GLITTER GULCH

Chapter 23: Romantic Interlude

"No. I haven’t seen him. Have you, Rosemary?"

"Huh-uh. Maybe he’s still at the schoolhouse."

"Nope. Just came from there. Maybe he’s … Anyway, if you see him tell him that I’m looking for him and to stay put. I have to talk to him. Okay?" He didn’t even wait for a response before trotting off. Rosemary and Mia exchanged glances.

"So what do you think could be that important?"

"Beats me."

"You don’t think Kento…"

"If so, it’s about damn time."

"I think they’re perfect for one another."

"Yeah. Cye’s been moping ever since he got that letter from what’s his face."

"Philip."

"Whatever. And Kento, the big lug, has had it bad for Cye since he first met him."

"Well, anyway, I think they’ll be good for each other. They’re cute together."

"You don’t think Kento’s a little big for Cye?"

"Big? What do you mean…? Rosemary!"

"Not that I wouldn’t like to get a little of that action, but…"

"Oh, god. I’m not going to listen to you anymore."

"Imagine that man on top of you…"

"Rose! Stop it!"

Mia’s face turned beet red and Rosemary smirked, her eyebrows raised.

"You’re bad, Rose. You know that?"

"Yep and you love it."

Ryo was enjoying himself. This day was turning out better than he'd thought it was going to. After this morning's meeting, Sage, Kento, and he had gone on the lookout for the missing horses and then took them to the high meadow for grazing. They'd spent most of the afternoon lying in the ankle-high wildflowers watching the cloud formations. Later in the afternoon, Kento had left to go get Cye.

The 'high meadow' turned out to be a slight indentation between two large hills. The wildflowers were in bloom and spread across the entire expanse, dotting it with pinpricks of color. Frontier country was amazing.

Kento had told them they were technically on his property now. It turned out he owned one of the hills and the meadow; Rosemary owned the other hill.

Sage had spent a lot of time staring at the land that he now owned.

"I'd like to build a house on that hill some day."

Ryo looked at Sage and saw the dreamy look in his eyes. "Gonna quit being a drover, huh?"

The Indian almost fainted when the cowboy turned to look at him; his lavender eyes had darkened to a creamy violet.

"Yes. And I would like for you to be with me. Forever. Could you do that, Ryo? Would you do that, Ryo?"

Ryo's pulse quickened, and the butterflies that filled the landscape had somehow found their way into his stomach. "In an instant, Sage." The smile that escaped those pale lips stripped the Indian of any defenses his heart might have had.

"So do you wanna do it?"

Ryo blinked. "Do it?"

"You know," Sage winked, "here in the middle of the wildflowers. Just you and me with the horses as our only audience." The cowboy's smile turned predatory, and he began crawling on all fours towards the Indian - who didn't stand a chance.