Author: Jaci Burton

This was the place he’d learned all about being a man—from his father.

Being out here made him miss his dad. He couldn’t stay after his father died, after his mother had decided she’d had enough of living on a ranch.

Just like Becca, his mother had been raised a city girl, and once his mom had gotten remarried to Clyde, that had been it for her. She’d been outta there faster than a sudden twister moving through.

Though had he been any better? Luke couldn’t take over the legacy of being a rancher. Their youngest brother, Reid, had gone off to college back east and had stayed there, had settled and started his career. And while Luke loved the L&M Ranch, running it, living it, wasn’t in his blood like it was in Logan’s.

Fortunately, Logan loved the ranch, loved the cattle business, and couldn’t dream of doing anything else with his life. Luke had wanted something different, and Logan had encouraged him to get out and live the life he’d dreamed of.

Logan pushed open the screen door, two bottles of beer in hand. He took a seat on one of the old wood chairs, propped his dusty booted feet up on the railing, and handed Luke a beer.

“Have you heard from Reid lately?” Logan asked.

Luke cracked a smile, thinking about their youngest brother. “Yeah. He called the other day while he was hopping a flight from Boston to New York. Said he was too busy to even get laid lately, and that he planned to call you later in the week to catch up when he got back to Boston.”

Logan screwed open the top of his beer and took a long pull. “Who knew being an architect would keep the kid running so much?”

“He’s excellent at what he does. Apparently his work is in demand.”

“Well, good for him.”

“You miss him?”

Logan let out a snort. “Hell, no. He’s a pain in the ass.”

“Yeah, I miss him, too.”

Logan cracked a rare smile and didn’t say a word.

Luke took a sip of beer, scanning the land. “How’s business?”

“We’re doing okay.”

That was always Logan’s standard answer. As part owner, Luke had the right to look over the books and question the operation of the ranch, but hell, he trusted his brother to know what he was doing in managing the place. And if they were in trouble, Logan would tell him.

“So what woman has you by the balls?”

Luke laughed. “No woman will ever have me by the balls again. I might have been a dumb sonofabitch once, but at least I learn from my mistakes.”

“Apparently not. Who is she?”

Luke grimaced and took a sip of beer. “New vet in town.”

“Emma Burnett.”

Luke turned to him. “How do you know about her?”

“Hey, we’re not exactly cut off from the world out here. I do get into town. And the hands do, too. Heard she bought out Bruce Weston’s practice. So, you dating this woman?”

“I don’t date any woman. Not anymore.”

“I’ve heard you’re man-whoring your way through the single female population of Hope.”

He glared at Logan. “You hear a lot.”

Logan shrugged. “Yeah, I do.”

“The women aren’t complaining. I’m keeping them happy.”

“And you’re so modest, too.” Logan tipped the beer to his lips and took another swallow. “So what is it about the doc that’s got your balls pulled up so tight?”

He glanced over at Boomer, still asleep.

“I had Boomer in there a few days ago. He’d hurt his leg during a pursuit, so I brought him in for her to recheck him. We started talking, and she mentioned she hadn’t been out with anyone in a few years. So I asked her out, told her it would be just a friends date.”

Logan snorted.

“What?”

“You don’t ask a woman out and say up front that you just want to be her friend. What kind of a moron are you?”

“Hey. She seemed skittish. I didn’t want to scare her off.”

“But you don’t date women. You screw their brains out and leave them the next day with a satisfied smile on their faces, right?”

“It’s not like that. And that’s not what Emma wants. I just figured she needed to get her feet wet again, so I was trying to help her out.”

“I take it she didn’t say yes.”

He picked at the label on the beer bottle. “She practically threw me out of the clinic.”

“Imagine that.”

Luke pushed off the railing and stood. “I was trying to do a good deed.”

“Is she ugly?”

He turned to face Logan. “Hell, no. She’s gorgeous. And sexy.”

Logan shook his head. “And you only want to be her friend? I worry about you, Luke. Becca messed you up bad.”

“This has nothing to do with Becca. Emma’s a nice woman. I don’t want to start something with her, so I thought I’d just be friends with her.”

“But what you really want is to get in her pants.”

“No, I don’t.”

Logan’s lips curved. He picked up his beer. “Liar. I think you need to start over with the pretty doctor, first with an apology for acting like a dumbass. Then maybe it’s time you figure out what the hell you want from women.”

“I know what I want from the women I see. And so do they.”

“Yeah, well, eventually you’re going to run out of women to have meaningless sex with. Hope isn’t that big a town. Then what are you going to do?”

“What do you do? You live out here like a goddamned monk.”

Logan laughed. “I do just fine. And we aren’t talking about me today, little brother. This is your dog-and-pony show.”

This was not helping him at all. He’d come to Logan for some clarity, and now he was more confused than ever.

But Logan was right about one thing. He’d screwed things up with Emma, and he needed to figure out how to make it right.

Maybe he wasn’t in the market for a happily-ever-after, but he wasn’t an asshole, either. He needed to fix things.

“I KNOW I’VE been out of touch, Em, and I’m so sorry. I’ve been really busy. I moved again.”

Emma rolled her eyes as she cradled the phone between her ear and shoulder and listened to her sister, Molly, recount her latest adventure. “Didn’t you move three months ago?”

“Yes. But that didn’t work out. It turns out Memphis wasn’t really where I wanted to be.”

So not surprising. “Where are you now, Molly?”

“Little Rock. It’s so charming here. I really like it. This could end up being the place I call home. I already have a job. It’s kismet.”

Emma had heard this same song and dance from her sister several times a year. There was no “home” for Molly, because Molly was a runner. She always had been and always would be. Her sister couldn’t settle on one city, on one job, for longer than a few months before she’d get restless and take off again. She’d long ago stopped trying to figure out why.

“I hope it works out for you this time, Mol.”

“Me, too. I really love the little apartment I got. It’s so cute. I’ll text you pictures as soon as I get everything in place.”

“You do that.” Emma sighed and put her feet up on her open file drawer, taking a breather. It was Saturday night, the office was closed, and she was catching up on paperwork, enjoying the quiet atmosphere. Daisy was running around the clinic chasing after Annie.

“Tell me about the clinic, Em. How’s it going?”

Emma smiled. “It’s amazing. I love it so much. Many of Dr. Weston’s old clients are returning.”

“So business is good?”

“So far. I’d like to get more clients in. Mom wants me to do some advertising.”

“It’s not a bad idea. More business is a good thing.”

“That’s true, but you know how she gets.”

“Do I ever. But she does have really good ideas. You might want to at least hear her out.”

“Easy for you to say. You’re not the one who has to put up with her.”

Molly laughed. “So true. Maybe you could hire a marketing genius.”

“No can do. My budget is stretched tight as it is. I can’t hire anyone right now. Unless you want to come home and be my marketing genius.”

Molly laughed. “Yeah, sorry, sis. I love you, but there’s no coming home for me. You know how it is. Home gives me hives.”

“I had to try.”

“You always do.”

Emma heard a crash, then several loud barks.

She rolled her eyes. “Uh, oh, Mol. Sounds like the dogs have gotten into something they shouldn’t have. Gotta run.”

“Okay. I’ll call you in a few days. Love you.”

“Love you, too. Bye.”

She clicked off the phone and slid it into her pocket, then opened the door to her office. “Okay, what are you guys into?”

She froze at the sound of breaking glass. More barking, then Daisy came running toward her.

Heat and panic filled her. Daisy barked frantically. Something was wrong.

“Shh.” She grabbed Daisy by the collar, but she had no idea where the pup was. Then she heard sounds coming from one of the back rooms.

She listened carefully at the door, trying to pinpoint the location of the sound. It was quiet for a few seconds, then she heard the crunch of glass.

The pharmacy room.

Oh, God. Someone had broken in. She lifted her phone from her pocket and dialed the local police, putting the phone to her ear as she backed into her office, Daisy in tow. She quietly shut the door behind her.

“Someone’s breaking into my office,” she whispered, giving the dispatcher her name and address.

“Are they still there?”

“As far as I know, yes.”

“Stay on the line with me, ma’am. We’ll have someone on the scene shortly.”

Her hands were shaking as she took a seat, hoping Annie was okay out there with whoever was in her clinic. The pup was still so small, so sweet and innocent.

Please don’t hurt her.

Sweat ran down her back as she opened her desk drawers, wincing at the slightest sound the left drawer made. Nothing but paper clips and a stapler, hardly a handy weapon unless she threw it at someone.

The right drawer had a pair of scissors. She grabbed them and stuck them in her pocket. She was not going to be helpless.

Never again.

She walked to the door and stood at the other side. If someone opened it, she could at least surprise them instead of sitting at her desk waiting for them to rush in and attack her.

“Still there, ma’am?”

“Yes,” she whispered, her voice quavering.

“Our car will be there in thirty seconds.”

She hoped she’d still be standing there in thirty seconds. Her heart pounded and her throat had gone sand dry. She couldn’t muster up enough saliva to swallow, and she felt the sudden need to cough. Daisy kept growling, and she had to keep a tight hold on her to keep her from barking.

Emma shook violently, and it was all she could do to stand upright against the wall.

It had been much longer than thirty seconds. But how much longer? She was so hot.

She wanted to go find Annie. Poor Annie. She was tiny and playful, not at all a threat. Whoever was in there wouldn’t hurt a puppy, would they?

She heard footsteps, then a loud bark.

“Emma? Emma are you in here?”

Luke.

“Is the officer there now, ma’am?”

“Yes. I’m hanging up now.” She clicked off the phone and opened the door.

“I’m here.”

Daisy took off like her tail was on fire. So did Emma, flying through the door. Luke was there, his gun in hand, looking fierce and alert, and oh, God, she’d never been happier to see anyone in her life. Boomer was circling the room, tail up, his neck fur standing on end. She threw herself against Luke, and when he wrapped his arm around her and tugged her close, she felt safe.