Landon didn’t speak for a moment. “I told them my family would make you another offer for Coyote Glen. I guess they figure you’ll take it.”
“Oh.” She went a little limp. Evenhedidn’t believe his earlier pep talk about not counting herself out. Everyone was counting her out. “The people who came tonight were really helpingyouby taking the calves. They knew they’d end up being yours.” The warm feeling that had surrounded her the last hour dulled, disintegrated, and left her hollow. She’d been stupid for crying in gratitude in front of everybody. She’d even hugged them goodbye. None of their kindness had been for her.
“Don’t say that,” Landon muttered. “They didn’t come because forty bottle calves will make a difference to my bottom line. They came because they respected the fact that you cared so much about those animals you were going to exhaust yourself trying to take care of them. That makes you one of us.” He let out a low sigh. “I just wish you could see that.”
What did it matter if she saw it? She was going to lose the ranch. Her chest felt as tight as violin strings. “When will you make your second offer?” The words came out with more bitterness than she’d intended. Any offer on his part was generous. He could just sit back and wait to inherit.
He reluctantly pulled a folded check from his pocket.
“That fast?” It seemed like an eviction notice. “Well, I guess I should have let Jaxon take the calves after all.”
Landon tapped the check against his palm. He looked as unhappy as she felt. “I talked with my brothers about your situation before I came over. The offer isn’t as much as our first, but we think your family should have some compensation. Cal would’ve wanted that.”
Kate swallowed and folded her arms. At this point, she’d be a fool to turn down even a low offer, but she didn’t reach for the check, and he didn’t hand it to her. He just kept grimly scowling and tapping it against his palm. “You’ll have enough to cover the startup costs of a design business. That’s what you want, isn’t it?”
She was glad she’d moved away from the light. She was afraid she’d start crying again. She wanted Landon, but she couldn’t tell him that.
He shoved the check back into his pocket. “I don’t think I can do this.”
Her gaze shot to his. He’d changed his mind about offering her even a low amount?
There wasn’t indecision in his eyes, only pain. “Earlier, you said you couldn’t win, but as I see it, I’m the one who can’t win. If you don’t inherit Coyote Glen, you’ll leave. If you do inherit, you’ll leave. I just want you to stick it out for the rest of the year in the selfish hope that you’ll change your mind about us.” His voice dropped and went low with whispered earnestness. “I love you. If you don’t believe anything else, will you believe me about that?”
He loved her. She did believe him, and those words changed everything, were everything. They were warmth and hope handed back to her. The tightness in her chest vanished, replaced by lightness.
She didn’t answer; she just flung herself into his arms with a sound that was half gasp, half sob. He wrapped his arms around her and leaned his head against hers. “Kitty, don’t leave. I know Arizona will never be as green as Washington but—”
She didn’t let him finish. She stood on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against his. He seemed quite willing to kiss her instead of finishing the conversation. His lips were eager, then insistent. His hand traveled the length of her back and the heat of his fingertips left her breathless. She didn’t want to ever let him go again.
After a few minutes, his hand wound up at the end of her French braid. He slipped off the elastic and loosened the braid, strand by strand, all while dropping kisses on her mouth. Her hair came undone. So did she. The feel of his hands tangling in her hair sent shivers down her spine.
His lips moved to her earlobe. “You haven’t said that you love me.”
Her lips had been busy until now. “I love you,” she whispered. “I think I’ve loved you since the first day you came over to help me.”
She felt his mouth smile against the skin on her neck. “You haven’t said you’ll stay.”
“I’ll stay. After all, leaving before September would be hasty. I might still inherit the ranch.”
His lips returned to the spot of skin underneath her ear. “You know, there’s another way you can get Coyote Glen.”
Forming coherent sentences was taking a lot of concentration. “What would that be?”
“You could marry me. Then we’d own the land jointly.”
Her heart beat faster. “Are you suggesting I marry you just so I’ll still have the land?”
“Well, there would be other perks too.” He kissed her again, long and deeply, in case she wasn’t clear about what those perks were.
When he lifted his head, she lazily opened her eyes. “I can definitely see the benefits.”
He threaded his hands around her waist and pulled her closer. “You ain’t seen nothing yet.”
He lowered his head, but she didn’t let him kiss her this time. “So is this an actual proposal or a theoretical exercise?” She was fully prepared to call him out for leading her on with more talk of marriage and pigeon sanctuaries.
“Wasn’t I clear about that? Okay, let’s do this properly.” He stepped away from her, took her hand, and peered around. “I’d always planned on proposing in a more romantic location. Sunset on a mountain ridge somewhere.” He scanned the ground. “Or at least someplace I wouldn’t accidentally kneel in manure.”
Her eyes widened. “Wait, you’re actually proposing?”