Page 39 of The Cowboy’s Forever Promise

Abby gave Annie a hug. “Tell Craig I said goodbye.”

“Will do.”

As the door closed behind her, a truck turned into the driveway. Blinded by the lights, she couldn’t see who it was and quickly moved to where her car was parked.

“Abby!” a very familiar voice called out as the lights were dimmed.

Her heart just about jumped out of her throat as a figure approached her. “Carson?”

Hands on hips, a frown between his eyes, he looked at the luggage. “Where are you going?”

“To the ranch.”

“To stay with June?” In the streetlight his eyes didn’t give anything away.

“No, she doesn’t know I’m on my way.”

“So where are you going?”

He wasn’t making this easy, but okay, she was the one who’d left without telling him. “To … stay with you. If you’ll have me.”

For another second he stared at her before he stepped forward and hauled her into his arms. “Damn it, Abby, you’ll be the death of me.” He kissed her—fervently, deliciously, urgently. By the time he lifted his head, they were both out of breath. “Come on.”

“I’m taking my car, but it will be nice to follow you. I wasn’t quite sure if I’d find the way.”

Chapter Eleven

Thursday was chaotic. They were still weaning the calves from their mothers and pitiful sounds filled the air. During the afternoon everyone on the ranch pitched in to help move the food that had been prepared over the last two days to the library.

As Carson entered the kitchen for lunch at Hayden and Laura’s place, he rubbed his face. He hadn’t had a good night’s sleep since Abby came into his life. Not that he was complaining. Staying awake to see her soar was no hardship at all.

While Abby was sleeping, he’d also been working in his dark room.

As always, his eyes searched and found Abby. She had a clipboard in her hand, her braid was hanging over her shoulder, and she was chewing her bottom lip as she did when she was figuring something out.

He didn’t want to think of her leaving. Since she’d moved in with him on Tuesday night, he was happy. Deeply, deliriously happy. He’d never thought he was the happy-to-stay-at-home-kind but with Abby in his house and bed, he didn’t want to be anywhere else.

As he moved toward her, she looked up. Their eyes met, her face lit up. His heart tripped. Damn, he loved that she was happy to see him. With another step he reached her. Pulling her closer, he leaned in for a kiss. “Hi, I’ve missed you.”

For a moment she put her head against his chest but then someone called her and she was moving away again.

“Here, bro,” Dylan said as he put a few boxes in Carson’s hands. “Can you handle these boxes?”

“Of course. Do I take them to the library?”

“Let’s load everything in my truck and go together. That way it should go quicker.”

As they left, Carson looked over his shoulder at Abby. She was in organizing mode—by now he knew it well. Eyes on her list, small frown between her eyes, she was focused on getting calm out of chaos, ignoring everything else, including him.

Something moved inside him. Irritation, if he wasn’t mistaken.

Turning back, he nearly tripped with the boxes in his arms.

“Steady, now,” Dylan chuckled. “The women will have our hides if anything happens to their baking. I see Abby has moved in with you?”

Carson nodded. “Until she leaves on Sunday.”

Dylan opened his truck, and they placed all the boxes inside. “So, it’s just a temporary thing?”