"Do what?"
"Let someone close."
Her heart hurt.
"You don't have to know."
He looked at her.
"That's the problem."
"No."
Kaia touched his hand.
"The problem is that you're afraid."
Garrett closed his eyes.
"And you're not?"
"I am terrified."
"Of what?"
"Of losing you."
He opened his eyes.
That was the moment everything changed.
Garrett kissed her.
Slowly.
Carefully.
As though asking permission with every second.
Kaia answered by stepping closer.
Outside, thunder rolled over the valley.
Inside, two lonely people finally stopped pretending they didn't need anyone.
The Man Behind the Fence
Happiness lasted six weeks.
Then Garrett discovered who had stolen Kaia's cattle.
The men were part of a larger operation.
Someone had been buying ranches through intimidation.
Small ranchers were being driven off their land.
Kaia's property was next.
So was Garrett's.
The man behind it was Silas Mercer, a wealthy cattle broker who owned half the businesses in the nearest town.
Mercer offered Garrett money.
A fortune.
Enough to walk away.
Garrett refused.
Then Mercer threatened Kaia.
Garrett told her to leave.
She refused.
"You don't get to decide for me."
"This isn't about pride."
"No. It's about fear."
Garrett's face tightened.
"I'm trying to protect you."
"And I'm telling you I don't need protecting."
"You almost died."
"So did you."
He had no answer.
Kaia stepped closer.
"You think loving someone means keeping them behind a fence."
Garrett stared at her.
"Maybe."
"Then you still don't understand me."
She walked away.
That night, Garrett realized she was right.
He had spent his entire life building fences.
Around his ranch.
Around his heart.
Around his memories.
He had believed fences kept danger out.
But they also kept love out.
Before dawn, Garrett rode to Mercer's ranch.
He returned several hours later with proof.
Mercer's men had been caught.
The sheriff arrested them.
Mercer's operation collapsed.
But Garrett wasn't thinking about Mercer.
He was thinking about Kaia.
He rode directly to her ranch.
She stood beside the fence.
The same fence that had started everything.
Garrett dismounted.
"I was wrong."
Kaia folded her arms.
"About?"
"You."
She waited.
"I thought protecting you meant deciding what you could handle."
Kaia said nothing.
"I was wrong."
He stepped closer.
"I can't promise you'll never get hurt."
She looked at him.
"I can't promise that either."
"But I can promise I won't build a wall between us again."
Her expression softened.
Garrett reached into his pocket.
He pulled out a small silver ring.
"I don't have a fancy speech."
Kaia smiled.
"That's probably for the best."
He laughed.
Then his face became serious.
"Kaia Storm, will you marry me?"
She stared at him.
"You're asking me after everything we've been through?"
"Yes."
"That's terrible timing."
"I know."
She smiled.
Then she held out her hand.