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“Oh, we’ll be in Johannesberg before the day is up.

We might even get there in the next two hours.

Don’t get your hopes up, though. There isn’t much to that town.

Usually, people stop by to get a quick bite to eat and continue on their way.

Desert Station has more to it. And,” he gave her a look that was meant to offer reassurance, “it’ll be better than Granite Wash Pass. ”

She expected that the towns out in this area would be sparse considering the lack of sufficient water and vegetation.

She had assumed all of the land would be covered with a lot of trees and plenty of water when the group decided to make their way southwest. She wouldn’t have thought places like the canyon, mountains, forests, and deserts could all exist in such close proximity.

Growing up, she’d been surrounded by trees.

While she knew there was more to the country than trees, she was surprised how different things were in Arizona.

“I’m glad you’re here,” she told Zeke as he put more salve on her feet. Already, her feet were beginning to feel better. “I wouldn’t want to go through this territory without you.”

“Any woman wouldn’t want to be all alone out here. If someone doesn’t pose a threat, then an animal will, and not all animals are big enough for a person to notice before it’s too late.”

“I meant that I would rather go through this territory with you than someone else,” she clarified since he hadn’t picked up on her meaning.

He stopped rubbing the salve into her feet and looked at her in shock. “What about Blaze?”

She shrugged. “I don’t think he and I are a good match.”

“I thought you wanted to marry him.”

“I did. And then I didn’t.”

“Is it because he wouldn’t sit with you and watch the play about the Red Ghost?”

“No. I mean, maybe that was part of it.” She couldn’t deny the fact that Blaze had been more interested in shopping for supplies than spending time with her had stung. “But it wasn’t the only reason. There were many reasons why I’ve come to realize I shouldn’t marry him.”

Zeke paused then asked. “What will you do after we get Lee and Wilson? Are you going to return to Pennsylvania with Lucas and Gail?”

This conversation wasn’t going the way she had hoped it would.

She had hoped that by telling him she was no longer going to marry Blaze that he would confess how relieved he was because he would rather she marry him.

It was obvious he was in love with her. Everyone could see it.

Even now, he was still finding an excuse to be close to her even though he had finished putting the salve on her feet.

And she had noticed the flicker of interest in his eyes when she confided to him that she wasn’t going to marry Blaze.

Then she realized what was holding him back. He didn’t think he had a chance with her. He hadn’t been holding back on being more forward with her only because of Blaze; he was doing it because he was convinced she would never be with someone like him.

Lucas would be upset if he were here to witness what happened next, but since they were alone, she didn’t have to risk Lucas lecturing her on how a lady should behave.

It wasn’t a lady’s place, after all, to take the lead.

But she didn’t think Zeke would mind since Zeke had grown up in an area where societal expectations weren’t so rigid.

Her face warm, she said, “I suppose I could go back to Pennsylvania unless someone were to give me a reason to stay in Arizona.” She paused and waited. While she was being forward, she still wanted Zeke to make some kind of move.

He tapped the bottom of her foot with his fingers in an absentminded gesture that let her know he was trying to decide how to proceed.

She held her breath. As tempting as it was to nudge him into coming out and saying what he wanted, she had to wait.

If he was going to be the lawman he strived to be, he would have to take risks in general, and if she wanted a husband who was going to lead and protect her, she had to let him take this particular risk.

“So, you really don’t want to marry Blaze?” Zeke asked, his gaze finally going to her.

Pretending she didn’t notice the bewildered tone in his voice, she shook her head. Then she waited.

Zeke’s gaze went back to her feet, and he rubbed the rest of the salve on them.

She was beginning to think he wasn’t going to steer the conversation in the direction she wanted it to go. She was so convinced of this fact that she even released her breath so she could breathe again.

But, then he made eye contact with her and said, “If you were my wife, you could stay in Arizona. Flagstaff is a nice place to raise a family. While it can get rowdy at times, the men leave the women and children alone. Flagstaff has plenty of stores, too. I’m sure it’s not as many as what you’re used to in Pennsylvania, but you won’t lack for anything you need, and you could even buy a few things that you don’t need.

I would certainly be proud to have you on my arm when we go through town.

You’re just about the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, and you and I get along well. I think we could be happy together.”

Well, that was certainly worth waiting for. She had hoped he would propose. She just hadn’t expected him to do it so eloquently. She felt warmth creep up her neck and cheeks as she replied, “I also think we would be happy together.”

He blinked as if he hadn’t thought she’d actually agree with him, and that made her wonder just how much he was used to rejection.

His face broke into a wide smile. “Is that a yes?”

She nodded. “It’s a yes. I will marry you.” He hesitated as if he still wasn’t sure he’d heard her correctly, so she added, “Isn’t this the point where you kiss me?”

He blinked again then hurried to retrieve the socks he had placed on the ground next to him.

“Yes, of course. I definitely want to kiss you. I’ve been wanting to kiss you for a long time.

But let me cover your feet with the socks first. I don’t want sand to get on them.

They’ll stick to the salve, and that will be uncomfortable.

I ought to know. I made that mistake a few years ago when I was making my way through the desert for the first time.

” As he slipped the socks on, he continued, “It was at night. I thought I didn’t need to put my boots on when I went to take care of the necessary, and I stepped on some cactus needles.

Don’t ask how that happened. Anyway, I put salve on my feet and went back to bed.

When I got up the next morning, I didn’t have socks on, and I had to spend the whole day with that sand stuck to my feet until I made it to town.

You have something like that happen, and you remember it.

I won’t let that happen to you. The last thing you want is to dig sand out of a cut or a blister. ”

She was ready to stop him from going on and on with that story because her feet hurt by just thinking about it, but fortunately, the story was over since he set her feet—safely within the socks—on the ground. Then he scooted along the ground so that he was sitting next to her.

He placed his hat on the ground and gave her his full attention. “I’m ready for that kiss now.”

She almost laughed, but, thankfully, managed to avoid doing so. It would ruin the romantic mood if she laughed. He might not be as smooth as Blaze, but he was charming in a cute and adorable way.

Without another word, he brought his mouth to hers.

The kiss was light at first, almost like a feather brushing across her lips.

But the kiss delighted her all the same.

She had no idea that she’d enjoy it so much.

After a moment, Zeke brought his arms around her and drew her closer to him before giving her another kiss.

This one was better than the first one because this one was longer.

That meant she had more time to enjoy it.

And enjoy it, she did. She wrapped her arms around his neck and let the rest of the world slip away.