the Cascade Range.â Emma was totally sincere. âIt takes my breath away.â
Â
Her reaction to the wild beauty was everything Morgan had hoped it might be. The sight moved him every time he came here.
âYou arenât disappointed?â he probed.
She looked up at him with an expression of amazement. âAre you kidding? I was bowled over by the scenery on the drive up to camp, but this is truly incredible.â She surprised him by grabbing his hand. âThank you so much for bringing me with you.â
As he studied her upturned face, glowing with enthusiasm, sparkling with life, he couldnât remember when he had ever seen anything so lovely. He swayed closer, but the instant he realized what he was about to do, he jerked back, his cheeks flaming.
âLetâs eat.â He wondered if she had noticed his impulsive movement. âIâm starving.â
When he had the nerve to glance her way again, he could see that her face had turned pink as she gazed at their surroundings. He had probably embarrassed her.
âWhereâs the best place to sit?â she asked brightly without meeting his gaze.
He didnât want her experience to be tainted by concern over what he might have in mind by bringing her here. He had to clear the air.
âEmma,â he said softly as she turned in a wide circle with her arms flung out like Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music. âIâm sorry.â
Emma whipped her head around as the sunlight shimmered in the waves of her hair. âDonât be.â She came right up to him, so their bodies were nearly touching.
âArenât you attracted to me?â she asked.
Morgan didnât consider himself a green kid who got easily tongue-tied when a woman hit on him. Despite a fair amount of experience in the singles scene, he was still surprised by Emmaâs bold question.
âMy feelings donât matter,â he finally croaked. âActing on them would be inappropriate.â
His answer must have pleased her, because her full lips curved into a smile. In response, his own awareness ratcheted up a couple hundred notches. Just what he needed while they were alone in the wilderness.
âIâll take that as a yes,â she drawled, giving him a wink.
While he was still trying to come up with a neutral comment to diffuse the shimmering attraction between them, she slipped off her pack.
âRelax, Morgan,â she said teasingly as she strutted away, her hips swinging. âIâm not going to jump you.â
Â
His reaction had been everything sheâd hoped for, Emma reminded herself silently as they sat on thegrass near the lake a little while later. Since the original plan had been to start out this morning, Cookie had packed them a sack lunch: sandwiches, chips, carrot sticks and peanut butter cookies for dessert, all spread out on the nylon jacket that had been rolled up in Morganâs backpack. While they demolished the food with enthusiasm, they discussed the progress that some of their charges were making.
âBeing chosen to come here must help a little, after getting passed over or rejected by prospective parents,â Emma commented between bites of her ham and cheese sandwich.
âIt often seems to,â Morgan replied. âGod knows that so many of these kids need something in their lives to make them feel special.â
âIs that where you got the idea originally?â she asked curiously.
Mouth full, he nodded. âSome of them really tugged at my heart,â he said after heâd swallowed. âSince we first began the project, it keeps growing. Although weâve got some truly generous patrons, we have to turn kids away every year.â
Emma finished the last of her sandwich as she watched a family of ducks swimming on the lake. âHow did your meeting go this morning?â
The dimple flashed in Morganâs cheek. âHe promised that heâd
Scott-Vincent Borba
Robert Swindells
Michael Pearce
Alexandrea Weis
Ty Roth
Karen Harper
Laura London
Nancy Atherton
Sheryl A. Keen
KD Jones