Protection

Chapter 43

Chapter 43

Clint was finally able to walk without crutches with minimal soreness by that Thursday. While his heart dreaded leaving the ranch, he knew that it was time to move on. After all, Bliss hadn’t made much of an effort to stop him. She hadn’t made any effort at all, to be exact, so that gave him no choice. If Bliss wouldn’t want him to stay, then who would? He would more than likely grow old on them very quickly anyway.

No, he would mount up and ride out bright and early the next morning. This time he would be gone for good.

It was around mid-afternoon on Thursday when Clint walked down the hall toward the kitchen. He stopped when he heard voices, not intending to listen in to the conversation until he heard Colt and Bliss’ voices together.

“You don’t understa-”

“Of course I don‘t, Bliss,” Colt interrupted. “I’ve never understood you. What does a man have to do around here to win you over?”

“Win me over? You’re talking out of your head, Colt,” Bliss’ voice carried to him.

“Then let me put it in the plainest of words. I love you. There, I said it in a way even you will understand. I’ve loved you for years now, and it’s taken that long for me to gather up the courage to tell you as much. Right now I’m asking you to do me the honor of marrying me,” Colt asked.

Clint drew his fingers into a fist. This couldn’t be happening. Bliss wouldn’t marry Colt, would she? Did she even love him like that?

Of course she did. They had known each other since they were children. They knew everything there was to know about the other person, so how could this not happen?

She deserved him. Colt was a much better man that Clint could ever be. He would take care of her and make sure she had everything she needed… and her father accepted him. Colt was definitely better for Bliss than he could ever be.

Turning on his heels, he walked back to his room and shut the door behind him. He couldn’t stay around for the celebration. He couldn’t find it in him to be truly happy for the couple, so he wouldn’t be a bother to them. He packed up his few things in a moment’s time and walked out the front way, planning to make a quick escape without any big commotion. The sooner he got as far as he could away from Arizona, the better.

*****

“Marry you?” Bliss staggered back a step.

He’d actually confessed that he loved her right there. There was no sidestepping it this time.

“Yes, marry me. Is that a shock to you?” Colt asked.

Bliss nodded. “It’s so sudden.”

“Sudden? I’ve been hinting at you for two years now,” the pained look behind Colt’s innocent eyes made her feel guilty. “You never even caught on. It’s enough to drive a man plumb crazy.”

Bliss shook her head. “I’m sorry that I’ve done this to you, Colt. I wish you would have just come out and said something to me earlier.”

“What does that mean?” Colt rose from his position on his knee and faced her.

“It means that I could never do that to you. We are good friends, Colt. You’ve always been there for me when I needed you most. I can’t deny that you’ve been a blessing to me from the very beginning, but I can’t marry you and rob you of true happiness,” Bliss didn’t meet his eyes as she spoke out of fear of witnessing the scene of his heart breaking. She knew what it was like to love and lose.

“D-Deny me? I don’t understand,” he said, confused.

Bliss placed a hand on the side of his face and willed her eyes to look at him. “You’re a good man, and you deserve a woman who is going to love you with everything she has inside of her. I’m sorry, but I can’t give you that. My heart belongs to someone else.”