Will parked in back, near the kitchen, and got down and checked for signs of the squatter.
“He was here again,” Will said, pointing out the new tracks and fresh horse droppings.
Maggie’s eyes swelled. “Is it safe?”
“Yeah, he’s gone. Must have come back while we were away, seen we’d been around, and ridden off again. We probably won’t see him again.”
“But what if…” she started and then chuckled to herself, shaking her head. “Don’t worry about it, right?”
“Right.”
“What should we unload first?”
“Let’s take another look first, then unload everything.”
She smiled with excitement. “All right, Will. That sounds good. This is fun. I can’t believe it’s even true.”
“It’s true,” Will said. He opened the door and held it for her and gestured her inside. “Your new home, Miss Dunne.”
Maggie stepped inside, studying the kitchen with glittering eyes. “Not my house. Yours. It was your money, Will.”
Will shook his head. “It’s not mine. Look at the deed. It’s your name on there. This is your home and your ranch.”
“My name might be on the deed, but you know what I mean. You bought it. You own it. It’s your home.”
Will stared into her eyes. “How about we make itourhome?”
She stared back at him, eyes glistening with emotion. “You have no idea how good that sounds to me.”
“Me, too. I love the idea of sharing a home with you.”
She stepped closer and stared up at him. “Are you serious, Will?”
“I am.”
“And you don’t mean as a sister, do you?”
“I do not.”
“Oh, Will,” she said and gave a strange, short laugh, and then she was wiping at the corners of her eyes. “I’m so happy I could kiss you.”
“Don’t tease me like that, Maggie.”
She lifted her chin a little, staring boldly into his eyes. “I’m not teasing. I’ve never kissed a man before. Or even a boy for that matter. But I’m not teasing, not one little bit, Will Bentley. I could kiss you right now.”
Will reached out and took her pretty face in his hands and lowered his mouth to hers and they kissed softly, broke apart, looked into each other’s eyes, then kissed again, long and deeply.
Finally, they just stood there, holding each other, both of them very happy and excited and boiling over with optimism.
“If I tell you something,” Will said, “do you promise not to laugh at me?”
“No. But tell me anyway.”
“That was my first time, too.”
Maggie’s mouth dropped wide open. “That was your first time kissing a girl?”
He nodded, and they both burst out in happy laughter, still clinging to each other.
