Page 70 of Rawhide and Ransom

She said her goodbyes and climbed into his tank-like truck. The interior smelled faintly of his woodsy aftershave, making her miss him like crazy. She seriously couldn’t wait to get home. It had very little to do with his humble cabin, though, and everything to do with the fact that she was going home tohim.

* * *

One hour later

Hawk pacedthe living room of his cabin, unable to sit down or rest easily until he laid eyes on Annalee again. He hoped that letting her travel to Dakota Farm without him wouldn’t turn out to be the biggest mistake of his life. Watching her drive away hadn’t set right with him.

Running Bear hadn’t been joking, though, about the seriousness of today’s tribal council meeting. In a stunning turn of events, he’d resigned from his decades-old position as a revered councilman. Then he’d immediately nominated his replacement and called for a special vote.

Hawk reached up to touch the beaded necklace that every councilman wore. He couldn’t wait to tell Annalee that he was no longer a councilman in training. He was the real deal now. It was still sinking in.

A knock sounded on the front door. He pivoted toward the sound, wondering who his unexpected visitor was. It couldn’t be Annalee, because his truck was still gone.

Striding across the room, he pulled open the door and found himself facing Running Bear. His mentor was holding the carved wooden box from the storage shed that Annalee had been so curious about.

“Come in.” Hawk pushed the door wider.

Running Bear shook his head. “I need to head back to camp and take care of a few errands before nightfall.” He held the wooden box out to Hawk. “I just wanted to give this to you before I go. It’s yours now.”

Hawk had mixed feelings as he accepted the box. “Is there a snake inside?” He meant it as a joke, but there was no answering humor in Running Bear’s gaze.

“To some folks, it’s far deadlier than a snake,” he warned. “It all depends on what you do with it. My advice is to not open it until Annalee returns. Tell her it’s a wedding gift.” After that cryptic statement, he turned around and stalked off.

A wedding gift that’s deadlier than a snake. Check.

Hawk watched him until he disappeared into the trees. Almost immediately, his ears picked up on the drone of a truck motor. Setting the box on the small table inside the door, he headed outside and jogged down the porch steps to intercept Annalee.

As she parked and set the emergency brake, he was there to open the door for her.

She practically fell into his arms. “It’s so good to be home!” There was a tremor in her voice that made his heart twist with concern.

He pivoted with her so he could lean back against the side of the truck. “Was it a tough meeting with Edward and Mirabelle?” He’d been worried that it might be.

“Not at all.” She slid her arms around his neck. “They agreed to everything. It was almost too easy.”

His heart leaped with elation. Edward’s willingness to continue running Dakota Farm meant that Hawk’s future wife wouldn’t be torn between here and there. “You’re really home then.” He spoke the words in wonder. It was going to take a little time for that to sink in.

“I’m really home.” Her eyes grew glassy with unshed tears.

“What’s wrong?” he asked quickly.

“I missed you!” She hugged him tighter. “I hope that’s okay. No doubt you were glad to finally get a break from me.”

“Not even,” he assured huskily. He couldn’t believe she’d wasted a second worrying about something so foolish.

“It’s just that we’ve been attached at the hip for months,” she fretted, “practically breathing the same air. As suffocating as that may have been for you, it’s become my new normal. My safe place. My Heaven on Earth. There’s no place I’d rather be,” she concluded in a broken voice, “than where I am right now.”

Wow! There was only one appropriate response to such a heartfelt declaration. He dragged his mouth over hers. “I missed you, too, and worried about you nonstop.” He kissed her again. “And selfishly prayed that your new responsibilities at Dakota Farm wouldn’t keep you there overnight. Nothing felt right on my end, either, until you drove up.”

He could feel her smile against his lips, reveling in the way she was running her fingers up and down the back of his neck. He adored being hers and would never stop craving her touch.

Her fingers brushed across his councilman necklace a few times and grew still as it dawned on her that he had a new string of beads resting there.

“Aw, Hawk,” she teased, pulling back a little so she could examine the beads. “Did you go therapy shopping to cope with my absence?”

He swooped closer to bump noses with her. “I believe you meant to say Councilman Hawk Chesney, ma’am.”

A squeal of delight slid out of her. “Isthatwhat your urgent tribal council business was all about?”

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