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“You one to see Annie today” He sets his bowl in the sink He’s close tooff him

He’s a potent man

“I did,” I confirm “I like her a lot I think it’ll be a fun job”

“I’lad” He leans in and kisses my temple

“So, what brings you down to town?” I ask and clis crossed He follows suit, sitting next to me

“I had a bad day, and I was thinking about you So, I came to find you”

Okay, thatI’ve ever heard

“Are you going to beg? Do I get ?”

He laughs and tugsan arm around me, and just holds me close

“No” He buries his lips in my hair “This is all I need for now So way”

I hear the exhaustion in his voice “What happened, Seth?”

He sighs, kisses me once more, and then pulls away just a bit when I shift so I can look up into his face

“Wolves,” he says at last “They’ve been pests on the ranch this year Today, we discovered a sot to Killed eight calves”

“Oh, no” I take his hand in ers a squeeze

“It was a bloodbath in that field,” he says softly “The ”

“Jesus” I shake my head “That’s awful”

“Yeah Well, we got the fish and wildlife people out there, and then we hunted dohole pack of wolves”

“You killed them?”

His eyes are sad as he nods “Six of the them in the past, but they just come back And our livestock isn’t the only herd in the area that’s been targeted They can be incredibly destructive”

“I had no idea I thought they were on the endangered species list”

“Not any ani up at the chalet I think that’s different, though We feed families with that meat and keep the animal population down But e had to do today? That’s shitty”

“I’m sorry” I lean over and kiss his cheek, then cli him “I’m so sorry”

He loops those strong arhtly

“Thanks,” hehere”

“There isn’t anywhere else I’d rather be right now”

Chapter 7