Read Online Love Me Knot by Shelli Stevens - Free Book Online Page A

gently and closed his mouth over hers. The kiss sent her head spinning and her heart kick-starting.
    When he lifted his head she was trembling and cursing herself mentally for being so damn easy with him.
    “ This . What we have between us has always been real.” He paused and ran his thumb over her lower lip. “But I won’t lie, Ciara. When I found out who you were I wanted to send you home. Knew I should let you go and not touch you.”
    “But you didn’t.”
    “I couldn’t. I wanted you like I’ve never wanted a woman.” Guilt flickered in his already tormented eyes. “So I was a selfish asshole and slept with you that night knowing full well I’d send you off the next day and never call.”
    Ciara’s heart pinched. “You know, I’m not really sure I want to hear this.”
    “Please, let me finish.”
    Why? So he could see the hurt and humiliation on her face?
    But if anything, his gaze seemed to soften as he saw the tears in her eyes.
    “Only it wasn’t that easy. I couldn’t stop thinking about you, darlin’. It didn’t take long for me to realize how much I needed you.” He moved to grab her hand and held it between his.
    “How much I still need to you.”
    Her blood pounded with each of his words and their context.
    “I know I hurt you and I’m so sorry. But I hope you’ll consider giving me a second chance. I’m not perfect and this whole being in love thing is new to me.”
    Her breath caught and she gripped his fingers. “You love me?”
    “I do, Ciara. And I’ll be honest. This is a first for me. I’ve never been in love before. I’m glad you’re my first, and I’m kind of hoping you’ll be my last.”
    Her heart careened with joy and the tears that were in her eyes spilled out to trail down her cheeks.
    “But I live in Idaho.” Oh jeez, that was her response to his declaration of love?
    “Yeah, about that part. I work for the Coast Guard, darlin’, and I can’t up and move.” He lifted her hand and brushed a kiss across her knuckles. “But I was hoping I could talk you into moving to the coast, marrying me, and maybe applying for a job at the local hospital. I have some job applications in the back of the car for places that said they were hiring nurses.”
    “Did you just...was that a marriage proposal slipped in between moving to the coast and applying for jobs?”
    Ryan winced. “I suck at romance.”
    “Oh I don’t know. You had a few good moments when we were together.”
    His gaze darkened. “Does this mean you’re thinking about it?”
    “I need two weeks.”
    He blinked and pulled back a little. “Oh. Right. Yeah , you should think about this—”
    “I need to give the hospital two weeks,” she murmured and leaned forward to brush a kiss across his lips. “I would love to move to the coast, find a job, and marry you. And not necessarily in that order.”
    Ryan closed his eyes and she saw the shudder of relief that slipped through him.
    “I thought you would hate me,” he confessed.
    “I couldn’t hate you. I’m in love with you, Ryan . And that’s why I ran away that night, because realizing it scared the crap out of me.”
    Ryan closed his eyes briefly and let out a shuddering breath.
    “ I’ll be up here every weekend before you make the move,” he promised thickly . “And my nephew, your nephew, will be visiting Wyattville in a few weeks. I’d love for you t o meet him.”
    Her heart stopped and then swelled with emotion. “Oh, Ryan , I’d love that. You have no idea what that would mean to me.”
    “I think I do now. And I want you to be in his life. In my life.”
    H e kissed her again, harder this time. And her world swirled with dizzying speed in an intoxicating mix of need, love, and happiness.
    He finally lifted his head and his breathing was ragged. “I need you to answer a couple questions for me, Ciara.”
    “Anything.”
    “How long is your break, and how difficult is it to get you out of those scrubs?”
    “One hour and I