Her voice squeaked.
He held up the bags, as if they were answer enough. His hungry eyes took her in. Her hair was up in that ballerina-do, exposing the pure line of her neck and throat. She wore one of her skirts that draped artfully, and a formfitting knit top with three-quarter sleeves. She was bright and beautiful, graceful and so precious to him he ached.
“I never thought,” she whispered.
His mouth crooked up. “That I wouldn’t take no as an answer even when you said it loud and clear?”
“Of course that’s not what I meant.”
He set down the bags of food. His fingers flexed. It took an effort of will to make them loosen.
“I told you I love you.” That came out as rough as crude granite.
Allie took a step closer to him, her glorious eyes raised to him. “Nolan, I was going to come and see you. To tell you...”
He ignored her. He had to get this out. “I’m here to say that if they decide to move you, Sean and I want to go, too. With you,” he added, to be absolutely sure she understood. “We’re okay with new names and the whole deal.”
For the longest time she didn’t move, not even to blink or breathe. Nolan tried not to twitch under that stunned stare.
“With me?”
“With you,” he repeated. He cleared his throat. “If you’ll have us.”
She burst into tears.
* * *
OH, HELL. Was her reaction good news for him or bad? Either way, he took her into his arms, tucked her head under his chin and held her tight.
“It’s okay.” He squeezed his eyes shut and laid a cheek against her hair. “God. You don’t have to cry. If you don’t want us, just say so. I’ll go away. I’m not going to become a stalker.”
She grabbed handfuls of his shirt near his spine. He felt the tension in her fingers.
Okay, she was holding on, too. His hopes rose.
He murmured meaningless stuff until her shoulders quit shaking so hard and her body began to relax against his. Then he took a deep breath.
“I wasn’t being fair,” he said. “I was doing what everyone else always has, demanding you make a choice and assuming you’d choose me. I was an ass. But it’s not going to be that way this time. All you have to do is tell me how much to pack and when we’re going. We’ll be ready.”
Allie wiped her face on him. Tears and snot both, he thought, his tenderness tinged with amusement. Be honest, tinged with fear, too. Because she might be working her way up to saying, Thanks, but no thanks. And then he’d have to keep his word, turn and walk out of here in the full knowledge he’d never in this lifetime set eyes on her again.
I don’t know if I can do that.
I promised.
Apprehension made him feel big, clumsy, dumb. He had a flicker of seeing himself as the stone man he’d carved, beyond any feelings. Is that what would happen to him if Allie turned him away?
She let go of his shirt, one finger at a time. He wanted her to keep clutching tight. If the answer is no, don’t say it yet. Let me hope for a little longer.
Stupid.
She struggled a little in his embrace, and he reluctantly loosened it so she could ease back enough to look up at him. The tears were smeared but still there on her cheeks. Damp tendrils of dark hair stuck to her forehead and temple. Her usually elegant nose was Rudolph-red. Her eyes were pink, puffy...and held an expression he could only interpret as awe. A smile trembled on her lips.
“I never even thought of asking if you’d go with me.” The smile wobbled right out of existence. “I never dreamed anyone would. You would be giving up so much.”
“Not as much as I’d be giving up if I let you go,” he managed to say gruffly.
“And Sean is really, truly willing, too?”
“Yeah.” He eyed her warily. “I broke my word to you. I had to tell him everything.”
“That’s okay. I trust him.”
She kept searching his face, her expression so astonished and wondering. He knew that no matter whether she wanted him or not, the gift he’d offered meant more to her than even he’d imagined.
But, shit, he wished she’d say something. When she didn’t, he couldn’t take it another minute.
“So.” He cleared his throat. “Is this a yes?”
“No,” she said softly, “this is a thank-you.”
He backed up a step, his muscles