Dancing in the Moonlight - Harlequin.com

RAEANNE THAYNE
203
cian—and older besides—and it was up to him to be the
mature one here.
“Thanks for lending the ranch for the party, Wade,”
he said instead. “It was a nice thing to do. Who knows?
Maggie might actually stop thinking all Daltons should
be shot on sight.”
“I wouldn’t put away your bulletproof vest just yet.”
Maggie spoke up behind him, a small smile playing
around her mouth.
He wondered why her soft flowery scent hadn’t
tipped him off to her presence—and he wondered what
his brothers would do if he grabbed her right there in
front of them both, wrapped her in his arms and carried
her away from here.
“Actually, let me add my thanks,” she said to Wade.
“It was a wonderful gesture and a great party.”
After a moment she actually held out her hand.
Wade slanted Jake a look, his eyebrows raised slightly,
then he shifted Cody to his left arm so he could shake
her hand.
“We were honored to do it,” he murmured. “Welcome
home, Lieutenant Cruz. We’re proud to call you one of
our own.”
She blinked a few times, and Jake saw she was fighting
back tears. He knew she would hate shedding them here
in front of his brothers so he stepped forward quickly.
“Let’s get you home.”
With a last wave to his brothers, he took her arm and
helped navigate her through the crowd.
She didn’t seem to want to make conversation as
they traveled the short drive to the Rancho de la Luna