Page 70 of Sit, Stay

She elbows me. Gently. "You're lucky you're cute."

"That's what I keep telling people," I reply.

"And humble," she adds.

"It's a burden," I say with a grin.

Maverick squirms, and Callie sets him down. He immediately makes a beeline for the corner where Biscuit's bed sits, circles three times, and flops down like he owns the place.

"He fits right in," I observe.

"He's a menace." But she's smiling when she says it.

"So," I venture. "Where do we stand on the priority list? Me and dogs?"

"The dogs get priority," she says without hesitation.

"Obviously. But where do I rank?"

"Hmm." She taps her chin, pretending to think. "Well, there's Ranger. And now Maverick. And Biscuit, obviously."

"Obviously."

"And my work. And my coffee maker."

"Your coffee maker?"

"It's a really good coffee maker."

I pull her close, hands settling on her hips. "So I'm what, sixth?"

"Seventh. I forgot about my heated blanket."

"That's cold, Doc."

"That's the point of the heated blanket."

I pull her in and kiss her because I can, because she's here and she's mine and we're doing this. Together. She tastes like coffee and something sweet, and when she sighs against my mouth, her hand curls into my shirt like she's anchoring herself to me.

When I pull back, she's got that look—the one that means she's thinking too hard.

"What?" I ask.

"I just realized I'm leaving Pine Valley." The words are soft. "My whole life is here."

"Hey." I duck my head to catch her eyes. "You're not losing anything. You're gaining something. A pain-in-the-ass pilot, a retired K9, a puppy that's going to destroy at least three pairs of your shoes, and a family business in Texas that desperately needs someone who knows what they're doing."

"When you put it that way..."

"Plus, Iron Creek has a bookstore. And a diner. And probably some kind of weird small-town tradition involving livestock."

"Sold." She's smiling again. "I'm very pro-livestock traditions."

"I knew you were a Texas girl at heart."

"I'm a Colorado girl who's agreeing to relocate. Don't get ahead of yourself."

Maverick chooses that moment to wake up, notice we're across the room, and scramble to his feet with a bark. He gallops over, trips over his own paws, and crashes into Callie's legs.