He groaned. “Did it again, didn’t I?”
“Yes. But you wouldn’t be Curt if you weren’t a bit dictatorial. Sometimes I even like when you order me around.”
“Only sometimes, huh?” He leaned in and kissed her.
“When can I get out of here?” she asked as he pulled back. “I want to go home.”
He took hold of her hand, rubbing his thumb over the back. “It’s going to take me a while to sort things out in Dallas before I can move to Haven with you.”
She tried to sit. Frowning, he gently pushed her back. “Lie down. What do you think you’re doing?”
“I want to sit up. Curt, please.”
“I’ll get some pillows.” He grabbed some spare pillows from the cupboard and propped her up.
“Curt, when I said home I meant your apartment in Dallas.”
He sighed. “You’re miserable in Dallas.”
“I’m not miserable…” she trailed off at his firm look.
“We’re going to have a long talk about holding things back from me. I know you miss Haven. It’s why you haven’t done anything about your house there or your job. You should have told me, Jenna.”
The disappointment in his voice made her feel miserable.
“I didn’t say anything because I figured I’d get past it. They say it takes six months to get used to a new place.”
He raised an eyebrow. “So after six months you’d have said something?”
“Exactly. A lot has happened and I guess I just thought I needed some time. As long as I’m with you, it shouldn’t matter where I live.”
“And shouldn’t the same apply to me?” he asked.
“What do you mean?”
“As long as I’m with you, Jenna. I don’t care where I live.”
“But you hate Haven. You didn’t like the people, or the lack of privacy. You prefer the city.”
He snorted. “I also want the woman I love to be happy. I think I can put up with a few nosy busybodies. And when I saw how everyone turned up to help look for you, I started to see the positive side of small town living. Amelia used to include everyone in our private business. It drove me insane to know that everybody else knew what was happening in our relationship, sometimes before I did.”
“I’d never do that.”
“I know, baby.”
“I can live in the city.”
“And I can live in Haven. You have a job you love, people who care about you, a place you belong. They’ll just have to accept me as well. And I’ll get used to the nosy bastards. Might have to punch a few more noses though.”
She laughed.
He kissed her gently. “I love you, baby. But don’t you ever scare me like that again, got it? No more trouble.”
“Can’t promise that, it does seem to like to follow me around.”
“Yeah, well from now on, it has to go through me first.”
***