Country Roads(126)

Julia waited, wishing her head wasn’t pounding in rhythm with her heartbeat.

“I came to take you on a motorcycle ride.” He was smiling at her in a strange way.

“You donated your motorcycle to the gala.”

“I bought it back.”

“Why?” She was hoping against hope.

He picked up a strand of her hair and wrapped it around his finger. “Remember you told me Darkside could change? And my brother could change? Well, I needed the motorcycle to convince you I could change.”

The door opened to admit Claire and Carlos, laden down with plates and glasses of juice. Julia growled in frustration. Paul winked and gave her hair one of the teasing tugs she loved so much. He let them fuss over her for a minute and then firmly ushered them back out, saying she would eat better with less distraction.

“I’m not eating until you finish,” she said, as he picked up a plate piled with hors d’oeuvres and brought it over to her.

“Okay,” he said, sitting down beside her and putting the plate on the end table. Her astonishment must have shown on her face because he said, “You see, I’ve changed.”

She was going to explode if he didn’t tell her what she wanted to hear. She grabbed the lapels of his jacket and shook them, making the leather creak. “Get to the point.”

His half smile evaporated, and she wondered if her hope was misplaced. She felt better when he took her hand and laced their fingers together.

“You told me I had to give Darkside and my brother a chance to be better people, or horses…you know what I mean.”

There was no sign of the smooth-talking former mayor now.

“I watched you ride that stallion and it took my breath away. You’d transformed him into the horse”—he shot her a humorous look—“he was meant to be. When he threw you, it felt like a betrayal of all that trust you’d given him.”

“He didn’t throw me. I fell off.”

He took a deep breath. “Right. He shied like any horse would. He wasn’t trying to hurt you.”

She nodded and squeezed his hand in approval. He looked at her, his face tight with the strain of whatever emotions he was reining in. “Today Eric ended up in the emergency room because he tangled with a swarm of bees and got multiple stings.”

“Oh no!” she gasped. “Is he okay?”

“He’s fine. Just itchy,” he added with a reminiscent smile. “Terri called me to ride to the rescue, but when I got there, Jimmy had already handled it. Better than I could, because he’d taken a first-aid course before their last camping trip. I’m not saying he doesn’t have serious issues to deal with, but he’s got a powerful reason to fix them. I’m just in the way.”

Julia touched his cheek. “Never.”

He turned his head to kiss her palm. “There are still some things to work out, but my brother doesn’t need a keeper anymore.”

Her heart leaped, but he didn’t pull her into his arms and declare his undying love.

“I was a real asshole yesterday,” he said, “and I owe you an apology…”

“I’m not interested in apologies,” she said.

“But—”

“Maybe later.”

He sat silent a moment before saying, “I brought the bike to prove I was done trying to make your decisions for you. If you say you’re cured of the epilepsy, then we’re going out on the hog. If you think that devil horse will let you control him, then I’ll pick you up when you fall off.”

He stopped and scanned her face, his silver-gray eyes dark with uncertainty. “And if you’re crazy enough to want to stay here in Sanctuary with me, then I hope like hell you’ll do it. Because if you don’t, I’m going to camp out on your doorstep in North Carolina until you change your mind.”

Now he pulled her into his arms, crushing her against him and murmuring into her hair, “I love you so much it nearly rips my heart out. Give me a second chance.”

Love and relief and exhaustion sent cascades of tears down her cheeks, and she burrowed into him. “I’ll give you all the chances you want,” she said, slipping her arms underneath his jacket so she could feel the heat of his body.

He unwrapped one of his arms to tilt her face up. “You’re crying,” he said with a frown.

“I thought I’d never see you again after tonight, and now, well, I hope—” She faltered to a stop because she’d been about to say she would get to spend the rest of her life with him.

“Now you’re stuck with me forever,” he finished for her before he brought his mouth down on hers, touching her lips gently at first but increasing the intensity as she responded. His hands began to move over her body, stroking the satiny fabric of her blouse so it slid sensually against her skin. She guided one of his hands to her breast.