Page 69 of The Cowboy's Unshakeable Love

As if he sensed that, he let her off the hook easily. He shrugged and said, “Everybody does, I’m a lovable kind of guy.”

“You sure are,” she told him with a smile.

He got to his feet. “Alrighty then. Where do we start? What do you want me to do?”

She looked around and shook her head. “I have no idea – I don’t know where to begin.”

“Well, what’s most important for you to take with you?”

“I don’t really know. Just important papers, a few knick-knacks and photographs and clothes. Other than that …”

“Other than that, we can wait until you talk to a realtor. They might want the place empty to make it easier to show, or they might want to have at least some furniture still here.”

“Right.”

“Shit. Sorry, darlin’. I’m not trying to take over.”

“I didn’t think you were, I just … I’ve never sold a house before, because I’ve never owned one before.”

“You don’t have to sell…”

“I’m really not worried about that. I just … I liked feeling like I had a place where I belonged.”

“You do.” She met his gaze, and he winked and said, “With me.”

She didn’t know if this was the time to bring it up – it was probably too soon, but … “I feel like I do belong with you. But I mean a place, too…”

“So, do I … you’re making the cabins into what they need to be., You’re already making the house into a home just by being in it.”

She held his gaze. “You know how Callie set up that account for me?”

“You don’t need to put any money in, darlin.”

“But, what if I wanted to? What if we were to make it a real partnership? And I’m not saying that I’d want to control anything, just that I’d like to feel like I’m contributing.”

He stared back at her for a long few moments. “We can talk about it. I feel like that might be for further down the road, though. I don’t want to keep you out – I just want to make sure first that you’re in this for keeps.”

She nodded. “It makes sense.”

“It does, but don’t go thinking that I’m trying to keep you out – promise?”

“I promise. You’re looking out for me as much as you are for yourself.”

“I am – and I’m looking out for us, too. I don’t want to make things too complicated before we get our foundation straight.”

“Okay.”

“Okay.” He grinned. “So back to the original question. Where do we start?”

She looked around and then smiled. “In the bedroom.”

He waggled his eyebrows. “Are you suggesting …?”

She laughed. “I wish. It’s just that most of what I want to bring back with me is up there, so we might as well get on with it.”

He lifted her out of the wheelchair, and she wrapped her arms around his neck as he carried her up the stairs.

“What are you smirking about?” she asked when he reached the top.

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