Rugged and Relentless (48 page)

“You know the worst of me, Evie Thompson. You’ve seen my quick temper and penchant for issuing orders. I’ve lied about my name and my purpose in Hope Falls, allowing you to think I came looking for a wife when I came hunting a killer.” He paced during the entire recitation, as though unable to remain still. “I’m not as good a man as you deserve. I can’t go back and start things over and introduce myself as Jacob Granger, or appreciate your sense of honor before you explain it. But I can do one thing—and I hope I do it right.”

Is he proposing? He can’t be proposing. Can he?
Evie fought the urge to hop up and pace alongside him.

But it was a good thing she didn’t, because the next thing she knew, he stopped right in front of her and stared down into her eyes with the same intensity she remembered from all the way back in Charleston—when he’d first taken off his hat. Her heart fluttered as he opened his mouth and professed, with touching sincerity, his deep and abiding need to …

“Apologize.” Jake reached out those large, callus-roughened hands of his and cradled hers between them, an inadequate anchor when her heart fell like a cake.

Of course he’s not proposing
, she chastised herself, blinking
furiously against unreasonable tears.
We’ve already gone through this once today. If he didn’t accept it when I all but proposed to him, what sort of wigeon would I be to think he might be doing anything more serious than apologizing?
Although, of course, to a man that might just be a more serious and difficult matter than even a proposal.

“You can stop apologizing.” She tried to end the conversation by standing, but he laid one large hand on her shoulder to keep her seated.

“No. I can’t. You charged me with hypocrisy, for saying one thing and doing another—and it’s true. I’ve a long way to go, Evie, starting with the trip home to bring Twyler up on charges. Before I left, I should have confronted my father and spoken with my mother, and now I need to make amends as best I can. Even if they don’t see they were wrong, I have to own up to my mistakes. But when I get back …”

Her breath hitched as he dropped to one knee.

“Proverbs tells us that ‘a false balance is abomination to the Lord’”—Jake pressed one of the copper squares into her palm as he spoke—“‘but a just weight is His delight.’ With you, I find my balance, Evie.

“I’m asking you to be mine to delight in for the rest of our lives. Once, you were willing to take Jacob Creed. Now I’m giving you the only thing I can offer, besides myself. The greatest gift love ever gave was a choice.” He paused, his gaze searching hers. “Could you choose to love Jacob Granger?”

“Jake, don’t you know?” She clutched the square coin weight in one hand, reaching out to trace the contour of his jaw with her other. “I already do.”

He stood at the same moment she did, sweeping her into his arms for an embrace to prove something Evie always hoped.
For every woman, there’s a perfect fit
. Hers just happened to be a land as rugged as the mountains they covered, and a man relentless enough to convince her they belonged together.

“Although I should mention,” she managed to gasp once
she’d somewhat recovered from his kiss, “you’ll have to convince at least two of the other women to accept you as my fiancé. It’s one of the rules we agreed upon.”

“Oh?” For the first time, one of his short responses didn’t bother her. Perhaps because he followed it with another searing kiss.

“Well, yes.” Evie looked up at him, emboldened by the love she’d found. “But I’m sure we can do away with that. I can be rather determined when I want something.”

“No.” Jake tugged gently on a lock of her hair. “I’ll never again ask you to break your word, Evie. You’re more than worth running the gamut through your sister and friends.”

“You’ll win them over, Jake.” She beamed at him.

“I don’t mind winning them”—he leaned in for another kiss—“so long as I can keep you.”