“I’ll let Sam know. He can narrow his search down.” Gabe took his cell phone from his pocket just as the doctor walked in. She took comfort in his putting his phone away as if Sam could wait. Gabe obviously was more interested in what the doctor had to say about her.
After the doctor examined her, he agreed to let her go home the next day, explaining she was to rest and not over do anything. He told her to expect her back would be sore, and so he prescribed mild painkillers because of her pregnancy. Emma already made up her mind not to take any at all. He wanted to see her in seven days to remove the staples.
After the doctor left the room, she gazed up at Gabe. “You need to go home and rest.” When he started to shake his head, she slapped his hand. “Yes, you do, Gabriel Stone. You’re dead on your feet and you desperately need a shave. I’m going back to sleep, exactly what you need to do too.” She touched his cheek gently. “Please. Go get some sleep.”
Gabe stood and stretched. No matter how bad Emma felt, she couldn’t keep her appreciative gaze from roaming over his hard, gorgeous body. He leaned down and kissed her before telling her he’d be back tomorrow to take her home. She smiled up at him and closed her eyes. Sleep dragged her under before Gabe was even out of the room.
* * * *
A week later Emma had had enough of being inside so she decided to visit her new Paint, Beauty. Taking an apple from the fridge, she headed outside to the barn. She stopped in front of the stall where Beauty was housed, cutting the apple into slices. The horse walked over to her when she smelled the apple. Emma smiled and delighted in the feel of the horse’s velvet lips against her palm as the horse took the pieces from her hand. She hadn’t been able to spend too much time with her yet, and she wanted to bond with the horse. She heard more than saw Gabe enter the barn. She turned to smile at him, but it froze on her lips when she saw his expression. He looked ready to explode as he strode toward her.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” His voice thundered.
Emma flinched in surprise. “I’m giving Beauty an apple…” She gasped when he grabbed her by the arm and started to lead her from the barn. She jerked her arm from his grip and scowled at him. “Let go of me, Gabe!”
Gabe wrapped his fingers around her wrist and began pulling her behind him. His grip was firm, but she pulled against him and her temper rose with every step he forced her to take. Finally, she dug her heels in and got him to stop and look at her. “Gabriel Stone, you let go of me this minute! I will not be manhandled.”
Gabe leaned his face close to hers. “You need to be put over my knee! What the hell are you doing out here? In case you’ve forgotten, you were shot. You need to be resting.”
Emma put her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes at him then she poked him in the chest with her finger. “I have been cooped up in that house for a week and three days before that in the hospital. I’m going crazy.”
Gabe put his hands on her shoulders. “Yeah, you’re crazy all right. You need to rest, Emma.”
She stomped her foot in frustration. “Ooooh! Get out of my way!” She pushed at his hard chest, and then walked around him and into the house, slamming the door behind her. She hoped he was hungry because she wasn’t making him dinner. He could starve for all she cared.
The next day, Olivia and Becca came by for a visit. Emma was so happy to see someone other than Gabe and the ranch hands. They sat in the living room talking when Gabe came through and said hello to them. He scowled at her and headed for his office. She knew Becca and Olivia were watching her with loads of unasked questions. She heaved a sigh. “He manhandled me yesterday, and so I’m not speaking to him,” she explained.
Olivia burst out laughing. “You go, girl.”
Emma laughed even though she was still angry about it. She told them about the incident in the barn. Somehow, telling her friends about it made her realize the silliness of it, and how overprotective Gabe was acting. She realized she liked the idea. Soon they were laughing over it when Gabe came back through the room. They quit laughing and looked at him innocently. He narrowed his eyes, and then left the room. The women howled with laughter.
After they left, Emma decided to take a long soak in the tub. The afternoon had worn her out. She knew Gabe was right and she needed to rest, but he just didn’t understand how lonely it was to be stuck indoors with no one for company. Her mother had visited a few times, but Emma needed to get out. She took her clothes off, wrapped her hair on top of her head, and slid down into the tub. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back. When she heard the back door open downstairs, she knew Gabe had come in. She could hear his boot heels clicking on the floor. Listening, she heard him come up the stairs and enter their bedroom. He paused outside the bathroom door and she held her breath. When he knocked quietly on it, she exhaled and told him to come in. He entered and after putting the lid down on the toilet, he took a seat there. She refused to look at him. She bit her lip to keep from smiling when she heard him release a deep sigh. She waited.
“I’m sorry about yesterday, Emma. I shouldn’t have reacted like that.” She heard him pause. “I didn’t want you to hurt yourself.”
Emma glanced up at him. He’d never looked more gorgeous even with sweat stains on his shirt, and his jeans and boots had dust all over them. His hair hung down over his forehead, and a shadow of sexy stubble covered his jaw. Even though he shaved every morning, by late afternoon the stubble was back. She took a deep breath, partly in appreciation of his apology and partly in appreciation of his undeniable sexiness.
“It’s all right, Gabe. I do understand, but I know how to take care of myself and I know how I feel. I just wanted to see Beauty. I’m only a little sore. I won’t overdo it.” Gabe nodded as if he understood, and got to his feet. She gazed up at him, her body warming with a heat brought on by more than the hot water. “You’re awfully dirty, Gabriel Stone. I think you need a bath.”
“Ya think?” he asked. When she nodded, he kneeled by the side of the tub and put his hand down in the water. “I suppose I could take a shower in the other bathroom.” Gabe swirled his hand through the water.
Emma smiled. “Why waste water when this tub is full?”
Gabe leaned forward to kiss her but then stopped. Their eyes met until Gabe dropped his gaze to her lips. He moved closer. With his lips barely touching hers, he whispered. “Were you planning on staying in there too?”
She nibbled at her lip, trying to look like she was giving it some serious thought. She touched his face. “I guess I can, if you want me to.” She felt his soft laughter against her lips before he captured them in a deep kiss. He moved to sit on the edge of the tub. Emma couldn’t resist, she grabbed his shirt and pulled him into the tub. He let out a yell. Water sloshed over the side of the tub. Gabe laid across her sideways his legs holding his weight off her.
“Now you definitely won’t get out of here,” he told her with a deep sexy laugh.
She kissed him. “What makes you think I want to?”
Two hours later, Emma woke up alone. Gabe had already left their bed. She smiled remembering their lovemaking. He never failed to please her in every way possible. She climbed from the bed, grimacing a bit from the stiffness, which tended to set in when she slept. After steadying herself on her feet, she carefully put on her sweatpants and T-shirt, before going to the kitchen to make a sandwich. Gabe had made her work up an appetite, which was a good thing she didn’t mind.
Upon entering the kitchen, she decided to give Olivia a call. She hated that Olivia was all alone at the B and B except for the guests. It would close in two weeks for the season, and then her friend would be totally alone. A new cook had been hired to take Emma’s place, but she wasn’t going to live there. Emma still helped occasionally but the more her pregnancy progressed, she knew she wouldn’t be able to continue and since her injury, she felt useless.
She picked up her cell phone and dialed Olivia’s phone. There was no answer. She tried again, but still no
answer. It wasn’t like Olivia not to have her phone on, and with her. Emma started to feel a panic rise in her gut. She called the B and B front desk.
“Clifton Bed and Breakfast,” Stacy answered, sounding very efficient yet friendly.
“Stacy, it’s Emma. Can I talk to Liv?”
“Sure, let me get her.” Emma knew Stacy had put the call on hold while she went to find Olivia by the corny music now playing in her ear. When the sound clicked off, she expected Olivia’s voice but it was Stacy again. “I’m sorry, Emma. I can’t find her right now. Her car’s here though. I’ll tell her to call you, okay?”
“Sure,” Emma answered as she disconnected the call. She thought she might be hyperventilating the way her head was pounding, and she couldn’t seem to breathe. She pulled out a chair and sat down while trying to catch her breath. She heard Gabe enter the kitchen and drop to his knees in front of her.
“Emma? What is it?” She heard the panic in his voice as she shook her head. “Take a deep breath, baby, and tell me what’s going on. Are you okay?”
“Liv…” She raised her gaze to look at him through tears.
“Liv, what?” Gabe took her hands in his.
“I called her to talk to her and she didn’t answer, so I called Stacy but she can’t find her.” She stared at Gabe as fear clutched her gut. “What if someone took her? What if whoever shot me isn’t just after me?”
From the look on Gabe’s face, she knew he’d never considered that possibility, but he had now. He stood and glanced around as if trying to consider what best to do. “I’ll go over there and find her.”
Gabe was just about to leave when Emma’s cell rang, the screen lit up with Olivia’s picture.
“Liv?” she answered cautiously, and sighed with relief when Olivia answered her. Emma looked up at Gabe and nodded. She knew he was genuinely relieved when he pulled out a chair, took a seat, and exhaled. When she ended the call, she glanced at him and shrugged her shoulders. “She had Punkin outside to do her business.” She grinned suddenly feeling foolish for overreacting.
“Punkin?” Gabe asked with a frown furrowing his handsome forehead.
“The Aussie we gave her.”
Gabe jerked upright and out of the chair. “She named her Aussie, Punkin? You’re kidding me, right? Her purebred Australian Shepherd is named Punkin?” he hissed the word out through a clenched jaw.
She laughed at his indignation. “Yours is named Annie.”
“I call her Annie. Her registered name is St. Anna of Montana.”
Emma lost it then, she laughed so hard tears began to run down her face. “Why didn’t you just call her Anna Montana?” She laughed harder when Gabe glared at her unhappily. She saw his mouth twitch in annoyance under his mustache as he sat back down.
“Okay. I get it. But in my own defense, I didn’t name Annie. A little girl from the 4-H did.”
She continued to laugh then squealed when Gabe scooped her out of the chair. “Let’s see if I can make you stop laughing, Missus Stone,” he growled in her ear as he carried her up the stairs.
“You can try, Mister Stone. You can always try.”
* * * *
The month of October brought the first snow and as always, it was beautiful. The cottony looking flakes covered the grass slowly at first, but with more effort as the afternoon progressed. Emma sat on the couch in the living room staring into a roaring fire. The crackling sounds and the smell of the burning wood soothed her and made her feel safe. She rubbed her hand over the little bump where her baby grew a little bigger every day. Gabe was in the arena training a horse for a client and she knew he’d be out there for hours. Her wound had healed enough she could move easily without feeling even the slightest pinch or pain.
A knock at the front door startled her. She glanced around and wondered if she should call for someone to answer it. Feeling foolish about answering her own front door, she cautiously moved toward the door and peered through the large, etched glass. She sighed with relief when she saw Clifton’s Sheriff standing on the other side of the door. Opening the door, she stepped aside to allow Sam Garrett entry. He smiled at her and tipped his hat before removing it as he wiped his damp boots on the welcome mat. “How are you feeling, Emma?” Sam asked as he brushed the snow off his Stetson.
Emma had always thought him a gorgeous man. Tall, at six-feet-five, with a chiseled jaw, which carried a faint dark shadow, dark brown hair, and blue eyes, Sam was very popular with the women of Clifton. “I’m fine, Sam. Come on in and get warm.” She led him to the living room. She took her seat on the sofa and Sam settled into the chair opposite her.
“It’s getting colder as the day goes on,” Sam said. He twirled his hat then looked up at her, his expression becoming serious. “I didn’t find any shell casings anywhere in the region of the direction you thought the shots came from, Emma. Whoever did the shooting must have picked them up, and the shell taken from you was too damaged to give us anything. Even then, it probably wouldn’t be enough to find out who the rightful owner was. A rifle can easily be purchased at a gun show without a background check.” He shook his head. “Please be careful, Emma. I’d rather you didn’t leave the house but I know that’s not possible, so just be careful. Take someone with you until we know what’s going on.” He stood. “Where’s Gabe? I’d like to talk to him before I leave. I want him to know what I found, or rather what I didn’t find.”
“Thanks, Sam. He’s in the training arena.” Emma watched him politely nod his head at her before walking down the hallway. She heard him go out the back door. She knew Sam hadn’t meant to scare her, but he had. The idea of not leaving the house was unthinkable, but now she was afraid to do just that.
* * * *
Gabe saw Sam enter the arena and rode the horse he was training over to him. He dismounted, and shook Sam’s hand. He’d known the man for years and considered him a good friend. “Hey, Sam, what brings you out here?”
“Gabe.” Sam nodded at him the way men tended to do to acknowledge each other, much the way women hugged. “I just told Emma we didn’t find any shell casings. I also told her it’s difficult to find the owner of a rifle since it might’ve been bought at a gun show without a background check. There were some footprints in the area, but it looked to me like he kicked around to disturb the area. He’s smart, Gabe.”
“You’re sure the shooter’s a he?” Gabe asked. They all knew it could as easily be a woman as a man.
“Footprints seemed awfully large from what I could tell. The boot heel was large so I’m presuming it’s a man. I told Emma she needed to stay indoors, but I’m sure she won’t listen.” Sam smiled knowingly. Gabe suspected Emma probably already made her thoughts known on that subject.
He shook his head. “I don’t see that happening without a fight. I really don’t understand what the hell is going on, Sam. First Becca and now Emma. God help the crazy bastard who tries to take on Olivia.” He chuckled at the thought. “I mean, I know Becca and Emma are strong-willed, but Olivia is wicked mean.”
Sam laughed and nodded. “She’s like a mama bear when someone takes her cub.”
Both men sobered as if both suddenly remembered the baby Emma was carrying. Gabe sighed. “I’d die if something happened to Emma.”
“Does she know that?”
Gabe cleared his throat. “I haven’t told her, if that’s what you mean. So much has been going on with her being shot and me training fourteen hour days…” He glanced over at Sam. “I know I need to.”
Sam gave him a terse nod. “Yep, you do. I’ll let you know if I find out anything more.”
The Sheriff left the building, leaving Gabe staring at the closed door. He knew Sam was right. Emma needed to know how much he loved her, and the baby. He’d tell her tonight. He mounted the horse and went back to work.
Later when he walked into the kitchen, the delicious aroma filling the room almost brought him to his knees. Emma stood at the stove grilling steaks. He walked up behind her, wrap
ped his arms around her, and kissed her neck. She leaned back against him and turned her head to look at him.
“You’re filthy,” she said, pulling away and wrinkling her adorable nose.
“I know. I need a shower. How soon will dinner be ready?”
“The steaks are just about done. I just have to nuke the potatoes.”
“Sam mentioned you need to stay inside…” Gabe waited for it.
“I will not be a prisoner in my own home, Gabriel Stone.” There it was, and Emma was vehement.
He huffed. “I had a feeling that’s what you’d say.” He kissed her quickly. “I’m going to take a shower.” Striding away, he turned back to gaze at her over his shoulder. “Want to join me?”
Emma laughed. “I thought you’d never ask.” She put the steaks in the oven to keep them warm then ran to him and wrapped her arm around his waist. Gabe picked her up in his arms, and carried her up the stairs.
Chapter Nine
Gabe jerked awake. He wasn’t sure what had startled him from his sleep. Emma lay quiet beside him, still sleeping. They didn’t get to dinner after their shower, but instead ended up in bed again. He was about to close his eyes again when he heard it. A gun shot. He jumped out of bed, and grabbed his clothes.
“What’s wrong, Gabe?” Emma sat up rubbing the sleep from her eyes. He put his knee on the bed, leaned over, and kissed her.
“I heard a shot. Please do not leave this room, Emma.” He took her hand in his and kissed her palm. “For once, listen to me, please. Stay here until I come back.” He heaved a sigh of relief when she nodded. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. I’m calling Sam now. I…” He stopped himself. Now was not the time to tell her his feelings. “I promise I’ll be back.” He left the room pulling on his shirt as he went.
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