Excerpt of Max Wilde's Cowboy Heart by Jennifer Ryan

“Just let me go.”

He took a step closer. “I did that once. I can’t do it again. Not with things the way they are between us now.”

“Are you drunk?” That had to be the explanation for him saying something so crazy.

“I’m stone cold sober. Though after an eye-opening talk with my brother, I think I may be the stupidest man on the planet.”

That took her aback. “What?”

“Why did we break up?”

She tilted her head, totally confused that he’d even ask the question. “You know why?”

“I know I thought I knew why, but now I think I had it wrong.”

“What?” Maybe she needed a couple drinks to make this make sense.

His shoulders sagged. “Just answer the question. From your point of view, why did we break up?”

Tears gathered in her eyes. Her throat clogged, her chest went tight, and her battered heart thrashed in her chest. “Because I hurt you.”

He reached for her, but she stepped back. He sighed. “Kenna, talk to me.”

“It’s too late.”

His eyes filled with hope and a plea. “Maybe it’s not.”

Yeah, right. That was too much to hope for. Either way, she finally confessed. “I accused you of lying to me. I didn’t believe you. And then when I did, it was too late. I’d ruined it all and you’d moved on and never looked back.”

A pained look came into his eyes. “That’s not true.”

She remembered every time she’d seen him around town after the breakup. “You couldn’t stand the sight of me. You avoided me at all costs.”

Max hung his head, then looked at her again. “I did. Because it hurt too much to see you and want you and know that you didn’t believe in me.”

“Exactly. It was my fault. And I’m sorry. I was so sorry, but it was too late to tell you that because I hurt you.”

“Who hurt you, Kenna?”

She took a step back. “What? It’s not about me.”

“The hell it isn’t.” He closed the distance and stood so close she could smell the hay and horses and wind on him. “You lost me. I lost you. That happened to both of us. Now tell me exactly what happened.”

“It doesn’t matter now.”

“It does to me!” He’d never raised his voice with her. Not once. Not ever. This really mattered to him. “Please, Kenna,” he begged. “Start at the beginning and tell me what happened.”

She gave in to the desperate need in his voice. “The amazing happened. You loved me, and I loved you, and it was perfect.”

He rubbed his hand over his heart. “Yes.”

“I didn’t think anything would ever come between us.”

“I didn’t either.” He looked so sad. “But Hillary did. Didn’t she?” The anger came back. He knew. At least he thought he did.

“It was me. You said it then, you’ll say it again now. I didn’t believe in you.”

He shook his head and started talking again. “You walked into her place and saw me shirtless and her just out of bed. I can see where your mind would go.”

She sighed, feeling the inevitable about to happen. They’d relive this and still end up apart. He’d blame her again. Deservedly so. “You didn’t call or text me that you weren’t coming back to me. I woke up alone.”

Pain filled Max’s eyes. “I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to be sorry. You didn’t do anything wrong.” The shame and regret filled her up. “It was me. All of it was me.”

“No. That’s not true. I know that now.”