by Donna Grant
But she didn’t want to leave. She’d known that for some time.
Once the story was finished, Brice said, “Hey, guys, it’s been a long couple of days. I’m going to take Naomi home.”
She smiled and waved goodbye as the three of them laughed and winked. Neither she nor Brice said anything until they were inside the truck. Both sat there silently staring at the sky streaked with pinks and yellows from the sunrise.
“You need to see your mom.”
Naomi nodded. “I know.”
“Yeah,” he said with a small frown.
When he’d said that he was taking her home, she had immediately thought his house. Not her mother’s. And she did want to see her mom, but she really wanted to be with Brice.
“Danny is going to want statements from us,” he said.
She glanced at Brice. “Right.”
“I can drive you when the time comes.”
“That would be nice.”
He started the engine and pulled out of the parking spot. She kept trying to find something to say that would keep them together, but he had responsibilities and a family he needed to return to just as she did.
They had been inseparable for days now, and she’d gotten used to that. She’d gotten used to him. His smile, his touch, his scent.
She decided to let him know that she wanted to see more of him when he pulled into her mother’s driveway. Then all her courage fled.
It had been so easy to say things to him at his house, but now, she couldn’t find the words. What was wrong with her? Why couldn’t she tell him that she had fallen in love with him?
She turned to him, ready to tell him everything when, suddenly, her door was yanked open, and her mother’s arms were around her.
Chapter 35
There had been few occasions in his life where Brice hadn’t known what action to take. Yet, now was one of those rare times. He softly ran the brush over his horse while his mind drifted, thinking about Naomi. It had only been five hours since he’d dropped her off, but it felt like five years.
They were good together. Great, actually.
While she might have said she was considering moving back to the area, she hadn’t yet. She had been forced into a situation that brought them together, but he hadn’t talked to her about what he wanted.
Now that the danger had passed, he wanted to give her some time with her mom and Whitney. But he ached to have her near. The sheer weight of the longing was crushing.
“Damn, man. You’ve got it bad.”
He turned his head at his brother’s voice and found Jace and Caleb leaning against a stall. Brice patted Jigsaw before giving him a good scratch behind the ears. “I’m surprised you aren’t at the hospital.”
Jace snorted loudly. “Cooper is driving everyone nuts trying to get out. I was either going to tie him to the bed or leave. I opted to come see the two of you.”
“There’s not much going on,” Caleb stated. “Clayton is doting on Abby, who grows more uncomfortable by the minute. Then there’s Brice, who has spent the last several hours out here pining for Naomi.”
“Thinking,” Brice corrected.
Jace lifted a shoulder in a shrug. “What is there to think about? You want her. She wants you.”
“It’s not that simple.” Brice walked from the stall and shut it behind him. “Naomi doesn’t live here.”
Caleb shook his head as his lips flattened. “Sometimes you can be so dense.”
Brice made his way past them to the tack room where he put away the brush. “I’m not just going to let her go. I plan to … do something.”
“Then what are you waiting for?” Jace asked from the doorway.
Brice faced his brother and friend. “I don’t know.”
“Don’t wait,” Clayton said from behind Caleb. “That was my mistake.”
Brice walked out of the tack room and faced the three of them. “I don’t know what to say to her.”
“Sure you do,” Caleb said. “So get to it.”
Jace let out a sigh and looked at Clayton. “Now that that’s settled, I was wondering what there might be to eat?”
Clayton laughed as the two pivoted and strode to the back door.
Brice swung his gaze to his brother. “I’ve been trying to talk to you for a few days now.”
“I know,” Caleb said and kicked the toe of his boot into the earth. “I wasn’t ready to hear any of it.”
“Are you now?”
Caleb’s brown eyes met his. “I’d rather you go see Naomi, but I’m going to listen anyway.”
“Good.” Brice ran a hand over his jaw. “First, I want to apologize. I should’ve talked to you before I did anything with the ranch. I didn’t realize until Naomi made a comment that my actions stemmed from Mom leaving.”
Caleb’s gaze moved out the barn doors. “Being abandoned by a parent leaves a deep scar.”
“Yeah, well, I thought I was over it. Turns out, I’d only buried my emotions. For years, we’ve talked about owning our own place. It was something I began seriously considering a year ago. I talked to a realtor, and when the ranch came available, I jumped on it. I didn’t even tell Abby until it was all done.”
His brother’s gaze met his briefly. “I know.”
“I put the ranch in both of our names. I even used the business name you came up with.”
There was a smile on Caleb’s lips when he turned his head to Brice. “The Rockin’ H.”
“The paperwork is in and waiting to be signed by both of us. I was going to surprise you with all of this. I thought I was doing both of us a favor. It wasn’t until Naomi that I realized I’d done it by myself in case you no longer wanted to go into business together.”
Caleb’s frowned as he stared aghast at him. “You thought I’d back out? For the past twelve years, this has been our dream. Why do you think I got so pissed? We should have been looking at places together, with both of our money buying it. I thought you were going out on your own.”
“Never,” Brice said. “I was protecting myself, is all. I messed up, and I’m sorry.”
“Ah, hell. How can I stay pissed now?” Caleb asked with a grin.
Brice pulled his younger brother in for a hug. When he glanced at the house, he saw Clayton and Abby at the window watching them.
Caleb clapped him on the back and stepped away. “Mom leaving really fucked us all up. I thought Abby was past it, but every once in a while, I hear Clayton reassuring her that he’s not going anywhere.”
“What about you? I buried my issues, or at least I’m in the process. Have you?”
“Naw,” Caleb said with a shake of his head. “They’re with me all the time.”
That made Brice frown. “You never say anything.”
“Why? What’s done is done. We can’t change Mom leaving. We three dealt with the carnage she left behind. Hell, Brice, we’re still dealing with it.”
“We shouldn’t have to. It’s time we put that behind us.”
Caleb shot him a wide smile. “You’re right. Now, enough about this shit. Go to Naomi and tell her you love her.”
“I think I will,” he replied with a grin.
Brice waved to his sister and brother-in-law as he hurried to his truck and drove away. His excitement in seeing Naomi again pushed out all thoughts, so he was no closer to knowing what he wanted to say to her by the time he pulled up to her house.
He climbed out of the truck, his mind racing with thoughts of how to tell her. Then he spotted her walking from around the back of the house, and his mind went blank. The minute she saw him, her face split into a welcoming smile.
Without hesitation, he strode to her, his heart thumping wildly.
“Hey,” she said. “What’s—”
He silenced her with a fiery kiss. Having her in his arms again calmed the storm that had begun to rage inside him. She sank against him, moaning softly as she responded to his kiss.
Tearing his lips from hers before his desire pushed
him to take her right then, he pressed his forehead against hers and looked into her eyes. “I love you. You’re … everything to me, Naomi. With you, I’m able to face my past and see my future. I want you to be a part of that future. I need you to be a part of it. This is what I was going to tell you yesterday morning. It’s what I should have already told you.”
Her chestnut gaze held his. “I love you.”
“I know you don’t live here. I don’t know how a long-distance relationship works, but I’ll do it. As long as I have you.” When she smiled up at him, he blinked. “Wait. What did you say?”
Naomi chuckled and pressed her lips to his in a soft kiss. “I said, I love you.”
He closed his eyes as joy spread through him, making his knees weak.
“As for the long-distance relationship. It won’t work.”
His eyes snapped open as he lifted his head to look at her. “What? Why? I’ll do whatever it takes.”
She put a finger to his lips to silence him. “It’s not going to be an issue because I’m moving back.”
“You’re going to be the death of me, darlin’,” he said with a grin as he lifted her so that she wrapped her legs around his waist.
“I suppose you’re Brice Harper?” a woman said.
Naomi rolled her eyes. “Mom!”
Brice looked to the front door, where a woman with dark blond hair cut in a bob stood smiling at them with two black eyes and a face discolored by her beating. He set Naomi down and tipped his hat to her. “Mrs. Pierce.”
“We can chat later,” Diana said as she smiled at Naomi. “Y’all go have fun.”
Brice watched as Naomi ran to his truck and got into the driver’s seat. When she started up the vehicle, he hurried to the passenger side and climbed in. “Where are we going?”
“To have some fun,” Naomi replied with a wicked grin.
Within minutes, he figured out that she was heading to his ranch. “I told Caleb everything.”
“And he’s good with it?”
“Yep.” Brice put his arm along the back of the seat and stared at her.
She glanced at him. “Do we have enough food? I don’t want to leave the bed once we’re in it.”
“I could have Caleb bring some over if we run out.”
“No interruptions.”
He nodded. “Good point. I want you all to myself.”
When she finally pulled into the drive, Brice unbuckled their seatbelts. She threw the vehicle into park and turned off the ignition before hurrying out of the truck. He quickly followed, chasing her into the house. Brice caught her at the base of the stairs and pulled her against him for a hungry kiss. Their laughter died as they stumbled up the stairs and straight to the bed.
He’d found a home, a new business, and the love of a woman who would stand beside him in the years to come. The gnawing within him to keep searching for something was finally quiet.
Because he had the ultimate prize—Naomi.
Epilogue
Three days later …
Naomi walked from the sheriff’s station with Brice’s arm around her. They had given their statements, but it was discovering that bail had been denied for both Raymond and Larry that had them smiling.
“Hospital?” Brice asked.
She nodded as they got into his truck and headed to see Whitney. Naomi wanted to update the Nolans as well as check on her friend.
The two days she and Brice had taken for themselves had been the best of her life. Between bouts of making love, they talked about everything, watched a few movies, read, and ate. It had been relaxing and just what they needed after the stress of before.
They sat naked in his office, eating ice cream and deciding where furniture would go. They looked at horses he considered buying, and searched for a mount for her. Though, in truth, she really wanted London. She and the horse had a connection.
Naomi glanced at Brice and smiled. They were closer now in mind and spirit, as well as body. She knew there would be struggles that came their way, but there was no one she would rather have beside her than her very own cowboy.
As soon as they entered the hospital, Caleb, Jace, and Cooper were waiting for them.
“She’s awake,” Caleb said.
Naomi didn’t need to ask who he was talking about. She rushed to the elevator and impatiently waited for it to take them to the floor and then waited impatiently some more to get through the ICU staff.
Finally, she walked through the doorway of Whitney’s room. Her friend’s gaze swung to her. Immediately, they both started crying. Naomi hurried to her and carefully took her hand.
“They told me everything that happened,” Whitney said, motioning to her parents.
Naomi wiped at her tears. “I told you I wouldn’t let you down.”
“I’m so glad you came back for a visit. Without you, I might still be stuck in that nightmare.”
“Well,” Naomi said and looked over her shoulder at Brice, who remained at the door. “You’ll get to see a lot more of me. I’m moving home.”
Whitney’s smile was huge as she glanced at Brice. “I told you he was a good one.”
Naomi licked her lips. “I’m going to be here beside you through it all.”
“I know. I’m not scared, though. After all of this, I know I will walk again. And one day, I’ll be back on a horse. I have the strength to face anything now.”
“You’ve always been strong. You just forgot.”
Tears fell down Whitney’s face as she beamed up at her. “And you helped me remember.”
“Naomi,” Brice said anxiously from the doorway. “Clayton just brought Abby in. She’s having the baby.”
“Go,” Whitney urged with a laugh.
Naomi waved to the Nolans. “I’ll be back with news of the newest East addition,” she promised.
Then she took Brice’s hand as they hurried to the maternity ward where Caleb, Jace, and Cooper were already waiting. The next few hours crawled by before Clayton finally came out to see them.
He wore scrubs and looked as if ten years had been taken off his life. “The baby got stuck. They had to do an emergency C-section.”
“Is Abby all right?” Brice asked.
Clayton slowly nodded. “She’s resting now, but there was a point where the doctor said she might not make it. But Abby pulled through.”
“Abby wouldn’t leave you or the kids,” Caleb said.
Naomi held Brice’s hand tighter. “And the baby?”
“A girl,” Clayton said proudly. “We’re naming her Hope.”
Jace slapped Clayton on the back. “Congratulations.”
Naomi hugged Clayton and asked, “What do you need us to do?”
“Get ready to babysit,” he said with a smile.
They all laughed before Clayton took them to see little Hope. As Naomi stood between Brice and Caleb and they looked at the newest edition to the East family, she couldn’t help but think about having kids running around the ranch and teaching them to ride.
“How many do you want?” Brice asked in her ear.
She looked at him. “I don’t know. You?”
He shrugged. “I never really thought about it.”
“Well,” Caleb said. “I think you two better.”
Clayton chuckled, though he didn’t take his eyes away from his little girl. Finally, he turned to Naomi. “Abby will be pleased to hear that Brice got his head out of his ass and talked to you. The two of you are prefect for each other.”
She glanced at Brice. “Thank you.”
“I’m going to buy Abby a ton of flowers for when she wakes,” Clayton said and walked away.
Caleb winked through the glass at the young nurse tending the babies. “I gotta get back to the ranch and get Wynter and Brody fed before I bring them up here to meet their new sister. You two be good,” he said before he left, as well.
“Wait for me,” Jace said as he hurried after Caleb.
Naomi leaned against Brice when he put his arm
around her and then they slowly walked down the corridor. “What do you want to do now?”
“Take you back to the house.” He kissed the side of her head.
“I need to head to DC in a couple of days to get everything packed up.”
“Yeah, about that. Why don’t we go together? I can help you, and we can drive the U-Haul back.”
She faced him when they reached the elevators. “I was hoping you’d offer.”
“I don’t think I’ve officially asked, but will you move in with me?”
She wound her arms around his neck. “Hm. I don’t know. I mean, I’d see you every day. We’d have meals together and sleep beside each other.”
“That’s very true,” he said with a nod. “But think about the darkroom. It’s already set up for you.”
“Oh, good point.”
“Does that sway you?”
She shrugged, her lips twisting ruefully. “Not really.”
“How about if I tell you that I can’t live without you?”
Her brows rose as she grinned. “That’s helping.”
“What if I say that I love you more than anything?”
She bit her lip, her eyes going briefly to the ceiling. “Yep. That pretty much does it.”
Brice’s face split into a wide grin as he bent and kissed her. The elevator dinged, and the doors opened. She and Brice stepped aside as Shane walked out, holding hands with Beverly Barnes.
Beverly smiled at them while Shane tipped his hat to Naomi. Then he shot Brice a bright smile.
“I’ll be damned,” Brice murmured as the couple sauntered away.
“I’m happy for them,” Naomi said as they hurried into the elevator before the doors closed.
Brice punched the button for the ground floor and took her hand. “Ready for whatever is to come?”
“Very. Thanks for coming to my rescue.”
“I’ll always be here for you.”
She faced him and gazed into his blue eyes. “I love you, Brice Harper.”
“Ah, darlin’, you stole my heart when I saw you in the stands. I’ve been yours ever since.”
The doors opened, and they stepped away, hand-in-hand as they walked from the hospital into a future as bright and exciting as the sun.