(several months later)

"It's going to be a beautiful day outside," Nicky said, his voice full of protest. "You can't be serious."

"Yes, I'm totally serious. It's a beautiful day for burpees," Dixie said, trying not to sound entirely sadistic.

Nicky groaned and rolled his eyes, taking another sip of his hot coffee. The two of them were snugged together on the porch swing on the front porch of Gamble Ranch, sipping coffee and watching the sun rise over the fields around them, arguing gently about how to spend the day – Dixie in favor of making Nicky work out, and Nicky in favor of doing anything but working out.

She even loved arguing with this man, she thought with a private smile.

Other than a few distant bird calls and cows lowing in a far field, the land was utterly quiet and still at this time of morning, and Dixie had grown to crave the quiet.

The traveling MotoGP circus was fun, and it would start soon enough with testing and traveling for a new season, but for now, she was more than content to spend a quiet morning with her cowboy on the ranch in Wyoming.

Her champion cowboy, she amended in her mind, again picturing the huge trophy that was in the spare bedroom that had been given to Nicky at the end of the season when he was declared winner and champion of the entire MotoGP season.

She'd never been more proud of anything, and deep down, she hoped she had been at least a small part of his success in winning the championship. Not only in making his body stronger, but by being an emotional support, a partner, and a boost of confidence for the shy rider who had never quite believed in himself.

Funny, she mused, the championship hadn't changed him – hadn't gone to his head, though he'd posed for enough pictures and been given enough accolades that she would have expected it for almost any mortal man.

She was glad he was still just... Nicky.

And she was still just Dixie, trainer and physical therapist, though her title was about to get a lot longer, she remembered.

Right before the final race in Valencia, Dixie had put her brave girl pants on and approached Clinica Mobile and Dr. Costa to see if they needed someone to work full time as a trainer or therapist for any person – rider, team member, mechanic, whoever – on behalf of Dorna and MotoGP itself, noting that they really didn't have someone in place for doing those things, especially on a race to race basis.

She'd interviewed with a panel of medical people, she'd done clinicals, she'd talked at length about her philosophies and styles, and just when she thought she didn't have a chance in hell, they had hired her for the following season.

She'd get to do what she loved – and she'd get to do it with Nicky by her side, because if he wasn't 'working' that weekend, then neither was she.

It was too good an opportunity to pass up, so she'd told Jackie and her clients, and then closed up shop, promising to let them all know if and when she returned to private practice in California.

Jackie had been upset about losing her job, but, Dixie thought with a wry grin, had been quite consoled when Cade – now her boyfriend, not just a fling – had told her she was going on the circus with them.

And that he was going to find her a job on it, one way or another.

Even if just as he Girl Friday, a term at which Jackie had bristled, but agreed when Cade gave her that lady killer smile with full dimples in effect.

The pieces continued to fall into place, even for Javier, who had fallen hard and fast for a beautiful Spanish girl who knew nothing about racing and didn't really care – she just cared about Javier. He seemed truly crazy about her, and Dixie was genuinely happy that he had found someone to make him giddy in love.

Everything was falling into place this offseason, Dixie thought, and by next year, it will all be perfect.

Who would have pictured that a year ago? Who would have pictured the journey she would go on from the day she set foot on this ranch for the first time?

"Nope, not doin' it," Nicky said, his voice brooking no argument despite her ready protestations. "I've got a surprise instead. C'mon, on your feet, soldier," he said, tugging her into a standing position and dropping a quick kiss onto the crown of her head. "Go put your leathers on."

"Am I riding behind you or riding myself?" Dixie asked, gathering up their cups and blanket to take inside.

"You're gonna ride with me today, if that's okay. We're not going too far."

"Ride around the ranch with my arms around you?" Dixie said, sounding falsely dubious. "Well, I guess I can stand it."

He smacked her butt even as she retreated into the house to get changed.

**

"Where are we going?" Dixie asked over the roar of the engine, her visor up so she could talk in Nicky's ear.

"You'll see," Nicky said, his voice muffled by his own helmet.

Dixie thus contented herself to wind her arms around him and hold on tight, watching the fields whiz by and the sun continue to rise thinly above them. She could feel the cool wind nipping at her leathers, and catching the ends of her hair from under her helmet, flicking them around her shoulders. She smiled from the sheer joy and openness of just riding, and snuggled closer to Nicky's back, feeling his hand squeeze hers at his waist for a moment before returning to the handlebars.

He was also so cautious and careful when she was on the bike with him, totally belying his chosen profession, she thought with a grin. It was sweet, really, she mused, sweet and nice to be so cherished.

A few miles and a few minutes later, Nicky pulled the bike to a stop on a small ridge and dismounted, then helped Dixie off the bike.

She tugged off her helmet while he did the same, then looked around, trying to get her bearings, not sure where on the vast ranch property they were.

"Okay, I give... where are we?" she asked after a long moment.

"Home," Nicky said softly. "Well, soon enough, anyway, I hope."

Dixie turned to him, perplexed. "What do you mean? Home?"

"See that rise?" Nicky asked, gesturing to a slight rise in the earth in front of them. "With the brook nearby?"

Dixie shaded her eyes, drinking in the view. The land was tinged golden and brown from the thin sun above them, with subtle elevation changes and a view of the mountains far in the distance. Patches of bright green grass lined the burbling brook that had carved itself into the countryside, and she could see far beyond were swaying wheat fields, cow pastures, and nothing else but quiet and clear country air.

Dixie swept her eyes from side to side, trying to absorb all the stark beautiful in front of her. "Yeah," she finally answered at length. "I see the rise. It's beautiful..."

"That's where I'm going to build our new home," he said, his voice soft and shy.

Dixie turned to him, her mouth an O of surprise. "You're going to build a home, away from the rest of the ranch?"

"Time to get out of the old man's house and have something of my own, and there's obviously plenty of privacy and a helluva lot of space to choose from."

"It's a beautiful spot," Dixie said, her voice reverent, missing his inference from earlier.

"Dix, did you hear what I said?" Nicky asked, his hands in his pockets, unsure of himself now.

"What? What did you say?" Dixie asked.

"I said... our home," he practically whispered.

Her eyes flew to his, and she saw his shy, uncertain smile. "Our..."

"I'm hopin' you'll consent to live there with me. Get married to me there. Raise our kids there. Grow old with me there," he said, biting his lip. "I swear to God, I can't imagine it in my mind without you there, on the front porch, beside me. Marry me, Dix. Make a family with me. Live out your life with me."

Dixie found that for once, she was unable to speak, even as tears spilled down her cheeks.

Instead, she merely nodded, threw her arms around him and kissed him breathless.

"Is that a yes?" he asked, laughing as he caught her.

"Yes, cowboy," she whispered against his lips. "That's definitely a yes."