“Drop it, Abruzzo.”
His eyes wild, like the trapped beast he was, Dario shook his head. He moved his hand a fraction of an inch. He was going to shoot her.
Gunfire rang out. Echoes ricocheted around the mountains.
Like a slow-motion scene in an action film, Dario flew backward, the front of his coat turning red.
Someone screamed.
Ava spun sideways, into the snow.
“No!” Levi was at her side in two strides. He lifted her in his arms. “Please don’t die, sweetheart.”
Her eyelids fluttered. “Levi?”
“I’m right here.”
“Is…did Dario shoot me?”
He scanned her for blood, but didn’t see any. “No.”
“You saved my life again.”
“I had to. I love you.”
Her smile was wan. “You do?”
“You think I’d lose you now, just when I found the girl of my dreams.”
“I knew you’d come.”
Sheriff Faraday touched his shoulder. “Is Miss Demassi all right?”
He gathered her close. “She’s fine now that I have her.”
~*~
Levi’s family treated her as if she were an invalid, no matter how many times she insisted she was fine. Apparently she’d passed out when Dario had been shot, but otherwise she was unharmed.
For the first time since she’d arrived back at the ranch, she was alone.
Levi and his brothers were with Sheriff Faraday, giving statements. All five of them, along with Liberty and their mother, and a bevy of cousins had come to Ava’s rescue. The bullet that killed Dario came from the sheriff’s gun, although several shots had been fired.
Ava sat on the living room sofa, wrapped in a plaid blanket, and looked out toward the pasture. In the dusk, she could see silhouettes of horses. A knot formed in her throat. As soon as she could she was leaving for Vegas.
Levi hadn’t asked her to stay.
He said he loved her.
Probably just a reaction in the heat of the moment.
She sniffed and Liberty was at her side. “You okay?”
“Fine.” She swiped her hand under her nose. “Just tired.”
“My brother is an idiot,” Liberty muttered.
“No, he’s not. He’s loyal. And brave. And kind. And—”
Liberty held up her hand. “Okay. Okay. He’s wonderful.”
Ava nodded vigorously. “Yes, he is.”
Levi joined them. “If I were so great, I wouldn’t have let you almost be killed today.”
Liberty glanced between them. “I’ll talk to you later.”
Levi sat beside Ava. In his hands he held a large, square package. “Open this.”
She took the beautifully wrapped gift. “What is it?”
“Open it and see.”
Lifting the lid, she found the black tooled boots she’d wanted so much. She blinked back tears. She’d wear them every day back in Vegas. “Oh, Levi. Thank you.”
“Try them on.”
Puzzled, she frowned at him. “I know they fit. I tried them on at the store.”
“Sometimes they feel a little different the second time. Just try them on, okay?”
“Okay.” Using his shoulder for a brace, she tugged on the left one. It felt exactly as she remembered. But something in the toe of the right one stopped her from pulling the boot all the way up. She reached inside and found a small velvet box stuffed in the toe. “What…?”
“Open it.”
She did with trembling hands. Inside was a gorgeous diamond solitaire. A gasp slid out of her.
“Will you marry me, Ava?”
She nodded, too choked up to speak. Oh my God. The cowboy, her hero, her protector, wanted her to stay. Her throat tightened. Finally she got out “Yes.”
He stood and placed the ring on her left hand. “I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. If that means being based in Las Vegas, I can do that. But I want to be where you are.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck. “No matter where we are, I want to be with you. I love you so much.”
He dipped his head to crush her lips as the Callahan family applauded from the doorway.
Watch for Travis’ story coming in Spring 2014
Bio:
Falling in love with romance novels the summer before sixth grade, D’Ann Lindun never thought about writing one until many years later when she took a how-to class at her local college. She was hooked! She began writing and never looked back. Romance appeals to her because there's just something so satisfying about writing a book guaranteed to have a happy ending. D’Ann’s particular favorites usually feature cowboys and the women who love them. This is probably because she draws inspiration from the area where she lives, Western Colorado, her husband of twenty-nine years and their daughter. Composites of their small farm, herd of horses, five Australian shepherds, a Queensland heeler, nine ducks and cats of every shape and color often show up in her stories!
I love to hear from readers! Please contact me at
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http://dlindunauthor.blogspot.com/
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Ride A Falling Star (The Callahans) Page 17