BRANDED BY A CALLAHAN by Tina Leonard Page A

knew that they belonged together. Whatever had spooked her could easily be solved.
    She leaned up to kiss him goodbye, then reached for the bag she’d neatly packed. “I have to go, Dante.”
    More convincing was needed. “I know in my heart you want to stay. I can feel it every time I touch you, lady. You like me.”
    He pulled her to him. She smiled and stepped away, shaking her head. Dante didn’t allow himself to consider defeat—he knew Ana was crazy about him. No woman made love to a man the way Ana did with him and honestly believed she wasn’t in love.
    No. Not just in love. She was crazy for him, just as much as he was for her.
    It was the baby thing bugging her, he knew it had to be. Trouble was, a guy just couldn’t come right out and say, “Hey, I heard you have one ovary and are worried you can’t have children, but I can fix that for you if you give me a shot.” No, a man had to be more suave than that. He was suave.
    At least he thought he was. “Marry me.”
    He surprised both of them by saying it. But he felt great the moment he said it. Ana’s eyes widened, and he thought bingo, that was the right thing to say .
    But then she shook her head, sending his world into dust. “I can’t, Dante. You don’t understand. I— It wouldn’t work. We’re not right for each other.”
    “You’re exactly right for me.” He wasn’t going to let her go until he’d told her how he felt about her. Then if she still said no—well, he wasn’t going to think about it. Better to imagine a yes coming from those sweet lips.
    “Dante, it’s hard to explain. I don’t think—”
    If she was going to be like this, he’d just play along with it. So he pulled her outside and helped her into his truck.
    “What are we doing?” Ana asked.
    “Taking a drive. I’ll drive, you talk. Things come to me when I drive. I’m determined to help you see that you don’t want to leave me in the pond, gorgeous.”
    “I’m not leaving you, Dante. I’m taking myself away from the pond.”
    “Every woman fishes for a man. At least that’s what I heard. And I’m pretty sure I’ve got bait you like.”
    She didn’t reply, but that was all right. He drove to the end of the canyons, parked the truck. A wide panorama of beautiful, undulating gorges and walls carved by time lay before them. “Come on.”
    She got out of the truck. “Where are we going?”
    “To the most romantic spot on earth. At least I think this is romantic.” He supposed maybe not everyone thought the canyons were as beautiful as he did. But he really loved it here, more than any place he’d ever been. “I’m going to try to change your mind. Be lightly warned.”
    She didn’t protest when he took her hand. “Here’s the deal, gorgeous. I know something’s bugging you. Why don’t you tell ol’ Dante? I’m known as a problem solver.”
    She let him pull her against his chest, and he ran a comforting hand down her back.
    “You can’t solve any of this.”
    “Consider me your knight in shining armor.” He kissed her, lingering against her lips. “And this knight really wants you to be his lady.”
    “Dante,” Ana said, “you’re not the man for me.”
    He looked at her. “You can’t say that after last night. I’m pretty sure I know the sound and feel of a happy woman.”
    “I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you’re not the man for me.”
    This sounded off. There was a hidden message he couldn’t decipher. He took her over to a canyon ledge that jutted slightly out over the gorge and tugged her down next to him. “This is beautiful,” Ana said, staring at the amazing, mysterious landscape.
    “It is.”
    Why did the canyons sing to his soul? There was something lonely and yet alive, too, about them. He always felt most alive here. “Much better than South Dakota, I’m sure.”
    She laughed. “You don’t know that. I love my little town.”
    “I can live in South Dakota, if you’re not keen on being here,” he