Accidental Bride and Groom

by Iris Abbott

  Once Emma was safely settled she watched Landon put his foot in Obsidian’s stirrup and pull himself onto the horse’s back. Emma’s eyes were glued to his magnificent body and the ripple of muscles on display. She found herself daydreaming about his body and how good it would feel to be surrounded by all that hard muscle and warmth. She was so caught up in her thoughts that Landon had to call her name twice to get her attention. Emma was once again embarrassed to be caught daydreaming by the object of her affections. It didn’t help that blood rushed to her cheeks to emphasize her embarrassment.

  Landon smiled when he called Emma’s name and didn’t get a response. He could only imagine what she was so focused on inside that pretty head of hers. What he did know was that it boded well for his plan of seduction that evening. He called her name again. “Emma, are you ready? I want to finish our ride sometime soon. Remember I have plans for us, later today, and they don’t include the ranch.”

  Emma felt a reckless abandonment take hold of her. She just knew Landon had guessed what she’d been thinking about. She’d practically flashed him when she ran from the bed to the bathroom, and now this. She couldn’t imagine what he must be thinking of her behavior.

  She lightly tapped Bluebonnet on the flanks with her boots. Horse and rider took off. She turned and yelled at Landon. “I’ll race you!” Bluebonnet galloped faster, and Emma’s voice disappeared in the wind.

  Landon loved the wild side he saw of the usually prim and proper Emma. He threw back his head and let out an animalistic growl before giving chase. He caught up to her just a few minutes later without any trouble at all. Obsidian was much taller and had a longer stride than Bluebonnet. Not to mention that the thrill of the chase was just as great to Obsidian, as it was to Landon. Landon was still in a playful mood that was coupled with a desire to touch even the smallest part of Emma. He reached out and lightly yanked on her ponytail before flying past, his laughter trailing behind for Emma to hear.

  Emma screamed in mock outrage when she felt Landon tug her hair. She was pouting by the time she caught up with him. He was dismounting by the giant oak they had picnicked under just days before. “That’s not fair. Obsidian is so much faster than Bluebonnet. There was no way I could beat you.”

  “Should have thought of that before you challenged me, baby.” Then he couldn’t help but wink at her. “And I’ll be sure to claim my reward later tonight.”

  Landon was throwing her off balance. Emma needed to regain her equilibrium. “I don’t know why you look so smug. We didn’t even make a wager,” she primly announced.

  “Oh baby, I don’t need a wager to know what I’m going to be collecting tonight.”

  The sultry tone of Landon’s voice and the way he was taking in every inch of her body with his eyes made Emma shiver. If he could make her feel anything like this later, she was in for the night of her life. She realized it was likely the only night she would have with Landon, and that thought affected more than she would have ever thought possible.

  She pushed the morbid thoughts of her impending departure from Texas out of her mind. There would be time enough to dwell on that later. Right now she planned to take advantage of every second she and Landon had together before their final goodbye. And she had no doubt it would be goodbye because Landon’s relationships never lasted long. And she couldn’t handle a long-distance love affair.

  “What about my surprise?” she innocently asked.

  “Oh there’s no need to worry,” Landon promised. “Your surprise is still going to happen, and I think we both are going to enjoy it very much.”

  The couple spent the next couple of hours walking the horses around remote parts of the ranch, some of which Emma had never seen before. The beauty of James Ranch and its surroundings never ceased to amaze her. She realized then that she had always felt more at home on the ranch than anywhere else. Whenever she was there as a guest, she felt like she belonged. That is more than she had ever felt in her childhood home. It was more than she felt in the small town of Georgia where she now lived. People were very friendly, and she was included in community activities, but it just didn’t feel like home.

  She loved the community where she lived. And of course she loved her students, but it always felt like something was missing. Maybe she had been too hasty when she’d decided as a teenager that she was never going to get married. Not every man was as selfish and abusive as her father.

  Lynn was certainly happy with Bruce. Emma had never met Bruce herself. But she had listened to everything her friend had ever said about him. It was obvious that the couple was very much in love. Emma just knew they were going to be very happy together.

  Then there was Landon. He hadn’t been the one to break off his previous engagement. That dubious honor had been the act of his selfish ex-fiancée. He’d sacrificed his own personal life and relationships to make sure his sister was well loved and looked after. He had been a better guardian to Lynn than either of Emma’s own parents had been to her. That had to count for something!

  And not every woman was as weak as her mom. Certainly, Emma wasn’t that weak. Hadn’t she proved her strength and worth over and over again since she left home at the age of eighteen? She had put herself through college. And now she supported herself with a meaningful job that was important to her and society in general.

  No not everyone was as selfish and self-destructive as her parents. It was high time Emma realized that. Now that she recognized that fact, she could move on with her life. The failure of her parents to love and nurture each other, as well as their only child, shouldn’t hold Emma back from a loving, committed relationship of her own. After all, she was already halfway to being in love with Landon and probably had been for years.

  Emma looked up from her mental wanderings. She was surprised to see they had arrived back at the stables. Landon had already dismounted his horse. He was waiting to help her get down from Bluebonnet.

  “You were really deep in thought,” Landon noted. “I spoke to you right before we reached the stables. You didn’t hear me much less make a response.”

  Emma couldn’t believe she had been so lost in thought that she actually tuned Landon out. If someone had even suggested to her that was possible before this ride, she would have laughed. Her body seemed to always be aware of the commanding rancher when he was nearby.

  Nerves fluttered in her stomach. Emma wanted their time together to be perfect. The last thing she needed to do was alienate Landon or make him think she wasn’t interested by ignoring him, no matter how unintentional her actions might have been. She decided the best tack would be to flirt with him. Her flirtatious nature coming out to play would let him know she was still interested in him as a man.

  “Sorry Landon, I was just daydreaming about having you all to myself.” She wasn’t too good at the flirting thing. She didn’t have much practice. She tried batting her lashes. That always seemed to work on television and in novels. “I also can’t wait to see what you have planned for us tonight.” She watched for his reaction and was well rewarded for the effort. She could feel the heat from his eyes burn into her with a promise of what was to come. She felt a sudden flash of warmth move through her body. She wanted to melt into a puddle right then and there.

  Landon waited for her to turn sideways in the saddle before grabbing her around the waist and then lifting her off of Bluebonnet’s back. On the way down Landon made sure to slide her body against his. That way there would be no mistaking that he was enjoying the time they were spending together. There would also be no doubt as to how the night was going to end.

  Emma felt her body’s reaction to the intimate contact with Landon. She also felt the hard bulge of his erection press into her lower abdomen. She could no longer doubt how much he wanted her. And there was no avoiding the outcome of tonight. They would definitely be lovers before the sun dawned tomorrow morning.

  “So,” she said as she winked at Landon and ran a hand underneath his shirt collar. “Why don’t y
ou tell me more about this surprise of mine?” Emma was not a flirt by nature, and she couldn’t fathom what had come over her. She got the desired response though as Landon answered her with some flirting of his own.

  “This is a side of you I’ve never seen before and baby I’ve got to say I love it.” He took off his cowboy hat and used it to swat her on the backside. “Off to the house with you. We need to be ready to leave the ranch in an hour.”

  Emma felt the excitement in her build to the point where she thought she would explode like a shaken soda can. “I have to know where we are going and what we’re doing so I know what to wear,” she insisted.

  “One of your pretty summer dresses should be fine for the drive and our evening together. Just make sure you pack an overnight bag with a change of clothes and all your toiletries because we aren’t returning to the ranch until sometime tomorrow.”

  If Emma had any doubts before about where the evening was going to lead, Landon had just put an end to them. Yes, they both wanted each other, and evidently, the wait was over. The time to act on that mutual attraction was tonight. Emma wanted to make sure Landon knew she was ready. She also wanted to leave him with something to think about. She abruptly turned on her heels, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him with everything she had in her.

  She felt him pull her even closer and wrap her in the cocoon of his warmth. Her legs almost melted out from under her when he deepened the kiss. His tongue swept past her open lips and explored the warm cavern of her mouth as if he had to know every inch. And Emma feared that by the end of the night he would know every part of her. Finally, an assortment of catcalls and whistles coming from the stables and surrounding barns drew her attention.

  She broke the kiss and looked up into Landon’s deep green eyes. The astonishment on her face must have been apparent even to Landon. Never before had she lost control from something as simple as a kiss. Emma Sharpe was always in control of her emotions and actions. The fact that Landon could shake her up so thoroughly with just a kiss proved how dangerous to her peace of mind and well-being he could be.

  “If I only have an hour to get ready, I better get started now,” and she turned and ran to the house without a backward glance at Landon. She was really looking forward to tonight, and she had the fluttering nerves in the pit of her stomach to prove it.

  He watched her scurry to the house and knew he had shattered her ice-like self-control with just a kiss. She came alive in his arms, and he couldn’t wait to experience the full power of that unleashed passion. The passion that Emma seemed to keep bottled inside hidden from everyone but him. That realization was going to make tonight all the sweeter.

  He glared at a few of the ranch hands that were still whistling at Emma’s retreating back before walking toward the house. He had never had such possessive feelings for a woman before. And he definitely couldn’t wait to possess Emma tonight. He needed to take a quick shower and pack an overnight bag as well. And he’d be darn if he would let a woman finish getting ready before him. He entered the house with steps that were lighter than they’d been in years.

  NINE

  Emma had stayed at the ranch with Lynn many times over the years, but she had never really taken the time to explore as far away as San Antonio. She had been much more content riding Bluebonnet and taking in the crisp, clean air surrounding James Ranch. Of course, she had heard of the renowned San Antonio River Walk, but she had never experienced it, until now. The view was spectacular with all the green foliage and colorful shops that surrounded the river.

  Her big surprise from Landon turned out to be a stay at a luxurious San Antonio Resort and Spa along the River Walk. Landon left her in the lobby while he checked them in and retrieved the room key. Emma would have been hard-pressed not to notice that there was only one room key. They left their luggage in the capable hands of the bellhop. There was no time to waste in the exploration of the beautiful San Antonio River Walk and downtown San Antonio.

  They were lucky enough to eat lunch under one of the colorful umbrellas right next to the river. Emma enjoyed watching other tourists stroll buy in brightly colored summer outfits. The laughter of passing children and other busy summer sounds added to the ambiance. Emma thought she could sit there all afternoon and just watch people as they passed by. She was about to find that Landon had other plans, however.

  After a light lunch, the couple strolled to the San Antonio Museum of Art. They spent a couple of hours admiring several different art forms. Emma could not be swayed from her opinion that the romantic watercolors were her favorite. It was no surprise that Landon liked the bold, strong lines of bronze sculptures the best. When Emma wasn’t looking, Landon bought a postcard copy of a famous impressionist watercolor and presented it to Emma as a souvenir.

  Emma hugged the postcard to her heart and silently vowed to keep it forever. In the distant future, it would be the perfect reminder of a perfect day. She returned the favor and bought him a miniature bronze paperweight for his office. She stuffed it in her purse. She was too self-conscious to give it to him in the store. She would just leave it on his office desk once they got back to the ranch. Maybe when he noticed it and thanked her for it, she wouldn’t be all blushes.

  They left the art museum and window-shopped for a while. After a few extra minutes of admiring a dress in one of the windows, Landon suggested that she go in and look around. “We have about an hour before it’s time for our dinner reservations. Why don’t you look around this boutique while I check my email and phone messages?”

  Emma did want a new dress for dinner, something special that Landon wasn’t likely to forget anytime soon. A bright blue strapless silk dress caught her attention. It would bring out the blue in her eyes, and the strapless A-line shape would compliment her many curves. “Works for me,” she promised Landon right before she disappeared among several racks of evening dresses.

  Landon found the waiting area for bored husbands and boyfriends and used his smartphone to check email. He needed to keep busy because the thought of Emma dressing and undressing in the fitting room on the other side of the boutique would drive him crazy if he dwelled on it. Better to focus on work now, so that Emma could have all his attention later.

  Emma looked over her shoulder and saw that Landon was too busy fidgeting with his phone to pay any attention to her. And that suited Emma just fine. She didn’t want to have to model the dress for him. If the dress looked as stunning on as she hoped it would be she didn’t want him to see anything less than the full effect and that included high heels, makeup, and hair.

  The boutique had a makeup counter, and Emma purchased a brown eyeshadow to compliment her eyes. She also bought black mascara, nude lipstick, and a travel size can of hairspray. She took the makeup into the dressing room with her. She tried the dress on first. It was all she could hope for and more. The deep blue was a perfect foil for her tawny golden hair and blue eyes, and just as she had suspected the cut of the dress complimented her curves.

  Luckily she had used hot rollers on her hair before leaving the ranch. Her hair was fine but managed to maintain volume and body well. She bent at the waist flipping her hair and mussing it with her fingers. She flipped her hair back over her shoulders and looked at her image in the mirror. Her hair now had that wavy sexy tousled look. Pleased with the result, she applied a light layer of hairspray to help hold the shape and body.

  She carefully applied the new makeup and then stood back from the mirror to eye the final result. She had never looked so good, and she knew it. She hardly recognized the image in front of her. She smiled a wicked smile at the woman in the mirror looking back at her. She was willing to bet she knocked Landon’s socks off. And she couldn’t wait to see his face when she met him in the waiting area.

  After purchasing the dress, a corresponding sheer silk wrap in case a night chill was present, matching sheer silk panties, and a pair of matching three-inch high heels, Emma was ready to face Landon. She carefully watched for his
reaction as she neared. She waited until she was about ten feet away and then cleared her throat to draw his attention. She paused while he looked up from his phone. She was pleased to see that the ready smile on his face slowly died.

  Landon knew his eyes were about to bug out of his head, and his mouth was hanging wide open, but he couldn’t help it. He knew he was attracted to Emma. He also knew that she had an incredibly sexy body with lush curves meant to entice any male of the human species. He had never seen it so perfectly showcased before. There were no two ways about it. The result was electrifying. He wanted to touch her and kiss her but was afraid he wouldn’t be able to stop once he started. His well-known self-control was hanging by a thread. Thank God he had made reservations for only one room, because the way he was feeling right now, it would kill him if he didn’t make love with Emma. Soon!

  He fought hard to bring his rising libido under control. He had to say something before she realized exactly how out of control he was. “I got an email from Lynn. She only had time for a quick check in to let us know she and Bruce are doing fine. She also mentioned they are planning to leave Mexico sometime in the next three days.”

  Emma’s face fell. She was relieved that he’d heard from Lynn, but he hadn’t bothered to compliment her new look. She took a deep breath and tried to act as if her self-confidence hadn’t just taken a giant blow. “Good that will give me plenty of time to walk her through all the changes we had to make for the wedding. And if we’re lucky, there might even be time to visit a spa for some last minute female pampering and bonding.”

  Landon tried to listen to what Emma was saying, but he found himself wishing they could skip dinner and go straight to bed. The sooner they got to the restaurant, the quicker dinner would be over. And the sooner they could return to the hotel. He grabbed Emma’s arm and propelled her out of the boutique’s door. He planned to eat as fast as possible and pray that she didn’t want to linger over drinks and heaven help him if she wanted to dance because once her body touched his, he wasn’t going to want to let her go. The last thought made Landon stop in his tracks it was so shocking. He had never felt this wealth of emotion before for any woman, not even his former fiancée.