Page 119 of Rough Fantasy
“Oh, baby,” Zeke said as he reached for her. She backed up and almost stumbled down.
“No. Don’t touch me.”
“You will stop that right now,” Rory ordered.
She stopped and so did Zeke. “What?”
“Crying. I can’t stand a woman who cries.”
She was so surprised by the comment she opened her mouth but nothing came out. Zeke was smiling.
“I will cry if I feel like it.”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “Well, I don’t like it and Zeke doesn’t either.”
“You’re on your own there, Rory.”
She shot Zeke a nasty look. “And just what the hell do you mean by that?”
His smile widened further. “I have no problem admitting that I love you. Rory, there, he does. Big bad Dom doesn’t like saying the words.”
“Shut the fuck up,” Rory said.
“See.”
Hope sprung but then the last week came back to her. His distance, and the way he pretended that she didn’t matter. And tears welled up again.
“Shit, okay. Stop that,” Rory ordered, yelling this time. She had never been the kind of girl who cried, but this time, she could not stop herself. They spilled over, streaming over her cheeks.
Rory grabbed her by the arms and opened his mouth to yell at her, but in the next instant, he fell onto the sand in front of her. He pulled her against him, laying his head on her stomach. She looked at Zeke who was grinning at her.
“I love you, Maura,” Zeke said. “Please, love, I’m so sorry we doubted you.”
Her heart melted but she tried to ignore it. They were only doing this to get her back. She didn’t want them to say things to get her back. She wanted them to actually believe in her. Words meant nothing if they truly didn’t believe in what they were saying.
Zeke shook his head. “I can see those wheels turning in your head, love. We made some mistakes but you have to know that we both really love you.”
She looked down at Rory who then looked up at her. “I love you. Please, take us back. We aren’t anything if you aren’t with us, love.”
A fresh set of tears welled up.
“Oh, Rory,” was all she could say.
“We should have believed you. We should have stood behind you,” Zeke said, his smile fading. “We love you and we should have been there for you. We failed.”
He grabbed a bag from Zeke and pulled out a leather collar.
“I’m not saying this just to get you back. I bought this when we went to Rough ‘n Ready.”
She looked at it and at the word. Ours. It was before she told Rory she loved him…before everything went bad.
Maura looked at him, then at Zeke.
“We were complete and utter asses,” Rory said.
“Speak for yourself,” Zeke muttered.
“No, we were. Both of us wanted forever with you but we didn’t have the nerve to deal with it. And I know Zeke waited for me to agree, but then he never asked.”