says.

“Then you won’t mind proving it in court,” I reply tightly. “Get. Off. Our. Property.”

“C’mon, Kyle,” Cara says. “Let’s go see if we can give me a UTI while I can still get a prescription for antibiotics. I don’t know what kind of medical care will be available while we’re on safari.”

“I will see you in court,” Kyle mutters as he stalks off with Cara and Dean.

And I dash to catch up with my wife.

She’s so precious, and I’m terrified I’ve scared her again.

I snag her hand as I reach her. “You okay?”

She sucks in a shaky breath and nods while we walk. “Yes. Yes. Thank you. You—you saved him. And me. Even though I probably don’t deserve to be saved.”

I pull us to a stop and turn to face her, Chewpaca beside us, and hold her gaze, waiting until I can feel her full attention fixed on me before I whisper, “I meant what I said last night. I love you. And that doesn’t stop because you needed some space.”

Her eyes fill with fresh tears and tension digs in between her brows. “But I ran away.”

I nod. “I know. And I still love you.”

She swallows, her throat working. “And I’m afraid.”

“I know, me too,” I say, the backs of my own eyes beginning to sting. This has been one hell of a morning already. “It’s scary as hell. But it’s worth it. You’re worth it.”

“No, I’m not.” She blinks faster, sending fresh tears streaming down her already puffy cheeks. “I don’t think I know how to love a human like this. I’m so scared, Blake. I’m scared you’ll make me love you more than anything in the world and then you’ll realize you’ve made a horrible mistake. I can’t live up to this idea you have of me and I’ll probably never be able to love you the way you deserve, and then you’ll leave and I’ll be so broken I’ll never—”

“Hush.” Heart breaking with a mixture of pain and relief—she does feel it too, this unparalleled pull—I draw her close, hugging her tight as I promise, “Baby, I’m never going to leave you. Haven’t you realized that by now? Whether we’re friends, enemies, lovers, or a mix of all three, I’m going to keep coming back for more. I can’t stay away from you. Even when I try.”

She sniffs. “I don’t want to be your enemy.”

“And I don’t want to be yours.”

“And I don’t think I can be just your friend,” she whispers.

“Yeah, me either.” I kiss the top of her head. “I want to get you naked too much.”

She pulls back, gazing up at me with a worried look that isn’t comforting, but it’s honest and that’s all I can ask of her. “And I think we should talk more. And maybe I should talk to someone else.”

I frown. “Someone else?”

“Like a counselor maybe,” she says, gaze cutting to the right.

“Yeah,” I say, nodding my encouragement while Chewpaca nuzzles her hair like he’s thanking her and telling her he loves her too. “If you think it will help, that would be great. And I could come with you, if you want.”

Her attention shifts back to me, a wry smile curving her lips on one side. “You want to go to marriage counseling with your fake wife?”

“I want to go to counseling with the woman I love,” I correct. “If she thinks it would help. God knows I’m not a flawless specimen.”

“But pretty close,” she says, wrinkling her nose. “As far as I can tell.”