“He found her not even a block away from the house, sitting on a curb.As he approached, he saw her wiping her face with her forearm.Sabine was...crying? "What are you doing out here, cwena?" Over the past week, Rydstrom had been pleased when she'd worried about him, and gratified when she'd felt the sting of jealousy. Was he a terrible man to hope she was crying about him?She glared at him with her bottom lip quivering, allowing him to see her like this instead of using a mask. "I d-don't have anywhere else to g-go." Another swipe of her forearm over her eyes. "Lanthe's gone, and I c-can't get to her for six days. And I'm in a strange t-town and land, and Vrekeners are everywhere."Sabine hadn't even mentioned what they'd just gone through-"And you br-broke up with me!" she said, her tears falling faster. "Is that supposed to make me happy?""Come inside, Sabine.""No! You t-told me not to." She sniffled, "You don't want me at your house."He swooped her up in his arms. "Will you shut up?" With his free hand, he brushed her tears. "I made it ten minutes before I came after you.”

“Baby don't do this." He whispered the words. Why did he thought if she cried she'd feel better? It was too much, too much sorrow for her. He pulled her beneath him, lying over her, somehow trying with his body to protect her from the ggrief.She came awake, her eyes wide, black. Swimming with tears. "Nicholas? What is it?" He touched his face, the lines of worry there."You're crying, honey. I thought it would be good for you to cry, but not like this, not in your sleep where I can't share it with you.""I can't be crying." Dahlia wiped at the tears on her face with a kind of horror. "I never cry.""You are crying.""I can't stop." She looked desperate. "Make me stop, Nicholas, Make it stop.”

“Tell me you don't love me."Laurel's mouth moved, but she said nothing."Tell me," he said, his voice sharp and demanding. "Tell me David is all you need or want in your life." His face was closer to her, his soft breath caressing her face. "That you never think of me when you're kissing him. That you don't dream about me the way I dream about you.Tell me you don't love me."She looked up at him,desperation consuming her. Her mouth felt dry, parched, and the words she tried to force out wouldn't come."You can't even say it," he said, his arms pulling her in now instead of holding her steady. "Then love me, Laurel. Just love me!”

“Shy burst out laughing. When he quit, he saw she was smiling up at him.and it hit him.All of it.Waking up to her. Going to bed with her. Making love to her. Eating with her. Laughing with her. Kissing her. Going shopping with her, and when she was in a store and wandering away, he saw her looking over the racks, looking for him, and when he came to her at her back, she'd turned to him, looking lost, and leaned into him the second he got there, suddenly found.Jesus, he had it.All of it."I never dreamed any fuckin' dream," he whispered, and the smile faded from her face as tears filled her eyes.She understood him."Shy-""Didn't dream it, saw it, waited my time, and then you gave it to me.""Shy," her voice broke on his name.He looked into her blue eyes swimming with tears, feeling her fingers digging into his shoulders, her weight in his lap, the smell of her hair, the taste of her still on his tongue.Yes, he fucking had it.When he was twelve he lost it.Now he had it again.All of it.Everything.”

“Wyatt." She tore it open and stood there, drinking him in.Just the sight of him had her heart doing a happy dance in her chest."Don't throw me out." He lifted a hand. "I come in peace.With food."When she didn't say a word he added, "Pizza.With all your favorite toppings.Sausage, mushrooms, green...""Well,then." To hide the unexpected tears that sprang to her eyes,she turned away quickly. "Since you went to so much trouble,you may as well come in.""It was no trouble.I just rode a hundred miles on my Harley,fought my way through the smoke screen at the Fortune Saloon,had to fend off Daffy's attempts to have her way with me, and discovered that I'd left my wallet back at the ranch,which meant I had to sign away my life before Vi would turn over this pizza,wine,and dessert. But hey, no trouble at all.It's the sort of thing I do nearly every day."He followed her to the kitchen, where he set down the pizza box and a brown bag.He glanced over at the stove. "Are you going to lift that kettle, or did I interrupt you making a recording of you whistling along with it in harmony?"Despite her tears,she found herself laughing hysterically at his silly banter.Oh,how she'd missed it.He set the kettle aside.The sudden silence was shocking.Because she had her back to him, he fought the urge to touch her.Instead he studied the way her shoulders were shaking. Troubled,he realized he'd made her cry."Sorry." Deflated,his tone lowered. "I guess this was a bad idea.""Wyatt."He paused."It was a good idea.A very good idea."She turned,and he saw the tears coursing down her cheeks."Oh,God,Marilee,I'm sorry.I didn't mean to make you...""I'm not crying." She brushed furiously at the tears. "I mean I was,but then you made me laugh and...""This is how you laugh?" He caught her by the shoulders and held her a little away. "Woman,I didn't realize just how weird you are. Wait a minute.Do you think being weird might be contagious? Maybe I ought to get out of here before I turn weird,too."The more she laughed,the harder the tears fell.Through a torrent of tears she wrapped her arms around his waist and held on, burying her face in his neck. "You can't leave.I won't let you."He tipped up her face,wiping her tears with his thumbs. "You mean that? You really don't want me to go?""I don't.I really want you to stay, Wyatt.""For dinner?""And more.""Dessert?""And more."His smile was quick and dangerous. "I'm beginning to like the 'and more.'"She smiled through her tears. "Me,too.""Maybe we could have the 'and more' as an appetizer, before the pizza."Her laughter bubbled up and over, wrapping itself around his heart. "Oh, how I've missed your silly sense of humor.""You have?""I have.I've missed everything about you.""Everything?" He leaned close to nibble her ear,sending a series of delicious shivers along her spine."Everything."Catching his hand,she led him to the bedroom. "I worked very hard today making up the bed with fresh linens. Want to be the first to mess it up?"He looked from the bed to her and then back again. "Oh,yeah."He drew her close and brushed her mouth with his. Just a soft,butterfly kiss, but she felt it all the way to her toes. "I mean I want to really, really mess it up.""Me,t..."And then there was no need for words.”

“I...I'm sorry," Kylie mumbled."Don't you even try to talk your way out of me being pissed!" Burnett growled. "Not a word!""I just...""That's two words and I said not one!" he snapped, and he swiped his hand through the air for emphasis.Kylie bit down on her lip, and wouldn't you know it that's when the tears started flowing. Big, fat, and fast tears. She sniffled and wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand. Her breath caught in her chest. But damn it. Why couldn't this have happened when she was alone?"Those tears do not affect me, young lady!" He pointed a finger at her. While she couldn't hear his heart beat to the rhythm of a lie, she heard it in his voice. ***"I just...""Did I say you could talk?" he asked. He did three more pacing laps, as if working off steam, before he looked at her again. "Where were you going, Kylie?"When she just looked at him, he bit out, "Answer me.""You said I couldn't talk.”