Always by Amy Richie Page A

don’t think…it would be a good idea.”
    His dark blue eyes filled with indecision. “Please?”
    “ I’ll never marry.”
    “ You already told me that.” He stepped closer to me.
    “ So get that out of your head right now.”
    “ I didn’t ask you to marry me. I only asked for a kiss.” He came closer, making it hard to swallow.
    “ You might regret it one day.”
    “ I won’t,” I whispered.
    He was standing so close I could feel his warm breath on my face. I closed my eyes and leaned into him, breathless with anticipation.
    Everything around me was quiet and still; too still. I opened my eyes slowly, but I already knew what I would see. Marcus was gone.
    I sucked in a quick breath and wrapped my arms tightly around my chest to hold my heart in place. He hadn’t even said goodbye. I may never see him again and he didn’t even say goodbye. I sank to my knees in the damp grass.
    Why had I asked him to kiss me? What a brazen thing to do. Now the last thing he would think of me was that I was a loose woman; the first young, single man to come around these parts since Edmund Harris, and I threw myself at him.
    I ground my fists into my eyes to stop the tears before they started. The sound of rustling leaves got me back on my feet. Marcus had said that Ryan was long gone, but I couldn’t be so sure.
    I peered around me into the darkness. I wasn’t in the woods anymore, so it was easier to see the shadows. I didn’t see anyone around me, but the trees weren’t far behind me. In the distance, a dog barked, sending me scurrying into motion.
    I looked back over my shoulder several times as I hurried across the field to my house. It was nice being so close to the familiar door, and yet there was an aching in my chest.
    What was wrong with me? I knew he would never marry, never fall in love with anyone, but that had not stopped me. I loved Marcus Letrell, I admitted to myself as I inched open our front door.
    I loved him, but he could never love me back.
    Just before I closed the door on the night, I looked back one last time to the place where Marcus had disappeared. My heart nearly exploded out of my chest when I saw him standing there again–waiting for me to go inside.
    He raised one hand in a farewell gesture. I knew I had to resist the urge to run back to him. He didn’t want me; he had made that painfully clear.
    My eyes darted on their own accord to where everything had started just the night before. Hunter, the poor thing: I wondered if his body was still there. I couldn’t see it from where I stood, but he might be there still.
    Was Ryan still out there somewhere? Would he be watching me through my window–waiting for a time when Marcus wasn’t there to protect me?
    The wind picked up suddenly, setting my teeth chattering. I needed to go inside and get to my room before someone woke up and found me like this and yet I hesitated to shut the door and leave Marcus out there all alone.
    Would he go after Ryan now that he knew I was safely at home? Marcus was still watching me, but there was no putting it off any longer. I waved once and then softly shut the door.
    I leaned heavily against the wood of the door, gasping great gulps of air. I needed to get a hold of myself before I woke the whole house.
    I looked around and took stock of the familiar surroundings. It was everything I had known since I was a young girl and yet all so strange and uninviting.
    I put my hand on my chest, trying to quiet the fluttering of my heart. Everyone was sure to wake up when they heard it.
    The thought of Uncle Philip coming down the stairs and finding me in such disarray made my feet start working again. I quickly peeled my boots off and set them neatly next to the door. They were still covered in mud, but I couldn’t help that. Maybe I would be able to clean them tomorrow before anyone noticed.
    I turned quickly to go up the stairs and smashed my elbow against the door handle. I was careful not to make a racket as I