Brody

9

THE BUZZER ON the security system startled Brody. Payton had left less than an hour ago to shop for a dress for tomorrow’s birthday celebration. He hadn’t expected her to return until just before dinner.

He pushed the button and leaned in. “Did you forget your key?”

There was a long pause on the other end. “I’m looking for Brody Quinn.”

“And who might you be?” Brody asked.

“Sam. Sam Whitman.”

Brody stepped back from the intercom, then cursed softly. What the hell was this? Payton had assured him that she’d called Sam and told him she would see him in the morning. Either he was a very impatient man or he wanted to talk to Brody directly.

Brody drew a deep breath. “She’s not here,” he said.

“I’m here to talk to you,” Sam said. “Man to man.”

Brody shook his head, then opened the front door and walked to the lift. If this guy wanted to talk, they’d talk. But Brody was going to have much more to say than “get the hell out of our lives.” As he rode the lift down to the lobby, he carefully schooled his temper. The last thing he wanted to do was punch the guy. There was no need to get physical. But he was prepared to take it that far if the situation warranted.

He’d seen the photo of Sam on the Internet and knew what to expect. But when he walked into the lobby, Brody was surprised at how slight he was. In a bar brawl, Sam Whitman wouldn’t last a minute.

To Brody’s delight, Whitman seemed to be a bit intimidated by Brody’s size. Brody had at least ten centimeters on him and a good fifteen kilos. “What do you want?” he demanded.

“I have some things to say about Payton.”

“She plans to stay here with me. She was going to stop by your hotel tomorrow morning and let you know.”

Sam paused, as if considering his next comment carefully. “You don’t find it unusual that she’d abandon her family and friends? Without a second thought?”

“No,” Brody lied. “Not after the way you treated her. She has a right to make her own decisions.”

“I think we both have to be honest,” Sam said. “Maybe I didn’t give her the attention she needed. And I’ll admit, I might have focused on work too much. But I can give her a very comfortable life. From what I know of you, you can’t.”

Brody quelled a surge of temper. He knew it was the only advantage that Sam Whitman had on him. And Whitman obviously wasn’t afraid to use it.

“I have some opportunities,” Brody said. “Besides, we can always live on the station with my family. Payton loves it there.”

“For how long?” Sam asked. “How long until the novelty wears off and she grows tired of being isolated from everything she knows and loves?”

He was saying the same things Brody had said to himself. “Do you honestly think you can buy her back?”

“No. But I believe if you really love her, you’ll consider what’s best for her. I believe if you’re selfish enough to keep her here, you’ll pay the price later. And by isolating her from her family and friends, you’re allowing her to avoid the consequences of her actions.” Sam reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a leather wallet, then withdrew an envelope from it. “This is an airline ticket and enough cash to get her home.”

“What makes you think I’ll give this to her?”

“Because you want to know as much as I do,” Sam said. “You love her enough not to leave any stone unturned. Send her home. If she comes back to you, you’ll know she’s made her choice.” He held out his hand. “May the best man win.”

Brody bit back a curse. This guy was arrogant and condescending and in need of a good beat-down. But he was also right. If Brody did want to keep Payton in his life permanently, then she’d have to face up to her past mistakes. It was better to lose her now than later.

He reached out and shook Sam’s hand, then nodded. “She loves me,” he said.

“Then I guess you have nothing to worry about. Tell her goodbye. And I’ll see her back home.”

With that, Sam turned on his heel and walked out of the lobby. He watched as Sam jogged across the street and got into his car. Then Brody glanced down at the airline ticket. He ought to just toss it in the rubbish and forget it ever existed.

Why not? He could accept the risk that it would all explode in his face at some point. He’d have more time to convince Payton she’d made the best choice by staying. But Sam was right on one point. It was probably better to know how she really felt, before investing his heart in a relationship that was doomed from the start.

Brody walked back to the lift and pushed the button, then stepped inside after the doors opened. A single shot at an NFL career wasn’t enough. If he wanted to compete with Sam Whitman’s millions, he had to look at other options.

The moment he got back to his apartment, Brody found his phone and dialed the Dockers’ office. When the receptionist answered, Brody asked to speak to John Cook. When the assistant coach got on the line, Brody drew a deep breath and said a silent prayer.

“John. Brody Quinn here. Say, I was wondering if you still had the name of that bloke at Seven Network. You know, the one you thought might be able to find a spot for me as an analyst?”

To Brody’s surprise, Cook had the number at hand and encouraged Brody to make the call. They chatted for a few minutes about Brody’s knee and the possibility of surgery, but Brody cut the conversation short and hung up. After a half hour, he had a list of seven contacts for a wide range of jobs, from school coach to equipment salesman.

He stared at the phone for a long time, trying to put his thoughts in order. Then he tossed the phone on the sofa and stood up. This was far too important to bungle. The NFL would pay the best, but television was more secure. He’d follow Callum’s advice and write everything down first, the pros and cons of all his options.

Brody found a pad of paper, sat down at the table and carefully wrote out the skills that he possessed. He’d always been the club’s best student of the game. He read the opposition like no other player and could talk at length about a player’s strengths and weaknesses. He had a good mind for statistics and remembered almost everything he read. He didn’t stammer or mumble and his teammates had often teased him about his pretty face. And he was considered quite charming.

“What more is there?” Brody asked himself, staring at the list. He owned a suit and tie and a decent pair of shoes. He wrote that down, though he assumed if he got a job in the business world, he’d need a better wardrobe. He started a list for the NFL job and even made one for getting back into Aussie football.

Brody heard the front door open and turned to see Payton walking in. Their eyes met and for a moment, Brody forgot to breathe. He still found himself amazed that she’d wandered into his life. How the hell had he gotten so lucky?

“You’re home early,” he said, glancing over at the plane ticket he’d left on the table.

She held up a sheaf of papers. “I stopped by the immigration office on my way back from shopping. I have to fill out all this paperwork and then call back for an appointment.” Payton dropped her shopping bags on the floor, then sat down on his lap and slipped her arms around his neck. “What happens if they don’t let me stay? What if they force me to go home?”

“Maybe you need to go home,” he said. The moment the words slipped out of his mouth, he wanted to take them back. Why would he encourage her to leave? Was he compelled to test her feelings for him? Brody took the plane ticket from the table and held it out to her.

“What’s that?”

“A ticket home,” he said. “Sam dropped by. I guess he got tired of waiting for you and decided to talk to me.”

Her expression turned angry. “I left a message that I was coming to see him tomorrow. He always has to control everything. God, I hate that about him. I’m not going home. And I’m not going to talk to him again. I’ll just return the ticket. Or better yet, exchange it for tickets we can use together.”

“I think you should go home. Payton, I don’t want to constantly be looking over my shoulder, waiting for him to turn up again like he did today. You need to clean up the mess you left behind and then, if you still want to, come back. But this is always going to be hanging between us, Payton. I’m always going to wonder if I’ll wake up someday and you’ll be gone.”

She bit on her lower lip, her eyes filling with tears. “So you want me to leave?”

“Of course not. But if you’re going to stay, I want you to stay forever. And if you don’t smooth things out with your family, you’re always going to regret that. Do it now. Make amends. And then come home to me.”

A long silence grew between them as she considered his suggestion. “You’re right,” she finally said. “This whole thing has been hanging over us like a dark cloud. I know what I want and I shouldn’t be afraid to tell them.” Payton cupped his face in her hands and stared into his eyes. “I’ll go back day after tomorrow,” she said. “After we’ve celebrated your birthday. And I’ll call my parents and let them know I’m coming home.” Payton leaned forward and gave him a fierce kiss. “I will come back. You can count on it.”

Brody’s pulse leaped. He cupped her face in his hands and molded her mouth to his. How would he live without this? After a day or two, he’d be ready to hop a flight to the States and drag her back.

But he’d have to be strong and hope that she would return and stay for good. Brody slipped his arm beneath her knees and stood, then slowly walked toward the bedroom, their mouths still caught in a deep kiss.

As he lowered her onto his bed, they broke apart for a moment. He stared down into her beautiful face and tried to memorize all the tiny details that he’d begun to take for granted. He didn’t even have a photo of her. But then, perhaps that was for the best.

He could believe she’d existed in a dream, that what they’d shared hadn’t been real. If she didn’t return, he’d continue with the fantasy. And if she did, reality would be better than anything he could have ever imagined.

They undressed each other slowly, taking the time to touch each inch of exposed skin. There were so many spots on her body he’d lingered over, spots made just for his lips or his tongue or his touch. In his eyes, she was perfection and there would never be another woman like her.

And when they finally came together in a long, delicious possession, he was already regretting what he’d done. He should have burned the ticket, should have trusted his instincts and kept her with him.

He thrust deep and held her close, desperate to seal the bond they shared. Again and again, they moved together and when their release finally came, Brody knew just one thing was certain. He loved Payton and if giving her up meant assuring her happiness, he’d do it in a heartbeat.

JFK WAS CROWDED with summer tourists, the concourse a maze of luggage and late passengers. Her flight from Perth had been a marathon affair, though passed in the comfort of first class. She’d boarded a Qantas flight almost thirty-five hours ago and had changed planes in Melbourne and Los Angeles. At this point, she could barely summon the energy to lift her bag onto her shoulder, much less marshal the resolve to face her parents.

But her trip was far from over. Before she’d left Perth, she’d booked her return flight and a night at an airport hotel, putting the charges on her credit card. One last thing her father would pay for before she was completely on her own. She was due to get right back on the plane in another twenty-four hours. In all, she’d be apart from Brody for three and a half days-enough time to realize she could never stay away longer.

They’d had a wonderful birthday celebration, though it was laced with the bittersweet knowledge that they’d soon be miles apart. After returning from the restaurant, they’d stripped out of their fancy clothes and made love all night long.

When it was time for her to leave, he’d reluctantly let her go. He’d decided to call a cab, rather than drive her to the airport himself, and Payton was glad for it. Emotional goodbyes would have been too difficult to handle. She was determined to get her problems solved and then return. Neither one of them would have time to be sad.

Payton wondered why she’d even bothered to leave. She didn’t need to see Sam again. As for her parents, she could have invited them to Fremantle for a visit and a chance to meet the man she loved.

Payton stopped short, causing a traffic problem on the concourse. She hadn’t admitted it to herself until now, but she was in love with Brody. It had taken thirty-five hours in and out of the air for her to come to that realization, but at least she was dead certain of it. She loved Brody Quinn and deep down inside, she knew he loved her, as well.

“So what am I doing here?” she muttered, staring at her surroundings. Payton hoisted her bag back up on her shoulder and started off again. “Closure,” she murmured.

How wonderful would it be to return to Brody without a single thing hanging over their heads? She smiled to herself as she walked, thinking about the last time she’d seen him. He’d stood in the doorway of his apartment building, watching her get into the cab. He’d looked so sad, almost as if he didn’t believe he’d ever see her again. She’d prove him wrong.

Her parents had promised to meet her outside the security checkpoint and as she neared the spot, Payton said a silent prayer that they’d kept their promise. As she worked her way through the crowd, she caught sight of Sam. He waved at her and she started toward him. He met her halfway, then grabbed her bag.

“I thought my parents would meet me.”

“They’re waiting in the Red Carpet Club just down the concourse. I wanted to talk to you first.”

“I don’t have anything to say to you, Sam.”

“I have something to say to you,” he said. He took her elbow and steered her over to a row of chairs set against the wall. “Sit.”

Payton gave him a withering look. She wouldn’t be ordered around like some naughty pet.

“Please, sit down,” Sam amended, motioning to the chair. “I have something I need to tell you before you talk to your parents.”

She frowned, taking in the stricken expression on Sam’s face. Payton had never seen him so worried. Her stomach lurched. “What is it? Are my parents all right? Has something happened? Did someone die?”

“No,” Sam said. He sat down, then pulled her down beside him. “It’s me.”

“You’re dying?” Payton asked.

A wry smile touched his lips. “Metaphorically, yes.” Sam drew a deep breath, then met her gaze. “For the past three years, I’ve been carrying on an affair with my executive assistant. Your father found out about it and I’m sure your parents will bring it up. They think that’s why you ran out on the wedding.”

Payton stared at him, his words a jumble in her mind. “You were having an affair? You were cheating on me? And my father knew about it?”

“Yes. To all three questions. I know how you must feel and I can only beg for your forgiveness and spend the rest of my life making this up to you. It’s over. It’s been over for a month now and-”

“Wait,” Payton said, holding up her hand. “A month? You mean, it was still going on while we were in-” She stopped, stunned by the realization. “She was there. In Fiji. Emily was there. We invited her to our wedding. Oh, my God. You were planning to carry on after we were married?”

“I know this must be a shock, but I can assure you that-”

Payton shook her head, a laugh bubbling up inside her. “I knew something was wrong. I trusted my instincts and I was right.” She stood and picked up her bag from the floor, slinging it over her shoulder. “Do you want to know what I feel, Sam?” She shrugged. “Nothing. I feel nothing. I thought I loved you, but I know now that what we had wasn’t love. It was obligation. And I’m fine with this.”

He jumped up and reached for her arm, but Payton avoided his grasp. “Unfortunately, you won’t be taking over Daddy’s bank, but I’m sure you’ll find comfort in the fact that you can keep sleeping with Emily.” Payton held out her hand. “Goodbye, Sam. Have a nice life.”

He took her hand and gave it a weak shake. Then, Payton turned on her heel and headed down the concourse. As she walked, she tried to make sense of what Sam had told her. Her parents had known about his affair and they’d still gone ahead with the wedding plans. How was that possible?

When she reached the first-class lounge, she stood in the doorway, her gaze falling on the handsome couple sitting at a nearby table. They spotted her at the same time and her mother rushed up to her, arms thrown open. She gathered Payton in a frantic embrace, hugging her tightly. “You’re home,” she cried. “Thank God. I was beginning to wonder if I’d ever see you again.”

A moment later, her father appeared at her side and patted her on the shoulder. “There, there. Well, I’m happy to see you’ve come to your senses, Payton. Come on, let’s get out of here. We have a car waiting.”

“No,” Payton said.

Her father arched his brow. “No? How do you propose we get home?”

Payton straightened her spine and took a deep breath. “I’m not going home, Daddy. Not tonight.”

Her mother gave Payton’s arm a gentle squeeze. “Oh, George. She’s going to Sam’s, of course. Darling, we couldn’t be happier. You know how much we adore Sam. And he loves you. Just wait, this whole terrible embarrassment will be forgotten in no time.”

“Mother, I’m not going to Sam’s.” She took her mother’s hand and pulled her along with her toward their table. “I think we should order some wine, sit down and talk. I have something I need to tell you.”

“She’s pregnant.” Her mother pressed a hand to her heart and closed her eyes. Her father held her elbow to keep her upright.

“I’m not pregnant!” Payton groaned. “Why would you think that?”

“Sam said you were-oh, how did he say it, George?”

“Shacked up, Margie,” her father said. “He said Payton was shacked up with some unemployed soccer player.”

“Football,” Payton said. “Aussie rules football. Mother, Father, sit down,” she ordered. It was time they started treating her like an adult and not some eager child always willing to please. This conversation would be between three reasonable adults-or one reasonable adult trying to calm two irrational-overbearing adults. She drew a steadying breath. “I’ll be right back.”

She strode up to the bar, ordered three glasses of Merlot and paid with one of the twenties that Sam had given her. Then she carried the wine to the table and sat down.

“Why are we staying here?” her mother asked. “Why don’t we go home and have a drink? I’m sure the quality of this wine isn’t up to the standards of what we have in our wine cellar.” She took a sip and wrinkled her nose. “Just as I suspected.”

“This is ridiculous.” Her father pushed away from the table. “You’re coming home with us right now, Payton. You are going to get a good night’s sleep and then we are going to figure out how you can make this all up to Sam.”

She shook her head. “I don’t love him. And neither should you. He cheated on me. You knew and you were going to let me marry him all the same. You two spent a lifetime trying to protect me and then, when I really needed you the most, you were ready to walk away, to let me marry a man who didn’t love me.”

“Sam assured me the affair was over,” her father said. “And that it wouldn’t happen again.”

“Well, he wasn’t telling you the truth. Thank God, I figured it out.”

“When did you find out?” her mother asked.

“A few minutes ago,” Payton said. “But I knew something was wrong for a long time. I felt it in the weeks before the wedding. And in Fiji. That’s why I ran.” An image of Brody flashed in her mind and she smiled. “And I’m lucky I did. Because I’ve met a man I can really love and trust, a man who wants me and not the bank I’ll inherit. I have to live my life now on my own. And I’m going to do that in Australia. With Brody.”

“What is she saying, George?” her mother asked.

“She’s just distraught. You need help,” her father said, turning to Payton. “We can get you help. A nice quiet place to get some perspective.”

Payton giggled softly. “Daddy, I don’t need help. I’m perfectly sane and I’m happier than I’ve ever been. And I hope someday you’ll come to visit me. I’d love for you to meet Brody. He’s a wonderful man. Or maybe, we’ll come here for a visit. Brody might have a tryout with a football team later this summer.” She gulped down the rest of her wine, then stood, satisfied that she’d said everything that needed saying.

Though she ought to have been angrier over her parents’ deception, there wasn’t really a point. Everything they’d done had led to Brody and that was all that mattered. She rounded the table and kissed them both on the cheek. “I have to go now. I think I might be able to catch the flight back tonight if I hurry.”

“You only just got here,” her father said.

“And now I have to go,” Payton replied, picking up her bag. “I love you both. And don’t worry, I know exactly what I’m doing.”

She walked to the doorway of the bar, then turned and waved at her stunned parents. It was enough for them to see that she was healthy and happy. They’d get over her broken engagement and their disappointment that Sam wouldn’t be a part of the family. And they’d find a way to explain the embarrassment of the wedding. And maybe someday they would meet Brody and understand why she loved him.

As much as she wanted to feel regret while walking away from them, Payton couldn’t. She was returning to the man she loved, to a land she was learning to love and to a life that would be built on love. She wasn’t frightened or nervous or anything but blissfully happy.

She checked the signs at the end of the concourse and headed toward the Qantas desk. If she hurried, she could hop the 7:10 flight to Australia, a full day before her scheduled return. Then, in about thirty hours, she’d be back in Brody’s life-and in his arms-for good.

“DAVEY, GRAB ME that spanner.” Brody crawled halfway down the windmill and waited as the kid searched the ground at his feet. “Next to my saddlebags.”

He picked up a tool. “This one?”

“No, the big one.”

Davey finally found the tool, then climbed up the ladder and handed it to Brody. They’d been working together all day, greasing and adjusting the six windmills close to the station. Tomorrow they’d catch the ones on the outlying pastures, traveling by ATV rather than horse.

Brody had decided to return to the station after just one day alone in Fremantle. The apartment seemed so empty without Payton there and he found himself spending every waking minute thinking about her. He could rehab his knee as easily on the station as he could in Fremantle, and he’d have work to occupy his mind the rest of the day. Station work was difficult and exhausting-and exactly what he needed.

He wasn’t sure when Payton would return. She’d promised to call once everything had been settled, but he expected she’d spend at least a week or two in the States before she left again. He’d decided to go on as if she wasn’t going to return. Then, everything after that-if there was anything-would be like a gift.

Brody climbed back up to the top of the windmill, the spanner tucked into his jacket pocket and the grease gun still clutched in his hand. As he went through the maintenance routine, he heard the sound of a plane overhead and glanced up to see Teague coming in from the east.

He hadn’t seen Teague at all since his return and Callum had ridden out an hour after Gemma had left a day ago, heading into the outback with his horse, his pack and his rifle. He’d left Skip in charge of preparations for the mustering, a sure sign that he was upset. Now that Teague was back, Brody would get some answers. He had tried not to dwell on his brothers’ love lives. Thinking about their happiness only made his life seem emptier.

“What is he doing?” Davey asked.

Brody glanced over his shoulder to see Teague circling the plane. “I don’t know.” He watched as Teague made a wide sweep around the windmill, wiggling his wings before he headed toward the airstrip.

Brody finished his work, then carefully surveyed the landscape from his perch high above the ground. He used to love this view when he was a kid. He always thought if he just looked hard enough, he could see the real world in the distance. Now he took some comfort in the fact that he was isolated from that world.

If things didn’t work out the way he’d planned, then he’d return to the station for good and make his life here in Queensland. He’d always have a place with his brothers and there was some comfort in that.

“Are we done?” Davey called.

“Yeah,” Brody replied. “Pack it up. It’s getting late. We should start back if we want to make it by dinner.”

Davey gathered the tools, then strapped the pouch to his horse. By the time Brody joined him, Davey was mounted and ready to ride. There was no keeping him from a meal. Davey kicked his horse into a gallop, but Brody decided to take a slower pace.

“Come on,” Davey shouted over his shoulder, pulling his horse up to wait.

“Go ahead,” Brody called. “I want to enjoy the ride.”

“Suit yourself. But Mary’s got pork chops tonight. If you don’t sit down on time, the rest of the boys will eat all the potatoes.”

He waved Davey off and watched as the kid took off in a cloud of dust. Brody wasn’t anxious to get back to the dinner table. Since he’d returned, he’d been grabbing a plate and eating by himself, too preoccupied to socialize. Mary and the jackaroos had given him a wide berth and he’d been grateful for it.

As he rode toward the house, he noticed the Fraser shack in the distance. His mind wandered back to the night he’d spent there with Payton. Everything had been so new with them then, so exciting. Only a few weeks had passed since, but it seemed like a lifetime.

He wondered what Payton was doing, trying to calculate the time difference between New York and Queensland. There was almost a twelve-hour difference, so it was the middle of the night there. Was she sleeping alone or had Sam convinced her to return to his bed?

Brody cursed beneath his breath, brushing the image from his mind. He wanted to believe that thoughts of him filled her mind, that she missed what they had together, that she ached for him the way he ached for her. Sleep hadn’t come easily since she’d gone.

He fixed his gaze on the horizon and let the horse navigate. It felt good to think about her, to rewind every encounter and enjoy them all over again. They’d been wonderful together, both in and out of bed. He closed his eyes and tipped his face up, the sun warm on his back, exhaustion setting in.

Maybe he’d sleep tonight, he mused. Perhaps his bed wouldn’t seem so cold and empty. It had to happen sooner or later. The loneliness would fade and he’d get his life back-pitiful as it was.

When he opened his eyes again, he noticed a rider approaching from the direction of the homestead. He squinted to see in the late-afternoon light, trying to make out who it was. Slowly, he realized it was a woman. Hayley?

Suddenly, the rider pulled to a stop and jumped off the horse. Brody’s breath caught in his chest. He blinked hard, wondering if he was imagining her, like a mirage in the middle of the desert. He kicked his horse into a trot and covered the distance between them.

As he approached, she pulled off her stockman’s hat and her curly hair fell down around her shoulders. Brody smiled. If this was a dream, then he planned to enjoy it.

He reined in his horse before he reached her, then slid down to stand beside it. For a long time, they stood facing each other, neither one of them moving. And then, at the very same moment, they covered the distance between them in just a few seconds.

Payton launched herself into his arms and he picked her up and spun her around. She felt real, warm and soft, the scent of her hair filling his head. “Is it really you?”

“I think so,” Payton said. “I can’t have changed that much in four days.”

He set her down and stepped back to look into her eyes. “You’re more beautiful, I think. Is that possible?” Brody took her face in his hands and kissed her, his tongue delving into her mouth and savoring her taste. “Did you even go home?”

Payton nodded. “I did. I saw Sam and my parents and I turned around and came back. When I got to New York, I realized it was the last place in the world I wanted to be. You shouldn’t have made me leave, but I’m glad I put that part of my life to rest.”

“I won’t do that again,” Brody said. “God, I missed you. How did you get here?”

“Teague picked me up. When I got to Fremantle and you weren’t there, I figured you might have come back to the station. I flew to Brisbane and then called Teague and he came to get me. I thought it might be nice to surprise you.”

“Nice,” he said. “I like nice now. Coming back to me is definitely nice.”

“I may have to leave again if they don’t extend my visa. But maybe, we can go to New York for a visit.”

“Or for that football tryout. I’m going to give that a go. And if it doesn’t work out, I have some other interesting prospects.”

She pushed up onto her toes and kissed him softly. “I don’t care what you do or where we live. I don’t ever want to be away from you again. I-I think I might love you.”

Brody chuckled softly. For now, he was happy with a vague statement of love. He could wait for her feelings to grow stronger. “I think I might love you, too. A lot.”

He grabbed her hand, then pulled it to his lips. “So, what are we going to do with ourselves?”

“Mary’s making dinner. We could eat and then go for a swim.”

“Aren’t you tired? You’ve been on a plane for the better part of four days.”

“About seventy hours,” she said. “I’ve taken off and landed sixteen times.”

“Then I definitely think you need to get to bed. Right now. For your own health. And mine.” He glanced over his shoulder. “We could head over to the shack and spend the night there.”

“But we’re not lost. And that would be trespassing.”

Brody smoothed his thumb over her lower lip. “This all started with a life of crime. I think we can live dangerously.”

Payton threw her arms around his neck. “Forget about nice. I’m really starting to enjoy dangerous.”

He wrapped his hands around her waist and set her back on her horse, then remounted. As they rode toward the sunset, Brody wondered at how his life had changed so much in such a short time. There were no answers to his questions, and maybe there never would be. But Payton was here, with him, from half a world away.

This hadn’t been his dream, but it was now. And it was better than any dream he could have ever imagined for himself.