Right Here Waiting by Tarra Young Page B

forgot. You’re Megan Nelson. Ms.
Sophisticated City Girl now. Is this how you city folks do it? You screw them
and leave them?” How could he say such things about her?
    She gasped. “You are the cruelest man I know, Blade
Thorne.”
    She ran from his room and into her own, slamming the door
behind her and locking it. She sank to the floor, her back leaning against the
door. Her tears began to fall in deep sobs that shook her whole body.
    Seconds later she heard Blade’s door open, and the sound
of him banging on hers, but she ignored him. She couldn't even look at him
right now, let alone talk to him.
    How could her parents do this to her? Was the ranch
really worth all this heartache? Maybe she should sign it over to Blade and get
it over with. She would call the attorney later today.
    * * *
    “ C ome
on Megan, please open the door. I’m sorry and I take back what I said." He
desperately wished he could take the words back.
    She didn’t respond. The only thing he could hear was the
sounds of her sobs. It twisted his heart, knowing he was the cause of her tears
and all the sadness she was going through. He never meant to hurt her. He
wanted her so bad each time she withdrew from him; it unleashed the anger in
him and he exploded, saying things he didn't mean.
    “What is going on up here?” Martha asked, coming up
behind Blade who was standing outside Megan’s bedroom door in just his pajama
bottoms. “Why are you shouting?”
    “There was a misunderstanding,” Blade explained, “and now
she is refusing to talk to me.”
    Martha flinched when she heard Megan sobbing. She pinned
her glare on Blade. “What did you do to the girl?”
    “I said some things to her I shouldn’t have. I wish she
would talk to me.” He knew if he didn't watch it, he was going to lose Megan
again and his heart wouldn't be able to take it.
    “What did you say to her?” she asked, jabbing him in the
chest with her index finger.
    “I all but called her a slut.” He groaned, hating the
sound of his own words as he said them out loud. Megan must really hate him
now.
    Martha’s mouth hung open in shock. “You ought to be
ashamed of yourself, young man. I wouldn’t talk to you either.” She turned and
walked back downstairs.
    That was just great. Not only was Megan mad at him, but
Martha was mad at him as well. He couldn’t win for losing. He stomped back to
his room to get dressed, hoping for the chance to make this all up to Megan
later in the afternoon.
    * * *
    M egan stuffed the last of her clothes
into her suitcase, not caring if her clothes were unfolded and getting
wrinkled. There was no way she was spending another night under the same roof
as Blade. She never wanted to lay eyes on him again. Her heart was broken
enough by him. She wasn’t going to allow him to do it again.
    She lugged her suitcase downstairs. Before she could get
out the door Martha stepped in front of her and stopped her. At least it wasn’t
Blade. She looked around and didn’t see him anywhere. She was relieved and
relaxed a little.
    “Where are you going?”
    “It’s not you,” she sighed, the sad look in her eyes
speaking volumes. She knew Martha understood. The sympathetic expression was
there, playing all over her face. “You’ve been great as always, but I can’t
stay one more night in this house.”
    “But where will you go?”  She could tell Martha was
worried by the tone of her voice.
    “I’m moving back into the cabin.” She should have been
more persistent with Blade and stayed there last night. Megan knew she wouldn't
be in this mess now if she did.
    “What about Josh?” What did everyone here have against
poor Josh? He hadn’t done anything wrong that she was aware of.
    “If you’re worried about our sleeping arrangements, I’ll
be sleeping on the sofa.”
    Martha looked relieved. “Will you at least come and sit
down and have a cup of coffee with me?”  Megan was tempted to take her up on
her offer, but still, she