Page 98 of Colorado Bride

Emily jammed her hands on her hips.

“You don’t believe that.I know you don’t.”

“Whoa.”

He walked over and took her in his arms.

She let him.

“I do believe that is exactly what happened.Do you forget I saw you right afterwards?I saw your terror and your fear.You didn’t act those emotions.They were real and are real.Who do you think holds you each night when you weep in your sleep?Who chases away your demons in the nightmares you’ve had every night since the incident?I do.I know what happened and I’m sorry for it.If only I’d—”

She reached up and put her fingers over his lips.

“Don’t.The incident wasn’t your fault any more than it was mine.Doris was insane at the end.We could do nothing to change her reality.She was beyond our help, maybe anyone’s help.”

He held her closer.

“I know this, but do you?You’ve been avoiding me and I can only think it is because you blame me.”

“No.”She shook her head.“No, I don’t blame you for anything.I just don’t want your pity.”

He looked down into her eyes and smiled.

“I feel no pity, never have.If anything I was amazed you were able to keep her from killing you.She was a strong woman, even if she didn’t look it, and I think the insanity gave her even more strength.You were lucky you were able to escape relatively unscathed.”

“I was not unscathed.She injured both arms first with a knife and then with a cleaver.I just want everything to be over.”

“It is over.She’s dead.She can’t hurt you again.”

“And what about Melissa.She’s the one who hired Rory, if he’d been a different kind of man, I’d be dead.”

All this pain they felt was because of Doris.How much more would be because of Melissa?None if she could help it.If Ben couldn’t love her, maybe she should let Melissa have him.But she can’t, the pain in her chest just at the thought of losing him was too great.

Emily would fight for his love.Surely he felt something.How can he make such beautiful love to her, if he didn’t have those kinds of feelings?