the day. At least, she hoped it would. If not, she’d break down on the way to Shatland and beg them to let her stay.
No. If nothing else, I’m going to keep my dignity.
* * * *
“Damn it, Gunner, I don’t want to talk about it any longer.” Rick put his back to his brother. Not only to signal that the discussion was over before it began, but to keep Gunner from seeing his pain.
He’d acted like a jackass. He knew it, Gunner knew it, and he was pretty sure Mallory knew it. Yet as hard as he tried, he couldn’t bring himself to apologize. What good would it do anyway? She’d never fit in on a ranch that raised cattle for meat.
“Come on, man. Are you willing to give her up?” The agony Gunner felt was entrenched in his tone. “Because I’m not. I’d give everything up, including our home, to keep her.”
“She won’t leave.” The connection they shared, the bond between intended mates, would keep her there. After spending time together, the primal instinct that drew them together was growing stronger with every minute that passed. Even if she wanted to leave—which he doubted—the connection would keep her with them. Wasn’t that the way it was supposed to go? He had to believe that.
“Oh, I get it. You’re counting on the connection to make her stay. Instead of admitting that you never wanted it to go that far, you’re going to rely on that to keep her with us? Fuck, she’s going to need you to say something. Didn’t you see her face? Didn’t you see how hurt she was? That tore me apart. Hell, someone could’ve ripped out my heart and it wouldn’t have hurt as much.”
Rick growled, warning Gunner not to grab hold of him again. “I admit it. You’re right. It was a shithead way to act. But I don’t think it was enough to make her leave. Even if she manages to ignore the pull toward us, she won’t ignore her feelings. She’s falling for us, just like we’ve fallen for her. I can see it in her eyes.”
He wished he could believe what he’d said, but doubt churned his gut. “She’ll come down in a minute and say she was sorry and that’ll be the end of it.”
“I wouldn’t bet on it.” Gunner sneered at him. “Oh, wait. That’s exactly what you’re doing. You’re both as stubborn as mules, and right now, almost as smart.”
His inner bear roared to life, ready to lift up onto its hind legs and strike out at his brother. They’d fought often while growing up, each one leaving wounds on the other, but they’d never fought as full-grown men. He shoved his animal back down, unwilling to give in to his anger. And, if he had to admit it, his fear.
Fuck. What if she really does want to leave?
“I’m telling you, Gunner. Back the hell off.”
“How about I apologize for you? I’ll do anything to keep her here. Even that.”
“Don’t you get it?” Rick tunneled his fingers through his hair, resisting the need to tear a chunk out. “If that argument sends her away, then it wasn’t meant to be. Maybe we’ve got our wires crossed or something. Maybe it’s fate’s way of telling us that she’s wrong for us. She’ll stay if she’s really feeling the connection.”
Gunner stared at him like he’d grown a third eye. “Or maybe it’s just an asshole’s damn pride fucking up the rest of our lives. Come on, man. She needs to know that you give a damn.”
“Let it go, Gunner.”
Gunner gritted his teeth, then let out a low growl. His eyes flashed amber and his fangs snuck over his lower lip. “Bullshit. So you’re testing her? If she doesn’t do what you think she should, then that’s it? Fuck that.”
“I’m ready.”
Her voice floated over to Rick. The sound had a lilting quality to it, yet was tinged with a tremor that only his werebear hearing could’ve picked up on. She stood at the entrance to the living room, her suitcase in her hand. Although he wanted to hold out his arms and have her hurry into them, he kept them at his side.
“Rick?”
No. If nothing else, I’m going to keep my dignity.
* * * *
“Damn it, Gunner, I don’t want to talk about it any longer.” Rick put his back to his brother. Not only to signal that the discussion was over before it began, but to keep Gunner from seeing his pain.
He’d acted like a jackass. He knew it, Gunner knew it, and he was pretty sure Mallory knew it. Yet as hard as he tried, he couldn’t bring himself to apologize. What good would it do anyway? She’d never fit in on a ranch that raised cattle for meat.
“Come on, man. Are you willing to give her up?” The agony Gunner felt was entrenched in his tone. “Because I’m not. I’d give everything up, including our home, to keep her.”
“She won’t leave.” The connection they shared, the bond between intended mates, would keep her there. After spending time together, the primal instinct that drew them together was growing stronger with every minute that passed. Even if she wanted to leave—which he doubted—the connection would keep her with them. Wasn’t that the way it was supposed to go? He had to believe that.
“Oh, I get it. You’re counting on the connection to make her stay. Instead of admitting that you never wanted it to go that far, you’re going to rely on that to keep her with us? Fuck, she’s going to need you to say something. Didn’t you see her face? Didn’t you see how hurt she was? That tore me apart. Hell, someone could’ve ripped out my heart and it wouldn’t have hurt as much.”
Rick growled, warning Gunner not to grab hold of him again. “I admit it. You’re right. It was a shithead way to act. But I don’t think it was enough to make her leave. Even if she manages to ignore the pull toward us, she won’t ignore her feelings. She’s falling for us, just like we’ve fallen for her. I can see it in her eyes.”
He wished he could believe what he’d said, but doubt churned his gut. “She’ll come down in a minute and say she was sorry and that’ll be the end of it.”
“I wouldn’t bet on it.” Gunner sneered at him. “Oh, wait. That’s exactly what you’re doing. You’re both as stubborn as mules, and right now, almost as smart.”
His inner bear roared to life, ready to lift up onto its hind legs and strike out at his brother. They’d fought often while growing up, each one leaving wounds on the other, but they’d never fought as full-grown men. He shoved his animal back down, unwilling to give in to his anger. And, if he had to admit it, his fear.
Fuck. What if she really does want to leave?
“I’m telling you, Gunner. Back the hell off.”
“How about I apologize for you? I’ll do anything to keep her here. Even that.”
“Don’t you get it?” Rick tunneled his fingers through his hair, resisting the need to tear a chunk out. “If that argument sends her away, then it wasn’t meant to be. Maybe we’ve got our wires crossed or something. Maybe it’s fate’s way of telling us that she’s wrong for us. She’ll stay if she’s really feeling the connection.”
Gunner stared at him like he’d grown a third eye. “Or maybe it’s just an asshole’s damn pride fucking up the rest of our lives. Come on, man. She needs to know that you give a damn.”
“Let it go, Gunner.”
Gunner gritted his teeth, then let out a low growl. His eyes flashed amber and his fangs snuck over his lower lip. “Bullshit. So you’re testing her? If she doesn’t do what you think she should, then that’s it? Fuck that.”
“I’m ready.”
Her voice floated over to Rick. The sound had a lilting quality to it, yet was tinged with a tremor that only his werebear hearing could’ve picked up on. She stood at the entrance to the living room, her suitcase in her hand. Although he wanted to hold out his arms and have her hurry into them, he kept them at his side.
“Rick?”
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