Page 33 of Killer on the Homestead (Bent County Protectors #2)

One month later

Duncan had never been so happy to be back home in his life. The trip to LA to deal with a charity obligation, check in with the shoulder specialist there, and tie up a few other loose ends had been an interminable four days.

He’d tried to convince Rosalie to come with him, but she’d been in the middle of a case. Someday—someday he’d get her out there. He’d take her anywhere she wanted to go.

It didn’t bother him that he was head over heels in love with her. He sometimes worried that it would bother her , so he hadn’t said that yet.

But she’d spent most nights at his cabin. She invited him to her family dinners with Audra, Franny, Hart, and his wife, and stepdaughter. She’d folded him into her life as much as he’d folded her into his.

And it felt right. Every day, it felt right to wake up with her in his bed. Giving him a hard time about something or another, worrying over his arm, which really was starting to heal. Specialist-approved and everything.

He still worried about his parents, but Mom had thrown herself into helping Owen. Dad had worked hard to find a replacement for Terry, and Duncan had helped. He took on more and more of the day-to-day ranching than he’d dreamed he would. But it was…enjoyable. Working side by side with Dad.

Especially knowing he didn’t have to if they started to get on each other’s nerves too much. There was an open job offer at the high school for coaching, and Duncan figured one of these days, he’d probably miss the game enough to take it.

But, with his baseball playing career done, the Kirk Ranch really was home now. And he was eager to be back. He pulled up to his cabin, and pushed the truck into Park, staring at Rosalie’s own truck in the drive.

He didn’t allow himself to picture it as it had been crashed into the ditch, though that still took some effort. Instead, he focused on the pleasant surprise. Though she often spent the night at his cabin, he hadn’t expected to find her here before the end of her usual workday.

Pleased beyond telling, he hopped out of his truck and ignored his luggage in favor of going to find her.

She was in his kitchen.

“Are you…cooking?”

She looked up, a scowl on her face that smoothed out when she saw him. Which never failed to amaze him. He hadn’t been looking for her, for this, but he had another stroke of amazing luck in his life to have found it.

“I tried. I failed. Appreciate the sentiment.”

He crossed to her, just as she crossed to him. Meeting in the middle. She wrapped her arms around his neck as his came around her waist. She grinned up at him.

“How’s the shoulder?”

“Doctor said exactly where it should be. So there, worrier.”

“I never worry,” she said, and she lifted to her toes and pressed her mouth to his. A welcome-home kiss that was just what he’d needed. Four days in LA hadn’t been terrible, but this was the only place he really wanted to be.

“I missed you,” he murmured against her mouth.

“You were gone for four days,” she replied, trying to wriggle away from him. He didn’t let her.

“Yeah. Say it.”

She tried to dim her smile, but she failed that too. “Does it count if you make me?”

“Say it, Red.”

“I missed you too.” She moved to kiss him again, but he held her off, studying her face. Maybe she wasn’t ready.

But she damn well should be. And if she could admit she missed him over just four days, he figured she could take it.

“I love you, Rosalie.”

She stilled in his arms. Her eyes immediately wary as she studied his face. But she didn’t pull away. Didn’t look away, so he didn’t either. It took a few moments, but after a few careful breaths, she softened there against him.

“I love you too, Duncan.”

Yeah, this was the best home he’d had yet.

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