“That doesn’t mean you owe me affection.”
“No.”
He moved closer.
“It means I am trying very hard to understand whether I want you because you gave me my daughter back…”
He paused.
“Or because I wanted you before I knew.”
Abigail smiled.
“You kissed me before.”
“Yes.”
“You stared at me before.”
“Repeatedly.”
“You cried when I touched you before.”
Cole almost smiled.
“You’re enjoying this.”
“A little.”
He looked at her.
“I wanted you before.”
Her cheeks warmed.
Cole continued:
“And I want you now.”
Abigail whispered:
“Then stop making it sound like a business agreement.”
He smiled.
“How should I say it?”
“Like a man.”
Cole leaned closer.
“I want you in my house.”
Her heartbeat quickened.
“At my table.”
Closer.
“In my bed, when you decide you want that.”
Abigail’s face became warm.
Cole’s voice dropped.
“And beside me when it gets quiet.”
She looked into his eyes.
“That was better.”
“Good.”
She touched his beard.
“Can I kiss you?”
Cole laughed.
“That question caused enough trouble the first time.”
Abigail smiled.
“Yes or no?”
“Yes.”
She kissed him.
This time there was nothing tentative about it.
Still affectionate.
Still controlled.
But undeniably adult.
Cole’s hands rested around her waist.
Abigail’s fingers slid into his hair.
When they separated, both were breathing differently.
Cole whispered:
“Come to the ranch.”
“I already did.”
“Stay.”
Her expression changed.
“For how long?”
“As long as you want.”
She stared.
“Dangerous invitation.”
“I know.”
Abigail smiled.
“I’ll consider it.”
Cole groaned.
“You crossed two states to tell me my daughter was alive and now you become cautious?”
“Exactly.”
“Cruel woman.”
“Sad cowboy.”
He laughed.
A real laugh.
The innkeeper looked over.
Cole did not care.
Back at Hayes Ranch, life changed gradually.
Not magically.
Anna did not move to Montana immediately.
Cole visited Wyoming.
Sarah and Anna visited Montana.
Then Anna spent part of summer at the ranch.
She chose a bedroom overlooking the creek.
Not the old yellow room from Cole’s first family house.
A new room.
Her own.
Cole made one mistake the first week.
He bought too much.
Dresses.
Books.
A new saddle.
Silver hairbrush.
Boots.
Anna stared at the pile.
“I don’t need all this.”
Cole looked confused.
“I can afford it.”
“That’s not what I said.”
Abigail, standing nearby, covered a smile.
Cole looked at her.
“Do not.”
She laughed.
Anna chose two books and the boots.
“Can we return the rest?”
Cole frowned.
“Yes.”
That evening Abigail told him:
“You’re trying to buy ten years.”
He looked away.
“I know.”
“You can’t.”
“I know.”
She touched his hand.
“You can give her today.”
Cole looked at her.
“You make everything sound simple.”
“No.”
Abigail shook her head.
“I make it sound possible.”
There was a difference.
Anna returned to Wyoming at summer’s end.
Cole did not fight it.
He hated it.