Page 142 of True North

I slam my hands over her jaw, dragging her mouth up, our lips almost touching.

I can barely breathe, but I can’t get close enough to this woman who never ceases to stoke the fire in me, for good or for bad.

Hunger for her takes over and I dip, running my tongue over the seam of her lips. She opens instantly. Like it’s the most natural thing in the world, her hands weave into my hair. My hat hits the sidewalk.

A voice clears.

We break apart.

The bank manager and a few of the townsfolk have crowded by the bank’s front doors. Louisa’s shy smile sends my heart into a flurry. I kiss her forehead and drop my own to it as I breathe, “Let’s go save our ranch, darlin’.”

“Heavens above, I thought you’d never ask.”

The cheeky little smile she gives up warms me all the way to my bones. That, I’ll circle back to later, without the audience. I lace my fingers through hers, and we walk back inside.

Bolstered by Lou’s declaration and the fact we aren’t losing the ranch today, I drop into the seat in the bank manager’s office. He takes the check off the desk where Louisa must have left it. Tallying his book, he slides his glasses up his nose as we wait in silence.

Lou squeezes my hand, and I can’t take my eyes off this woman.

Not only did she show up, she played her cards well. She loved me even though she was scared to. She found her true north, right where I knew it would be.

Captain.

My captain.

A good man is a great one with his captain by his side.

There is only one problem with this scenario. And I intend on fixin’ that as soon as I’m able.

Next stop after this trip to town...

Top right drawer of Ma’s dresser.

* * *

With the restaurant deal all wrapped up and Louisa now workin’ with me on the ranch day after day, happiness has claimed this man. In ways I never knew possible. Every day we wake up making love. Every night, exhausted, she folds into my hold, drifting off to sleep.

And every single moment, I count my blessings. I thank my lucky stars Louisa May came home to me after all those years.

Life will never be easy for us. We’re too emotional when it comes to the other. We fight for each other so hard some days, we lose sight of the fact we shouldn’t be fightin’ at all.

But it makes for fuckin’ addictive make-up sex.

I swear that’s the only reason she gives me attitude.

Despite the storm and the fury that drags us under from time to time, the dark lows are more than worth the millions of highs we live through every single day.

So, to make perfectly sure this woman of mine knows exactly where she damn belongs, I set out more fuckin’ candles than should ever be lit in our small space. I toss them wildflowers she loves from our hilltops over the hardwoods. The food Mama Mancini made for tonight smells like something right outta old Italy. Lou’s gonna love it.

I sent her on a wild-goose chase for a few cows and calves in the southern paddock while I unloaded the truck of hay that rolled in an hour ago. It took me twenty minutes to offload. I rushed through the shower and pulled on my best jeans, shirt, and the leather necklace she used to love when we were dating last time.

Running my hands through my hair, I pace the room. I sure I’m forgetting something.

Dammit.

Whiskey.

Wine.

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