"My apologies for bothering you all," Taylor said and slid his hat off. "I'll leave you to family business."
Whatever I thought about Taylor, I'd take a chance with him over Philip any day. "He's here because we're engaged," I grabbed Taylor's hand as he headed towards the stairs.
"Betrothed?" Philip looked at me blankly. "You? To him?"
"Father wished it."
Philip turned red and marched into the bedroom.
"You're marrying me," I told Taylor.
He gazed down at me, taking in my features. My heart flip-flopped once more at the direct look. "It's what you want?"
"John chose you. So … I'm just a woman. What choice do I have?" I asked.
"I don't believe that for one minute." He folded his arms across his lean chest. "I warned you, ma'am. There'd come a time when you needed a favor from me."
I stared at him. "How … I mean, did you know this was going to happen?"
"That ain't possible, Miss Josie."
Yet the glimmer in his eyes told me it was. "Fine. What do you want?"
"The truth for one."
"Ugh."
"For two …" he glanced around. "I'd like to retire here with you."
"Wait. You want to be with me?" I asked, startled.
"What's not to want?"
The option of being stuck here had never crossed my mind. With his quiet strength, chiseled body and face, ability to see through a lie and protective instinct, he was the perfect package, a man who would keep my secrets and support me without question. I had felt relatively safe with him since we met, with the exception of the details surrounding the night he found me.
Was I attracted? Definitely. Did I think I might be able to trust him? Probably. But if he thought I'd stay here with him forever, he was flat out wrong.
He doesn't have to know that. Except I was a horrible liar. "Look, Taylor …" Meeting his gaze, I paused, grappling with how to say what I wanted to. "We're connected somehow already. I've always felt this. I don't know how or why. I think you could be someone I trust, but … retire? Here?"
This time, I was the one talking around the truth.
"Assume by some miracle, you end up staying here," Taylor said, amusement glittering in his eyes. "You could be worse off."
"Yeah. I didn't mean …" I flushed at his intent consideration. My gaze strayed to the bedroom, where Philip had succeeded in waking John and appeared to be speaking urgently to him.
"I can't let him have you," Taylor added more softly, following my gaze. "You do need someone looking out for you, whatever you decide."