“W-e-l-l yes!” She peered up with a wide smile.

Wyatt’s fingers tugging expertly against his fishing line came to a halt, and he stood motionless.

When Greta chanced a look at him, he was watching her with rounded eyes full of questions. She lifted her hand to his cheek, relishing the rough scratchiness of his dark stubble. Her heart sang with a new, sweet melody. She and Wyatt didn’t have to go through the painful process of living apart this winter. They could stay together.

He tipped up his hat as though trying to get a better read of her face.

Inwardly Greta smiled while she tried to remain outwardly composed. “What do you think?” She nudged Astrid. “Should Wyatt and I take a trip to the hot spring? Just the two of us together? Maybe today. Or perhaps tomorrow.”

“Oh, I dunno.” Astrid wiggled her line. “The Indian said the water is for the sick. You’re not sick, are you?”

Greta could hardly pay attention to Astrid’s answer as Wyatt made sense of her insinuation. His oh-so-handsome face registered first surprise and then hope.

“Are you sick, Greta?” Astrid’s voice contained a note of worry that caused Chase, now lying at Astrid’s feet, to lift his head off his paws and perk his ears.

“No, I couldn’t be better. But I’m noticing Wyatt is looking tired and has such dark circles under his eyes.”

“I have an ache right here.” He pressed a hand to his heart. “But I’m guessing a day at the hot spring with Greta might make it better.”

“Might?”

“I reckon I’m gonna need two days to completely heal and not just one.”

She couldn’t contain her smile any longer.

He lowered his pole and in the same motion pulled her against him.

She came to him eagerly, wrapping her arms around him and breathing him in.

“You don’t have nowhere else to be today?” he whispered so Astrid couldn’t hear.

She shook her head. “No. Nowhere but with you.”

“You sure?”

“I’m sure.”

As his arms tightened, she sensed he understood that she’d explain everything to him later.

“So when can we leave for the hot spring?” His voice rumbled by her ear with the hint of a promise.

“I’m ready whenever you are, Cowboy. As long as you’re sure that’ll cure your heartache.”

“Ah, darlin’. There ain’t nothin’ that could cure it more.” His lips connected with the pulse in her neck, and she nearly gasped out her pleasure. At Astrid’s wide, curious eyes upon them, Greta swallowed her reaction but couldn’t control the slow burn that spread to her limbs.

“I know something else you can do right now to cure my heartache,” he whispered on the edge of a kiss by her ear.