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"Wait."

"What?"

"Madison already mentioned it to Gabe."

"Yes."

"Last night."

"Yes."

"Were you all in on this?"

"Define 'in on'?"

"Anna."

"Luke."

"You came to that cabin already half-deciding."

"Luke Davis. I came to that cabin running for my life."

"And–"

"And I noticed within seventy-two hours that you're the best man I've ever stood in a room with. So yes. By the time my friend mentioned, in passing, in a truck, that the ranch could maybe use somebody who knows how to run a website and a social media account and an email campaign, I was already wondering how I'd ask you if I could stay."

I’m off the couch.

I’m off the couch and across the floor and I have her in my arms before I've thought about it, and I'm kissing her so hard she stumbles back and I catch her with one arm braced behind her shoulders.

I kiss her until she's laughing into my mouth.

"Luke?"

"Mm."

"I want to stay."

"Yeah, Brown Eyes."

"Do you want me to?"

"Anna."

"Say it."

I pull back enough to look at her.

"I want you to stay. I want you in my cabin. I want you in my bed. I want you eating my food and reorganizing my spices and using my coffee machine and learning the name of every cow in that pasture if that's what makes you smile. I want you. I want you for as long as you'll have me."

"That's a long time, Luke."

"Better start now then."

I kiss her again.

She wraps her legs around my hips. I lift her like she weighs nothing. She's laughing and crying at the same time and I'm not far off. I carry her back to the bedroom and shoulder the door open with her mouth on mine.