The moment the sheriff was gone, Josh led Shay to the front porch where they sat side by side on the porch swing. Worried about her, he asked, “How are you feeling? How’s your head?” A bruise was forming on her cheek and he had to control the rage he felt towards Will. Shay needed him now. He had to focus on her.

“I’ll be okay.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to go to the hospital?” The sheriff had offered to call an ambulance, but Shay had declined.

“I think one ride in an ambulance is enough.”

Smiling, Josh nodded. “Yeah. I can’t argue with that.”

Shay’s forehead wrinkled. “What about you? How does your shoulder feel?”

It hurt. There was no question about that. But he didn’t think he’d injured it any worse. “It’ll be fine.” At the look of concern on Shay’s face, he added, “And don’t you dare blame yourself. You did nothing wrong.”

A soft sigh slipped from her mouth. “You’re too sweet, Josh.”

He wasn’t trying to be sweet. He just wanted to cut off her line of thinking before it had begun. “And you’re amazing,” he said. “I heard you telling the sheriff how hard you fought. You don’t give up easily, do you?”

Her face reddened. “I couldn’t let him take me.”

“That’s what I mean. I like how you stand up for yourself.” He paused, thinking about how she’d almost left him the day before, how she’d walked away from him, how he’d feared he would never see her again. How he’d come to realize how much she meant to him, how he wanted to be part of her life.

Smiling, he knew the moment was right to tell her that his feelings for her were growing. Lowering his chin while keeping his gaze locked on hers, he softened his voice. “That’s not the only thing I like about you.”

* * *

At the look on Josh’s face, combined with his words, Shay felt her heart begin to pound. But this wasn’t like the pounding of fear she’d felt when Will had shown up. No. This was a pounding of hope and excitement.

“What do you mean?” she asked, her lips curving upward.

His smile matched hers, and while his amazing blue eyes gazed into her very soul, he said, “We haven’t known each other very long, but I’ve grown to care for you more than I’ve ever cared for anyone, Shay.”

Happiness blossomed inside her.

“I can’t imagine…” A look of fear briefly darkened his eyes, then he shook his head. “What if I hadn’t seen him dragging you away? What if he’d taken you?”

She didn’t want to consider that, but it had nearly happened. Will had been within mere yards of succeeding. The thought of being under Will’s control made her sick, and her stomach churned. Closing her eyes, she reminded herself that Josh had saved her, that she was safe.

She opened her eyes and met his gaze as the thought went through her head with power. He’d saved her.

“I love you, Josh.”

Her eyes widened in shock. Where had that come from?

But she meant it. She’d never fallen for someone so fast or so hard. Still, it was too soon to say it. Wasn’t it? Holding completely still, she waited to see what Josh would say.

* * *

Her declaration of love had taken Josh completely by surprise, but when she’d said the words, they had resonated within him in a way he’d never felt before. He reached out and gently stroked her face, wanting nothing more than to pull her into his arms and protect her from the world. She’d come to mean more to him than he ever could have imagined.

Staring steadily into her emerald-green eyes, eyes that held no guile, Josh felt his heart swell with a feeling so overwhelming, he couldn’t deny it.

“I love you, too, Shay.”

They’d been through some crazy things together, and he was eager to explore the future with her, to see where things led.

* * *

Shay could hardly believe he’d said the words back. Grinning like an idiot, she couldn’t take her eyes from his face, and when he tugged her into his arms, she went willingly. She pressed her cheek against his chest and listened to his strong and steady heartbeat. With his arms around her, knowing he would do anything to save her—that he already had saved her—and that he loved her as she loved him, Shay had never been happier.

She looked up at him, and after only a moment he lowered his face to hers, then he pressed his lips against hers with a passion she’d never felt before. She sank against him, savoring the feel of being in his strong embrace.

She didn’t know what the future held, but she was excited to discover it with Josh at her side, strengthening her, buoying her up as she would buoy him up. They would be there for each other, no matter what.