“I didn’t want you to resent me or to wonder what your life would have been like if you’d had a chance to live on your own. And I guess that part of me thought you deserved better than me.”
“Better than you? There is no one better than you.” He was the best man she’d ever met. Hands down.
He gave her a small smile. “I’m just a simple man, honey. I live a simple life. And you have all this.”
He swept his hand around.
“What do you mean? This house? Bear, this is a gorgeous house but it’s not a home. A home is with the people you love, right? And I love you.”
He grew still. “You do?”
She sucked in a breath. She knew it would decimate her if he didn’t feel the same but she had to tell him. “Yes, I love you, Bear.”
He leaned in and kissed her lightly. “That’s good. Since I love you more than I ever thought was possible.”
Happiness filled her, making her feel a little lightheaded. Then she started to wonder about what exactly that meant for them. “What happens now? Where do we go from here?”
“That depends on you, baby girl. You can stay living here. I won’t be able to see you every day because of my job, but you can be damn sure that I will be calling and texting often. You tend to get into trouble when you’re unsupervised.”
Trouble? What trouble? “I do not!”
“Uh-huh. You told me twice that you would go to the doctor.” He gave her a disapproving look.
“Oh, that.” She bit her lip.
“Yes, that.”
She squirmed slightly then winced as her body protested the movement. “I didn’t have much money and I’ve just started working at the diner and I…”
“Yes?”
“I guess maybe I was hoping you would text me to check that I’d been and then when you found out I hadn’t been you would come to see me.” It was humiliating to admit and when she looked up into his face, he looked just as stern as before.
“So, you were trying to manipulate me?”
“No! Well, maybe a little bit. I just wanted to see you.” Okay, so the plan was a little juvenile.
“And you didn’t think to just ask me to come see you?” he asked.
That would have been the mature way to handle things. But she’d felt so unsure of herself, of him and she guessed she hadn’t been brave enough to try. “I’m sorry. It was a silly way to handle things, but I just wasn’t sure what your response would be.”
He sighed. “We’re a pair of idiots.”
She gave him a hopeful look. “Does that mean you won’t punish me for not going to the doctor?”
“Oh, no, you’re getting your butt roasted. After the doctor has given the okay, that is. I won’t ever be lenient with you when it comes to your health, little girl.”
She stared at him in horror. “You’re not going to ask him if you can spank me, will you?”
He grinned. “We have our own doctor out at the ranch. He won’t bat an eyelid over me asking that.” He grew sober. “I hope I didn’t bring these migraines on when I spanked you at the cabin.”
“You didn’t bring them on. To be honest, I’m not sure what triggers them. I’m also having a little problem with my vision.”
He glared down at her. “Little girl, you are in such trouble. What problems?”
She shrugged. “When I try to read, the words tend to dance around a bit, maybe it’s because of the concussion?”
He muttered something under his breath.