Two to Tangle (A Tangle Valley Romance #2) - Melissa Brayden Page 0,118

and more. “I get that now.”

“And Madison and I are great friends. We’re not meant to be more.”

Ryan nodded and sat up straight, ready to go there. “And what about us?”

“At first I thought we were silly. Then thought we had potential. Finally, I understood we were so much more than anything I could have hoped.”

“Before deciding how foolish you’d been.”

“Yep. That.”

“And now?”

“And now I wonder.”

“I love you more than words describe.” Ryan leaned against the railing, looking down at Gabriella. “And I don’t want you to wonder. I want to show you that you weren’t wrong.” She looked skyward. “Before the believing you’d been foolish part, which I’d like to erase from the history books.”

Gabriella shook her head slowly. “I don’t want to erase it. I think we need this knowledge to reflect on in the future. Listen, Ryan.” She took two steps forward. “You weren’t the only one who could have done things better. I got in my own head and let outside opinions influence me. I took out my anger on you when it seemed we wouldn’t hit the cut-too-close soft-opening. I fully see my part in all of this, and I don’t plan to forget it. Don’t you dare, either.”

A small smile teased Ryan’s lips. “And what might we need this knowledge for, moving forward?” Gabriella was indicating a possible future, but she’d yet to say so. “What might we do with it?”

Gabriella placed her palms on the back of her hips and looked coy. “We could, maybe, I don’t know, try and be better.”

“That simple, huh? Be better?” Ryan was already walking to Gabriella, who was too damn far away. She wanted her close. She couldn’t imagine ever not wanting that.

“I didn’t say anything about simple.”

Ryan exhaled and paused a few feet away. “I was afraid of that. I can admit that…all of this—”

“All of this? Nope. Say it.”

Ryan nodded and started again. “I can admit that love is harder than I would have expected. It makes you feel happy, and crazy, and afraid, and vulnerable, and I wasn’t prepared.” She paused. “I am now. Bring on all of it.”

“You sure about that?”

“As long as I know you love me, I can take on anything.” Ryan tilted her head. “But what about you?”

Gabriella didn’t hesitate. “I want to be wherever you are. I just need to know that you want us just as much as I do.”

“Trust me. It’s more.”

“You already won the softball game,” Gabriella said with a grin. She inclined her head to the side. “Why are you still over there? The scary stuff is over here.”

Ryan grinned and her whole being relaxed in happiness as she erased the distance between them. Was it possible she glowed? She’d never done that before, but it was feeling likely. “Come here,” Ryan said and pressed her forehead to Gabriella’s. “God, I love you,” she whispered.

“I love you, too,” Gabriella said quietly. The most wonderful words. Ryan memorized the sound. They eased her soul and made it sing. For a time, they simply stood there, breathing in the same air and savoring the feeling of being in each other’s arms once again.

“Kiss me already,” Gabriella whispered.

Ryan laughed quietly and did as she was told. She lowered her mouth to Gabriella’s and kissed her, feeling everything in her warm when they came together. She knew, as sure as she knew the sun would rise, that nothing could come between them again. This woman was it for her, and she was so damn happy about it her chest ached.

“Did I mention I love you?” Ryan asked.

Gabriella answered quickly. “No.”

“I do.”

She grinned. “You do what?”

“I love you.”

“Then let’s do this some more. Every damn day.” Gabriella kissed her again. Slowly. Expertly. It awoke a thing in Ryan she’d forgotten about. Her temperature climbed, and her heart rate tripled, and there was a very recognizable aching coming from much lower. “Suggestion. Take me in there.”

Ryan closed her eyes, acutely aware of Gabriella’s breasts pressed against her. “I’ve always been open to suggestions.”

“Maybe get a little box.” Gabriella looked skyward. Playfully cute. Ryan wanted to eat her up, nuzzle her for days, and do scandalous things to her. All of it. “I’ve missed you.”

“Really?” Ryan asked.

Those hazel eyes went dark. “Want to find out how much?”

Ryan had no idea when she’d set out for the softball game that afternoon that she’d have found her way back to Gabriella by the day’s end. So much of life came in unpredictable packages lined