“Are you going to let her go peacefully?” Forrester said.
Gris dropped the gun. It was only then that Elle was able to breathe. She’d been holding her breath the entire time. Forrester bent down and picked up the gun, then strode toward Elle. She struggled to open her seat belt, she couldn’t get out of it fast enough. Forrester was limping toward her and it was clear he was a in a lot of pain. Elle finally got her seat belt opened and got out of the car. She ran toward Forrester and without thinking, leapt into his open arms. She couldn’t believe it. She hadn’t dared to dream she’d ever know such happiness.
Having Forrester, and then thinking she’d lost him. Going through the agony of thinking he’d given up on her. And now, having him back, it was too much for her senses to take. She burst into tears, even as Forrester started laughing. He was holding her up but she could feel his weakened body struggle.
“Oh god,” she cried. “You’re hurt. I’m so sorry.”
He put her back on the ground and she looked into his deep, loving eyes.
“I was afraid I’d never see you again, Forrester.”
“You’re going to see me every morning for the rest of your life, Elle. As soon as you open your eyes.”
“Did you really mean all those things you said to Gris, about a woman being an angel from heaven?”
“Every word of it, sweetie. I know you’re a treasure. I know you’re a gift from heaven. And I’ll never forget it.”
With that, Forrester leaned forward, and when his lips met hers, she thought she could feel herself melting. He wrapped his arms around her and made her feel so safe, so complete, that it was dizzying. She had no idea how she’d lived her life up to that point without him.
His tongue met hers, and she remembered all of the things that had made him impossible to forget. Impossible to live without. She could feel the heat inside her, the memory of the pleasures they’d shared, and would share again. She wanted him inside her. She wanted him to come inside her, without any protection, and make her pregnant with his child. She wanted his baby.
But she was getting ahead of herself. They broke their kiss and turned to Gris.
“I guess the car’s done for,” Gris said, dejectedly.
“Yeah, but the bike’s okay,” Forrester said, looking at it.
Elle looked at Gris. She knew she had to say goodbye to him, and she knew that this time it would be for good. It was difficult to take herself from Forrester’s arms but she did, and walked over to Gris.
“You can do this,” she said to him.
He looked terrified, like he didn’t understand what the future would hold for him without her.
“How can I?” he said. “How can I live without you, Elle?”
Elle just gave him a small smile. “You’ll figure it out.”
She turned and walked back toward Forrester. Gris’s voice stopped her.
“Elle,” he said.
“Yes?” she said, glancing over her shoulder.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry for everything I did to you. For not treating you right.”
Elle nodded. “I know you are, Gris. Now don’t make the same mistakes with another woman. Women don’t deserve to be hurt or treated bad.”
“I’ll try not to,” he said.
Forrester had picked up the bike and started it. Elle ran over and climbed up onto it behind him, wrapping her arms around his chest, careful not to hurt his broken ribs.
It felt so right. As Forrester gunned the engine and headed down the highway, nothing could have felt more right in the entire world.
Chapter 42
Forrester
FORRESTER FLEW DOWN THE HIGHWAY, speeding past cars and intersections in his haste to get back to the mountains. It felt so good to have Elle back. It felt like life had returned to his body. They’d barely spoken, but they didn’t need to speak. There would be time for that later. For now, just the feeling of her on the back of the bike was enough for him. Ahead of them the mountains loomed, getting closer and closer with every minute that passed. As they got closer it also got colder and he pulled over at the gas station he’d stopped at earlier in the morning.
He took off his jacket and handed it to Elle.
“I couldn’t,” she said. “You’ll freeze.”
“You’ll have to keep me warm, sweetheart,” he said, and watched her put on the jacket.
It was too big for her and she looked so cute, absolutely adorable, as she got into it.
“Is that warmer?” he said.
She nodded. They got back on the road and it wasn’t long before they were reentering the town of Stone Peak.
“I’ll never get tired of the beauty of this place,” he said as they passed an overlook, the wide vistas of the Rocky Mountains below them.
“Me neither,” Elle said.
“I think I could live here again.”
She looked at him. “Really?”
He smiled. “With the right person, I could.”