When the fireworks came to an end, he started to gather their blankets and the lawn chairs but soon enough Cole and Claire were beside them.

“You two go on and enjoy the rest of your night,” Cole said. “Claire and I will take care of this.”

He almost argued the point. He hated putting people out. But then he caught Katy’s yawn and realized this night was almost at an end. This magical night couldn’t last forever and he aimed to make the most of every available moment.

“Thanks,” he said to Cole. His older brother wore a smirk that was knowing and teasing all at once.

“Anytime, little brother.” He was joking, of course. Dax had never done anything like this before. He rarely dated after Shannon left and even when he had, it had never been anything special. He’d sure as heck never called in favors or set up a surprise on a first date.

Alice used to tease him for being a romantic since he’d married so young. She’d been a teen-ager at the time and had thought his urge to take care of his high school sweetheart was swoonworthy, as she’d called it.

But now it was all so clear. In hindsight and with Katy’s help, it was so obvious now that it hadn’t been love. Not real love.

He’d laughed off her comments that he was a romantic, but now… He glanced over at Katy, who held tight to his hand as he navigated the departing crowds.

Well now he knew better.

He made a beeline for Main Street, where the truck was parked, but getting out of that crowd was easier said than done. Every few feet he was stopped by someone he knew who wanted to talk.

He hated to be rude but his desperation to be alone with Katy was making him unusually on edge. The time until she left was a constant tangible ticking clock between them. He’d wanted to press her further on whether she might stick around for Cole’s wedding next weekend, but there had never seemed to be a good time.

They were supposed to be enjoying the moment, wasn’t that what they’d agreed?

They were nearly out of the crowd when a familiar group stood between him and Main Street. It was a group of his friends, including Alice and James, who were standing a bit apart talking amongst themselves.

Ellen beamed at him from the group and it was impossible to resist that impish grin. She was holding her little girl’s hand and it was like seeing a snapshot of Ellen back in grade school. June couldn’t have been more than eight but she had her mom’s signature red curls, along with the same mischievous smile.

“Hey stranger,” Ellen called out. “Fancy meeting you here.”

He couldn’t ignore her, or his sister, for that matter so he steered Katy over to the group, consoling himself that he’d make a few pleasantries before getting out of there, someplace—anyplace—as long as he could spend a few more precious moments alone with Katy.

June leapt into his arms as he drew near, making him laugh as she eagerly and loudly recounted her favorite parts of the fireworks display before he could get a word in edgewise. He saw Katy laughing along with the others out of the corner of his eye.

He also noticed when Deputy Leo Wilcox started chatting her up.

Now, Dax had nothing against Leo. They’d been buddies since grade school and always got along just fine. But Leo was a notorious flirt, and while that had never bothered him before, he had to resist the urge to tear himself away from June so he could physically place himself between Leo’s flirtatious smile and Katy.

A possessiveness he’d never experienced before made it hard to see or breathe. It wasn’t just possessiveness, it was something deeper.

Mine. She’s mine.

He shook off the thought. Oh heck, he wasn’t that guy. He wasn’t controlling and possessive like Katy’s ex.

But this was something deeper. Not jealousy or the urge to dominate. It was the urge to belong. The need to have her be his, and to be hers in turn. He didn’t want to possess her, he wanted to claim her and be claimed by her as well.

He wished he could hear whatever it was Leo was saying because Katy’s responses made him wary. Her eyes kept darting to him, studying him as if she was seeing him for the first time.

“I’m happy for you, Dax.”

Ellen’s voice beside him interrupted his train of thought and temporarily distracted him from worrying about Leo and whatever it was he was saying.

He glanced down at Ellen, who was smiling up at him, one hand holding June’s as the little girl moved on to James, regaling him with the same fireworks recap she’d given him. James, ever the quiet one, squatted down so he was at her eye level and nodded sagely as though her words were of the utmost significance.

Dax glanced over at Ellen and saw that she too was laughing at the sight of June holding court over the quiet cowboy.

But Ellen, it seemed, wasn’t done yet. She met his eyes and then nodded subtly over toward Katy. “It looks like you’ve finally found the real deal, my friend.”

She was teasing, he knew, but her words made his heart catapult into his throat. Was this the real deal?

Yes.

But what did that mean? For him? For her? Did she feel the same? Where would they go from here?

Too many questions and not enough answers.

Ellen placed a hand on his arm. “Just relax, Dax.”

He glanced down in surprise. He had a sneaking suspicion the little red-headed imp knew exactly what was going on in his head and in his heart.

“Trust me,” she continued, her voice and eyes soft with understanding. “If it’s meant to be, love will find a way.”

She sounded so wise in that moment, he found himself forgetting about her typical high-energy attitude and her cheerful smiles, and remembered that this woman, while around the same age as him, had loved and lost. In some ways she was as youthful as her little girl, but at moments like this she seemed so much wiser than her years.

Then she nodded toward Katy, who was still chatting with the deputy. “Now go rescue her before he really lays on the charm.”

His head whipped around as jealousy reared its ugly head and he heard Ellen laugh beside him as she patted his arm. “Easy, tiger. She clearly only has eyes for you.”

As she said it his gaze met Katy’s and she gave him a hesitant smile. Something was off. What could have gone wrong in the few seconds that they’d been parted?

He narrowed his eyes and turned his glare to Leo. He swore, if Leo offended her—

“Go on,” Ellen said, giving him a nudge. “Go win your girl.”

He didn’t need any more prompting. Making their excuses, he managed to finagle his way out of the group, tugging Katy close so she was attached to his hip as he made it clear to the other side and onto the main road.

“Did you want to go out for a coffee or a drink?” he asked.

She shook her head and he let out a sigh of relief. This was the most socializing he’d done in ages and he was ready to get back to the private time they’d enjoyed all day. He helped her into the truck but noticed that she averted her eyes as he helped her in.

“Katy, is everything all right?”

She nodded quickly. Too quickly. Then she gave him a forced smile. “I’m just tired, that’s all.”

“Of course.” He headed to the driver’s side and tried to ignore the sinking feeling that he’d done something wrong. That their perfect night had been spoiled. It made sense she was tired. Still, he tapped the steering wheel impatiently as he joined the line of cars on Main Street trying to get out of town. They were far from the only ranching family who’d driven in for the spectacle.

When they’d finally made it to the edge of town and the traffic lightened to hardly anything, he couldn’t stand the silence any longer. “Katy, did something happen back there? You seem distant.”

“No, it’s just—” She stopped abruptly and he glanced over to see her bite her lip. “I was just thinking about Claire and Cole.”

He frowned at the road. “What about them?”

“I was thinking about their kind offer for me to stay for their wedding.”

Dax’s heart leapt with excitement. He would have more time with her. Of course, it would still have to end at some point but he couldn’t worry about that now.

“I’ve been thinking,” she said slowly. “That I think I’d better go back on Monday, as planned.”

His heart fell with a thud into the pit of his stomach. He gripped the steering wheel so hard it hurt, just like every other part of his body. “Oh.”

That was all he could manage. He didn’t trust himself to say more. If he did he might do something crazy…like beg.

She reached out and one of her hands covered his on the steering wheel. “It’s not that I’m not enjoying myself here…”

When her voice trailed off he glanced over and saw that her mouth was pinched and the soft skin around her eyes looked strained. She looked miserable. Had he done that?

But they’d been having such a great time. This connection—she felt it too, he knew she did.

“But?” he prompted.

Her hand fell from his and he felt the loss of her heat keenly. It was as if she’d severed their connection with that gesture. Or rather, it was like she was refusing what he had to offer.

He was being silly and he knew it, but he couldn’t seem to stop this flood of feeling.

When she spoke again her voice was soft, vulnerable.

It just about broke his heart.

“But,” she said quietly. “It’s going to be hard to leave here and staying will only make it harder.”

He bit back every protest that wanted to come out of his mouth. She was right. He knew she was right.

It might be crazy yet there was something real here…but it was untenable. There was no future in it. And much as he loved the idea of her staying for another week, he knew she was right. What would be the point in the long run? They might have some fun for a week but it would be overshadowed with the knowledge that it was coming to an end.

His chest already ached mercilessly at the thought of her leaving in…he mentally tallied the hours…thirty-something hours. How much worse would that pain be if they had an even stronger connection?

Heck, if one day in her company had him thinking thoughts of love, he wouldn’t be surprised if he found himself proposing after a week.

And would that be so bad? A little voice nagged at him and much as he tried to set it aside, he couldn’t. How would it work? Physically, mentally, emotionally—they lived different lives in different worlds. He couldn’t ask her to give up everything and move to the Twilight Ranch to be with him, and he had a legacy to uphold, a family to provide for. He had too many responsibilities to take off to Los Angeles, even if he did have any desire to live in a city.

Those logical arguments kept him quiet. His protests remained unspoken and the silence in the truck grew heavy with unspoken words.

When they finally came to a stop by the guest house, he opened his door to help her out but she was too quick.

“I’ve got it,” she said, already one leg out the door and shimmying down as if she were wearing jeans and a T-shirt, and not a form-fitting dress and heels.

He didn’t want the night to end like this. This day shouldn’t end like this. Too much had happened between them. This feeling was too strong.

She paused with the truck door ajar and opened her mouth as if she had something to say. But then she clamped it shut. “Goodnight, Dax. Thanks for a great night.”

She closed the truck door and started walking toward the house, but something in him could not let it end like this. He couldn’t watch her walk away. She was hurting and he didn’t know why.

Well, he did know why and he hurt too. But something had changed in her and it had happened abruptly.

He couldn’t let the night end like this.

“Wait.” He hurried out of the truck and raced after her. She heard him coming and stopped just in front of the guest house door.

When she turned she wore a rueful smile, but he saw the hint of sadness she couldn’t quite disguise. “Don’t tell me. You believe in walking a girl to her door at the end of the night?”

He smiled despite the uncomfortable feeling that something was wrong. That an opportunity was slipping through his fingers.

That the love of his life was getting away.

He slowed his stride and came to a stop in front of her. So close he saw her shiver and slipped off his jacket and used it to cover her shoulders. She’d brought a light wrap but it did little now that the wind was picking up.

She looked up at him and the emotions in her eyes were nearly his undoing. She looked just as confused as he felt. He saw the same jumble of emotions that he was sorting through.

Did he see love?

He wasn’t sure. He hoped so. But then, what good would that do? Then they would both be brokenhearted when she left.

Unless there was another way…

He pushed that thought aside for another time. For now, he needed to make things right. At the very least, he needed to make sure she knew how he felt. He didn’t know why it was so crucial, but it was.

She might still walk away from him in thirty-odd hours, but he’d be damned if he let her walk out of his life without showing her exactly what she’d come to mean to him in such a short amount of time.

She’d breathed life into his world. She’d opened his eyes to the magical mystery that was love. She’d made him see his own life with different eyes.

He reached out and cupped her face between his palms.

“You coming into my life has been nothing short of a miracle,” he said.

She widened her eyes at his gruff tone and all the emotions there that he didn’t try to hide. Then her lips parted in a brilliant smile and her voice filled with laughter. “I suppose you didn’t expect a miracle when you met me on the plane.”

He laughed and leaned down closer, relishing her floral scent and the soft warmth of her skin beneath his hands. “Now that’s the truth.” He grinned. “I expected you would be a pain in the butt.”

She laughed and so did he. Some of that tension eased between them and he was grateful he’d gotten out of the truck. “I know you have to leave,” he said softly. “And I understand why you don’t want to stick around longer than necessary.”

“You do?” she breathed.

He nodded before dropping his head so his forehead rested against hers. The truth came tumbling out. “But I hate it.”

He heard her sad smile in her voice. “Yeah. I hate it too.”

He took one last deep breath, taking in every precious moment. Then he lifted his head and met her gaze. “Goodnight, Katy Hunter.”

She smiled, her eyes filled with a bittersweet sadness. “Goodnight, Dax Deckland.”

He leaned down and kissed her, her lips parting beneath his as naturally as if they did this every morning, noon, and night.

The sweetness of it was perfection. If he could have stopped time he would. He would have lived in that moment for eternity if that were allowed.

But the moment ended and despite the fact that she had sighed and leaned against him, meeting his lips with the same fevered passion, he pulled away. She clearly needed some space tonight and maybe he did too.

It wasn’t every day one went and fell in love.

In fact this was the first time, and something told him it very well might be his last.