Free Courage to Love (Flynn Family Saga) by Erica Graham

my authority as wagon master.”
    “Mistress.”  He grinned.
    She grinned back.  She sobered swiftly.  “You tried to rescue Peter because that’s who you are, and I love you for it.  And I—I had to punish you for doing it.”  Her tears brimmed over and slid down her cheeks.
    Flynn reached forward and wiped them away with his long fingers.  “You were right.”
    She stared at him.  “What?”
    He looked away.  “You were right.”  He looked back, and anger replaced the pain.  “But how was I to know that you’d go back for the boy as soon as the train reached Fort Laramie?”
    “You could have asked,” she said softly.
    He nodded slowly.  “Yeah, I guess I could have.”  He sighed.  “I’ve never been married before, Maggie.  I’m not always going to get it right the first time.”
    She smiled sadly.  “Me either.”
    He nodded back.  “I’m sorry.”
    Tears filled her eyes.  “Me too.  I wish I was the scout and you had to boss this train.  It’s a lot harder than I thought it would be.”  She shivered.
    “Are you cold?”
    Maggie shook her head.  “Scared.  I didn’t know what Last Buffalo would do, and I was scared I’d have to—to—”
    Flynn put his arms around her.
    Maggie rested her head on his shoulder.
    “Maggie?”
    She nodded.
    “If they had hurt you...”  His voice trailed off.
    Maggie sighed.  “Once I knew that he was Woman Who Dreams’ brother, it wasn’t much of a gamble.”
    Flynn nodded against her hair.  “But it was still a gamble.”
    “Yes.”  She shivered again.
    Flynn’s arm tightened around her.  “I would have come back for you, Maggie.  I would have taken Peter to the fort and come back for you, even if it meant spending the rest of the trip in the jail wagon.”
    Maggie started to cry.
    Flynn tilted her head up.  “What’s wrong?”
    Maggie shook her head.  “You’re a better person than I am.  I left you there for weeks, and you would have come right back for me.”
    Flynn shook his head.  “Not better.  Just different.”
    Maggie shut her eyes.  “I’ve missed you, Flynn.”
    “I’ve missed you, too, Magpie.”
    “Magpie.”  She opened her eyes.  “It’s been a long time since you called me that.”
    Flynn nodded.  He kissed her.
    Maggie smiled at him.  “I missed that too.”
    Slowly, he smiled his lazy, sensuous grin.  “Me too.”  He led her away from the train.  He unrolled a blanket and drew her down beside her.  They made love slowly, cautiously, as if afraid to shatter the fragile peace between them.
    Later, Maggie propped herself on one elbow.  “You mean so much to me.  It scares me, how much you mean to me.”  She studied his face.  “My mother lost herself in her husband.”
    Flynn smiled at her.  “Maggie, I knew Lucy.  You’re nothing like her.  You love this life.  And you’re good at it.”  He sighed.  “I hate to admit this, but you are a better wagon master than I would have been.”
    Maggie rested her head on his chest.  “I don’t want to lose you, Flynn.  I—I love you so.”
    He nodded against her hair.  “I love you, too.  I used to think that love was enough, but it’s not.  That’s why I never married.”
    Maggie nestled closer.  “I like being married to you—most of the time.”
    He chuckled.  “Me too.”  He tilted her chin up, and his expression was solemn.  “Thank you.”
    “For what?”
    “Making me laugh.”
    Maggie smiled slowly.  “We haven’t laughed much since St. Jo, have we?”
    “Nope.”
    Maggie sighed.  “Well, I’ll have to do better tomorrow.”
    He smiled at her.  “I love the way you do that.”
    “Do what?”
    “End the day.  Put it behind you.  Sam never learned how to do that.”
    Maggie’s smile faded.  “I learned how to do that when I was looking after my parents.”
    Flynn nodded.  “Let me look after you, Maggie.  As much as I can.  Please?”
    Maggie smiled at him and touched his