“I used to enjoy the challenges there, but now I’ve found something that I love more.” When she gaped at him, he leaned closer and added in a stage whisper, “I’m talking about you.”
Oh, no. Her heart hammered. Her knees felt weak all of a sudden. She dropped onto the loose board he’d lined up across the joists. “You can’t quit, Mac.”
He sat down next to her. “Why not?”
“Because you … because I … you can’t quit.” She frowned at him. “Listen, if this is because of us living apart like we have been, I’ll move to Tucson with you.”
He took her hand, lacing his fingers through hers. “Are you worried about money?”
“Of course not.” Money was the farthest thing from her concerns about him quitting his job.
“Then why would you give up your family and this,” he held his hand out, indicating the RV park, “for my job?”
She looked into his eyes, wanting to be crystal clear about her reason. “Because I want you to be happy.”
“Who says I can’t be happy here?”
She scoffed. “You’ll get bored at the campground.”
“Then I’ll get a job.”
“Doing what?”
He shrugged. “I’ll figure it out.” His gaze held hers. “Are you thinking that I’ll smother you if we live together on a more permanent basis?”
She shook her head. “You didn’t smother me when we lived together in Tucson.”
They’d spent several months living together there before Claire had returned to the RV park where she felt much more in her element. City life fit her like one of those latex S&M outfits—tight in the wrong creases and chafing her in the right ones. Not to mention the drooling problem with the ball gag.
She pulled his hand into her lap. “I just don’t understand why you would consider moving here? Jackrabbit Junction doesn’t have many walls to be built.”
He shrugged. “Maybe I’ll add one or two around the RV park.”
“What if you grow bored out here in the middle of nowhere? Worse yet, what if you grow bored of me?”
“You’ll keep things interesting, Slugger. You always do with things like finding hidden treasures, trespassing around loaded shotguns, wearing sexy tight T-shirts, exploring creepy old childhood houses, falling down mine shafts … and did I mention your sexy T-shirts?”
She laughed. “I think we need to go back to Joe’s old house.”
“No.”
“Mac.”
“Maybe, but we’re waiting until I live here full time.”
“Deal.”
He searched her face, sobering. “Is there any other reason you don’t want me to quit my job?”
“Like what?”
“Something to do with your fear of commitment? Because if that’s worrying you, stop. I’m not going to pressure you into anything more than sleeping with me on a nightly basis.”
Oddly enough, none of her previous commitment anxieties were even on her radar. “Committing to sleeping with you every night gives me no qualms whatsoever, Mac.”
“Good,” he said. “Because having you next to me is one of the things I miss most when we’re apart.”
The tenderness in his eyes made her want to swing her legs. She shot him a shy smile. “Where are we going to live?”
“I was considering your grandfather’s Winnebago for the first few weeks so that we’d have our own space, but that’s off the table now. I guess we’ll have to sleep in Ruby’s spare room until we figure out something else.”
“What are you going to do with your house in Tucson?”
“Sell it.”
“But you worked so hard on that house.” He’d put a lot of sweat equity into making it beautiful, both inside and out.
“We can build another house together.”
She lifted his hand, rubbing the back of it against her cheek. Another cloud passed over her sunshiny moment. “What if you realize in six months that you hate living here?”
He smiled as she kissed his knuckles. “Then we can talk about other options. But I’m ninety-nine percent certain that with you here, sweetheart, it’s not going to happen.”
“But if I wasn’t in the picture, you would never—”
“But you are in the picture.” He pulled their joined hands into his lap, rubbing his thumb over hers. “Claire, I want to do this. For me. For us. You were willing to travel with me for my job if I asked. I’m willing to try this instead for our future.”
“You’re crazy,” she said, her throat tight with emotion.
“No, your sister is crazy. I’m just in love with my aunt’s handywoman.”
Mac was moving to Jackrabbit Junction. No more sad good-byes, no more worrying about him traveling back and forth from Tucson, no more lonely nights away from him.
“I love you to the moon and back, you know,” she said, leaning her head on his shoulder. “Are you sure you’re ready to put up with my sisters day and night?”
“Day only. At night it’s you and me.” He snorted. “And my aunt and cousin. And your grandfather.”
“Don’t forget my mom and Manny.”
He groaned, grimacing up at the sky. “You know what? I think I just changed my mind about quitting.”
She laughed. “I’ll make it up to you.”
He turned to look down at her, lowering his mouth to hers. “Deal.” His kiss was slow and soft. Her head spun by the time he pulled away. “It’s going to be a long two weeks on the job,” he whispered, his lips trailing to her earlobe.
“I’ll come back with you and stay until you’re all done.”
He leaned back, his eyebrows raised. “Really?”
She nodded. “I can pack for you while you’re at work.”
“Okay. We’ll have to get a storage unit in Yuccaville. Rent a moving truck.”
She smiled and swung her legs. “I’m so glad you’re coming here to stay. I hate saying good-bye to you.”
His focus returned to her earlobe, making her shiver with the brush of his lips. “Slugger?”
“Hmmm?”
“I have one more thing to talk to you about,” he said in her ear.
Her legs stilled. “What now?”
“How do you feel about buying a bar together?”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Once upon a time, Kate Morgan was sane.
Unfortunately,
