BUCKED Box Set: A Bull Rider Western Romance Read Online Free Page B

head up so he could look me in the eye.
    “You know
I’d do anything in the world for you, don’t you, Lace?” he asked softly.
    I nodded.
    “Good.
Then, maybe you know how I really feel about you, too.” He searched my eyes for
a moment. I wasn’t sure what he was looking for or if he found it, but he
continued. “I know this is probably not what you expected. Truth is, I didn’t expect to say anything
tonight, but I feel like I need to tell you. It’s only fair you know.”
    “I-”
Before I could even start to say anything, Mark stopped me.
    “No. Let
me say this. While I have the nerve. These last eight months have been
eye-opening, in a lot of ways. One of them being how I feel about you. Not
being able to hop on the train and see you, not being able to hang out with you
on weekends or practice lines with you, not being able to see that smile of
yours when I’ve had a tough day… It’s been hell. And, it’s made me realize how
much I love you. Not just in the way I’ve been telling you for years. It’s more
than that, Laci, and I think we could be more than that if you feel the same
way and are willing to give it a try.”
    I just
stared up at him, completely taken by surprise. “Mark, I don’t know what to
say.”
    “A yes would be fantastic,” he offered with
a hopeful smile.
    “I…I don’t
know if I’m ready to say that. I mean, there’s so much going on in my life
right now. Graduation, the new movie, and I have to figure out what to do about
college once the movie is finished. It’s just…”
    He smiled.
“It’s okay, Lace. I’m not asking you to jump in right now. But I did want you
to know how I feel. How I’ve felt for a long time. Since I’m coming clean here,
I’ve loved you since that time you fell down the steps on opening night and
jumped up like it never happened.”
    “That was
in, like, seventh grade,” I pointed out, not sure what else to say.
    “Yeah, it
was,” he nodded, cupping his hands around my face.
    “I’m
sorry, Mark. You know how much I adore you, but-”
    “I’m
sorry, too,” he interrupted me.
    “For
what?”
    “For
this,” he said, leaning down and placing his lips softly over mine. It wasn’t a
deep, longing kind of kiss; it was slow and tender, but respectful. It didn’t
come across like he was trying to change my mind—it was the kind of kiss that
spoke words he couldn’t say. When he pulled away, he looked into my eyes. “I
just needed to do that. Just once.”
    I stood
there dumbfounded until he chuckled at me
and smiled.
    “Come on,
let’s get you home. You’ve had quite a day.”
    That was
an understatement. On the five-minute drive to my house, we were quiet. He
reached over and squeezed my hand once, but didn’t hold on.
    When he
pulled into my drive, he came around and opened my door, then walked me to the
front porch, stopping short of the first step. He turned to face me.
    “You know
I have to leave tomorrow morning to head back to L.A., but I’ll be getting a
couple of weeks off in July. Maybe we can get together then and hang out like
we used to do.”
    “I’d like
that,” I replied.
    “Good.
Because no matter what, you will always be my best friend, Lace.” He reached
down, took the box I’d been holding from my hand, removed the necklace from the
velvet nest, and placed it around my neck. “I mean it. No matter what time it
is, if you need me, call me. And, let me know if— when you change your mind because I’m not just going to stop
feeling this way. Understand?”
    I nodded,
and he wrapped his arms around me, the kind of hug you give someone you know
you aren’t going to see for a while. Then he placed a soft kiss on my forehead
and told me goodnight. He waited for me to get inside before he walked back to
his car and drove off.
    I
immediately called Emily and told her every detail. She assured me that
everything was going to be fine.

 
    ***

 
    A week
later, I realized that Emily was wrong. Everything