“What brings you over to the western slope?”

He pushed his hat back, and she was able to see the exhaustion reflected on his face. Her hand twitched with the need to reach out and smooth away the lines of worry. Not now, not yet. Not until he agreed to her crazy plan.

“I suppose you brought some papers for me to sign?”

“Not exactly.” The words she wanted to say seemed to be stuck in her throat.

He frowned. “You’ve filed for the annulment?”

“Not exactly.”

His breath came out in a rush. “Why are you here? What’s going on, Darci?”

It was now or never. Sucking in a deep breath, she let the words fall from her lips in a tumbling rush. “Cole, I love you. I don’t want to end our marriage. I want to stay married, make ours a real marriage. I want to help you raise Mandy.”

The silence was thick, unforgiving. He stared at her, no expression on his face, the granite hardness of his jaw unrelenting.

“I can’t love you, Darci. I’ve already explained why.”

“And I think you’ve been hanging around the rodeo too long. You, cowboy, are full of bull.”

His lips twitched, but he still glared at her.

Her anger at his stubbornness boiled over. “Damn you, Cole Blackmore. How dare you waltz into my life, make me love you, and then leave without any thought for my feelings? What makes you think you know what’s best for me? What makes you so omniscient that you can predict what will happen to me, to us?”

Her anger continued to simmer, and she struggled for the words to express it. “I want it all, Cole, the love, the laughter and even the heartbreak. I want to take the chances, live the risks. Without any risk, life isn’t worth living. And I want to take those risks with you. What gives you the right to deny me that chance?”

“Are you finished?” One of his black eyebrows was raised, and there was a gleam of something she couldn’t define in his eyes.

“No. I demand we make this a real marriage or I’ll sue you for breach of promise.”

“Does that law still exist?”

“I don’t know, but if it doesn’t, I’ll find something else to sue you for.” She planted her hands on her hips. “Now, are you coming back to Denver or do I have to move over here?”

“Do you intend to run Blackmore’s long distance?”

“How did you know about that?”

“You didn’t think Todd would tell me, did you.” He waited for her response. When there wasn’t one, he continued. “I intend to earn my keep, Darci. I won’t let you support me, and I can’t just live off my dividend checks. I need to work.”