Author: Jaci Burton

He smiled at her. “He would have liked you. Mainly because you like his ranch.”

She laughed. “I do like his ranch. I like your brother, too.”

“Eh. He’s prickly. He’s just on his best behavior today because, one, he’s trying to impress you, and two, Martha would kick his butt if he was rude.”

“I might like to see you two brothers go at it.”

“The real fun is when Reid comes to visit.”

“You don’t pick on him, do you?”

He pulled up in front of the house. “Not more than a lot.”

When she gave him a look, he said, “Come on. Tell me you don’t pick on your little sister?”

She unbuckled her seat belt. “I see her so rarely that when I do, I’m so thrilled that I spend all my time worshipping her.”

He arched a brow. “I find that hard to believe. It’s the nature of siblings to argue. When was the last time you saw your little sister?”

She had to think about it for a minute as she climbed out of the truck and met Luke around the front of it. “Probably a year and a half ago. I was still living in South Carolina and she came to visit me. Molly is . . . interesting.”

“Now there’s a word.”

She shoved at him. “Hey, it’s a compliment. It means she’s quirky.”

“Sure it does. Is that like fixing a guy up on a date with your best friend and telling him she has a great personality, when in reality it means she’s a real dog?”

“No,” she said with emphasis. “That’s not at all what it means. Molly’s gorgeous, smart, and fun.”

He took a seat on the porch steps. “But?”

Emma sighed. “She has secrets.”

“Who doesn’t?”

“She left town after high school, and won’t come back home. And no one really knows why.”

They started walking down the dirt road. “Not even you?”

“Not me. Not my parents. No one.”

“Do you think something bad happened in Hope to make her leave?”

She tilted her gaze up at him. “Maybe. I don’t know. I’ve asked her time and time again why she won’t come home, but she says she craves adventure and new places, and she’s afraid if she comes back home she’ll never leave again.”

“But you don’t believe her.”

“Not really. Though she does move a lot. Every three to six months it’s a new job in a new city.”

“It might just be that simple, Emma. Some people are born wanderers, never setting down roots. They enjoy the thrill and adventure of new places and new experiences.”

“Maybe you’re right. I just worry about her.”

He put an arm around her. “We always worry the most about the people we care about. Does she seem happy?”

Emma had to admit she liked Luke’s arm around her shoulders. “She does.”

“Then I wouldn’t worry so much.”

She stopped. “You make it seem so simple. In my head, Molly is so complex and mysterious.”

He laughed. “Well, I remember her and Carter together. And that was a long time ago. And that ended kind of abruptly.”

“It did. Which was also mysterious. Has he ever said anything to you about her, or about why the two of them broke up?”

Luke recalled the conversation he had had with Carter last week. “No. Carter hasn’t said anything about Molly. I guess it was just a high school romance that ran its course.”

“That’s what Molly said, too.”

“So maybe you’re looking for some wild mystery that isn’t there, and your sister just likes to travel.”

“I guess you’re right.”

“And how are your parents?” he asked.

“They’re great, as you know. My mom’s a business-and-marketing genius.”

“Yeah, she did a really nice job on your adoption day at the clinic.”

Emma sighed and stared off into the distance. “Yes. She’s just full of wonderful ideas like that.”

“You sound like you’re not happy with her.”

“Actually, she’s an amazing woman. Two degrees, owns a company, and still manages to have date nights with my father.”

“She sounds like she juggles a lot.”

“She does. But she handles it all well. She always has.”

“And you feel like you don’t measure up.”

She tilted her head back to look up at him. “I didn’t say that.”

His lips curved. “You didn’t have to. I always thought my dad was the most incredible human being on the planet. I felt he could run this ranch single-handedly and live on no sleep. It wasn’t true, of course, but it had always seemed that way to me. I’m sure your mother is human, even though to you she seems like she has superpowers.”

“She’s just so energetic and full of amazing ideas. And she always has time for me, will sit down and talk to me about whatever’s on my mind.”

“And that’s a bad thing?”

“I guess not. Sometimes I just don’t think I’ll ever have it together like she does.”

He laid his hand on her shoulder. “Just be thankful you have a mother who loves you, cares about you, and is there for you when you need her.”

She saw it from his perspective. He’d had a mother who was more concerned about her own needs, who didn’t care at all about her children. And here Emma was, complaining because she had an overcaring, overachieving mother. That when she came right down to admitting it, she was jealous of.

“You’re absolutely right. My mother is amazing. And she also asked me to bring you over for dinner again sometime.”

He laughed. “I’d love to come for dinner again.”

“Sure. Until she comes up with a marketing or advertising plan for the Hope Police Department.”

When he gave her a look, she said, “Oh, she’d do it, too. There isn’t anyplace in this town that my mom doesn’t think can’t be improved.”

He laughed. “I consider myself warned. But I know I can always talk sports with your dad.”

Emma laughed. “Yes. My father, my crazy, sports-loving father, yet also the very quiet, very stable CPA. The total opposite of my mother. He’s like the calming force to her tornadic personality.”

“And you adore him.”

She let out a soft laugh. “I do. And I don’t want you to get the wrong impression of my mother. She might be a little overzealous, but she’s a wonderful person.”

“I never got a wrong impression. I’ve been to your house, remember? I think she’s fantastic.”

She smiled at him. “Thanks. It was really wonderful to have you over for dinner with them. I’ll definitely ask you again.”

“That would be fun.”

She let that settle, wondered what it would be like to have Luke over to her parents’ house for dinner on a regular basis. What did it mean that she even considered how nice that would be? Did she want a relationship with Luke? Why was she so confused? And what was Luke thinking? He thought coming over to her parents’ house for dinner again would be fun? What did that mean?

And why did she have to psychoanalyze everything? Why couldn’t she just leave it alone?

After all, they’d had a nice day here on the ranch. Though he could have brought along a buddy of his with the same result. He’d shown her the house and the ranch, and they’d eaten. It hadn’t been exactly romantic, had it?

“Thanks for showing me around.”

“My pleasure, ma’am,” he said with a wink.

She loved hearing him talk, the slight Southern twang in his voice reminding her how much she’d missed all those years living away from Hope. Though she had lived in the South while she’d been away, it just hadn’t been the same as being in her hometown.

“I suppose we should head back, get out of Logan and everyone’s way.”

He looked at her. “Does it look like we’re in anyone’s way?”

She glanced around. No one was in the vicinity. She didn’t even know where the dogs were at the moment. “I guess not.”

“Or maybe you just don’t want to be alone with me.”

She tilted her head. “We’re not exactly alone, Luke. Martha and Ben are inside, I’m sure, and your brother is . . . somewhere nearby.”

“Maybe. But you didn’t answer my question.”

That familiar tingling returned, that feeling she got whenever Luke was near. “I don’t think you asked one.”

“Sure I did. The part about you not wanting to be alone with me.”

“That was a statement, not a question.”

“Now you’re just arguing semantics. So, are you afraid to be alone with me?”

“No.” Though that wasn’t exactly the truth. And they weren’t alone right now. That she knew of.

“Good. Then you won’t mind if I kiss you.”

Her eyes widened. “What? Here?”

“Shhh. It won’t hurt. I promise.”

He leaned toward her, and her heart started jamming what felt like a thousand beats a second. When he slipped his hand around the back of her neck to draw her close, she licked her lips, drawing his gaze to her mouth. She couldn’t catch a breath as his lips hovered just a fraction of an inch from hers. She didn’t know at that moment whether she was dying for Luke to kiss her, or whether she wanted to leap from the steps and get as far away from him as possible.

And when their lips touched, she felt the crackle of chemistry, even stronger than the first time. The way he deliberately took his time coaxing her mouth open, not caring that they sat on the front porch where anyone could walk outside at any moment.

Which she soon forgot when he slid his tongue in her mouth and pressed his lips harder against hers. She clutched his shirt and moaned against his mouth, wanting oh, so much more. Her nipples hardened and every female part of her body screamed Yes, yes, oh, hell yes.

She rose against him, and he drew her tight against him, his hand inching ever closer to her butt. She felt him, hard, as he held her tight in his embrace.

She’d missed this. She wanted him. Right here. Right now.

“Hey, there you two are. Oh. Well, shit.”

Logan’s appearance through the front door of the house jerked her out of the languorous stupor. She backed away from Luke in a hurry, brushing imaginary dust off her jeans. Luke, on the other hand, just gave her a regretful smile before turning to glare at his brother.

“Hi,” she said, her face heating in embarrassment.

“As usual, Logan, you have lousy timing,” Luke said.

“So I noticed a second too late. Sorry.”

“It’s no problem. We were just . . . uh . . . talking,” Emma said, mentally trying to cool down her flaming face.

“Looked to me like there wasn’t any talking going on.”

Just then Ben came out from the barn, all the dogs trailing after him. Grateful for the distraction, she pivoted and headed toward them. When Daisy saw her, the dog took off at a fast run, with Annie doing her best to keep up. Boomer sauntered over like he was in no hurry.

“Hey, kids. Did you have fun today?” She busied herself petting all the dogs while Luke climbed the steps to have a word with his brother. She tried not to think about that kiss. And how much her body still throbbed as a result.

“They had a good time in the barn,” Ben said to her. “They even chased a few chickens out back.”

She laughed. “Good to know they weren’t napping the whole time.”

“I don’t think much napping went on. They were all too busy playing. I know our dogs will likely pass out the rest of the day.”