Taming His Stallion [BWWM]

16_Clarity

Danny

A week, two sunsets, sixteen hours, forty-eight minutes and fifty-five seconds.

That's how long it's been since we'd had more than two words to say each other.

Paege had been forthcoming with me and now because of my reaction, instead of getting closer, we were drifting further apart.

I couldn't fault her though.

In her vulnerable state, she had let slip the possibility that she may be in love with me.

Completely taken aback by her confession, I froze.

It was obvious she thought that my silence meant her feelings weren't reciprocated.

I did nothing to dispel her woes, said nothing to calm her fears and allowed her to walk away with the misconception that I didn't care for her that way.

What the heck was wrong with me?

There had to be something utterly wrong with me.

This woman told me she thinks that she loves me and I froze.

She thinks she loves me.

And I froze.

God, I'm an idiot.

What more could I expect?

I had received the silent treatment and it was driving me nuts that I couldn't kiss her, touch her.

Paege had been distant and professional, as it ought to have been in the beginning.

She consulted with me only on work-related issues, and Angel.

That's it!

I knew that I kind of deserved that.

The scary thing was that I almost found myself saying those words back to her that night.

I wanted to so bad, but something was holding me back.

Call it my contingency plan if this-our relationship-was built anything like those of my past.

She'd nearly died, darn it and she told me how she felt and I blew it.

Bell walked over to the stables from the main house.

I guess she figured out what was going on.

She was bright and anybody with eyes could see that something was up.

"Is there something going on between you and Paege?"

"It's none of your business!" I snapped. The look on her face caused me to curse myself. I raked my hands through my hair. "I'm sorry, sis. I'm just pissed. Mostly at myself, because I feel like I'm letting that beautiful soul slip through my fingers."

"Not everyone would do that to you, Danny," Bell said, and I know she was talking about a particular instance in my past. "Not everyone is that low-down no-good narcissistic woman."

"I know," I conceded, pressing my thumb and forefinger against the bridge of my nose. "God, Bell, she told me she loved me and I froze."

"And do you love her?" Bell lowered her voice, crouching down beside me.

"I-" I found myself saying, "-Yes."

"Then get up you big dummy and go tell her how you feel!" She yelled. I look at her for a second wondering if she was right, deciding that she was. "GO!"