She closed her eyes and nodded. “I know.”
She fit so perfectly in his arms, like they were made especially for holding her. He couldn’t stop smiling. “I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Kate. We’ll get married and find a ranch, somewhere close by, of course, to be by your family, and we’ll have a bunch of kids and teach ’em all to ride just like their mama.” His grin slipped as he saw a tear track down her cheek. He brushed it tenderly with his thumb. “What’s wrong, darlin’?”
“Jacob, I—” she started then bit her lip, looking at the ground.
Jacob’s mouth went dry. “You keep sayin’ my name and not much else.”
Kate turned from him abruptly, breaking their embrace, cold air rushing in between them. “You know that I care for you very much,” she said, voice quavering. “And you’re such a dear friend to me.”
“And?” His hands started trembling.
“And I … I can’t.” Her chin wobbled.
“Can’t what?” Jacob choked out. His vision dimmed at the edges. She looked at him, her eyes filled with regret and shimmering with tears. What was she not saying?
“What in the blazes are you doin’ here?”
At the sound of that deep voice, Kate stepped away from him so fast she took all the oxygen with her, her back ramrod straight. Jacob couldn’t take his eyes off the heartbeat pulsing madly in her neck, his own heart beating right there next to hers, his lifeblood draining, pooling at her feet.Can’t what?
“What are you doin’ here?”
The repeated question clanged in Jacob’s mind. He turned to Andrew. He could feel the cold of the dirt floor seeping into his boots.
Kate took a hesitant step forward. “Andrew, I, ah, I thought you were all out checkin’ the herd.” Her voice sounded strange. All high and quick.Can’t what?
“Got a heifer flounderin’ in a gully. Needed some more rope to pull her out.” Andrew paused, eyeing Jacob up and down. “I thought you were in Oregon.”
Jacob met his dark eyes. “I was.”
Andrew lifted an eyebrow. “And you’re here now because?”
“Jacob was just passin’ through, right? On his way home?”
Jacob heard the silent request in her voice. She was asking him to do something, something that might very well break him. She was asking him to deny that his world had just been set on fire with a kiss, asking him to deny his very reason for existence. And she didn’t have the decency to even look in his direction. He went cold all over. His voice was strangled. “That’s right.”
Andrew walked over to Kate, putting a possessive arm around her shoulders. She looked so small. Andrew looked down at her then smirked at Jacob. “Well, looks like you’re just in time then.”
“For what?” Why wouldn’t she look at him? Why doesn’t she say something?
“For the weddin’, of course. Kate didn’t tell you? We’re gettin’ married.”
The last of the air left Jacob’s lungs. “Married?” Surely she couldn’t be … that kiss. She loved him! Didn’t she?For goodness’ sake, Kate, say somethin’!Anger, that malevolent beast that had taken up residence inside him, awoke once again, raising its head to sink its fangs into his heart. “Kate?” he asked softly, all the fragile hope in the world in his voice. She finally raised her tortured gaze to his. She nodded.
The earth seemed to tilt. Jacob couldn’t look at her anymore, standing there under Andrew’s arm. He had to get away from her, fromthem. Jacob stumbled out into the harsh light of day. His breath came in short gasps.
“Jacob!” Kate’s pleading voice burned in his ears. He mounted. “Jacob, please! Please don’t go.”
“No, Kate!” He snapped at her. “You don’t get to ask me that! Not anymore.”
“Jacob, I’m sorry!”
“Not as much as I am,” he said, voice low and hard. He stared down at her tear-streaked face as his heart froze as cold and black as a pond in the depths of winter. He turned away.
“Jacob!”
He heeled Kip into a vicious gallop. There was nothing left for him here. Jacob lifted his haunted eyes to the northern mountains and vowed to never think of Kate McGrath again.
Kate fought back her tears, staring at the spot where Jacob had disappeared into the trees. She had worked so hard to forget him, and here he comes crashing back into her life on a balmy December morning like a meteor from the stars. It was like no time had passed since their parting. She still loved him. Desperately wanted him. And she would never see him again. Her heart shattered.
