Page 76 of Drifter’s Heart

“Oh. thanks.” He’s right. Nothing bothers me, and I’m back in minutes. West already has a freaking steak breakfast cooking with what looks like a loaf of bread that he’s sliced up—Levi’s flavor is all over it in seeded patterns. “You’re still spoiling me.”

“Forever.” His arm tucks around my shoulders as I clean my hands with waterless soap. “I keep telling you. Sometime soon, I need you to believe me, but I’m not gonna stop, Winnie.” His gaze drifts across to the mountains I can’t stop looking at either.

“Stalker,” I mutter, leaning into him. He’s too easy to cuddle. “You’re like a damn big fuzzy bear, you know that?”

He laughs, banding his arm tighter around me as he cooks. “There are regular ranch hands out at Coyote who are still terrified of me, and you’re telling me that you find me…” Roughened fingers catch my chin and tip my head back. “…cute?”

I smile enthusiastically. “Yep.”

“Damn, girl.” He leans down and kisses me deeply.

The world falls away until it’s just us standing on the top of a mountain and nothing else. I grip the front of his shirt in case I fall off the world, but he holds me up because Wilder West won’t let me go. I know that now.

“I love you,” he murmurs.

Tears prickle the backs of my eyelids. I don’t open my eyes because that’ll mean it’s all too real and he’ll see them. “I love you too,” I whisper back, unable to make real sounds.

The all-male noise he makes low in his throat ripples through me. “We’re gonna have to do something permanent.”

“Too fast,” I manage.

“Hell, no. I’ve wanted you for fucking years,” he growls back.

“Oh.” That’s all I get out before he’s kissing me again. Not slow or steady, but quick and rough. The groans that leave me are feral, raw sounds as he lifts me onto his hips. Something metal clatters to the ground, but I’m too busy wrapping my arms around his neck and kissing him back to care much.

“Winnie?”

“Yeah?” His stubble is a little longer than usual and feels so good against my cheek.

“I’m gonna have to sort that fire out before the food splatters all over the forest and we light the damn thing ablaze.”

“Oops.”

“Hmm.”

West gets breakfast under control as I ogle him happily.

“You know, you’re a little stalker yourself,” he mutters, passing me a plate. His fake scowl is cute as hell, and I beam up at him as he passes me freaking apple juice.

“You’re still spoiling me.” I can’t stop grinning like a bear with honey. Do bears do the honey thing? I have no idea. In my imagination, mine does, and that’s what matters right now.

“Yep.”

“I’m stuck with you, aren’t I?”

“Yep.”

“What happens when we go back?”

To reality. Tomorrow.

Tonight.

He shrugs. “Whatever happens, happens, Winnie. But we do it⁠—”

“Together. Yeah, I know.” His words tumble out of my mouth, sharp and prickly like a half-cooked cactus.

His hold tightens. “You gotta stop fighting it sometime.”