tighten. “You probably shouldn’t look at me like that while I’m driving.”
“Why not?”
“Because it makes me want to pull over and ravish you.”
“Ravish me?” She laughed. “That sounds like fun.”
“I guarantee it would be, but you said you had to think about whether you and I should have any more sexual adventures together.”
“I do have to think about it. And not because of my dad’s disapproval, either. Still, we might want to hold off until after his birthday.”
“Which gives us one whole day?”
“And night.”
He groaned. “I can’t convince you to sneak out of the house tonight and meet me in the barn?”
“No. My dad will only turn sixty once, and I don’t want to risk upsetting him on his big day. Either with a discussion about this supposed inheritance, or by carrying on a secret affair with you.”
“You’re right.” He blew out a breath. “You are so damned right. I’m being selfish to even think of it.”
“No, you’re not. I’ve thought of it. I’ve imagined all kinds of scenarios.”
“Yeah?” That gave him hope. “Like what?”
“You don’t want to hear them while you’re driving.”
“You are a hard woman.” He avoided a rut partly to save the shocks but mostly because bouncing around with an erection was extremely unpleasant. “And you’re turning me into a hard man.”
“Now that’s funny.”
“No,” he said with feeling. “Believe me, it’s not.”
L UCK WAS WITH E MILY , AND SHE made it upstairs without anybody seeing her. She’d been given Nick’s old room, although according to Sarah none of the furnishings were the same. Apparently Nick had cherished the bed he’d had in there and had taken it to his house.
Sarah had put a secondhand bed and dresser in the room temporarily while she searched for something more distinctive. Emily hadn’t thought much about the room, but as she walked around after a quick shower in the bathroom across the hall, she pictured it with a king-size bed and dresser.
The headboard and footboard of the bed would be made of some kind of rugged wood with old-fashioned brands burned into the surface. The dresser would be constructed the same way, and a red leather armchair in the corner would give the room a splash of color. She liked her vision so much she thought about telling Sarah.
If Sarah had an idea of what she wanted, she might be able to find someone to make it. Emily thought about coming back when everything was done, and how much she’d enjoy sleeping in a room she’d helped design, in a house that she loved. Then she brought herself up short.
What was she doing, turning into some sort of Western girl? One day of hot sex with a cowboy and she’d gone native? How her mother would wrinkle her nose at that.
As if to prove that she was from California and proud of it, she dressed for dinner in a short white skirt and a black tank top. Then she piled on the gold jewelry with big hoop earrings, a three-strand gold necklace and gold bangles on her arm. For good measure she added a gold ankle bracelet and wedge-heeled sandals.
When she walked down the curved staircase to the living room, she found Sarah sitting there drinking wine with a blond woman who looked to be in her late fifties.
“Emily!” Sarah called out. “I wondered if you’d turn up. I have someone I want you to meet.”
As Emily walked toward the two women seated in leather armchairs she wondered if, like it or not, she was about to meet her father’s girlfriend.
“Hello, Emily.” The woman stayed seated but held out her hand. “I’m Pam Mulholland.” She had a warm, firm handshake and kind gray eyes.
Emily wanted to instantly dislike her, but she wasn’t the sort of woman to inspire instant dislike. Her dimpled smile of welcome invited Emily to smile back. “I’m glad to meet you. My dad has mentioned you.” She didn’t add several times because that would give more importance to the relationship. At this point,
“Why not?”
“Because it makes me want to pull over and ravish you.”
“Ravish me?” She laughed. “That sounds like fun.”
“I guarantee it would be, but you said you had to think about whether you and I should have any more sexual adventures together.”
“I do have to think about it. And not because of my dad’s disapproval, either. Still, we might want to hold off until after his birthday.”
“Which gives us one whole day?”
“And night.”
He groaned. “I can’t convince you to sneak out of the house tonight and meet me in the barn?”
“No. My dad will only turn sixty once, and I don’t want to risk upsetting him on his big day. Either with a discussion about this supposed inheritance, or by carrying on a secret affair with you.”
“You’re right.” He blew out a breath. “You are so damned right. I’m being selfish to even think of it.”
“No, you’re not. I’ve thought of it. I’ve imagined all kinds of scenarios.”
“Yeah?” That gave him hope. “Like what?”
“You don’t want to hear them while you’re driving.”
“You are a hard woman.” He avoided a rut partly to save the shocks but mostly because bouncing around with an erection was extremely unpleasant. “And you’re turning me into a hard man.”
“Now that’s funny.”
“No,” he said with feeling. “Believe me, it’s not.”
L UCK WAS WITH E MILY , AND SHE made it upstairs without anybody seeing her. She’d been given Nick’s old room, although according to Sarah none of the furnishings were the same. Apparently Nick had cherished the bed he’d had in there and had taken it to his house.
Sarah had put a secondhand bed and dresser in the room temporarily while she searched for something more distinctive. Emily hadn’t thought much about the room, but as she walked around after a quick shower in the bathroom across the hall, she pictured it with a king-size bed and dresser.
The headboard and footboard of the bed would be made of some kind of rugged wood with old-fashioned brands burned into the surface. The dresser would be constructed the same way, and a red leather armchair in the corner would give the room a splash of color. She liked her vision so much she thought about telling Sarah.
If Sarah had an idea of what she wanted, she might be able to find someone to make it. Emily thought about coming back when everything was done, and how much she’d enjoy sleeping in a room she’d helped design, in a house that she loved. Then she brought herself up short.
What was she doing, turning into some sort of Western girl? One day of hot sex with a cowboy and she’d gone native? How her mother would wrinkle her nose at that.
As if to prove that she was from California and proud of it, she dressed for dinner in a short white skirt and a black tank top. Then she piled on the gold jewelry with big hoop earrings, a three-strand gold necklace and gold bangles on her arm. For good measure she added a gold ankle bracelet and wedge-heeled sandals.
When she walked down the curved staircase to the living room, she found Sarah sitting there drinking wine with a blond woman who looked to be in her late fifties.
“Emily!” Sarah called out. “I wondered if you’d turn up. I have someone I want you to meet.”
As Emily walked toward the two women seated in leather armchairs she wondered if, like it or not, she was about to meet her father’s girlfriend.
“Hello, Emily.” The woman stayed seated but held out her hand. “I’m Pam Mulholland.” She had a warm, firm handshake and kind gray eyes.
Emily wanted to instantly dislike her, but she wasn’t the sort of woman to inspire instant dislike. Her dimpled smile of welcome invited Emily to smile back. “I’m glad to meet you. My dad has mentioned you.” She didn’t add several times because that would give more importance to the relationship. At this point,
Similar Books
