I don’t hear a single word, but it feels like a love poem.
Thirty Four
Sierra
Getting back to Logan’s house is an exercise in restraint. Our fingers are entwined on the ride home. He keeps stealing glances at me, as if reassuring himself that I’m still here—followed each time by a look of delight when I am.
As for me, I don’t think I stop looking at him for a single moment. His dear face that I want to trace with my lips. The strong angle of his jaw, the sharp drop of his nose. The skin around his blue eyes crinkles every time he turns to catch me staring.
His fingers brush along the back of mine before squeezing almost too tightly. I squeeze back, loving the feel of him—real, warm, solid. Mine.
When we arrive home, I hop out of the truck, hurry around the hood, and fling myself at him.
Then we’re kissing.
Kissing on the pathway to the front door.
Kissing as he fumbles with the lock.
Kissing as we stumble through the living room and down the hall into his bedroom.
In the corner of my eye, I clock the familiar features of his house. The gray-blue painted walls. The aged bronze doorknobs. Each detail is so sweetly familiar, almost achingly so. It’s a feeling of homecoming that hits me straight to the heart.
His bedroom brings me up short.
I press a finger to his lips to pause the onslaught of affection, though it pains me to do it.
“What’s with the boxes?”
As far as I can tell, all his worldly possessions are packed into anonymous, orange-accented moving boxes. The only thing with any personality left is the dark-blue bedding on the mattress.
“Oh.” Logan rubs the back of his neck. “I’m leaving.”
I blink, uncertain what that means. “What?”
“I missed you so much when you were gone,” he says, the words spilling out of him. “But it forced me to see something about myself. I’m terrified of relinquishing control. And with you…I tried to control everything. When you left, I realized what I’d done. I never told you I loved you—and I sure as hell hadn’t shown you.”
“Oh, Logan.” My heart aches. “That’s not true at all. You took such good care of me from the moment I arrived. More than I deserved.”
He holds up his hand against my protests, but his eyes are soft. “What I mean is I didn’t show you I was willing to sacrifice anything for you,” he insists. “Everything in ourrelationship was on my terms, and my terms only. I wanted you to get over your shame and fear, not just because I didn’t understand it, but also because it was getting in the way of whatIwanted.”
He twirls a strand of my hair around his finger, then presses a kiss to it.
“It wasn’t until I experienced it myself,” he continues, voice rough, “with Dawson publicly embarrassing me, that I understood. It’s not something you can will yourself past. It’s fucking hard.” He exhales. “I’m sorry I was such a clueless dick. I didn’t get it.”
“Thank you,” I whisper, my throat tight.
“Anyway, I realized that, if I loved you—if I was serious about us—I had to compromise.” He gestures to the suitcases and the duffel bag. “If being here in Sagebrush and reliving what happened was hurting you that much…then I would go with you. Because I do love you, Sierra.”
“Oh, Logan,” I say, speechless.
“Regardless of how this turns out—though I want you back more than anything—I also realized it’s time for me to try a different path.” He gives a small, self-aware smile. “I’ve been talking to my mom this week. About this. About my anger. You were right, I only get angry when things don’t go the way I expect or want. Letting go of that control…” He shrugs. “It actually feels like a relief now that I’ve decided to do it. And learning to face obstacles with aplomb, that’s real strength.You’veshown me that.”
I didn’t think it was possible to fall more in love with him, but I do. It fills my body to near bursting, from the ends of my hair around his fingers down to the toes curled against his thigh.
“Anyway,” he says briskly as I gaze at him helplessly, overcome with my feelings. “I sold my share of the house to Seth. I was going to put all this in storage and leave tomorrow to find you. And beg you to give me another chance.”
“Seth didn’t say anything!”
