Chief Cook and Bottle Washer by Rita Hestand Page B

idea where
he might be. He's a lot like Clint, he goes where the wind blows
him. Charlie was our closest neighbor's son. My brother's best
friend."
    "Oh yeah. That's right. The man who didn't
want to be burdened with a kid."
    "That's right."
    "Too bad for him," he blurted, as he braked
too quickly from a passing car and skidded. An unfamiliar car sped
past at high speed, forcing him to the edge of the road. Emma
bumped her head on the dash, and Deke stopped the truck, pulling
off the side of the highway.
    "Damned fool idiot. He should have looked
where he was going." Deke declared as he reached over to check
Emma. His heart was hammering so hard he couldn't think straight.
"Are you all right?"
    His hand was on her arm, and he felt her
pulse speed up, or was that his own? He wasn't sure, he didn't
care. All he wanted was to be closer, suddenly. To touch her cheek,
to what? Something about touching Emma sent a shock wave of
reactions through him. Maybe it was the contrast of soft skin
against calluses. He didn't know. Just then she looked up at him,
with such wide eyed anticipation. He couldn't stop himself from
tipping her chin up, and feather touching her lips with his own.
And her lips were as sweet as he'd been imagining all day. He felt
like a bear stealing honey from a bee-hive.
    "God, I thought you were hurt," he murmured
against her cheek as he kissed her thoroughly on the lips again. So
sweet.
    Emma felt soft and warm, and yielding and he
wanted more of her than what the truck would allow. A lot more. But
good sense prevailed when his arm knocked the horn and jolted him
back to reality. He sighed heavily knowing the rest of the day and
night would be painful to get through. He definitely needed to find
himself a woman.
    What had he been thinking? Emma wasn't for
him! God, he was blowing his own plans. It had to be the
circumstance of riding in a enclosed truck with her, smelling that
sweet smell of lilacs that was all her own, and the brushing of her
hair against his arm. That and the fact that he hadn't been with a
woman in a while. Nothing else made sense.
    That was one mistake he wasn't about to
repeat. But what could he say to her? Hell, he wasn't sorry, he
wanted to do it all over again. But maybe apologizing, would
impress upon her that he wasn't interested in carrying it any
further. Yet he didn't want to hurt her feelings. She had to know
she wasn't for him. Best he set her straight right now.
    "I'm sorry Emma, I shouldn't have done that.
I was way out of line."
    Emma pinked again, and he thought he saw a
flash of anger in those warm brown eyes. "It won't happen
again."
    "No, it won't."
    He nodded slowly not liking the sound of that
any better than his apology.
    When he found himself in a bad situation he
usually kept his mouth shut, so that's what he did.
    He could see by the startled look on her face
she was as confused as he was.
    Half hour later he took Emma to one of the
local dress shops in Sweetwater and stood around a few minutes
waiting on her. Emma looked at several dresses then turned back to
him.
    "It's a little expensive, here, don't you
think?"
    "I don't know, I've never shopped here,
myself." He found himself irritated. And why not, he had lost his
mind back there on the road. Being out of control wasn't where he
wanted to be.
    "Look, maybe this isn't a good idea. Maybe
you don't really want to take me to the dance, tonight," Emma
suggested.
    "I invited you, didn't I? Now, find yourself
a dress." He didn't mean to bark at her, but he wasn't really
barking at her, he was barking at himself. He should have known
better, controlled his urges. But there was something about her . .
.
    "I can't Deke. I've never bought a dress
before." She didn't look at him, and he felt all his anger drain
away as though it had never been.
    Deke frowned, then suddenly it dawned on him.
Emma had never been treated like a woman in her family. She as much
as said so before. It didn't take much deducing that those