She shook her head, her hand going to the back of Libby’s head as she stroked the little girl’s soft curls. Her eyes closed and for a moment she looked utterly beautiful, just like a Madonna in a painting. “Like I said in the past, I just get attached easily. It’s not you; it’s me.”

Now he was getting confused. “I like that about you.”

“Yeah, well, it’s hell when someone breaks up with you.” She opened her eyes and a fat tear rolled down her cheek. “I’m sorry I came by earlier. I didn’t get the hint. I get it now. I won’t bother you anymore.”

Wait.

She thought she was bothering him?

Did she . . . think he was here to break up with her? For good?

Ah hell, he was just messing all of this up. Hank rubbed his beard, frustrated. The sound of both of them crying was killing him, so he did the only thing he could think of to stop it. He was no good with words—that much was obvious. Better to just show her. Mutely, he pulled the ring box out of his pocket while she rocked his daughter in her arms, soothing her.

Then he dropped to one knee in front of Becca and held the ring box out.

She froze, her eyes going wide. After a long moment, she sniffed, confusion on her face. “I think I missed something.”

“I miss you,” he said bluntly.

Her lips formed a circle of surprise.

She wasn’t saying anything, though, so he continued. He had to get it all out before she changed her mind about him. Before she decided she was better off without him in her life. “I miss you so much that it makes my entire body ache,” he continued. “I miss hearing your laughter. I miss your smile and I miss the smell of your hair and I miss the way you push your cold feet between my legs when we’re sleeping together. I know I scared you off because I said I wanted to go back to Alaska, but I don’t want to go there if you’re not going to be with me. I want to be where you are, because that’s the place that makes me happy.”

Becca swiped at her eyes, gazing at him from over Libby’s head. “But you said—”