Page 45 of August’s Cowboy Braxton

“Yeah.”

His real smile appeared. “Good.”

I wanted to kiss him, but Ruby was already coming toward us with Orville and a photographer. So I brushed my fingers against his as I passed. His hand caught mine for half a second.

That was enough. At least for now.

The rest of the afternoon disappeared in a blur of pictures, hugs, cleanup, and a banquet where I didn’t have to organize anything for once. By the time I finally left the rodeo grounds, exhaustion had settled all the way into my bones.

Braxton had gone back to the ranch ahead of me. When I walked inside, the first thing I saw was his duffel bag beside the front door.

My stomach dropped. Of course he was leaving. His job was over. Evie was in custody. The immediate threat was gone. There was no reason for him to stay.

I found him upstairs folding clothes with the same ridiculous precision he applied to everything else.

“You’re leaving.”

He looked up. “No.”

I stopped in the doorway. “Then why is your bag packed?”

“I’m putting away the things I don’t need here.”

He folded another shirt and set it on the bed. “I declined my next assignment.”

My heart stumbled. “Why?”

“Because I want to stay.” He crossed the room. “I want to restore the house. Fix the barn. Do something about the porch before somebody falls through it.”

“That porch has character.”

“It has rot.”

“In Montana, that’s basically the same thing.”

His lips curved up in a small smile. “I can run things from here. Build a regional office. Hire locally. Travel when I need to.”

“Braxton…”

“I’m not staying because you need protection.” He stopped in front of me. “I’m staying because I want to. I want you.”

Everything inside me went still.

“And for the first time in fifteen years, I want Mustang Mountain too.”

I stared at him, hoping he meant what he was saying. “I travel a lot.”

“I know.”

“I leave Thursday for a three-day rodeo in Billings.”

“Then I’ll keep the week open.”

I arched my brows. “You want to come with me as my bodyguard?”

“Not unless you’re paying me.” He laughed, teasing.

I stepped closer. “What if I want you to come because I just want you there?”