“So let me get this straight,” she made finger quotes in the air, “Doctor Jeffery Scott is looking for a butt ugly woman with zero personality, no skills, and no goals, right?” She leaned forward. “Do those even exist anymore?” “Not that I know of. I think he hates the competition. He may have to start cruising the feed stores and bait shops to find some babe with overalls and a crew cut. That might suit him.”

“She's a parasite I can't seem to get rid of. Like a bad case of financial diarrhea.”

“I loved you before you took your first breath and will continue until I take my last.”

“Tell me something,” he said in a low voice.“Anything,” I answered.“What’s it like to have every breath count?”I sat up and braced myself on my hand. “I’m not following what you mean,” I answered.Jess pulled himself up and propped his hands behind him. He looked out at the water as if he were seeing something from his past. “To live life as if it’s your last breath. To know that any minute could be the final one and that you have to make the most of what’s given to you. To know not everything is forever.”I could see the defined muscles in his arm, but what caught my attention the most was the bottom half of the symbol just under the sleeve of his shirt. Like before, I reached my finger and traced the snake resting on the stem. Sliding his sleeve higher, I followed upward toward the pedals of the black rose.“It bothers you, doesn’t it? The fact that you’re constantly reminded of...” I couldn’t finish what I wanted to say. I didn’t want to hurt him.He looked over his shoulder, and I stopped what I was doing to look up at him. “Yeah, it bothers me. But you know what bothers me even more? You’re not like me. You can take a final breath.”

“She turned to go back inside the livery stable. The excitement with which she’dentered it less than an hour earlier had been replaced by heavy-hearted dread. She didn’t want to see Jim right now, or even think of him and the ramifications of their impossiblerelationship.He waited for her only a few yards from the door, leaning against Lady’s stall and scratching her forelock. When Catherine approached, he raised his eyebrows.“Nathan won’t tell.” She pressed a finger to her lips. “We’re safe.”Jim stood there a moment, his expression unreadable. He took a tentative step toward her, pointed to her and himself and twined his fingers together with another questioningtilt of his brows.“I don’t know.” She shook her head. “I don’t know if we’re together or not. I simply don’t know. Please don’t ask me this tonight. I need some time to think.”His gaze was riveted on her lips, then her eyes. He seemed calm, but she noticed tension in his jaw and neck, signs she’d learned to read to tell her when he was upset or angry. She wished she could give him a better answer, could tell him what he wanted tohear, but to say “I love you and want to be with you” would be a lie right now. Her conflicting emotions were tearing her apart.Walking over to him, she tilted her face up and kissed him on the cheek. “I’m sorry,”she whispered near his ear so he couldn’t see her words. “I don’t mean to keep hurting you. I want to love you, but I’m afraid. You don’t understand what a huge thing you’reasking of me.”She stepped back, gave him a small smile, and gestured toward the door. “I have to go now. It’s late. But I’ll try to see you soon.”He nodded, but the hopeful light had gone out of his eyes.”

“When she’d finished, she cut the thread with a pair of scissors, patted the wound once more and stepped back. “Better.”“No bandage?”She shook her head. “No bandage. Need air.”“All right. I guess you’re the doctor.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her onto his lap. Even in the midst of inflicting pain she’d aroused his lust. “Don’t I get a reward for being a good patient?”“I don’t understand.” She delivered the all-purpose phrase he’d taught her.“Reward. A kiss.”The grooves in her cheeks flashed as her lips turned up. “Yes, you need a kiss.” And she bent her head to give him one.”

“I hate you. You are the reason fungus exists. You are the slime that grows in swamps that even acid can’t break down—”“How long do you plan to keep this up, Rhubarb?”“Why?”“Because I was going to hail down a bottle of beer and I figured you might get thirsty having your mouth open so much.”“Make it a white wine and I’ll keep it short.”“No, you won’t, but it might slow you down. Be right back.”