“Harper—” He took a step away from her and glanced over his shoulder. There were shadows in his eyes. He was about to tell her goodbye.
Not a chance. Something almost violent rose up within her. She would fight for a future he might be tempted to avoid. Nothing in his past scared her. Nothing in his present either.
He was staying this time. Twice he had crossed paths with her and disappeared. She wasn’t about to give him an easy out this time.
She would not let him slip out of her reach again.
She might be safe, thanks to him. That didn’t mean she wanted to be alone. “Do not take one more step,” she snapped, not caring how mean she sounded.
“What?”
She laced her fingers through his. “You’re staying. You love me. End of story.”
“Is that so?”
“It is. I’m not budging on that. We are better together. We belong together. You know it as well as I do.”
“My job?—”
She cut him off again. “Is important, and I support it completely. I supportyouone hundred percent. Always.”
“Always, huh?” He pulled one hand free and touched her lightly between her eyebrows. “You’ve got that fierce and determined frown.”
She would probably have a lifetime of wrinkles starting right now because of Knox. But he was worth it. There were ways to mitigate wrinkles. But there was no answer for her life, no true happiness, if he wasn’t in it.
“My heart is yours,” she said. “I love you, Knox. It’s been that way for more than half my life.”
“And what if settling down isn’t what I want?”
She snorted. “Since when are you a big chicken? If you walk away from me right now, it’s just fear. And I think we’ve proven that together we’re stronger than fear.”
She waited, not quite sure how to interpret the spark in his gaze. Maybe she was overplaying her hand, but if she backed down after this outburst, she would be the coward. They were both better than that. They both deserved more than that.
“I love you. And I know you love me too,” she insisted. She didn’t even mind that she was begging. This was her whole life right here in this moment. He was everything. The family she longed for, the kids they might share, the ups and downs of a full life.
“Whatever is going through your mind, it would be great if you shared.”
“Are you actually going to let me get a word in edgewise?”
She caught herself and clamped her mouth shut, nodding.
He laughed, just a quick bark of humor, then he cradled her face between his palms. “I love you.” His lips brushed over hers. “You’re right.”
“Then where were you going?”
“I only wanted to sit down by the water.” He kissed her again. “I was going to sit out there and pull you on my lap and figure out the next steps.”
“Oh.” She liked the sound of that.
This time his laughter boomed, carrying on the breeze. He shifted, quick as lightning, and suddenly she was in his arms, and they were moving away from the house and down toward the private cove.
She looped her arms around his neck. “You weren’t leaving me?”
“No. Not even before you started issuing orders.”
“You like it when I’m bossy.”
“There might be a time and place for it,” he teased. “I wanted you out here, in one of your favorite places, when I asked you to marry me.”
