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I pick up her hand and kiss the back, then refocus on the road. I squeeze her fingers. "We okay?"

"Yeah. I don't want to fight."

"Good. I don't either," I agree.

She traces her thumb over my knuckle. "I meant what I said earlier."

"Which part?"

"That I'm falling for you."

My pulse kicks. I glance at her, grinning and wiggling my eyebrows.

She points toward the windshield. "Eyes on the road, cowboy."

"Yes, ma'am."

"And don't make a big deal out of it."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

"You're smiling."

I chuckle. "Do you want me to be sad about that?"

She pauses, then admits, "No."

"Good."

I admit, "I'm falling for you too."

Her teasing expression disappears.

I lower our hands but don't let go, adding, "Fast. Probably faster than either one of us has any business doing."

Her mouth curves. "We really are terrible at doing things in the right order."

"We established that."

"We should probably stop doing things that way."

"Absolutely not," I say.

She laughs.

The sound fills the cab, and for the first time since our fight started, I can breathe normally.

By the time the ranch entrance appears, the snow has covered all the gravel. I turn through the gate and head toward the Butterfly House.

My house sits farther down the lane. The automatic timer turned on the warm lights. They glow through the windows. I try not to look, and fail.

Lainey catches me.

I make one last effort, "Last chance to stay warm all night?"

"Nice try," she says.

I pull up beside the Butterfly House and put the truck in park.