“Yeah.” He reached for her, gently cupped her face in his hands, smoothed the pad of his thumb over her cheek. “You did. You needed someone to blame. I won’t say it no longer matters, but I’m dealing with it.”
“What can I do?”
He dropped his hand back to his side. “You can leave this damned town and put all this behind you.”
He couldn’t be serious. “And just let it go?”
“If we keep poking at this, somebody else could end up dead,” he said on a heavy exhale that spoke volumes about just how weary he was.
Now she understood. He felt responsible for Keith’s death. If Clint hadn’t come back ... “Keith’s death isn’t your fault.”
“Maybe, maybe not.”
She couldn’t stand it anymore. Clint stood only inches away. She needed to touch him. Her hand rested against his chest. “None of this is your fault. They all lied—weall screwed up and you paid the price.”
“I should go.”
She’d made herself a promise—to go after what she wanted from now on.Don’t let him walk away.She hadn’t felt anything real for solong, the memory of how he could make her come alive screamed inside her, begged for more. “You shouldn’t be sleeping in that old barn.”
“I’ll be fine.”
Say it!“I don’t want you to go.”
Hesitation filtered into his eyes. “You sure about that?”
“I want you to ...touchme.”
Those lips she yearned to taste quirked. “I touched you.” He glanced at the cheek he’d caressed.
She gave her head a little shake. “Not like that.”
“Emily ...” His gaze rested on her face.
“Touch me,” she ordered. She didn’t want to hear any more excuses. She’d spent her whole adult life wallowing in regret. “Please.”
The hesitation in his eyes cleared. “Show me how you want me to do it.”
She took his right hand and placed it on her breast. “This is good.”
He squeezed. Need keened low in her throat.
“Is that all you want?”
“No.” She took his other hand and guided it to the place where her robe parted at the top of her thighs.
His fingers resting against her had her heart thundering.
“Is that all?” His voice was gruff now.
“No.”
He drew his hands away and she made a sound of protest, wanted to grab on to him ... to make him touch her again.
“Take off your robe and lie down on the bed,” he ordered instead of attempting to retreat as she’d feared he would.
She didn’t hesitate. The robe hit the floor, revealing her nude body. She sat down on the edge of the mattress, scooted back to lie against the pillows.
He looked at her for a long while. Her heart pounded twice for every second. Then he reached to turn off the lamp.
