I shook my head. “Your father was right. But I got my shit together. Graduated the academy, became a deputy.”

She held up a hand. “Wait. What does my father have to do with this?”

“He’s always hated me. You knew that.” I shrugged, remembering his harsh words. “I proved him wrong. Then you proved me wrong when you didn’t come to me after that first year of school.”

“You keep saying this. There was no way I’d come back to you after what you did. What I thought you did.” She set her hand on my chest, tipped her chin up, and blinked. “Why do I have to repeat myself? I thought you’d been with someone else, wanted her enough to make a child.” She wilted then, as if she’d been deflated like a balloon.

“Claire’s mine. How that came to be doesn’t matter.”

“It does to me!” She sighed, blinked hard as if willing tears back. “It took me a long time to get over you, Huck. I can’t go through that again.” She looked down at the ground.

I remembered that time like it was yesterday. Sarah and I had spent the night together in the back of my pickup. I’d driven us onto the back forty on the ranch by a creek. I’d packed a late-night picnic and made a bed of old blankets. She’d given herself to me that night. It had been perfect. Hot as fuck. Sarah had been sweet in her innocence. Sexy.

A few days later her father had met me at the door. Told me to call it off. Threatened Sarah’s college chances. So I’d walked.

That had been my wake-up call. The one thing that I wanted, I wasn’t worthy of. So I’d tried to make myself worthy of her. I’d made something of myself so she could be proud of me. So my parents would have as well. I’d even saved an infant from a fucked-up life. One look at the tiny, squirming blonde bundle and I’d known it was going to be me. I’d just hoped it would also be Sarah.

I squeezed her shoulders. “So last night. Why’d you do it?”

“I found that paper in Kale’s truck. Seeing it and learning the truth? I was so angry. All those years ago you made me think—”

“I didn’t make you think anything,” I countered. “You did it all by yourself. With your daddy’s help.”

“Don’t bring him into this.”

I agreed with her. Bill had pulled us apart before. I was thirty-fucking-two years old. I didn’t need to go through Sarah’s daddy to be with her any longer.

Pulling her into me, I leaned down and kissed her. I couldn’t be gentle, not now, not when I was desperate for her. My frustration and need, my longing and craving for this woman poured out of my kiss. I licked into her, remembered her taste. I tangled my fingers in her hair, and I angled her head as I wanted. I knew the second she gave over, her body all but melting into mine. I wrapped an arm around her to hold her up, pressed her curves into me.