Breaking Emily's Rules

by Heatherly Bell

  Weren’t rules made to be broken...?

  Play-by-the-rules good girl Emily Parker is finally flying free. Literally. After a broken engagement, she’s about to live out her wildest dream: getting her pilot’s license. With former Air Force pilot Stone Mcallister teaching her, though, it’s not just the altitude making her dizzy....

  Once he settles his father’s estate, Stone’s heading back to the Air Force. When Emily expresses interest in some no-strings fun, he can’t resist, but a single kiss proves that a fling won’t be enough. As the clock ticks down to his deployment, will he be able to break his own rules for her?

  “I’m sorry I asked you out because I’m not ready for you— I mean, I’m not dating anyone. I mean—I made a mistake, asking you out.”

  “And you make a lot of them, don’t you?”

  Emily seemed to ignore the comment. “The reason I left so quickly on Friday had to do with my sister. Otherwise I might have stayed to see if you were okay. But I thought I should get Molly out of there. She tends to cause trouble wherever she goes.”

  “She does?” Stone felt a grin coming on. “From where I stand, you caused the trouble. I wouldn’t have walked outside if it wasn’t for you.”

  “And I thank you for doing that, but I didn’t ask you to.” Emily raised her chin.

  That put her lips in decidedly much closer territory to his. “No, you didn’t, but you didn’t exactly stop me.” Now he moved till he was only inches away from her, and their gazes locked.

  Dear Reader,

  For many authors, a finished book is the result of a dream come true. I’m no exception, but I do wonder how many can say that a book is the result of a literal dream. Sometime in 2013, I dreamed about a woman who discovered during a genealogical search that she was the descendant of the first licensed female pilot in California. What if this young woman was at a crossroads in her life, and the idea of following in the footsteps of a pioneering woman appealed to her spirit of adventure?

  That’s how this book was born. Eventually the result became Breaking Emily’s Rules. Our heroine sets off on a journey, never expecting her destination to be true love. But then again, isn’t love the greatest adventure of all?

  I like writing strong alpha heroes, and so the idea of three Air Force pilots who must adjust to civilian life was born. Welcome to the Heroes of Fortune Valley. In this first book we meet a tough hero who is battling his personal demons and never planned on falling for his first student. I hope you will enjoy it!

  I love hearing from readers. You can find me on Facebook, Twitter (@HeatherlyBelle), Instagram (Heatherly.Bell) and Pinterest, or email me at Heatherly@HeatherlyBell.com.

  Sign up for my newsletter on my website to get all my latest news and updates, plus receive a free novella.

  Heatherly

  HEATHERLY

  BELL

  Breaking Emily’s Rules

  Heatherly Bell tackled her first book in 2004 and now the characters that occupy her mind refuse to leave until she writes them a book. She loves all music but confines singing to the shower these days. Heatherly lives in northern California with her family, including two beagles, one who can say hello and the other a princess who can feel a pea through several pillows.

  Books by Heatherly Bell

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  Breaking Emily’s Rules

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  To Alice Ramona Font, aka Mom, for inspiring a lifelong love of books.

  Contents

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  EPILOGUE

  EXCERPT FROM THE SEAL’S RETURN BY PATRICIA POTTER

  CHAPTER ONE

  ALL THINGS CONSIDERED, Emily Parker would rather be at the cemetery.

  Instead, she pointed her truck in the direction of the Silver Saddle because when her sister, Molly, got an idea in her head, she was like a pit bull with a bone. Today that bone was dancing, and she’d cornered Emily into going along.

  “You can go to the cemetery any ol’ time. All those dead people aren’t going anywhere.” Molly pulled down the passenger-side visor and smoothed on bright red lipstick.

  As if Molly needed any help channeling her inner hussy. “A little respect, please. Some of them might be our relatives. I have a lot of gravestones to inspect if I ever want to complete the Parker family tree.”

  Emily pulled into the gravel parking lot filled with cars and eased her truck into a space in the back. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. There might be men in there. There would certainly be plenty of smart women glancing in her direction and whispering. Did you hear? Poor Emily. She didn’t see it coming, but maybe she should have. After all, didn’t everyone?

  “Awesome. Friday night and this place is crazy.” Molly unclicked her seat belt. “What are you waiting for?”

  Emily didn’t move as she glanced out the windshield from the safe place inside the cab of her truck. Couples were milling around the entrance, fools on a quest for the impossible. “I’m not so sure about this.”

  “Why not? You’re not still on the giving-up-men thing, are you? I thought you were kidding.”

  “You know, there are more important things in life than men.” Emily fiddled with her keys, still safely in the ignition. She hadn’t made any firm commitments to getting out of this truck.

  “Name one.”

  Think, Emily, think. “Family, of course.” There was more, but she didn’t work well under pressure.

  Molly scowled. “Fine, but you can’t do the really fun stuff without a man.”

  Spoken from a woman who loved men a bit too much. “What did being man-crazy ever get you?”

  “Don’t start with me. I swear the condom broke. Why won’t you believe me?” Molly slapped the dashboard, reminding Emily of the little girl she’d once been, raising hell wherever she went. The red hair fair warning to anyone crazy enough to tangle.

  The fact that Molly was seven years younger than Emily and already had a child shouldn’t have bothered Emily. Except, sometimes it did. As usual, Molly didn’t appreciate what she had.

  “Let’s not talk about this now.” Emily resisted the urge to pound her head on the steering wheel.

  “You brought it up. You might want to be a mom, but that doesn’t mean every girl wants that.”

  “Who says I want to be a mom?” When Molly got mad she tried to hurt anyone within spitting dist
ance. Pulling the keys out of the ignition, Emily grabbed her purse, opened the door and leapt out of the truck. She needed to blow a little steam off now, thanks to her bratty sister.

  “Well, your biological clock is ticking.” Molly followed.

  “It. Is. Not. Ticking!” Emily could give as good as she got with her sister, even if her blond hair wasn’t the slightest shade of red. Even if she’d always had to look out for the little squirt.

  “You’re twenty-eight. I think it’s started to tick.”

  “Twenty-eight is the new eighteen.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “It means if fifty is the new forty, and forty is the new thirty, then what the hell do you think the new twenty-eight is?” Emily spoke loud enough some of the patrons hanging outside the entrance turned to stare at them.

  Emily grabbed her sister’s hand and pulled her toward the entrance. “I’m doing this on one condition. All we’re doing is dancing, and then we’re going home. Alone. I don’t go home with anybody, and neither do you.”

  As the big sister, it was Emily’s duty to remember Molly only served up her parade of big hits when she hurt inside. Sooner or later Emily would have to figure out what bug had curled up inside Molly this time and probably help her with it, too. But for now, Denial was a river they would drown in together.

  Opening the door to the Silver Saddle felt a little like opening death’s door. A bit like entering a battlefield without armor. No self-respecting woman would do that, and yet, Emily was here.

  Bertha, the broken mechanical bull, sat in the corner, warning the games were about to begin. From somewhere within, Emily drew a deep breath and placed an imaginary shield on her chest. There. Let someone get through that.

  “Hey, it’s the Parker girls.” Thomas Aguirre sidled up to Molly. Everyone knew he’d had a crush on her since third grade.

  Emily shoved her body between them. “We’re here to dance. And nothing else. Right, Molly?”

  “Right.” Molly may have said what Emily wanted to hear, but her eyes said Open for Business.

  “How about this dance?” Thomas didn’t even wait for a reply as he grabbed Molly’s hand and pulled her onto the dance floor. Molly shoved her purse in Emily’s hands before going far too willingly onto the crowded dance floor.

  Emily had just wandered over to the bar and checked their purses in with the bartender when Jimmy Hopkins, the bar’s owner, appeared at her elbow. “Hey, girl. How about a dance?”

  As luck would have it, Jimmy was a harmless sweetheart. Best of all, he was engaged to one of her oldest friends, Trish. He’d recently taken six months’ worth of dance lessons in preparation for their wedding, and Trish let him dance with any willing girl for the extra practice.

  Maybe she could manage to dance with Jimmy all night. “You got it.”

  Jimmy spun her around the dance floor. Without a doubt, he was the best dancer in the place. Every other guy was shuffling his feet around and grabbing his partner’s ass. This was going to work out better than she could have hoped. No ass-grabbing for Emily.

  “Hey, are you okay, hon?” Jimmy asked between turns.

  “I’m all right.” As long as she didn’t pay attention to the whispers, and with Jimmy it was easy. “I wish everyone would stop talking about me.”

  “They have nothing better to talk about. This year’s been rather lean with scandal.”

  “Henry stopped peeing on the gazebo?” Henry Turner, the town drunk, did his business where and when he wanted. Lately he seemed to favor the gazebo in the town square, and their mayor was up in arms about it. Apparently she wanted a new town resolution against public urination, as if the old one wasn’t good enough.

  “Think he’s moved on to greener pastures, pardon the pun.” Jimmy winked.

  “It would help if you and Trish would finally set a date,” Emily said. “Maybe wedding talk would keep them busy for a while.”

  “Are you kidding? Trish still hasn’t decided on the venue, much less picked a date.”

  “You are going to consider the ranch. Right?” She hadn’t made the decision to add weddings to her family’s event company so her friends could get married somewhere else.

  “It’s up to Trish. But the reception is here.”

  “Perks of owning a bar. Have her give me a call.”

  After three dances, even Jimmy needed a break, but Emily was just getting started. She’d forgotten how much fun Western dancing could be. Fortunately, she had willing partners stepping up. They didn’t want to talk, just dance. One hard look and she’d managed to keep the ass-grabbing off limits, too.

  Dancing turned out to be the right recipe after all, especially since she’d known these guys since grade school. None of the men inspired the slightest amount of desire in her.

  But then she caught a glimpse of him.

  He sat on a stool against the perimeter like he’d been hired to enhance the wall. Dark wavy hair curled slightly at his neckline and, even from a distance, his eyes shone steely blue. The way he gazed at her both piqued her interest and made her want to smack him. His thoughts were so clearly written on his face and in those piercing eyes. He was practically undressing her in front of all these people. And she didn’t even know the man.

  Between stealing long PG-13–rated looks at her and taking sips of his beer, he spoke to Jedd, an old friend of Dylan’s and a regular at the Saddle, except tonight Jedd’s wife, Casey, was nowhere in sight. Emily continued to dance with anyone who asked and occasionally peeked at Hot Guy. He never seemed to take his eyes off her, and it was making her neck sweat.

  “We need to get home soon,” Emily took a moment to say into Molly’s ear as she passed by in Thomas Aguirre’s arms. Not a good sign she’d danced the entire time with one man. She’d keep an eye on that scenario.

  “Sure, whatever you say,” Molly sang out.

  Emily stole another look at Mr. Studley, who now lifted his beer bottle and grimaced in the direction of the band playing Garth Brooks’s “Friends in Low Places.”

  The heat pulsating all the way to the back of her knees had nothing to do with the dancing, and everything to do with that man. It wasn’t like she’d never seen his kind before, the type of man who might as well have yellow police tape draped around him to serve as warning.

  But for twenty-eight years, she’d stayed away from his kind, and she wouldn’t likely end that streak tonight.

  * * *

  SHIT. I KNEW this was a bad idea.

  Stone Mcallister sat nursing his beer at a bar someone had the moxie to name the Silver Saddle. Everything in this town had whimsical names like The Hair-Em, and The Drip. It felt like he’d been dropped in the middle of Whoville. And even after he’d avoided this joint for six months, tonight his luck had run out. Jedd, his mechanic, wouldn’t take no for an answer. So now he was stuck staring at the blonde with the wavy hair that seemed to dance as much as she did. Dressed in a short white dress, showing off the best pair of legs he’d seen in years and wearing a pair of blue cowboy boots, she had the attention of every male in the place.

  She tempted the hell out of him. Something he didn’t need.

  What he did need right now was some financial hocus pocus, and sitting here staring at the girl wasn’t going to help.

  She was tearing up the place, dancing with anyone who asked. None of his business. He didn’t plan on staying in town for long. That reason, more than any other, made him wonder if maybe he should introduce himself to the young lady. Women were more trouble than he could handle right now, but if the girl wanted a warm bed for the night, he certainly had one. Jedd brought him another beer though he still wasn’t done with the first one. Stone set the old one aside and grabbed the cold one.

  “Thanks for coming out with me, boss,” Jedd shouted over the live band playing some k
ind of nonsense song about friends in low places. Another thing he could barely stomach about this place. Country music.

  “Told you not to call me that.”

  “Aw, but if it wasn’t for you taking over the flight school, I’d be out of a job right now.”

  “Not true. You’re a great mechanic and you’d find work, no matter what.” The last thing Stone needed was the pressure of the distinct possibility that if he didn’t fix this mess and fix it soon, Jedd would be out of a job. But he was young. He’d find other work.

  “I don’t know about that. But anyway, I’m not here to talk business. I wanted to give you the good news. I’m going to be a daddy.” Jedd reached across to Stone’s bottle and they clinked together.

  Stone swallowed, in part because the blonde had just passed him on the dance floor, leaving a trail of her sweet scent behind, but mostly because he wondered what Jedd would do with a pregnant wife and no job.

  “Congrats.” He slapped Jedd’s back. Monday Stone would start the ball rolling for Jedd and make a few inquiries. Couldn’t hurt.

  “Are you going to dance? I can’t because Casey would kill me. But don’t let me stop you. I see you eyeing Emily.” Jedd elbowed him.

  “Who?” Emily. Vanilla. Yeah, she smelled like vanilla.

  “Uh, yeah, the blonde you can’t take your eyes off. That’s Emily Parker,” Jedd said with a wink.

  Another thing. People in this town winked too much. He wasn’t interested in Fortune, California, this Peyton Place of towns, but Emily did have his attention. In the next moment, she caught him staring, but rather than look away, he locked gazes with her. She smiled back a little and continued to dance.

  Stone gulped down the ice-cold beer, hoping it would reach his bloodstream and cool him the hell down. “About the flight school. You know we’ve been having problems. I had a buyer for the school lined up, but my sister is causing trouble.”

  “I heard. She wants to sell to that big corporation.” All the blood seemed to drain out of Jedd’s face. “But there’s no chance I could lose my job, right?”