He sighed. “I wasn’t as jealous of him as I was of Bart, until he told me that he thought of you as a sister.”

She smiled. “He did. We never had even a spark of interest.”

He rolled over and studied her flushed face. “I’m still amazed at what you managed to do for Dad and Sandra,” he said.

She laughed. “They’re very much alike. Your father just needs more attention than he thinks he’s getting. If he goes to a psychologist, I think he and Sandra can work out all their problems. He really loves her. It shows, too.”

“I guess it does.”

“I’m just glad that the guys were here when the drug runners came over the border,” she said. “I couldn’t have taken on two of the would-be kidnappers.”

He made a face. “I suppose your friends aren’t so bad.”

She grinned. “You’ll get used to them. I have to have research associates, you know.”

He sighed. “I guess so.”

“I’ll make sure you get adequate compensation,” she said, drawing one silky bare leg against his.

His heart jumped. “You will, huh?”

“I truly will.” She drew his face down to hers and kissed him slowly. “I can start right now, if you like.”

He smiled back. “I do like…”

It was the last thing he said for a long time.

CORT FLEW UP to Catelow to help pack the rest of Mina’s things and bring them back to Latigo. Some would have to be shipped as well.

Fender was waiting for them when the limousine deposited them at the ranch house.

He grinned. “Congratulations,” he said, shaking hands with Cort.

“Thanks.”

“Everything going okay?” Mina asked as Cort helped her out of the car.

“Going fine,” he said. “We had a small wolf issue, but Bart called the wildlife people and relocated two of them to the mountains.” He grimaced. “I still feel guilty about that old wolf.”

“Which old wolf?” Mina asked.

“Well, I was hoping for a job here and I saw the wolf attack the cow who’d just given birth. I tracked it and shot it. When I got to it, I noticed that it had been ripped open down its belly and the wound had never healed. It was pretty sick. I felt like it was more of a dignified end than letting it suffer.”

Cort nodded. He’d told Mina about the condition the wolf was in. “I mentioned it to her and Bart,” he confessed.

“It’s not a big deal,” Mina told Fender. “I’m just glad to know what happened to it and why. We never knew who shot it.”

“Well, see, I wasn’t sure what the law was about wolves and I didn’t want to get in trouble in case it was illegal.”

“We can shoot them if we have to, but the kill must be reported. In fact, Bart did report it to the proper authorities, and there was no action taken.”

“I’m glad.”

Mina smiled at him. “I hope you’ll stay on here as livestock foreman,” she told him. “Bill will work full-time as ranch manager, but he’ll need help.”