Talia was quiet for a very long time, but then she asked him the question he had been waiting for. “Do you still love her?” The raw pain in her voice cut him deep, and all he wanted to do was take it away.
He stared into her eyes. “There was never any love there, Talia. There was companionship to dull the loneliness of the world.” He cleared his throat, because suddenly it had closed up. Ford wished she wasn’t so unsure.
He watched the emotions behind the tranquil blue depths of her eyes and finally decided to reach out and take her hand. And then she gave him the sweetest fucking smile.
“Your personality throws me for a loop, and all I can picture is seeing us together years down the road. It’s okay if what I say scares you, because fuck, it scares the shit out of me, but at least tell me you feel the same crazy-ass need I do.”
Her cheeks turned a pretty shade of pink, and she cleared her throat. “It’s crazy and doesn’t make any sense,” she said and dropped her gaze to her hands, which were bunched in her lap.
When she lifted her eyes back to his, he held his breath.
“I can’t think of leaving Sweet Water, because that would mean leaving you, and that does funny, painful things to my chest. I trust my fox, and ever since meeting you, it has told me this is where I’m supposed to be… with you, Ford.”
His heart was beating double-time at her words.
“I like being spontaneous with you, love that you don’t make me feel like I have to hide within myself.” Her expression was so… vulnerable as she stared at him. “You make me feel like I couldn’t live with never seeing you again.”
And that last sentence had his heart stopping.
He couldn’t help the smile that grew wide across his face. Everything she just said made him so damn happy he knew his euphoria was probably choking her. “You are my mate, Talia. It’s fast, intense, and doesn’t make any sense, but hell, it feels so damn right. There isn’t anything on this planet that could tell me this isn’t what was supposed to happen.”
With that, he didn’t wait for her to say anything, just took hold of her face between his hands and kissed her until they were both panting.
Resting his forehead against hers, he stared into her eyes. He’d never felt so complete before, but with Talia it was overflowing.
“All I can promise is that I am who I am. I have a tendency to start fights, to get drunk, and may even say some things that might piss you off. Despite all those flaws, I can also promise I will never let anyone hurt you, that I will treat you with the respect you deserve, and that I will always be the male who will protect you.”
He kissed her again, and again, and on the third time, he pulled away. His lips were tender, but he would have kissed her until his lips were numb.
“Do you understand what I’m saying, Talia?”
“Yes.”
“You’re mine, and the human and bear in me won’t let you go.”
16
Talia left the hotel room the following day after spending the entire evening wrapped in Ford’s embrace. He left early that morning, telling her he would be at the construction site the majority of the day, but they were to meet up at one of the small bar-and-grills located right on the edge of town.
She had to meet with Luke and tell him what she sensed from Mina. What her brother did with that information was up to him, but at least she wouldn’t feel as if she hadn’t just sat back when it was clear the woman still had feelings for another male.
Twenty minutes later and she was pulling into the long driveway that led up to the massive estate that was owned by Mina’s parents. The yard was being manicured to perfection, pristine white tents were being set up, and equipment was being assembled for the wedding that would be held the following day.
Every time she thought about her brother marrying Mina, a knot formed in her belly, and her fox snarled in distaste.
Talia could chalk it up to just not liking the woman but knew it was so much more than that. How her brother put up with the constant bitching, demands, and overall snotty attitude was beyond her, but it was clear love did strange things to people.
Talia just hoped Luke didn’t take offense when she told him about the attraction she felt from Mina when Ford had come into the room.
Just thinking about Mina and Ford together had a sour taste filling her mouth, and although it was so long ago and way before Talia was even in the picture, she couldn’t help but think about it.