Into the Storm (Signal Bend #3)(41)

He couldn’t read her expression. Even looking deep into her blue eyes, he didn’t know what he was seeing, how anything he’d said made her feel. But he trudged on, intent on getting all of it out, no matter what. Ice ticked against the windows. They were going to have a slow ride back to the B&B.

“That’s why I brought you here. That’s why I’m telling you this. Because I’m not that man anymore, the one who gave in so he wouldn’t have to deal with a screaming woman. So I need you to know, and make your call. My life gets violent. It gets dangerous. Sometimes I end up on the wrong side of law. We went outlaw because law didn’t have time for us. But that’s what we are. People get hurt. Innocents. It’s quiet now, and maybe it’ll stay that way. But maybe it won’t. You’re with me, you need to know that. You need to be good with who I am, what I do. And I will protect you until I die. Part of that is teaching you to protect yourself. You learn to shoot. Not negotiable. I want to be with you, but only on those terms. I understand if that’s too much.”

He sat back, so weary it took an effort not to shake. “Okay. That’s what I needed to say.”

For what felt like hours but was really seconds, Shannon sat quietly, watching the freezing rain coat the windows. Show watched her. Finally, under her breath, she said, “Roads have to be getting bad.”

“I got studs on the truck. We’ll be fine. You got nothin’ else to say?” The thought that she would choose to turn away made an empty space in his chest, but this was when he’d let her go.

“It’s a lot to take in, Show. I feel…I don’t know. Like my brain is over capacity.” She turned and looked at him. “Can I ask you something?”

“I said you could. Go ahead.”

“It doesn’t sound like you and Holly were much of a fit. I don’t mean to be nosy, but why’d you get married? Why’d you stay?”

Of all the questions he might have anticipated she’d ask, that was not on the list. He studied her before he answered, not sure why she asked. But he gave it to her straight. No reason he could think not to, not on this night. “We got married because I knocked her up. I stayed because she and the girls were my family.

I’m not built to leave. I made a promise.”

“So did she.”

He chuckled sadly. “Yeah, well.”

“You ever think about not getting married? There are other solutions to that problem.”

Show sat up straight. “Not for me. And not around these parts.” He didn’t add that that “problem” had been Daisy. But shit. They gave her life so he could let her die like that? He pushed the thought aside.

At what he’d said, Shannon laughed, the tone blade-sharp and almost angry. “Goddamn country people,” she muttered.

“Hey—I don’t understand why that pisses you off.”

“Did she want to get married? Or did you force her?”

“What? Fuck, did you not hear anything I said? I never forced Holly to do anything. Not even the shit I should have. She told me she was pregnant, I told her I’d make it right. She was glad.”

With a brisk shake of her head, she said, “Sorry, just—sorry. Thanks for telling me so much. I’m glad you did. I need to think a little. Will you let me do that?”

She was pulling back; he could feel it. Somehow it was the last part of the conversation that had changed something. Not what happened in this house, not the violence, not who he was, not his demand that she accept what he was and learn to defend herself, but the fact that he had married Holly and stayed. It didn’t make any sense.

“Yeah. You need time, you take it.” Lightning lit up the window then; thunder followed a few seconds later. Lightning and thunder in freezing weather was a bad sign. “I should get you back.”

oOo

It took them more than half an hour to go the eight miles between Show’s house and the B&B. The roads were bad, and the wind had really picked up. He didn’t have time to obsess about what Shannon, sitting silently on the far end of the bench seat, was thinking, because he needed all his wits to get them safely back.

When he parked, as he was turning off the engine, she spoke for the first time.

“You can’t drive again in this. It’s only getting worse. Come in. Stay the night.”

The weather really was shit, and as the temperature dropped, it wouldn’t be getting better. He figured for a morning where everything was coated with ice. “Yeah, okay. I’ll pay for one of the rooms.”

She turned toward him. It was too dark to see her face. “No, Show. Stay with me.”

He felt confused. But then confusion stepped back and let something good take the center, something not unlike elation, but cautious, low-grade for now. “You sure, hon? You said you needed to think.”

“I did. I thought, and I’m sure. I want it—you. If you do.”

Show reached out and put his hand on Shannon’s cheek. She leaned into the touch, pressing her lips to the heel of his palm. He knew he needed to be careful. With her, with himself. Take measured steps. Make sure they knew what they were getting into. But this woman had made him take notice again. She’d made him want. And he knew what he wanted.

“I want you.”

CHAPTER TWELVE