by Iris Abbott
The dance ended and Landon hastily pulled her off the floor and back to their table. They met their waiter on the way, and Landon pulled out his wallet and handed the open-mouthed man a hundred-dollar bill and a couple of twenties. “This more than covers our bill. Keep the change and have a great night,” he told the delighted waiter as he pulled Emma to the valet parking attendant’s podium. The waiter smiled at their departing backs knowing he had just made a huge tip.
Emma had no idea of the undercurrents swirling inside of Landon. She was a little taken aback by their quick exit off the dance floor and out of the restaurant. She hadn’t even got to finish her glass of wine. “If you didn’t really want to dance with me you could have just said so. I would have liked to finish my wine,” she gently admonished.
Landon watched his valet driven luxury SUV as it approached the curb. He had just enough time to say what he had to say and he figured it would shock Emma speechless. “It was either drag you off the dance floor right then, while I still had the willpower, or ravish you in front of everyone in the restaurant.” He gave her a slow sexy smile. “Somehow I don’t think you are into public exhibitions.”
“Oh,” was all Emma could get out of her mouth before Landon bent down to kiss her parted lips. She felt an electric jolt when his warm mouth covered hers. His kiss was so delicious she opened her mouth wider to invite him inside. His tongue immediately darted between her lips and began to explore the inner recesses of her mouth. Emma felt a warmth unlike anything she had ever experienced begin to unfurl deep in her belly. She could swear her toes were beginning to curl. She was so preoccupied with the feel of Landon’s body pressed into hers that she didn’t even see his car slid to the curb in front of her.
She moaned when he began to pull away. She wanted the kiss and that moment to go on forever. She was practically in shock. She never thought Landon would ever kiss her or that she would respond so strongly. She had no idea how mind-blowing a single kiss could be. She reached for him again, but he turned her around, and she finally noticed his SUV and the smiling valet.
She felt his left arm possessively encase her while he opened the passenger door with his right hand. She stepped into the car almost like a sleepwalker. Her mind was so focused on that kiss and the feelings it evoked that they were already on the freeway and headed back to the ranch before she came back down to Earth.
She wanted to talk with Landon about what had happened back at the restaurant, but she was afraid. She had always managed to keep everyone except Lynn at bay. Now Landon was worming his way into her heart, and she was scared to let him get too close. Not that he would necessarily want to get any closer.
Maybe the kiss had just been a rash impulse caused by their closeness on the dance floor. Either way, she didn’t know if her mind or her body were ready for what was to follow. She was treading in dangerous waters, and she’d have to be careful that she didn’t get in too deep and drown.
Emma closed her eyes and tried to focus on her best friend’s upcoming wedding, the start of a new school year, anything other than how it felt to be held in Landon’s arms. She managed to lose herself in thought and was surprised when the vehicle slowed down and then came to a complete stop. She opened her eyes and realized they were already at the ranch and inside the garage. She looked over at Landon and caught him staring at her. She took his hesitation as a sign that he was just as confused as she was. It would be better for both of them if she widened the distance between them physically and mentally.
“Thank you for dinner, Landon. It was a fabulous restaurant, and the band was incredible. I would have never gone there on my own, so without you, I would have missed out on a wonderful experience.” She grabbed the door handle, opened her door, and made a quick exit, all before Landon had a chance to reply.
Landon watched Emma disappear into the house and undoubtedly behind the locked doors of her guest bedroom. It was absolutely not the end of the evening he had pictured in his mind when she had responded so passionately to his kiss. She was running scared, and maybe he should be grateful since he didn’t want to give another woman a chance to get close enough to hurt him. Right now though he wanted her and while his mind and heart might be grateful she had run his body most definitely was not.
He would have to work harder on that iron will and self-control he was known for throughout Texas. Because he knew deep in his gut that if Emma hadn’t run from him, they would be sharing a bed and their bodies tonight. The thought should worry him, but it only made him smile. It was a good thing that his sister wasn’t around to see the goofy grin he knew covered his face. She would most certainly tease him about it. And teasing wouldn’t be appropriate because all of a sudden his feelings towards Emma were serious business.
FIVE
Emma ate a late breakfast of fresh fruit and toast. She was too embarrassed to face Landon. She had made a point of sleeping in so she wouldn’t run into him before he went to work on the ranch. There was always the off chance he would be working in his home office, but Emma had noticed over the years that he preferred to work with the ranch hands in the morning and early afternoon saving the paperwork until the evenings.
Emma felt her skin heat and blush at just the thought of the kiss she and Landon had shared. It had been smoking hot. She had wanted him like she had never wanted anyone else. The intense feelings she had for Landon didn’t make things easy for her. They only made things complicated and confusing. She was scared to let down the defenses that guarded her heart, and she was scared to trust. After all look at the mess her mother had made of her life by trusting Emma’s dad. She had promised herself she’d never make the same mistake that had plagued her mother’s life and hers as an extension.
She had to admit though even she could see that Landon was nothing like her dad. She had spent practically every college holiday at James Ranch with Lynn and Landon because she hadn’t been welcome in her own home. In all that time she had never seen Landon drink enough alcohol to lose control of himself or his emotions. He had also stepped up to the plate big time after his parents died. And even though he was fresh out of university, he’d taken guardianship of Lynn and responsibility for the ranch. He had raised his sister the best he could. And he’d done a fantastic job at no small cost to his personal life.
He had made sure the ranch stayed solvent even adding to the family’s overall wealth with his knack for investing in companies that paid high dividends. He had made sure Lynn finished high school and that she kept up her grades. Then he had made sure she went to college. The whole time he gave her the emotional and financial support she needed to make a success of her life.
He had even sacrificed his own personal life to take care of Lynn. He had a failed engagement to prove it. Now even though Lynn was a grown woman with a job and apartment of her own, he was still taking care of her, by making sure she had the wedding of her dreams. It was too bad she had never had anyone as positive and caring in her life when she had been a struggling teenager.
Emma blew out a deep breath. That was enough lamenting about the stellar qualities of her host Landon James. If she did that much longer, she might start to believe the hype associated with the man. She couldn’t afford to let her guard down especially around such a tempting package as the object of her thoughts.
She pushed Landon out of her mind and settled down in the living room with her paperback. Engrossing herself in a good book would help her forget about Landon for a while anyway. She had been reading the romance novel a good two hours when Ms. Gaines hurried into the room.
“Oh there you are my dear,” she exclaimed while holding out a large picnic basket. “Mr. James was in such a hurry this morning he forgot his lunch. I packed a picnic lunch and a thermos full of sweet iced tea. I was hoping you could take it out to him. Since it’s such a lovely day, I thought a ride and some time outdoors might appeal to you.”
Emma really wasn’t ready to face Landon, but she couldn’t say no to Ms. Gaines. The woman had
been with the James family for years, and she always took such great care of Emma whenever she was on the ranch. Emma did the only thing she could. She bit back the negative response that instantly sprang to her lips and pasted on a big grin for the housekeeper’s benefit. “I would be happy to take Landon’s lunch out to him, but then I think I’ll come back here and join you for a quick sandwich in the kitchen. We can catch up on the latest gossip.”
“Sorry, dear, but not today I’m afraid. I have an afternoon appointment with my doctor. It’s time for my annual physical, and I’m on my way out the door. I packed enough food for you and Mr. James both. You might as well stay outside and take advantage of this glorious weather. It’s usually burning up by now, but the temperature today is rather mild for a Texas summer. You should take advantage of the nice weather while you can.” The woman gave her a warm motherly smile.
Emma continued to listen to the housekeeper. She was surprised by the obvious way she was being maneuvered into spending time with Landon. Even if it wasn’t an intentional move by the matronly woman to throw her two single charges together, it still seemed suspicious to Emma.
Ms. Gaines persisted with her dialogue, “oh that reminds me. I put a ham and broccoli casserole in the refrigerator. Just pop it in the oven at three hundred and seventy-five degrees for thirty to forty minutes before dinner, and you’ll have a delicious and nutritious meal just for the two of you in no time at all. I also made a peach pound cake and fresh cream for dessert. The two of you will be fine for dinner on your own. You don’t need this old lady for company.” The housekeeper gave her a wink. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
Emma watched with a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach as the woman sat down the picnic basket and practically ran out the door. Probably in a hurry to escape before I can stop her and refuse to spend the afternoon with Landon, Emma thought. If she didn’t know any better, she’d think the housekeeper was playing matchmaker.
She hefted up the basket, which was surprisingly light. The food inside smelled delicious. Her stomach rumbled from hunger. Well, there was nothing she could do about this latest development. She was spending the afternoon, and it appeared the evening alone with Landon. She guessed she could call one of the hands to take his lunch out to him. She could also leave him to fend for himself when it came to dinner, but that would make her an extremely rude and inefficient houseguest. And those were definitely two words no one would ever use to describe Emma Sharpe.
Landon looked up from his position by the fence. A group of cattle he had sold on his latest business trip to San Antonio were being loaded for delivery. He was watching the ranch foreman and four other hands prepare the cattle for transport. He noticed a couple of the ranch hands’ eyes wander from the job. He figured it had something to do with Emma. She always caused a disturbance when she was on the ranch. He had given the ‘she’s a guest on the ranch and not to be touched’ speech to several cowboys over the years. Now he wondered if all the times he’d given that talk he’d been motivated by selfishness rather than concern for Emma because right now he knew he didn’t want another man touching Emma. Even looking at her was out of bounds as far as he was concerned. He might have to have another talk with the ranch hands, this one sterner if they continued to ogle Emma. He just wasn’t going to have it, not on his ranch!
He followed the preoccupied ranch hands’ gazes toward the stables. He saw Emma and Bluebonnet canter toward him. He noted she had a picnic basket settled in front of her on the horse’s back. He would bet almost every head of cattle he owned that the basket was his housekeeper’s doing. He had left the house an hour late that morning hoping to catch a glimpse of Emma. He had finally realized she was avoiding him when she didn’t come downstairs for breakfast. By that time he had been running late enough to rush and had forgotten to grab his lunch on the way out the door. He didn’t think Emma would willingly be spending time with him right now. Not with their kiss fresh on her mind. She was as wary of commitment as he was and that kiss had been enough to challenge anyone’s views on a committed relationship.
In the six years she’d been best friends with his sister she had never been involved in a serious relationship. The best he could tell from Lynn, Emma had only been out on a handful of dates the whole time she’d known his sister. That was why he had been so shocked to find her in the barn with that no good kid Toby Rice the night of the graduation party. It had nothing to do with the fact that he was angry she was kissing someone else and not him. Of course, it didn’t, he quickly reassured himself. Where had that thought even come from he wondered? Back then she’d just been the pesky college roommate that always followed his sister home, or so he’d thought. He wasn’t so sure about that now.
Emma noticed Landon’s eyes on her. She could feel them burning into her body. It made her nervous, and that had to be the reason for the sudden heat that coursed through her entire body. She tried to smile at him, but it felt stiff and probably looked unnatural to anyone that observed it. “Have you heard from Lynn yet?” She asked the one thing she knew would make them both comfortable. After all, Lynn was the one positive link that connected them together.
He inclined his head back and looked down at her from the rim of his Stetson. “No, not yet. How about you, any messages you’d like to share with me?” He could think of several he’d like to share, but not in front of his ranch hands.
Emma’s lips turned down into a slight frown. “No, I checked my phone right before I left the house. Not a word from that front. On a good note, there haven’t been any other wedding glitches to report either. As far as I know, everything is on schedule ready and waiting for the big day.”
Landon flashed her one of his killer smiles. “With you on the job, there was never a doubt. Your attention to detail and efficiency is legendary. When the two of you were at university together, Lynn used to despair at how much more organized you were than her. She eventually picked up a lot of your study habits and organizational skills. It really helped her get through nursing school. I always meant to thank you for that, but I never got around to it.”
Once again Emma felt her cheeks heat up. She couldn’t ever remember a compliment warming her so much. Then again this wasn’t just any old compliment. It was a compliment from Landon James. She didn’t want him to know how much his praise meant to her. She tried to play it off as lightly as she could. “Well I think you just did, thank me that is. Now how about a break for lunch,” she asked holding up the basket. “If I know Ms. Gaines this thing is packed with all kinds of goodies, and she promised me there was enough for two.”
“It’s bound to get dusty over here when they start herding the cattle toward the trailer. Let’s ride over to that oak tree,” he pointed to a tall majestic tree in the distance. “That way we can eat lunch in the shade.” He pulled on Obsidian’s reins causing the horse to wheel around. He lightly kicked at the horse’s flanks, sending him into a gallop.
Emma took a moment to admire Landon’s form and the way he handled the magnificent stallion. Come to think of it, they were both magnificent Emma admitted. Not wanting to get caught staring at her host, she pulled on Bluebonnet’s reins and followed Landon at a more leisurely pace. Landon had slowed to wait for her, and she caught up with him before they reached their final destination. They walked the horses the rest of the short distance in companionable silence.
Landon was the first to dismount. He loosely tied Obsidian’s reins to a low hanging oak branch. Then he reached up and took the basket from Emma. “Let’s see what’s in here shall we?” He reached for the saddle blanket he always carried with him when riding and spread it on the ground. Then he offered a hand to Emma to help her dismount. He was rewarded for his gentlemanly behavior with a warm but shy smile.
Emma closed her eyes at the feel of Landon’s capable hands around her waist. He lifted her off of the horse. Then he tortured her by slowly lowering her to the ground while their bodies were in intimate contact. The feel of hard muscl
ed contours fitting snugly against her own softer curves sent her senses into overdrive. She had to work hard to hide her flustered thoughts.
She quickly stepped away and grabbed the picnic basket. She busied herself by unpacking the food. She kept her eyes down and away from Landon. She was slowly regaining her composure. She finally looked up and met his eyes. “Lunch is served,” she offered with a sweep of her right hand. She sat down on the blanket’s edge and waited for Landon to join her.
They both dug into the food with hearty appetites. She thought about making idle chitchat, but surprisingly the silence between them was comfortable. During her four years of university when she’d made several visits to James Ranch, she had been so busy trying to guard her heart, she hadn’t really gotten to know Landon. Now against all belief and her better judgment she found herself wanting to know him, not just the façade he projected to the world, but the real Landon James.
She finally broke the silence. “Ms. Gaines won’t be on the ranch for the rest of the day. She did leave a casserole for me to pop in the oven for dinner. What time would you like to eat tonight?” Emma was relieved that her inner turmoil wasn’t reflected in the steadiness of her voice.
Landon felt his heart rate increase at just the thought of another night alone with Emma. He experienced a rush of adrenaline at the thought of talking her into spending the night with him in his bed. Emma Sharpe was a delicacy he wanted to experience before she left Texas and slipped out of his life, probably forever. He knew he had his work cut out for him and he wasn’t even aware of the deadline because he had no idea when his sister was returning to Texas. Somehow he didn’t think she would take too kindly to him seducing her best friend.