“May I cut in?” I looked up to find my very grumpy-looking date standing by us.

Sergio just grinned at Theo’s frown and threw his hands up, backing away.

“Te dejo en buenas manos, querida,” he told me, and I leaned in to give him a kiss on the cheek.

“Thanks for the dance, Sergio,” I told my dance partner before he walked away.

“Do I need to worry?” Theo was trying to be funny, but I could see his jaw was all tight.

“Are you really jealous of a seventy-year-old, Theodoro?” That little bit of possessiveness he was doing was kind of hot though.

“I didn’t get the dance I was promised.”

I smiled and rested my head on his chest, as he wrapped me tight in his arms.

“I love it here,” I whispered and felt his sharp intake of breath.

“I’ll bring you whenever you want.” His cheek was by my head and I felt like there was nothing in the world that could ruin what I felt for Theo right then. That there wasn’t anything that could tarnish what he’d given me with this trip. I turned my head to look up at him and just the sight of him made me feel like the sun was shining inside me.

“Take me home, Theo,” I said, pulling him down for a kiss. “Give me a few more reasons to come back to Santa Fe.”

Theo

Never in my life had I felt like I did with Alba. Like I could be burned down to ashes if I didn’t have her.

“Thank you for bringing me here,” she said in that quiet, content way she’d had since we arrived that morning.

“You’re welcome, but it was my pleasure. I like seeing you enjoy yourself.” She smiled at that, a sweet and quiet thing, but radiant nonetheless.

It was hard to remember that less than forty-eight hours ago she’d been knocked out from exhaustion. Not with the way her face looked right then. Open, relaxed, those deep red lips tipped up all night. And giving that to her filled me with satisfaction.

There was nothing but her now. I knew the moment I made love to her in that shed that my life was not going to be what I’d thought. That I’d give it all up for her. Not like I’d thought before, that we were a good match because we were both driven and ambitious. Now I knew that my real purpose was to be her resting place. The chest she laid her head on when the world got to be too much.