Breaking Emily's Rules

by Heatherly Bell

  How would he fit his long legs into the tiny cramped space beside her? The cockpit was an intimidating assemblage of buttons and knobs, but eventually they would all make sense to her. That was why she was taking lessons. She took a shallow breath of what was left of oxygen in this tiny hole.

  Stone sat next to her and their shoulders literally touched, way too close for comfort.

  “Seat belt.” He pointed to hers and then put on his own.

  So. Man of few words. No matter, she was here to learn how to fly, not make a new best friend.

  “There’s not much room in here, is there?” The seating arrangements gave new meaning to the word intimate.

  “What did you expect? The Taj Mahal?” He didn’t smile.

  Emily tried to concentrate as Stone explained all the instruments and what all those confusing knobs and dials were all about. She had a difficult time concentrating when he was so near. When he asked if she had any questions, the only one floating through her mind was how someone could make mechanical things sound so sexy. It was probably his deep, gravelly voice. This would all be so much easier if her instructor was old and decrepit, but beggars couldn’t be choosers.

  “Is there a book I can read that has all this information?” There was no way she’d remember all of this, especially not when he sat next to her looking like an extra from Top Gun.

  “You won’t need to know all this right away. Anyway, after this flight you might change your mind.”

  “I won’t.” You jackass. But I’m rethinking the whole date thing.

  “We’ll see.” He placed a headset with a mic on her head and set one on his own. “I’m going to talk to you through this headset so you can hear me.”

  “Okay.” Emily adjusted the headset. “But aren’t you going to contact traffic control before we take off?”

  He turned to her. “Where do you think we are? This is a county airport in the middle of nowhere and I’ll watch for ‘traffic’ myself. I guarantee there won’t be any jams.”

  Maybe she should have checked this guy’s references. She didn’t want to die up there. Unmarried. Childless. But Jedd seemed to trust him, and if he was an air force pilot he could surely handle a small plane.

  She put out her hand to touch an interesting-looking knob.

  “Don’t touch that,” he snapped and grabbed her hand. “Don’t touch anything.”

  The quick but warm touch of his hand sent a charge through her that did nothing to calm her down.

  Once he started the plane, the need for the headsets became apparent. His voice sounded strangely intimate. She began to imagine situations she had to push out of her mind if she wanted to concentrate on flying. It helped when they started taxiing down the runway and he continued to explain preflight checks, dials, proper speed and way too much for her to remember.

  “You’re going too fast. Are you trying to confuse me on purpose?” That wouldn’t surprise her.

  He sighed, like a man overcome with the woes of the world. “I’ll go over all this again. If you’re serious.”

  “I am serious. Why won’t you believe me?”

  “Shut up if you can and concentrate.” He picked up speed and, in a matter of seconds, they were off the ground and lifted into the skies.

  Emily let out a strangled breath as she viewed the green hills and farmland below, her Fortune Ranch in plain view. Once she got her pilot’s license, she’d fly over the ranch on her own. Sure, that was what she’d do. Maybe she’d even carry a banner advertising their private company parties and petting zoo.

  Stone was the picture of concentration, his brow furrowed. He looked too serious. Which meant there might be something wrong with the plane. Oh, Lord, she was about to die up here with Mr. Hot Guy, and he’d never even kissed her.

  Breathe, Emily, breathe.

  “It doesn’t feel like there’s that much between us and the ground down there.” She swallowed.

  “That’s because there’s not. Don’t let anyone fool you. This is a bunch of tin strapped together. Any minute now we could both plunge to our deaths.” He turned and smiled, and that was when she noticed the dimple.

  The jerk was trying to scare her when her hands were already shaking. “W-when do I get a chance?”

  “Grab a hold of the control column.” Stone touched a large column between them. “You can steer the plane for a while.”

  “Steer the plane?” Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all. “Are you sure?”

  “Second thoughts?” He quirked an eyebrow.

  “No, but that would make your day, wouldn’t it?”

  “Steer. And don’t do anything crazy.”

  The amount of faith he had in her was positively touching. “I can do this.”

  “I’ll keep control of the rudder pedals, and you steer.”

  Emily placed trembling hands around what he’d called the control column. She reminded herself he probably didn’t want to die, either, so he wouldn’t have her do this if it wasn’t perfectly safe.

  This is it. I’m flying, and I’m not even afraid. Even though they were several thousand feet in the air, and a drop would mean certain death.

  He tried to talk her through making a turn, but she didn’t do it smoothly and the plane jerked, which made her breakfast threaten to make its reappearance. She couldn’t handle that right now. The last thing she needed was to get sick and prove his point.

  “We’ll head back now,” he said.

  How could she possibly keep this up? She already felt like she’d run ten miles, and they’d only been up for twenty minutes or so.

  “You okay?’ He glanced at her, brow furrowed.

  “Of course I am. Why would you ask that?”

  “You’re white-knuckling it.”

  They finally landed, and Emily had never been so happy to see the ground again. Legs shaking, she took off her headset and flung the door open. She needed a drink of water, an aspirin and maybe her head examined.

  She managed to make it a few steps from the plane before she heard Stone’s voice behind her. It sounded tinny and distant.

  “Still want to fly?”

  She turned to see his dimpled smile. It was the last thing she saw before everything went black.

  * * *

  HOLY SHIT. THIS was not going according to plan. His new student had passed out, just missing the tarmac. With what felt like seconds to spare, he’d made a dive for her and caught her by the shoulders before she hit the ground.

  Wonder how many of Dad’s students had passed out after a plane ride?

  He gathered Emily in his arms, ready to carry her back into the airport, when her eyelids fluttered open.

  “What are you doing? Why are you holding me?”

  The color had returned to her formerly ashen-white face, and he managed to relax a little. Maybe he hadn’t killed his first student. “You fainted.”

  Her eyes were at half-mast. “I guess this means I can’t fly.”

  That made him want to laugh. Maybe she was still searching for an excuse to get out of this and save face. “You’ll feel better in a few minutes.”

  He proceeded to carry her inside, but she wriggled, trying to get away.

  “I can walk, you know?”

  He didn’t let her. “I’m aware of that. Humor me.”

  Cassie threw open the door to the hangar and stared from Stone to Emily. Then she glared at Stone, because, of course, this was somehow his fault. “Great. What did you do to her?”

  “She’ll be all right. Maybe a little altitude sickness.” Stone carried Emily into his office, where he set her down on the chair. He walked over to the water cooler and poured her a cup, which he handed to her.

  She accepted it, a look of resignation on her face. “Maybe I’m no goo
d at this flying thing after all.”

  Cassie followed with a towel, which she placed on Emily’s now-rosy cheeks. “Don’t worry, hon. This happens sometimes.” Then she left.

  “Does it?” Emily turned to him, wide-eyed, as though she wanted confirmation.

  “Sure.” Somehow, he couldn’t say no to her.

  “I’ll be better next time. Probably.” She took the towel and patted her forehead.

  Time to put all his cards on the table. Or at least a few more of them. “Here’s the thing. I’m not sure how much longer this flight school is going to be around. Not sure how long the airport is going to be around, actually.”

  “Why isn’t it going to be around much longer?”

  “A developer wants to buy the airport.”

  “What? This airport has been here for decades.”

  “I’m aware of that. But it’s valuable land and some people only care about money.” Like his sister. “I had an investor lined up to buy the flight school, but I’m afraid he might be backing out due to the lawsuit.”

  “Lawsuit?”

  Yeah, he thought that would get her attention. “My sister is suing me. Seems she’d rather have more money. I know what our dad wanted, and I can’t let her get away with it.”

  Emily only stared at him. Probably rethinking the whole thing. Not that he blamed her. He didn’t know why in hell he was telling her any of this instead of just taking her money.

  He was obviously as great a businessman as his father. “Why don’t you go home and think it over?”

  Emily worried a nail between her teeth. “I don’t need to think it over. I kind of liked being up there.”

  “Even with me?” He crossed his arms and leaned against the desk. “The guy you ran out on—twice?”

  She squirmed in her seat. “You don’t see me walking out now, do you?”

  No, he didn’t, even though it appeared that, at this point, she’d need to wobble out of here.

  “Look, if after you go home and sleep on it you still want lessons from me, come back. I’m not going anywhere for a while.”

  “I don’t have to sleep on it. I know what I want.” She patted her lips with the towel.

  The problem was, so did he. He wanted to bury himself inside her, not teach her how to fly. But if there was one thing he understood, it was discipline. Yeah, he could do this. One tempting blonde who’d been nothing but bad luck so far wouldn’t stop him.

  “Fine.” He held his arms out to the sides, resigned. Somehow, he had a feeling he would regret this. “As long as I have a flight school, you’ll get your lessons.”

  He decided not to add that the way things were going, it wouldn’t be for long.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  MOLLY SAT ON the park bench and waited. It was Sunday, and the Pink Ladies’ meeting had literally driven her out of the house this time, but she’d had plans to come here anyway.

  The scent of pine wafted through a light breeze, and Molly put on her baseball cap. Dylan brought Sierra here every Sunday. It had taken a month to find the right time, but Twilight Park happened to be closest to the house Dylan now rented, so that part had been easier. She found out where he’d moved by asking around at the Silver Saddle. Emily thought all Molly wanted to do was dance and hook up with men, but she’d also found time to talk to some of her old classmates about her ex. And found most of the women were more than willing to talk about Dylan.

  The moment she saw them walking hand in hand down Monterey Street on their way to the park, Molly pulled the cap’s bill down farther. Normally she wouldn’t be caught dead wearing a hat, but she couldn’t risk Dylan spotting her red hair, a dead giveaway. Anyway, if her so-called friends had managed to keep their mouths shut like she’d asked them to, he might not even know she was back home. Still, she sat on the bench farthest away from the play structure that she’d already noticed Sierra loved to climb.

  Her baby had grown so much Molly hardly recognized her. Sierra didn’t just walk now, she ran with unsteady steps. Two weeks ago at the park, Molly had witnessed Sierra fall on her behind and resisted the urge to run and help her up. Dylan seemed accustomed to watching their baby fall down on her butt several times an hour. Watching her, Molly was reminded of how much she’d missed.

  And Dylan—he looked better than ever. Now he looked like a man. His honey-colored hair was closely cropped, but he sported a beard that made him look like he had a permanent five o’clock shadow. She’d once made fun of that stubble and teased that he didn’t have enough testosterone to grow a full beard. About that time Dylan hauled her off her feet and carried her into the bedroom to demonstrate just how much testosterone ran through him. A lot.

  Molly shook her head. The last thing she wanted was to think about having sex with Dylan. Her inability to resist him had gotten her into trouble more than once, even though it had produced their beautiful baby girl.

  Sierra squealed from the bucket swing as Dylan pushed her. Pretty soon she swung so high Molly had to bite her lower lip. That looked dangerous. Leave it to Dylan to push it to the limit. It was probably why they’d been like thunder and lightning together and bound to explode eventually.

  Still, her baby needed to be kept safe and if Dylan couldn’t do it, she would step in.

  Oh, who am I kidding? I could never do as good of a job as Dylan has done. Look at her. She’s healthy and happy.

  Sierra obviously didn’t need her. Neither did Dylan, for that matter, even though she’d asked around and he wasn’t seeing anyone. Her classmates said Dylan had sailed through EMT training and now worked toward becoming a paramedic. But then again, school had always been easy for him.

  The mother with a little boy in the swing next to Sierra’s began to engage in conversation with Dylan, flipping her hair and laughing at everything he said as though it was the funniest thing she’d ever heard. Flirting at the park? Really?

  Molly’s face felt hot as Dylan appeared to flirt back with the pretty mother. He should be paying attention to their daughter and not trying to pick someone up.

  Suddenly, a car backfired behind her, and both Dylan and the mother looked in Molly’s direction. Too late, Molly turned her head away but realized that Dylan had already seen her.

  She rose and half ran, half marched toward her truck. If she was fast enough, she’d make a clean get away and maybe Dylan would think he’d only seen her look-alike.

  “Molly!” he shouted with his no-nonsense voice. That tone meant business.

  She stopped in her tracks and turned around, taking the ridiculous hat off and letting her long hair spill out. Then she couldn’t breathe because Dylan had closed the distance and he held their baby in his arms, inches away from Molly. Closer than she’d been in one long year.

  “Hi, Dylan.” She didn’t take her eyes off her baby. Sierra leaned her tiny head on Dylan’s shoulder and smiled shyly at Molly. She had teeth now. Little precious baby teeth.

  “Jedd told me you were back, but I didn’t believe him. Told him it had to be some other redhead that caused a fight at the Silver Saddle. What was I thinking?” Dylan’s intense brown eyes glared at her. “It had to be you.”

  Damn Jedd. People in this town needed to learn how to shut up. “I wanted to call you.”

  “What are you doing here? Are you spying on me? On us?”

  “It’s a free country. And I like parks.” She folded her arms across her chest.

  Dylan narrowed his eyes. “Since when?”

  “Since I was a little girl, if you must know. And I’ve decided those swing sets over there are too dangerous for babies. What if she falls out? Did you ever think of that?”

  “She’s safe in there. I wouldn’t do it otherwise. I hope you don’t think you can come back and—” Dylan stopped and glanced at Sierra, his eyes filled with tendern
ess. His voice softened. “Take up where you left off.”

  “No, I don’t.” She didn’t need Dylan to fly into protection mode.

  “Good, because it could be confusing. For someone.”

  Molly knew exactly who that someone was. She looked at her baby longingly one more time. “Can I hold her? For just a minute?”

  “That’s not a good idea.”

  Sierra had lost interest in Molly and now fingered Dylan’s shirt collar. Molly considered grabbing her out of Dylan’s arms. He didn’t have the right to keep her away from Sierra, even if she had abandoned them. But she didn’t want to make her daughter cry. After all, it was obvious she didn’t remember Molly. She might as well be a stranger.

  “Right. You know best.” Tears flooding her eyes, Molly turned and walked away. This time Dylan didn’t call after her.

  * * *

  AFTER THE WEEKLY Pink Ladies’ meeting, Emily stood in front of the gift shop red barn with bride-to-be Ashley Hawker. She had to make this work.

  Running Fortune Family Ranch wasn’t easy with Dad’s penchant for buying cattle and all the upkeep required on the cattle ranch he’d bought in Texas. Not to mention all the flying back and forth he did. Last month she’d taken a good look at their ledgers, and if they didn’t do something to increase Parker Inc.’s net worth, her father might have to lose some land in Texas. Maybe even some cows.

  Besides, if Emily could handle weddings after her own almost-disaster, then so could everyone else. “Is this it, then?” Ashley checked out the barn. “It’s a gift shop.”

  “We turned it into a gift shop a few years ago. We have two ponies left, and we moved them to the pen on the back side of the house. So now we can sell the work of local artists. Anything that’s in some shape or form related to the town, or a Western theme.” As it so happened, that was a lot.