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The haht about that even before her mind kicked in His protectiveness was uncanny, and wonderful “Oh, you let on with no canopy, for five days, seeing nothing but prairie grass and red dirt, yet you won’t let me ride for a day to see mountains?”

Not even the sky overhead was as blue as his eyes when he re the dimple in his cheek He winked, and her insides jolted and fluttered so fast and hard her breath locked in her lungs

“That,” he said, “was before I knew you”

A heated sensation engulfed her chest, and went lower, all the way past her sto her head, for her face was on fire, she pressed her bottoainst the saddle Goodness, but he had an effect on her His kindness and generosity had her thinking about things she’d never thought of before Ridiculous things Like kissing

Especially at bedtiht fro it was troubling Pretty ht now

“Come on,” he said “It’s time we headed back I have a surprise for you”

Her head snapped up so fast her hat jostled “A surprise?”

She turned the horse around, kept it even with his The happiness she’d experienced the past as a Every day she aith a newfound freedo there was no merchant she had to confront, no “friend” she had to assure hadher sister supposedly said, and no fear sheand have her sister as furious with her as she ith the rest of the world Lately all Millie had to wonder about was how bright the sun would shine There was still the pretense of her being here, but Seth never brought it up, and that was utterly liberating

Glowing inside and out, she asked, “What kind of surprise?”

He reached over and tipped the brim of her hat lower It was dark blue with a flat brim, an army-issued one just like his, but sh the felt to tie beneath her chin

“If I tell you, it won’t be a surprise”

“I can keep a secret,” she insisted