Can't Let Go (19 page)

“We are
not
doing this. You can’t just come back now and-”

“Yes. I can.”

He covered her mouth with his and she let out a grunt. She tried to knee him in the groin but he anticipated that and slid her several inches off the ground so their mouths could align better and her kicks were useless.

She bucked and struggled. “Mitch
ell, get off!”

“Not until we settle this. You think after all I did to get you back I’m going to let you walk out on me again? I don’t think so, baby.”

He hauled her over one shoulder and she pummeled his lower back as he walked to her bedroom which was far enough away from Maggie and Evie that Grace wasn’t worried about waking them. Mitchell dropped her on the bed and she let out a grunt as she bounced. She tried to roll off the bed but Mitchell was on her in a flash. He hauled her to the middle of the bed, straddled her middle and pinned her hands over her head.

“You’re
not going to cut me out again. We’re getting married.”

She let out a harsh laugh. “Why should we get married when we fight whenever we’re togeth
er? We’re one of those couples ‘when it’s good, it’s great and when it’s bad it’s catastrophic’.”

She twisted in his hold but he kept changing his grip so no matter what she did, he was in control. She couldn’t even kick him because he was on her abdomen.

“I’m doing what’s best for Evie,” she yelled up at him. “And you’re not it! I need a guy who accepts my hang-ups and wants me anyway. It’s hard to change. Yeah, I didn’t tell you about my parents. You have no idea what it’s like to be ashamed of your own kin so don’t you dare judge me!”

“You’re right.”

“Don’t placate me!” she bellowed. “Go find a damsel in distress because I’m not it. I’ll never be that girl. Ever since I was old enough to understand that my mom didn’t care about me I learned to fend for myself and that won’t change so if you want to throw a fit because I won’t come to you with my problems- tough!”

His mouth curved and she wanted to claw it right off his face.

“This isn’t funny. Get off me and get out of my house!”

He leaned down and kissed her on the nose and jerked away hastily when she
head butt him. “That’s the nicest thing you’ve said to me.”

“
I’m not kidding, Mitchell.”

He leaned down and she stilled when she saw the heat in his eyes. “I lied when I said my lawyer told us to get married for
Evie’s sake. I used the opportunity to blackmail you. I can’t let you go.”

“You lied?”

He kissed her neck, holding her jaw when she tried to bite him. He sucked on the tendon in her neck and loved the way she squirmed beneath him.

“With everyone else I’m in control but with you I’m this idiotic, insecure idiot. I keep pushing you away because you make me so crazy I can’t even think straight. Every time I think you’re under control, I find out how wrong I am.” He pulled back to cup her face and risked her wrath when he pressed a kiss on her lips. “I want you safe. I want you at home waiting for me. I
f you want to quit the boutique so you can be a mom I’m all for that. I want you happy.”

“I’m not offering,” she hissed.

He nuzzled her neck and she shuddered when he stretched out over her and his body aligned with hers.

“There’s no one else for either of us. Now that
there’s no secrets between us maybe we can actually try trusting each other. There’s just you, me and Evie. That’s all we need. There’s no else for me and I won’t let you be with someone else so…”

Her voice was breathless as she said, “
This isn’t your choice.”

“
It isn’t?” He bit her shoulder and she jerked. “You should know I have no mercy when it comes to you. No matter where you live, I’ll be there. Evie’s going to call me dad and we’ll both pressure you to marry me.”

“Have you ever considered that we’re just not meant to be together?” she asked.

He pulled away so he could look into her eyes. “No.”

She look
ed away. “Let me up.”

“I love you
despite your hang ups. I love Evie. I’m sorry I left long enough for you to doubt that I’d come back. I want you to marry me not because of Evie but because you love me just as much as I love you.”

His voice was so compelling she could feel the wall around her heart melting.

“I hate that I love you,” she whispered as a tear leaked from the corner of her eye.

“God, I love when you talk like that.”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out her engagement ring. Her hand twisted in his when he threaded the ring back on her ring finger where it sparkled and enchanted.

“Grace, no one will ever
love you like I do. No one will have a chance. It’s me or no one so you better forgive me and marry me.”

He saw her hesitation and continued. He played his ace.

“You’ve never had a partner. You’ve always taken care of Casey and now Evie. Let me take care of you. Let me share the load. I can take it. I want to be your family. Will you let me?”             

“You can’t let go, can you?” she murmured.
             

He shook his head. “I can’t.”

“You would live in Texas?”

“I’ll live wherever you want.”

“I don’t want to raise Evie in the city. I may start another business-”

He cut her off with a hot kiss.

“I don’t care what you do as long as you don’t hold back from me,” he said against her lips. “And marry me.”

She reached up and kissed him. He whispered promises over her lips as he undressed her and claimed her. As she drifted to sleep with Mitchell wrapped around her, she stared out the bedroom window at the
Texas moon. She whispered a prayer and felt peace settle over her. For a a moment Grace thought she heard Casey cheer and smelled a hint of her sweet perfume as she drifted off to sleep with her ring winking in the moonlight and Mitchell wrapped around her.