“Do you want to kiss me?”
He stared.
“Yes.”
The honesty stole her breath.
She asked:
“Why haven't you?”
“Because you work for me.”
“I know.”
“And you're depending on this ranch for housing.”
“I know.”
“That makes things complicated.”
She looked at him differently then.
Most men used dependency as leverage.
Ethan treated it as a reason for restraint.
Magdalena reached for his shirt.
Not pulling.
Simply resting her hand against his chest.
“Suppose I remove the complication for one minute.”
His breathing changed.
“You can put it back afterward?”
“Probably.”
“Then?”
She looked at his mouth.
“You may kiss me.”
He did.
Slowly.
Almost cautiously.
Magdalena expected herself to feel self-conscious.
Her waist.
Her stomach.
The difference between his athletic body and her heavy one.
Instead Ethan’s hand settled at her cheek.
Nothing else.
No grabbing.
No hurry.
The kiss deepened only when she moved closer.
Her fingers curled into his shirt.
Ethan made a quiet sound.
Then stepped back.
Magdalena stared.
“That was brief.”
He almost laughed.
“It was not.”
“It felt brief.”
“Dangerous information.”
She smiled.
“Now what?”
“Now I go fix fence.”
“You kissed me and you're going to fix fence?”
“Yes.”
“Coward.”
“Possibly.”
She laughed after he left.
The barn burned six nights later.
Magdalena woke to shouting.
Orange light filled her window.
She smelled smoke before reaching the hallway.
“Barn!”
Someone yelled outside.
Magdalena ran barefoot until the yard gravel cut her feet.
Flames climbed the west wall.
Horses screamed.
Men pulled open gates.
Ethan was already inside.
Of course.
Magdalena grabbed a coat.
“Where?”
she shouted at Jacob.
“Horse stalls!”
“Cattle?”
“Back pen!”
She ran.
A terrified calf had wedged itself against fencing.
Magdalena opened the latch.
The animal backed farther.
“Come on.”
Smoke rolled across the yard.
She caught the rope.
Pulled.
The calf fought.
Magdalena planted both large boots into dirt and used her full weight.
The animal stumbled forward.
Then followed.
Someone shouted her name.
She kept going.
By the time she reached open ground, her arms were burning.
“Jacinto!”
He ran toward her.
“No one is alive in there!”
She pointed toward the barn.
He pulled the calf behind cover.
Then looked back.
“There are two cows in the rear stall!”
“Leave them!”
He ran anyway.
“Jacinto!”
Ethan emerged through smoke carrying a saddle.
Dropped it.
Turned.
Magdalena grabbed his arm.
“Don’t.”
“Jacinto’s inside.”
“I know.”
The roof cracked.
They both looked up.
Then Jacinto appeared.
Coughing.
One cow behind him.
The other broke through a side opening.