Page 80 of Burning Justice

“What do you want?” She paused. “We get our lives back. Where do you want to go now that you’re alive again?”

“Last Chance County. At least for a visit.”

“Good, because I want to meet Ridge.”

Kane said, “I’m trying to persuade him to come up for the end-of-season party once they get the Midnight Sun Saloon fixed up. I heard you guys did a number on it.”

Maria winced. “It was pretty well destroyed.”

“We’ll help fix it up.”

“Thanks.”

“Hey, we said we were in it with each other. You help me, I help you. I figure it’s worked pretty well so far.”

“Plus you love me,” she pointed out.

“Hmm. I think I did say that. Well, you know, it was in the heat of the moment, so there’s no telling?—”

Maria tugged the pillow from behind her head fast enough to whip it around and whack him upside the head before he finished talking.

“Fine! I yield!”

She quit pummeling him with the pillow.

“I love you.”

“Just checking.”

Kane grinned. He helped her put the pillow back behind her head and kissed her again. “I’ll say it every day if you want to hear it.”

She eyed him.

“Every hour. Every minute.”

“That might get tired. You wouldn’t want to wear it out.”

“I love you.”

She chuckled. “Good, because otherwise this would be an awkward conversation, and I’d get my heart broken again. I’ll be crying in my Bible study tomorrow morning, reading all those weepy psalms where King David is crying and telling God he’s gonna slap all his enemies in the face.”

“Or…” He dragged the word out. “You could read all the verses about kindness and joy.”

“Hmm. I guess I could do that.” She dragged over the bear and hugged it against her. “For the sake of the bear.”

Kane laughed.

“I love you.”

He leaned down so their noses were touching. “Good.”

“Saxon and Hammer are never going to let us live this down.”

“I don’t care.”

She smiled. “Good. I don’t either.”

Epilogue