by Lori Wilde
“And then there’s Rufus,” Leigh went on. “Last year, everyone said there was no way to get that dog into a car and take him to the vet. His owner, Steve Myerson, was frantic. Honey doesn’t have its own vet, so Rufus has to be driven to where there is one. Nathan finally got involved and solved the problem.”
Despite herself, Emma had to know. “What did you do?” she asked Nathan.
“Nothing special.” Nathan turned the car down a long, narrow driveway leading to what looked like a pretty, white house.
“Double ha,” Leigh said. “He knew right away what would work. And he was right. The dog has a thing for bright-pink tennis balls. Not white or yellow. The ball has to be pink. But if you throw one, he will follow. Well, sort of. As much as Rufus follows anything. Somehow, Nathan knew it would work.”
“You’re able to read the minds of dogs?” Emma teased. “Wow, now there’s a skill that could come in handy. Met any talking horses? Chickens with a lot on their minds? Interesting cows?”
Nathan chuckled, the sound rich and deep. Without trying, she could remember every detail of his last kiss. The way he’d held her in his arms. The way his mouth had felt against her own. The way—
Stop it!
Emma mentally kicked herself. Enough of that. She was not going to think about kissing Nathan again. Thinking about him was bad for her health. At least for her mental health. He should come with a big warning label slapped on his side that said: Contact with Lonely Women Can Result in a Loss of Intelligence.
Because that was the problem with kissing Nathan—it confused her. A lot. Every time she kissed him, she lost all sense of priority. Up until meeting Nathan, she’d always thought she had the willpower of three people. Now she knew that when really tempted, she caved quicker than a sandcastle hit by a wave.
Not that it was entirely her fault, though. The man was gorgeous and smart and nice and one heck of a kisser. Plus, when he took off his shirt to play basketball, the sun gleamed across his strong muscles and—
“Yoo-hoo, Emma?” Leigh said from behind her. “You still with us, or have you been secretly kidnapped by aliens who left your body behind? If it’s the aliens thing, dibs on selling the story to the tabloids.”
Emma blew out a shaky breath. Wow. She really needed to get herself under control. Finally, she managed to ask, “What did you want, Leigh?”
“You’re not listening to us. Nathan asked you a question, and you’ve been sitting there like a zombie,” Leigh said.
She had? She was? Good grief. With effort, Emma turned her head and looked at Leigh, her mind still struggling to banish the image she’d conjured up of Nathan without a shirt. Um. What were they talking about? Oh, right. Her losing her mind.
“I’m still here,” she said. “Sorry. I was thinking about—” Words failed her. What could she say? She’d been thinking about...
Nathan.
She shook her head and tried again. “Work.”
Leigh frowned. “Work? You mean your dissertation?”
Relief flowed through Emma, and she lunged for the excuse. “Exactly. My dissertation. I was thinking about my dissertation.”
Leigh snorted. “As if.”
Emma made a snorting noise right back. “It’s the truth.”
“Yeah right, and I’m the Tooth Fairy.”
“Leave her alone,” Nathan told his sister, pulling his car up in front of a two-story house.
Leigh held up her hands. “Fine. I won’t bother Emma.” She opened her door and right before she stepped out, she said to her brother, “But I mean it—no yellow.”
“What is she talking about? No yellow what?” Emma looked at Nathan, hoping her errant thoughts had calmed down enough that she wouldn’t keep having erotic images of him.
Wrong. One smile from him and her heart took off like a Thoroughbred in an open field. This dinner with Nathan’s family was going to be much more difficult than she’d anticipated if she couldn’t get her libido under control.
“Are you okay?” Nathan asked.
Oh, no. Not that again. Emma forced a smile across her face, but she knew desire still flickered in her gaze. She could see the answering attraction on Nathan’s face. For countless seconds, they simply looked at each other. Then Emma finally managed to say in a way-too-raspy voice, “I’m fine. Truly fine.”
Nathan grinned. “Yeah. I know.”
“What’s taking you so long? Hurry up,” Trent yelled at Nathan.
Nathan headed down the porch steps and crossed over to Chase’s garage. As usual following a Sunday dinner, he and Trent were admiring the classic 1956 Pontiac Star Chief Chase was restoring. But this ritual was all that was usual about today. Not a single other thing was the way it normally was. Chase had spent the past two hours flirting and kissing with his new wife, Megan. And Trent had brought yet another new girlfriend to dinner. What was her name? Amber? Autumn? Azalea?
“What’s your date’s name?” he asked Trent when he rejoined his brothers.
Trent shot a narrowed-eyed look at Nathan. “Azure. Her name is Azure.”
“Right. Azure.” Nathan watched as Trent ran one hand over the new chrome fender Chase had added in the past week.
“This car is a beauty, Chase,” Trent said.
Nathan had to ask, “Trent, what happened to Sue Ann? You seemed pretty happy at the rodeo two nights ago.”
Chase turned to look at Trent. “You’ve changed girlfriends in the past two days? When are you going to learn that the grass isn’t greener?”
Trent grinned. “When the grass stops being greener.”
“You’ve got the wrong attitude toward love,” Chase said.
“Who’s talking about love? I thought we were talking about dating.” Trent laughed at his own joke.
“He’s going to die alone because he’s never going to grow up and become an adult,” Chase said to Nathan. “A man needs to settle down at some point in his life.”
Nathan couldn’t help laughing. “That’s what you say now that you’re in love with Megan. But if memory serves me, you were kicking and screaming about not falling in love just a few months ago, Chase. You drove Trent and me crazy telling us you didn’t believe in love, and there was no way you were in love with Megan.”
“I was a fool,” Chase said, then he said to Trent, “Hey, stop touching the chrome.”
“Jeez, I’m not three, Chase.”
Chase looked at Nathan. “He does a pretty good imitation, doesn’t he?”
“Funny. Very funny.” Trent went back to admiring the car.
Chase moved over to stand next to Trent. “Seriously, marriage is wonderful. A man needs to find a special woman and build a life with her.”
Both Nathan and Trent dissolved into laughter.
“What?” Chase asked, looking affronted. “It’s true.”
“You sound like a greeting card,” Trent said.
Chase snorted. “You two are just jealous because I’ve found someone great, and you’ll be lucky to have a buzzard give you a second look.”
Boy, Chase’s tune sure had changed since he’d married Megan. If ever there’d been a man who was convinced love didn’t exist, it had been Chase.
But Megan had changed his mind.
Just thinking about his brother’s happy marriage made Nathan wish things were different with Emma. She was unlike any woman he’d ever met. Not only was he attracted to her, but he also loved spending time with her, listening to her, joking with her.
She was one special lady.
“Yo, Nathan. Are you having a stroke or something?” Trent trotted over and slapped him on the back, knocking most of the air right out of Nathan’s lungs. “You look weird.”
Nathan struggled to regain his breath. “Hey, Trent, you almost killed me.”
“I did not,” Trent maintained. He turned toward Chase, seeking confirmation. “I was trying to help. He looked weird, didn’t he, Chase?”
“Yeah, you looked weird.” Chase adjusted the si
de mirror. “You looked even weirder than usual.”
“Very funny.” Nathan finally recovered his balance and shifted away from Trent. “Don’t hit me anymore, okay?”
“Fine, but don’t look weird then,” Trent said.
“Any chance that weird expression on your face had something to do with your date, Emma Montgomery?” Chase asked.
“She’s not my date.”
Chase nodded. “Okay. Then any chance that weird expression on your face had something to do with your not-date, Emma Montgomery?”
Nathan groaned. “No. Emma and I are just friends.”
“Megan and Chase were just friends until they started having wild and wicked sex,” Trent pointed out. “Maybe you and Emma are that kind of friends.”
“No, we’re not.”
Trent grinned. “Too bad. Personally, I’m looking for a female friend like that. Sounds like a heck of a deal to me.”
“You’re an idiot, Trent. No woman is ever going to want to marry you,” Chase said.
Trent’s grin only grew wider. “That’s the general idea.”
After Trent went back to admiring the car, Chase looked at Nathan. “Seriously. Are you okay?”
“Yes. Just thinking about work.”
“How’s the program coming along?”
“It has problems,” Nathan admitted. “I’m not sure it will be ready in time for BizExpo.”
“Sure it will,” Trent said. “You always pull the fat out of the fire, Nathan. You will this time, too.”
Nathan wished he shared his brother’s confidence, but he didn’t. He wasn’t sure this time he could make a minor miracle happen.
But he sure hoped he could.
The back door opened, and Megan stepped out onto the porch. “Chase, honey, are you boys going to stay out here all night?”
As soon as Megan appeared, Chase’s face lit up. Nathan couldn’t help feeling a little jealous of the happiness his brother had found. Unlike Trent, he’d like to find someone special and build a life together in Honey.
Too bad that woman couldn’t be Emma.
“We’re done,” Chase said, trotting over to join Megan.
“Ah, jeez,” Trent said when Chase kissed his new wife. “There they go again. Hey, Chase, is this how it’s going to be from now on? Whenever Megan calls, you come running?”
Chase grinned. “Oh, yeah. You bet. As fast as I can.” Then he kissed his wife again, and they went inside the house.
“Face it, Trent. Chase is in love.”
Trent hung his head. “It’s a sad day when a man walks away from his brothers for a woman.”
Nathan laughed and headed toward the house. “You really aren’t ever going to find anyone to marry you, Trent.”
“Amen to that,” Trent said. “Amen to that.”
7
Emma turned when she heard the back door open. As soon as Nathan entered the kitchen, his gaze met hers. As always, she felt a thrill of excitement dance through her.
Good grief. She didn’t want to be so attracted to this man. He had roots so deep in this town they could strike oil. And his family was like one big meddlesome mob. Although she liked them, she couldn’t get used to how easily they delved into each other’s lives.
“Good, the men are here,” Leigh said, setting the last of the dirty dinner plates on the kitchen counter. “We women are officially off duty now. Let’s go sprawl in the family room, watch some sports thingy on TV, and scratch ourselves in impolite places while the guys take care of the dishes.”
Emma laughed. “Um, Leigh, I’m not sure doing the dishes doesn’t sound a whole lot better than what you’ve suggested.”
“Oh, okay,” Leigh said with a huff. She turned to Azure and Megan. “I suppose you two want to do something genteel and ladylike as well.”
Megan was laughing, but Azure frowned. “Why do we have to scratch?”
Leigh snorted and rolled her eyes at Trent. Then she said to Azure, “Don’t worry about it, hon. Just come along.”
Still muttering about not wanting to scratch anything, Azure followed Leigh, her stiletto heels clacking loudly on the wooden floor. At a little over twenty years old, Azure was the youngest person at the dinner. She also seemed the most baffled. She didn’t seem to follow any of the conversations. Emma figured Azure and Trent wouldn’t be dating too long. At least she hoped not, for both of their sakes.
“I’m so glad I had the chance to meet you,” Megan said as she fell into step with Emma. “Leigh mentioned she was bringing a friend home from college, but with Leigh, you never know if you should anticipate something wonderful or run for cover.”
Emma smiled at Megan. She really liked Chase’s wife. She was smart, nice, and levelheaded. “I know what you mean about Leigh. She’s something else.”
“Who’s something else?” Leigh asked when they reached the family room.
“You,” Emma explained, settling on the overstuffed couch.
Azure frowned again. “What else are you, Leigh?”
Leigh snorted again, but Megan leaned over and patted Azure’s hand. “Don’t worry about it. Emma simply meant that Leigh is a bit...”
Leigh leaned forward in her chair. “Yeah, I’d like to hear this, too. I’m a bit?”
“Crazy,” Emma supplied at the same time Megan said, “Wild.”
Leigh laughed. “Yeah, I can be both of those things sometimes. But come on? Who can blame me? You’ve seen the guys I grew up with. It’s a miracle I’m not in jail somewhere.”
Megan and Emma both nodded.
“That’s true, Leigh,” Megan said. “Although I dearly love Chase, you’re a model citizen compared to what you could have become after being raised by those Barrett brothers.”
Azure tipped her head. “You don’t like your brothers, Leigh?”
“Oh, I like them. I even love them. But they drive me up a wall sometimes.”
Azure glanced around. “Which wall?”
Emma bit back a laugh, but Leigh groaned.
“It’s a saying, Azure,” Leigh explained.
Azure sighed. “I’ve never heard any of these sayings before. They must be things you old people like to say, like ‘Bless my boots.’”
“Hey, I’m only a tiny bit older than you,” Leigh said. “I am not old. And I have never in my life said ‘Bless my boots.”’
Azure didn’t seem impressed. She studied Leigh, then said, “You look so much older than me.”
Leigh turned toward Emma and Megan. “Remind me to whack Trent on the head when he comes in.”
Azure frowned once again. “Why?”
Deciding to step in before a war broke out, Emma turned to Megan. “So, have you lived in Honey all of your life?”
“Most of it. How about you? You’re from Austin, right?”
“That’s where I live now. Growing up, my mother and I moved around the country a lot. She liked to go on what she called adventures. She’d pick a new town, and we’d move there.”
“Did you enjoy moving around that much?” Megan asked.
Azure sighed loudly and stood. “I’m bored.”
As she tottered out of the room on her high heels, Leigh rolled her eyes.
“Whoever said that the young are the hope for tomorrow has never met Azure,” Leigh said dryly.
Emma hated to be mean, but Leigh definitely had a point.
A few seconds after Azure entered the kitchen, Nathan and Chase came into the family room.
“We thought we’d leave Trent alone with his date,” Nathan said, coming to sit by Emma.
Chase sat next to Megan, who kissed him on the cheek.
“If you ask me, Trent should charge Azure’s parents for babysitting,” Chase said.
Megan tapped his arm. “Don’t be mean.”
“Hey, she called me old,” he said in his defense.
“She called all of us old. She came into the kitchen and told Trent she’s tired of hanging around all of us old folks and wants to go dancing.�
�
Leigh turned to Megan and Emma. “See? This is exactly what I’m talking about. How could I possibly turn out normal with Chase, Nathan, and Trent raising me?”
“Hey,” Chase said. “Trent I’ll give you, but there’s nothing wrong with Nathan and me.”
“Oh, pulease.” Leigh leaned toward Emma. “Consider yourself lucky that you’re an only child.”
Truthfully, Emma hadn’t given much thought to not having a family before arriving in Honey. Sure, she’d been looking forward to her new job and teaching with her father. But now she was looking forward to reestablishing family in her life, to spending time with her father and getting to know him.
Of course, part of the reason she was looking forward to it was that her father was nothing like Leigh’s brothers. Even though she hadn’t spent much time with him, there was no way he could be like Leigh’s brothers.
“You’re lucky to have us,” Nathan said. “Several circuses offered us good money for you, but we never once considered selling.”
“Ha ha.” She turned to Emma. “How do you stand working for this man? If it were me, I’d rather take out my own appendix using a rusty butter knife and salad tongs.”
Emma laughed. “He’s not so bad.”
Nathan turned to look at her, and she found her gaze held by his. Desire washed over her. Holy cow, did this man get to her. She felt tingles straight down to her toes, and she was very glad no one in the room could read her mind.
“Thanks for the faint praise,” Nathan said. Even though his words weren’t seductive, the way he said them was. Emma’s gaze dropped to his lips. She wanted to kiss him again. No matter how much she tried to resist him, she kept failing. Miserably.
“Hello, earth to Emma and Nathan,” Leigh said.
Emma blinked and looked at her friend. Leigh had a knowing, smug expression on her face. Emma frowned. “What?”
“Not a thing,” Leigh said in a singsong voice. “Not a thing. Not a single thing.”
“Stop it, Leigh,” Nathan said.
She grinned at him. “You love me, and you know it. Like I’ve said, if it weren’t for me, your life would be boring.”
Trent and Azure walked in at that moment.
