“I . . . I . . . what’s happening?” she whispered.
“Rule five. No putting yourself down. Rule six. No skipping meals. Rule seven. No contact with Chandler Devout unless I am present. Rule eight. You call me immediately if you’re in danger, unsafe, scared, whatever. You. Call. Me.”
“I would have called you today if I could have. And I tried to text you when I left the hotel.”
“I know. That’s why you’re getting a new phone. If you break the rules, there are consequences. What are you back up to now? Twenty-five? I’d take care of those now if you weren’t exhausted and bruised already.” He came to a stop in front of her. “And I’m going to need you to tell me who did that to you.”
“I just . . . I don’t understand any of this. You want me to stay?” She rubbed at her forehead.
“You’re not going anywhere ever again.”
She stared up at him.
How did he say this? What if he asked her and she said no? It would be the situation with Nicole all over again.
Only so much worse.
Then don’t ask her.
Simple.
“You’re staying here. With me. Unless you want to go back to Nashville for your career. I don’t want you to give up your dreams. But if you want to go back, then I’m coming too. And just so you know, the rules are the same wherever we live. Here or in Nashville. Because either way, you’re mine. And I’m yours.”
Lara gazed at Butch in amazement. She knew she should get off his bed. She was probably getting it filthy. She felt gross. Like she needed several showers to get clean. But right now, that wasn’t the most pressing matter she had to address.
“Are you asking me to be your girlfriend?”
“No.”
Oh. She’d gotten that wrong, then. How embarrassing.
She turned her gaze to her lap, twining her fingers together.
He placed his finger under her chin, tilting her head back. “I’m not asking. I’m telling you that I can’t get you out of my head. You’re all I think about, worry about. And don’t give me any bullshit about how long we’ve known each other. When you know, you know. And I know. So I’m not asking because I’m not letting you walk away. You’re mine.”
She gaped up at him. Someone else might think he was being arrogant and controlling. But she knew the truth. She saw the flash of vulnerability in his eyes.
Deep down, he was scared she’d reject him.
But that would never happen.
Not. Ever.
“You’d really move to Nashville? For me?” He loved living here, working on the ranch, being around his family.
He crouched down. “I’d do whatever it took to make you happy, pretty girl.”
Dear. Lord.
She was never letting him go.
She straightened her shoulders. “Yes.”
“What?” He leaned back and fell on his ass. “What?”
“I know it wasn’t a question, but the answer is still yes. It will always be yes. I want to be your real girlfriend, Butch Malone. In fact, there’s nothing I want more.”
“You mean that?”
“I mean it. And I don’t want to go back to Nashville. I . . . it wasn’t for me. I want to stay here. I was . . . I’ve been thinking about what I could do. I thought maybe I could use the money from Chandler to rent a small place and find a part-time job so I could keep singing. Anything to be around you. Only, that’s not happening now. But I didn’t know if you felt anything back for me . . . I didn’t know if I could live here and see you with someone else. That would have been like torture.”
“You want to stay? To be with me? You wouldn’t regret giving up Nashville?”
“I’m not giving anything up. I’m gaining the most amazing man in the world. You’re protective and kind, and easy on the eyes.”
“Easy on the eyes,” he grumbled, rising.
She giggled as he laid her down and kneeled over her. He started tickling her mercilessly. She screamed, laughing as she rolled around. Then she groaned as her cheek throbbed in protest.
“Oh, shit. Sorry, baby.” He moved away before helping her sit up. Then he sat next to her, pulling her onto his lap.
“I don’t know what I’m doing most of the time. My life is kind of a mess. But I do know how I feel about you, Butch Malone. I love you.”
He tilted her head back, studying her. “And I love you, baby girl.” His lips landed softly on hers as he kissed her sweetly. “But from now on, you are never to see Devout again without me.”
“I wouldn’t have gone to see him if I hadn’t needed to. Are you mad?”
“Yep.”
“Oh.” She cringed.
“But not at you. At myself. I shouldn’t have left you.”
She frowned. “Why did you?”
“I got a call that Tanner was in jail. I went to get him out and bring him home. You don’t remember me waking you up?”