OBSESSION

His mouth watered just to think of them. "That niece of yours can sure bake."

"She's obsessed."

Rose looked so serious Andrew could only smile.

He would have taken her into his arms if he wasn't so dirty and if she wasn't holding the hairy dog. Instead he bent down and kissed her. "There's nothing wrong with being obsessed," he said, stripping off his canvas work gloves so he could touch her without getting horse sweat on her.

"No?"

"I feel that way myself sometimes," he murmured, dropping the gloves to the ground.

"Don't try to distract me. I'm really worried," she said, before he kissed her again. She tasted of blueberries and sugar, and Andrew's first impulse was to take her home for the rest of the afternoon, but he suspected Rose had other things on her mind besides making love.

"Are there still muffins left?"

She looked confused for a moment, then smiled.

"I just ate the last one."

"Damn. Those were sure good this morning."

Andrew bent over to grab his gloves and took Rose's free hand. He started walking toward the small Foreman's house. "What's to be worried about? Francisca seems happy enough."

"With baking. I can't get her to do much about the wedding."

"You think she's going to back out?" Just the thought sent a chill down his spine, despite the afternoon heat. As long as Francisca was here, Rose would be here. And as long as Rose was here, he had time to figure out what to do.

"I don't know. She'd rather shop for Gourmet cooking equipment than a wedding dress. It seems a little.....odd, that's all." Rose stopped for a moment to set Pookie on his feet. The little guy looked up at her as if he couldn't believe he had to walk.

"Come on," she said, encouraging the little dog to walk with them.

"Bobby hasn't said anything." He slowed his pace to allow for the dog's small steps. The kid had seemed preoccupied these past days, but Andrew had chalked that up to pre-wedding jitters. "But I've been keeping him pretty busy with ranch work. There's a lot he has to learn before he takes over."

"You are really going to leave the Dead Horse?"

"Yes," he said, enjoying the feel of her small hand in his. "It's past time for my own home, my own family." He looked over at her, wondering what she would say. It was as close to a proposal as anything he'd ever said, and he waited for her to turn to him and say something.

They must have walked ten feet in silence until she tugged her hand from Andrew's and picked up the dog. "Where are we going?"

"I was going to give you a tour of the Foreman's house. It's not much, but there's beer and water in the fridge." He'd messed up big-time. He should have told her he wanted her. He should have told her he was in love with her. He should have asked her to.....marry him?

"I can't," she said, backing up a step. "I promised to help Francisca with dinner."

"Then I will see you later," he said, making sure she didn't see his disappointment.

"Sure."

"Roro," he said, before she turned away from him.

"What?"

"You are still so sure this wedding is wrong?"

"I don't want anyone to get hurt."

"Too late," he said.

"Yes. I think it is," Rose answered, a look in her eyes leading him to wonder if they were still talking about Bobby and Francisca Handel. He watched her walk away, and he didn't try to stop her.

Maybe she was right. He wanted her to love him.

He wanted her to stay. He wanted to build a life and a home. But someone was going to get hurt, and he'd bet a year's pay it was going to be a cowboy.

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