"Of course it's all right with me, Laura!" Monty exclaimed, his face changing from the somber expression it had worn when he thought about her leaving, to one of unbridled joy. "I'd just love having you back here and showing you life on the ranch. Based on how you handled moving and loading those bulls last night, you'll do just fine."
Then he plunged in. "And I feel like I've known you for years, too, Laura. It's probably too much to hope for, but I'd like to think that if you find you like the ranch life when you come back, just maybe you'd consider spending the rest of your life here as my wife."
Laura didn't bother with words for an answer. She flung her arms around his neck and kissed him, long and passionately. Monty wrapped his arms around her, and returned the kiss.
It was the second kiss of the evening, and only the second since they had met.
THE END