A Home in Hill Country (Harlequin Heartwarming)
Page 21
He looked down at her hand, then his eyes locked on hers, and he reached out to touch her chin, tipping her face toward his. The pain and regret in his expression deepened. “I can’t imagine anything worse.”
She’d already accepted that their relationship would end, but hearing him say those words cut deep.
“Of course. I understand.” Embarrassed, she tried to turn away, but he caught her shoulders and brought her back to face him.
“I don’t want to just stay in touch. I want another chance at us. We lost something very precious, years ago, and I hope it’s not too late to give this another try.”
“But…you’re leaving. You said you never wanted any ties.”
He kissed her, long and slow, with heartbreaking tenderness. “And that has been one of my biggest mistakes. I love you, Kristin. I always have, though I was too angry and proud to admit it. Years ago, I believed you walked away because I had nothing left to offer you—no future, no security.”
“That wasn’t true. Only you mattered.” But she could never tell him the rest of the story. Not when it seemed he’d finally made peace with his father.
Ryan’s eyes were deep with understanding. “My mother explained a lot of things. It’ll be hard to ever forgive Dad for threatening your family. Even harder knowing that you and I have wasted so many years because of it.”
“He thought he was protecting his own, I guess.”
“It was never right, and it wasn’t the only time. When he and my mother split up, he threatened to drag her into a mudslinging court battle for as many years as it took, if she dared fight for custody. Rather than put her young kids through all of that, she gave in.”
“And gave up everything she loved. Her home, her children.”
“Knowing the truth is better than imagining she never cared.” Ryan gave her a faint smile. “Now, I guess she’s agreed to stay here and take care of him…while he thinks he’s going to retire from politics and start taking care of her. Should be interesting.”
“And you? What will you do now—head back into the service? Ride off into the sunset?”
“Dad wants me to stay on. I know we’ll never get along well, but he wants me to be a full partner in this place with him and my brothers. In fact, he made it an order.” Ryan laughed. “Given his temperament and mine, I’m definitely thinking about that sunset.”
He held Kristin close for a moment before pulling away, his eyes so full of love and tenderness that she felt her own eyes burn.
“All of that seems inconsequential, given the most important thing in my life.”
“Which is?”
“This is coming many years too late, but I mean it more than ever, because my poor ole heart isn’t going to take another day without you. Marry me, Kris. I’ll take Homestead or that sunset—wherever I can be with you.”
“This is where we belong. Here. Together,” she whispered as she melted into his arms. “And tomorrow couldn’t be soon enough.”
ISBN: 978-1-4592-1493-4
A HOME IN HILL COUNTRY
Copyright © 2011 by Roxanne Rustand
Originally published as BACK IN TEXAS
Copyright © 2005 by Roxanne Rustand
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario M3B 3K9, Canada.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
For questions and comments about the quality of this book please contact us at Customer_eCare@Harlequin.ca
® and TM are trademarks of the publisher. Trademarks indicated with ® are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Canadian Trade Marks Office and in other countries.
www.Harlequin.com