Birthright

doing here? Jesus, this sure isn’t the time for work.”
    “No, but it’s a good spot. Important to remember this is a good spot. Come on with me, Cal.”
    He got out, waited for her to join him. Taking her hand, he walked to the gate.
    “You think I’m going to be jittery on the dig now, nervous around the water.”
    “Doesn’t hurt to put it in its place.” He led her through the gate. “You’ll handle it.”
    “Yes, I will. And you’re right. It’s a good spot. An important spot. I won’t forget that either.”
    “I’ve got some things to say to you, and my mind’s not fuzzy.”
    “Okay.”
    “I want you back, Callie. All the way back.”
    Still facing the pond, she shifted only her eyes to look at him. “Oh yeah?”
    “I want us back, like we were. Only better.” Because he wanted to see more of her face, he reached out to tuck her hair behind her ear. “I’m not going to let you go again. I’m not going to let you let us go again. I heard that shot, saw you go into the water. That could’ve been it.”
    He broke off, turned away. “That could’ve been it,” he repeated. “I can’t wait anymore to settle this between us. I can’t waste any more time.” He turned back, his eyes smoky in the dim light. His face grim. “Maybe I screwed up some.”
    “Maybe?”
    “So did you.”
    Her dimples fluttered. “Maybe.”
    “I need you to love me the way you did before things got away from us.”
    “That’s stupid, Graystone.”
    “The hell it is.” He started to jerk her around, remembered her shoulder, then stepped in front of her. “I didn’t give it back to you, the way you were looking for. This time I will.”
    “It’s stupid because I never stopped loving you, you big jerk. No you don’t.” She threw up a hand, slapped it against his chest to ward him off when she saw the gleam in his eyes. “This time you ask.”
    “Ask what?”
    “You know what. You want me all the way back, then you do it right. You get down on one knee, and you ask.”
    “You want me to get down on my knees?” He was sincerely horrified. “You want to see me grovel and beg?”
    “Yes, I do. Oh yeah. Assume the position, Graystone, or I walk.”
    “For Christ’s sake.” He spun around, paced away, muttering to himself.
    “I’m waiting.”
    “All right, all right. Damn it. I’m working up to it.”
    “I got shot tonight.” She fluttered her lashes when he looked back at her. “I nearly drowned. That could’ve been it,” she added, tossing his own words in his face. “And somebody’s wasting time.”
    “You always did fight dirty.” Scowling, he strode back, seared her with one look, then knelt.
    “You’re supposed to take my hand and look soulful.”
    “Oh, shut up and let me do this. I feel like an idiot. Are you going to marry me, or what?”
    “That’s not the way to ask. Try again.”
    “Mother of God.” He huffed out a breath. “Callie, will you marry me?”
    “You didn’t say you love me. And I figure you have to say it ten times to my one for the next five years to even the score.”
    “You’re really getting a charge out of this, aren’t you?”
    “The biggest.”
    “Callie, I love you.” And the smile that warmed her face loosened the tightness in his chest. “Damn it, I loved you from the first minute I looked at you. It scared me to death, and it pissed me off. I didn’t handle it well. I didn’t handle it well because for the first time in my life, there was a woman who could hurt me. Who mattered more than I could stand. That really pissed me off.”
    Moved, she reached down to touch his cheek. “Okay, you’ve groveled enough.”
    “No, I’m going to finish this. I got you into bed, fast. Figured it’d burn out. Didn’t happen. Yanked you into marriage. Figured everything would level off then. Seemed logical. Didn’t happen either. And that—”
    “Pissed you off.”
    “Damn right it did. So I messed things up. I let you mess them up. And I walked away because I was damn sure you’d come running after me. Didn’t happen. I won’t ever walk away again. I love who you are. Even when you drive me crazy, I just love who you are. I love you. I’m racking those up, aren’t I?”
    “Yeah.” She blinked at tears. “Doing good. I won’t walk either, Jake. I won’t expect you to know what I need or want. Or assume I know what you’re feeling or thinking. I’ll tell you. I’ll ask you. And we’ll find the way.”
    She bent down to