Page 64

‘Mom?’ TJ said weakly, stopping Janey in her tracks.

‘Yeah, baby?’

‘Make sure she takes Bandit when she leaves; if she’s going to be on the road …’

He didn’t finish the thought, but he didn’t need to. His mom left, holding the door for Skye on her way out.

TJ’s heart shattered as Skye walked into the room, her pixie cut messy, her porcelain skin pale, her blue eyes dark with worry and shadowed from sleeplessness. When tears streaked down her face, his inclination was to soften, to soothe.

‘TJ.’ She came to the bed, gripped his hand in both of hers. Just that touch had him closing his eyes and basking in the feel of her one last time.

But he didn’t squeeze her hand back. He was too afraid that if he did, she might take it as encouragement and stroke her hand over his head or kiss him. And if she did either of those things, he’d lose his courage. He’d ask her to stay – or, at least, to come back and visit.

And that wouldn’t have been fair.

‘I’m so glad you’re awake,’ she whispered.

‘Why haven’t you left yet?’ he asked.

Her eyes widened slightly at his casually surprised tone. ‘I … I wanted to wait until you were up and moving,’ she replied, her own voice so unsure.

That word – moving – made him smile sardonically. ‘Thanks for staying, Skye. But—’

‘Don’t thank me. I …’ She took a deep breath. ‘TJ …’

Terrified that he knew what was coming, he didn’t say anything.

‘I … I almost left.’

His heart ached, not because she’d nearly left, but because he wished she had. She had doubts; he’d sensed them in her when he’d mentioned meeting up in the future. And now, he wished she had run and saved him from having to cut his own heart out.

Skye reached up and ran one hand over his hair. But all the gesture did was hurt. ‘I managed to convince myself that what I feel for you was just infatuation.’ She bravely raised her eyes to his. ‘But the crazy thing is: it’s not. Or, at least, I don’t think it is.’

That just about broke his fucking heart. What he wouldn’t give to go back, to pay attention once he’d dismounted that stupid bull.

TJ steeled himself. ‘Skye …’ he began. But the words wouldn’t come.

It didn’t matter; she heard the caution in his tone. She blinked once. Realization slowly spread across her features. Then hurt. Then, to his absolute horror, shame. ‘Oh.’

The single word was a knife to his gut. ‘Let me explain.’

‘You don’t have to,’ she hurried to say. She let go of his hand, casting him into a world that was suddenly so uncertain, so colourless.

She took a large step back from the bed, her face red with embarrassment.

TJ couldn’t leave her thinking he didn’t care. Time was irrelevant when you met the right person; he knew that now. ‘Things changed. Skye.’ He tried to regulate his tone, but the words still came out so angry. ‘I might not walk again.’

She nodded bravely, even as her eyes filled. ‘You will.’ She swiped her tears away, cleared her throat.

‘I want you to—’

‘You don’t have to explain,’ she said frantically, cutting him off. ‘I know how casual sex works, TJ. I just got caught up, I guess.’ She wrapped her arms around herself, protecting herself from him. And she smiled; it was shaky, but it was so fucking brave.

When his throat clogged with the goodbye, TJ momentarily closed his eyes. Once he’d regained himself, he managed to look at her again, and oddly, that helped. Because this beautiful woman had her entire life ahead of her, and he wouldn’t hold her back with him. ‘You need to keep living your life. You just started.’

‘I’ll stay,’ she insisted. ‘I’ll help.’

‘No.’