Heck, who was she kidding, the man who still did.
A weird tension crackled in the air between them. She hated the emotions ping ponging inside her. A part of her wanted to push him away, tell him to leave and never come back.
The other part yearned to fall against him. To feel his arms wrap around her, promising safety and security.
But even if he’d saved her tonight, he’d already proven he wasn’t the knight in shining armor she craved.
She’d saved herself once, she’d figure out how to do it again—with no help from Lane Tipton.
4
Lane faced off against Celine, unsure of what to do next. He couldn’t read her—couldn’t tell what she wanted from him. She’d seemed relieved at his offer to stay, but if he knew her as well as he thought he did, the irritated energy pouring off her in waves said otherwise.
As though sensing the awkwardness, Parker threw his little arms in the air and let out an ear-piercing scream. The tortured sound twisted Lane’s insides into a sensation he didn’t recognize.
“I need a minute with him,” Celine said then hurried down the hallway before he could utter a word.
Indecision warred inside him. He itched to roam through the house and make sure every window was locked up tight. The last thing she needed was an unknown way of entry into the house during the night.
Not like he’d sleep much tonight anyway. Not only would a deep desire to protect the house keep him awake, but there was no way he’d close his eyes without reliving every detail of the last time he’d spent the night with Celine.
Suddenly exhausted, he sank onto the couch and hung his head in his hands. What a freaking disaster—this night, this situation, his entire life. His mind spun as uncertainty wove itself into the fabric of his being. Each decision laid out in front of him seemed more daunting than the next.
Starting with when to approach Celine about Parker’s paternity.
The sound of soft footsteps lifted his head. Unexpected emotion clogged his throat, and he was too damn tired to try and hide it. “Did Parker fall asleep?”
She nodded.
Awkward silence wove between. He squeezed the back of his neck, searching for the right words. “Help me understand, Celine.”
Crossing her arms over her middle, she kept her gaze locked on his. Slips of blond hair spilled from her ponytail, and bags hung heavy under her eyes. “You didn’t want this—didn’t want a child. Hell, you didn’t want me.”
The sadness in her voice moved him to his feet, and he crossed the room to stand in front of her. If he could go back in time and kick his own ass for the way he ended their time together, he would. He’d thought it’d be easier that way, but in truth it’d only made things so much worse between them.
“There’s never been a day that’s gone by since I’ve met you that I didn’t want you.”
She snorted out a humorless laugh. “Is that why you left me? Not once, but twice?”
He shoved a hand through his hair, wishing he had the words to describe the turmoil that ate away at his gut every time he was in this Godforsaken town. “Ihadto leave. Had to stay away from this place. Stopping into Hillmore last year was a mistake. It never should have happened.”
Flinching, she reared back her head as if he’d slapped her. “Which is why I didn’t tell you about Parker.”
His heart had known his child the moment he’d laid eyes on him, but hearing the truth from Celine unlocked a torrent of love and fear and everything in between. He rubbed the heel of his hand over his chest, needing to relieve some of the pressure. “So he’s mine?”
She worked her mouth back and forth and nodded.
“Shit,” he mumbled, his knees suddenly weak. He stumbled toward the couch, dropping back down to the cushion he’d just vacated.
“Don’t worry,” she said, her voice shaky. “I don’t expect anything. Parker and I are just fine. I appreciate what you did tonight, I really do, but I think it’s best if I take him to my mom’s for the night. I’ll figure out the rest tomorrow.”
“Wait, what?” He shot back up to his feet. “No, I told you I’d stay then we can figure out what’s best in the morning.”
Rolling her eyes, she threw her hands up in air. “So now you’re going to swoop in and be the hero? I don’t think so.”
“I’m not swooping, and we both know if you’d have told me about Parker before I would have come back right away. I wouldn’t have ignored my responsibilities.”
“Parker isn’t a responsibility,” she snapped, her voice harsher than a whip. “He’s a child. A beautiful, perfect baby who needs people around who love him. Whowantto care for him. Not someone who resents his presence and sticks around out of obligation. You made it perfectly clear being a father was never part of your plan. So go ahead and do whatever it is that brought you back here then leave like you always do. I’m sure something so much more exciting is waiting on the rodeo circuit.”
