Page 101 of Colorado Bride

Doc followed her out of his office and down the street to where Ben knelt holding Melissa in his arms.

Emily didn’t need to see any more.She struggled to speak, to keep her tone level.

“I’m taking the buggy and going home.You can borrow a horse and come later.”

He nodded.“That’s fine.I need to see this through.”

She jutted out her chin and then got into the buggy parked outside the doctor’s office.When she’d cleared the town she let the tears flow.The situation was obvious.He couldn’t love her because he still loved Melissa.

When she got home she packed her valise.She couldn’t stay in a relationship when the husband loved another.

She’d just picked up her bag to leave when Ben came in and closed the bedroom door, leaned back against it and smiled.

“What are you doing?”

“I could ask the same of you.”

He jutted his chin toward the valise but his smile never wavered.

“I’m leaving.I’ll go somewhere where I’m wanted for more than a brood mare.I have a friend in San Francisco who will take me in for a little while and—”

Ben shook his head and slowly crossed the room.

Emily dropped her valise and looked for a way to avoid Ben.She broke for the door her pregnancy making her slow.He caught her and swept her into his arms.His smile never faltered.

He carried her to bed.

“You should have known that I love you by the way I treat you.Love is more than just words.It’s actions, too.”

“I saw you with Melissa today.I could see that you still love her—”Did he say he loved me?

“I was trying to soothe someone who was about to take her life and that of her child.She nearly got herself put in prison for a very long time.I almost married her.I can’t just turn my back on her, no matter how much I may want to.”

“You wanted to?”Could I be wrong?Could he love me?

“Yes.”

Emily kept her head down as Ben talked to her.She realized he was correct, he’d proven over and over again that he loved her, if she would just look.

Ben lifted her chin with his knuckle, then kissed her left eyelid.

“I.”

He kissed her right eyelid.

“Love.”

He kissed her nose.

“You.”

Her heart soared at the words.

Then he claimed her lips in the best kiss she’d ever had in her life.

After they broke apart but he continued to cradle her face between his palms and look into her eyes.

“I may not say it enough but I hope you can tell by the way I treat you how very much I love you.”