That stalled her feet. "Really?"
"Really. Now come sit here beside me." He'd rather have her on his lap—or under him—
but that would have to wait a few days.
She hitched up onto the gurney beside him, flattening a hand to his forehead with a cool, gentle touch. "You feel okay, but—"
"Trust me to know what I am, and right now I'm a man in love with a woman. I'm a man who's finally found the woman he wants to build a life with. And most of all, I'm a man who's damned determined to win her over."
"That's really beautiful, but..." She swayed toward him with a trembly smile that boded well for the rest of what he had to say.
Ooh-rah. The gunshot wound didn't sting nearly as much with Paige's smile to distract him.
"Shush. No more 'but this' or 'but that.'" He pressed a finger to her mouth. "I'm also a guy in a lot of pain. The quicker you let me have my say, the sooner I can have some serious drugs."
That hushed her right up.
"When a man's as close to death as that, priorities line up cleanly. I love you and I love that little girl of yours, who I hope you'll let be my daughter someday. Nothing but the two of you matter."
"I don't want you to be sorry—"
He pressed a finger to her lips again. "Pain meds. Need them soon. Remember?" He circled her lips and dreamed of kissing that luscious mouth for the rest of their lives. "I want to build a family with you and Kirstie, and I want you both to be happy. And yes, that's a marriage proposal, hopefully more articulate than the one I delivered when you walked in. I'd like things to happen fast, but I'm completely cool with a long engagement if you need time."
Pausing, he flinched at the notion of months without her in his home more than from any pull to stitches. "Maybe not totally cool with a wait, but I'll handle it because I realize you have a lot to settle. I can wait as long as you say you love me, too."
Her eyes wide and glinting with tears, she stared back at him. Happy tears? Sad tears?
Pissed-off tears? Sheesh, he considered himself good at reading women, but this one—
the one who mattered—left him mystified.
He rolled out the plan he'd made somewhere around the time Anderson's bullet nailed his arm, reminding him what a dumb-ass he would be if he lost Paige. "I can move to North Dakota, find a flying job here, or a teaching job, and I can join the reserves. I'll still wear the uniform. I'll still be able to serve."
Moving his finger away from her mouth, he allowed himself the pleasure of a slow stroke that sent her eyes as dazed as he felt before his hand fell onto her soft thigh. Bo waited for her answer, his whole heart on the line.
"No," she whispered.
No?
And he'd thought he was bleeding to death out at the Anderson place. The pain from his gunshot wound didn't come close to this. He forced himself to stop, think, not explode.
"Mind if I ask why?"
"Wait." She blinked, the fogged look clearing from her chocolate-brown eyes. Her hands rested against his chest, heating through the thin hospital gown. "You misunderstood. I'm not saying no to you, just to your solution. You don't have to do this for me."
He swallowed down the relief that threatened to choke off words. Way to go, charmer. "I want to—"
"Shush." She laid a finger against his mouth, tracing, teasing. And best of all, smiling.
"My turn now, if you want to get those painkillers."
Damn, but he looked forward to climbing out of the hospital bed and crawling into hers.
Soon.
"This past year has been more difficult than anything I could have ever expected. I thought everything would heal if I left it all behind. But facing it with you made me realize the problem wasn't from a place, it was inside me. You helped me heal and stop hiding." Her smile softened the tired lines around her eyes. "Kirstie and I want to be with you."
"In Charleston?"