Page 117 of Over the Line

For a long moment, she remained silent. “My parents traveled a lot.”

He nodded. “I enjoyed planning the penguin trip.”

Slowly, she blinked. “You did all that?”

“Surprised?”

“One hundred percent. I know how much effort goes into arranging itineraries.”

When he’d started doing the research, he’d thought it would make a hell of a honeymoon trip. Still did. But he didn’t want to terrify her. “Since we’re there, we could arrange some extra time and take in parts of Australia. Or we can return at a later date.”

“Do you really mean that?”

“Jeb told me I spend too much time here, that getting away is good for me.”

“But the ranch demands a lot of commitment.” Tipping her head to the side, she studied him.

“It does.” He nudged his hat back a little. “There are times of the year when it’s easier to get away, for sure.”

“Like January when it’s miserable here?”

“Like then,” he agreed.

“But that’s also a good time for helicopter skiing.”

“You can’t do both?”

Her eyes opened wide. With the first rays of hope?

Then she gestured expansively, taking in his holdings. “At some point you’ll want a family.”

And he refused to give up hope that, with a lot of patience, she would be his wife as well as the mother of his children. “I need you, Sydney.” The admission was wrung from the depths of his soul. “As long as you return to me, we can figure this out.” Their time apart had taught him that painful lesson.

“A safe place to land.”

“Our relationship should add to your life, not take away from it.”

Narrowing her eyes once again, this time in suspicion, she said, “I spend time with my girlfriends at various places on the planet.”

“Darlin’, I don’t want to clip your wings.” Her joy for life was one of the things he’d fallen in love with.

“What about my condo?”

“You can keep it, if you want. Or you could consider working from here and get rid of your mortgage.”

Her chest rose and fell in quick, short bursts. They’d waded into more difficult parts of the discussion.

Signaling he was open to compromise, he turned his palm up. “I meant it. You need to do what’s right for you. It would always be your choice.”

“My place is closer to Denver and the airport.”

By a whole lot of miles and time. “Where does most of your work occur?”

“A lot in Moab. The western slope. Vail. Back country.” She sighed. “But your point is well taken. Most of my trips are to the mountains. In fact…”

“Go on.”

“I’m thinking Eagle’s Bend could be a good spot for excursions.”