page54 (1/2)

He was everything she had ever drea Tender Gentle Fierce He was her beautiful, macho warrior

And she adored him

He introduced her to his allant in their dealings with her At Jesse’s urging, his foreer hands brought her a hand-made bridle and shyly said he’d be honored if she’d accept it

Jesse stood by, grinning with pride

Mornings, they both worked, he on the ranch, she on its books Afternoons, they rode the land together He took her to the ancient sites shown him by his father, sites he had so recently derided To his delight, Sienna already knew most of them She had studied this place, learned the Blackwolf secrets

But one secret remained Jesse’s secret That he loved her

He longed to tell her, but how? Instinct told hiht Sienna understood the old ways He wasn’t sure he respected them anymore, but she did…

And with that realization, he had the answer to his question

Two nights later, he went to the safe in his office Took out a bracelet, very old, -silver-and-pipestone clasp His father had given it to his randiven the bracelet to the woenerations than he could count

Tonight, he would give it to his Sienna

They ate supper before the living rooether in a wooden bowl His father had carved it, he said with pride She smiled It was easy to see he had loved his parents, that he loved this place, this land…

“Are you really going to sell this place?” she suddenly said, her promise not to mention the sale cast aside

He looked at her He’d all but forgotten the papers in the folder on his desk

“Years fro to turn it into a resort”

He nodded “Sooner than that,” he said, “but not really a resort A group of ho chunks of property, maybe a ski lift”

Sienna shook her head “The land will remain untouched until 2010 Then a developer will fill your beautiful canyon with row upon row of houses built around a golf course”

The o, he wouldn’t have cared At least, that hat he’d told hiave a damn for ancient rituals, for the sanctity of the land? He’d wanted to rid himself of a burdensome past filled with lies about honor, duty, history

Now that had changed A woht him back to himself He could no ive her up, and he smiled as he took her into his arms

“I won’t sell this land,” he said softly “How could I, when it brought me you?”