I know if I lie here one minute longer, the tears are going to start, so I jump up and start pulling on my clothes. It’s broad daylight, and normally I’d be self-conscious about showing off my extra padding on my stomach or my rounded hips. But right now, I don’t care. I just know I have to get out of here.
I feel terrible. Horrible. I want to kick myself for what I’ve done. “I need to leave,” I tell him.
He’s trying to stop me, pulling on his pants and walking after me as fast as he can, but I just pick up the pace and keep moving.
I untether Legacy and climb up in the saddle. I urge the horse to go with a little nudge to the side, and as soon as he starts to move, the tears start to fall. And I don’t even try to stop them.
15
Jason
She’s riding faster than she should be, but luckily, I’m better by far than she is, and I overtake her horse. As I cut her off, I take hold of her reins. “What were you thinking pulling a dangerous stunt like that? Why are you crying?”
“It’s nothing. Can we please go?”
“Karly, no, we can’t just go. After what we just shared I’m not letting you take off like that. What happened? What’s going on in that head of yours?”
She sniffles and is wiping her tear-stained face. “I feel guilty taking advantage of you the way I did.”
“You what?” I ask, surprised. “You took advantage of me?”
She won’t look at me, but at least she’s talking. “Yes, you were so thankful for me helping you. I don’t know. You’re my patient.”
“Was your patient. Was. I’m not your patient anymore, and there’s no way you took advantage of me.”
I’m steaming mad because we’ve only met not that long ago, but it seems that we have a real problem with communication. I’m mad, but I try not to let it show in my voice. “I taught you to ride a horse because of my gratitude, but I didn’t kiss you and have sex with you as a thank you. I did it because I want to be with you. I want you to want to be with me because I’m in love with you. I have been since you called me on my half-assed workout and challenged me to be a better man.”
“You hated me, though.”
“I didn’t. That day I was an ass, I overheard three doctors talking about asking you out. I couldn’t compete, Karly. I was jealous, and I thought the best thing to do was to push you away.”
She finally looks at me. “Jason, you’re better than all three of them put together.”
I climb down off my horse and walk around to her, helping her down. As soon as her feet hit the ground, I have my arms around her, and I’m holding her close. “I’ll probably never be the man you deserve, Karly, but I’m going to work every day to try and be just that. Yeah, you’re too good for me and deserve better, but I can’t lose you. I love you.”
She puts her chin on my chest and looks up at me. “I love you too. I’ve been so upset knowing I had to leave you soon.”
I shake my head. “You’ll never leave me again, honey. Your place is here with me. We’ll work out everything else. All that matters is this. You and me.”
She kisses me, and I can feel her smile as she pulls away. “I’m in love with you too. I didn’t want to be—it’s so against the rules—but I couldn’t help it. Jason, I’m crazy about you.”
I’m smiling again, and now so is she.
Epilogue
Karly
I’ve never been prouder than I am on the arm of Jason at the wedding of his brother Trent to Lacy. When I saw him standing at the front with his brothers, I could almost feel the pride about to burst out of my chest.
I’m having a blast and can’t believe how far Jason’s come with his healing. He’s dancing and very good at it.
Even though it’s a dance the groomsmen are supposed to do on their own, they all come out and grab their dates. I feel bad for the other girls because the best man chose me, but as I look at the other couples dancing, I realize we each feel the same way about the guy we are each dancing with. Of course, Trent and Lacy are a breathtaking bride and groom. Olivia and Derick are holed up in the corner, no doubt waiting to be able to make an escape. The sheriff had to come in his uniform, but he made it, and Carrie is absolutely stunning as she smiles up at him. Chrissy and Bart are barely swaying to the music, and I see him whisper something to her that causes her to blush. Then Rose and Brody are holding their baby in their arms between them as they sway to the music. Over the course of the last few weeks, I’ve met all of Jason’s family and their friends, and they’ve already started treating me as if I’m part of the family.