“Wait—this is Rainey?” Derrick asked. “As in your Rainey?” She smiled up at Slater when his son called her, “His Rainey”. It felt good to think that she might still be his.
“She was my Rainey,” Slater said.
“I still am,” Rainey breathed, not sure that he could even hear her. “We need to talk,” she said. He grabbed her hand and pulled her along to the back of the bar, out through the back entrance. “Where are you taking me?” she asked.
“To my truck. You said that you want to talk, and that’s the most private place that I know of,” Slater said. “Tell me that my son didn’t hit on you, Rainey,” he demanded.
“I wish I could,” she giggled.
“Not funny,” he growled. “My fucking kid hit on my woman.” She pulled her arm free from his and stopped in the middle of the parking lot.
“Am I your woman, Slater?” she asked.
“God, I hope so,” he breathed, pulling her up against his body. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he brushed his lips over hers. He broke their kiss, leaving her breathless, and grabbed her hand again. “Let’s go,” he demanded. He opened his truck and helped her up into the cab, shutting the door behind her as if he worried that she’d take off if he left it open.
He got into the driver’s side and slid across the seat to be closer to her. “Why are you here, Rainey?” he whispered.
“To talk to you,” she said.
“Well, here I am—talk,” he demanded.
“I’m an idiot,” she whispered.
“Agreed,” he said. She shot him a look and he smirked at her. God, he was sexy. “I missed you, Slater,” she breathed. “I should have never told you that I needed time. I don’t need any fucking time to know that I’m in love with you.”
“You’re in love with me?” he asked.
“I am,” she said. “I knew that when I let you leave too, but I was being a stubborn ass.”
“Yes, you were,” he agreed.
“Okay, you can stop agreeing with me, Slater,” she grumbled.
“I’m trying to be supportive,” he said.
“Well, you can be supportive by telling me that you’ll forgive me for being an ass,” she said. “I’m so sorry that I sent you away, Slater.”
“Forgiven,” he agreed.
“Thank you,” she said. “I just want you to know that I don’t care who that man is. As far as I’m concerned, my husband is dead. I’m not sure who the hell that man is, but it doesn’t matter. You’re the only man I want, Slater.”
“Noted,” he said.
“That’s all you’re going to give me?” she asked. “One-word responses is all I rate?”
“I’m not sure what you want me to say, Rain,” he said.
“Anything,” she breathed. “Say anything. Tell me how you feel, Slater.”
“I’m scared out of my mind that I’m going to say the wrong thing and lose you for good this time. I’m worried that I’m going to fuck everything up and you’ll realize that I’m not the right man for you, because you deserve better than me, Rainey. I’m worried that guy is your husband and I’ll never be able to compete with him for your love, because I fucking love you too, Rain.”
“You love me?” she asked.
“I do, and that scares the hell out of me,” he admitted.
“Well, we can be scared together” she offered. “I can’t lose you, Slater,” she whispered. He pulled her across the seat to straddle his lap.
“I won’t lose you, honey,” he assured.