Page 68 of Rawhide and Ransom

“Are you kidding?” He spoke against her temple. “I’ve got the woman of my dreams in my arms. Bitter is a far cry from what I’m feeling right now.”

Ha! She was nobody’s dream. He was just being nice. “I’m a hot mess, Edward.” She had no trouble admitting it to him. They’d always been honest with each other. “I’ve got scars on top of my scars. I’m more of a nightmare than a dream.”

“Then let’s be scarred together.” He hitched her closer, sounding eager. “I have no idea what’s next for me now that your sister has inherited Dakota Farm, but I have some money saved up. Enough to take you anywhere you want to go. We could see the world together.”

His words gave birth to a sprout of hope inside her. “Actually, I think Annalee is planning on asking you to stay here.” She was happy to be able to tell him that.

He was quiet for a moment. “Are you serious?”

“Very.” She lifted her head to meet his gaze. “I just left the hospital where I got to see her for the first time in…” Her voice broke. She had to clear her throat before continuing. “She raved about how well you’ve been managing the farm, though she was pretty blunt about it not being a one-person job.”

“It’s not. I’ve been scrambling to keep up ever since our foreman resigned a while back.” He gazed into the distance. “Any idea who she plans to bring on board?”

“Me.” She wasn’t sure exactly what her sister had in mind. “Can you believe it? I don’t know the first thing about farm?—”

His loud whoop of joy drowned out the rest of her fretting. “Don’t worry.” He gathered her close in a bear hug. “I’ll show you the ropes. There’s no one else I’d rather work with!” Something in her expression gave him pause. “Please assure me you told her yes.”

“I didn’t give her an answer yet.” Mirabelle struggled to come up with the right words to explain what had been going through her mind at the time. “I honestly didn’t know if you’d even want to see me.”

“What gave you that idea?” His jaw dropped, making her want to weep with relief. “The hotel room? The money? Your cell phone? Your legal defense?”

“Okay, okay!” She tipped her head laughingly against his shoulder again. It was so good to have her best friend back. For a man in a wheelchair, his shoulder felt surprisingly sturdy. “Fair warning. You might ought to stick me in a behind-the-scenes position. I give new meaning to the phrasesocially awkward.” She placed one-handed air quotes around the words. “I haven’t exactly been socialized much. Shocker, I know.”

He reached around her to tweak her ponytail. “Is that your way of telling me you don’t date much?”

“Much?” She sat up straight. “I’ve never dated at all!”

His gaze burned into hers. “Maybe we need to do something about that.”

“Edward!” It felt harder to breathe again. “Are you…?” She couldn’t bring herself to finish the sentence.

“Asking you out? Yes. I believe I am.” His expression grew beseeching. “Mirabelle Gilbert, will you finish what we started years ago and agree to be my girl?”

She gripped his shoulders. “You’d better not be asking me out of pity, Edward Dakota.” She couldn’t bear it if he was.

“Maybe this will help clear things up for you.” He dipped his head to seam his mouth against hers.

For a moment, she couldn’t move. Being kissed was the most wonderful, terrifying, earth-shattering thing that had ever happened to her. However, she doubted it had much to do with being kissed for the first time. It had everything to do with being kissed byhim.

He kissed her until she wept.

He kissed her until she smiled.

He kissed her until she couldn’t think of anyone or anything else besides him.

* * *

Two days later

Annalee tooka seat across the table from Edward. They were meeting in the dining room at Dakota Farm, and she was pleased beyond words that her twin sister was seated beside him. Hawk had helped her draft the proposal she was about to present to him, but it was best that Mirabelle was present since the proposal concerned her, too.

“Thanks for agreeing to meet with me.” She was convinced she’d made the right decision to continue employing Edward. It was only a matter of getting his agreement and signature on the appropriate forms. Then they could all move forward from the beautiful but terrible position they’d been thrown in.

Edward rested his hands on the table. “You’re the boss,” he said easily, “assuming I still have a job.”

“Absolutely!” Annalee was thrilled to receive confirmation that he wanted to stay. A vindictive person might’ve resigned and left her in the lurch. “From what I’ve seen of the profitability numbers and everything else, Dakota Farm couldn’t be in better hands.”

His expression softened. “I’m glad you think so.”

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