Crossing to Gloria’s bed, he said, “I think two little girls are more than ready for bed.”
“We’re not sleepy, Daddy,” Courtney told him, and then yawned.
He laughed. “Even if you’re not sleepy, Grandma needs her rest, too.”
“It was so good to see you.” Gloria gave both Amy and Courtney hugs. To Emily she said, “I’ll be going to a rehab facility tomorrow, but I’d love to see you again.”
“I enjoyed talking to you. I’ll visit you if I can.” The truth was, Emily had missed her mother ever since she’d lost her. And Gloria with her kindness and honest observations was someone Emily would like in her life.
Ten minutes later, Emily sat in Jared’s sedan beside him as he pulled into the driveway at his home. Courtney had fallen asleep in her car seat and Amy was almost there.
“I can help you get the girls to bed,” she offered, not ready to leave him yet, feeling more and more drawn to Amy and Courtney.
“When I bring them home alone and they fall asleep, I have to wake them up. I don’t like to leave one of them in the car while I take the other inside.”
“I can understand that.”
“On the other hand, I don’t want you to feel obliged that you have to do anything.”
“I don’t feel obliged. When we’re not at work, Jared, you’re not my boss. We’re just two people. If you’re afraid you’re taking advantage of me, you’re not. I want to be here.”
She felt him studying her in the darkness.
“All right. Let’s take them inside.”
As Emily carried Amy and Jared carried Courtney, she felt a closeness to him. They didn’t seem to need words to establish understanding. It was almost as if words would muddle up the connection they had. Yet Emily knew the time was coming when she’d have to tell him everything about her. That idea scared her.
Emily helped Jared change the girls into their nightclothes, feeling motherly. She liked the feeling. After she pulled Amy’s sheet up to her chin, she kissed her on the forehead. It just seemed the natural and right thing to do. Jared did the same with Courtney. Both girls curled on their sides, Courtney with Stardust, Amy with a favorite teddy bear.
Emily and Jared walked down the hall into the great room. There she said, “I’d better go. We both have early days tomorrow.”
Jared approached her and rested his hands on her shoulders. “You’ve been a great help ever since my mom’s accident.”
“You didn’t want me to go along tonight, though, did you?”
“You made the visit easier for Amy and Courtney. But, no, I guess I didn’t want you to get more involved in my life.”
Her expression must have shown the hurt she felt at his words.
He grimaced. “That didn’t come out right.”
“I think it did.”
“Emily, damn it all,” he swore. “Every time I’m near you, I want to kiss you. In the hospital bathroom I wanted to tug you into my arms. Damn it,” he said again, his arms enfolding her. “I’ve wanted to do this all night.” He bent his head to hers and kissed her.
Their lips melded together. His tongue invaded her mouth. He was hungry, demanding, possessive. This time, he didn’t restrain his need and she responded to it, seeking the strokes of his tongue, kissing him back for all she was worth.
He backed her up to the sofa and they fell onto it, holding on to each other, breaking the kiss and coming back for more.
Emily liked everything about being with Jared. She loved touching him. She loved the feel of her fingers laced in his thick hair. She loved exploring the taut skin at his neck.
Jared groaned and slid his hands under her top. When his thumbs found her nipples and teased them through her bra, she thought she’d explode. She was lost in what they were when they were together like this. But he must have been aware of reality all along…because he let his hands drop away and slip out from under her top.
Moments later he tore his lips from hers and muttered, “We’ve got to stop.”
“Why?” She couldn’t believe she asked it, but she needed to know.
He looked sad as he stroked her face and pushed wayward curls from her forehead. “Because we don’t want to make a mess of each other’s lives.”
She opened her eyes and stared into his. “Why are you so sure that would happen?”
“I just am.”
“No, I don’t think you’re sure. You just don’t want to open yourself up to the possibility. You’ve been hurt and you don’t want to take the chance that will happen again. I’ve been hurt, too, Jared. And yes, the possibility of getting hurt again scares me. But I feel a connection to you.”
“A connection…or an attraction?” he asked bluntly.
“Both. Don’t you feel both?”
“Right now, I only know what my body’s telling me. You’re a sexy woman and I haven’t touched a woman since my marriage ended. That’s a pretty powerful driving force. I’m not going to let it drive me to do something we’ll both regret.”
She pushed herself up from the sofa. “Don’t think for me, Jared, and don’t make decisions for me. If you want to back off for your own reasons, that’s fine. But don’t make the mistake of thinking you know what’s going on in my head.” Or in my heart, she added to herself.
He stood now, too, but she didn’t want to see the look in his eyes that told her he thought this was all about sex.
She grabbed her purse from the coffee table where she’d dropped it and headed for the door.
“Emily…”
“I’ll see you at work tomorrow, Jared. At least there, we know exactly how to treat each other. We know exactly what we have to do.”
She left Jared’s house, his mother’s words echoing in her head. Don’t give up on him if he seems to push you away.
To do that, she’d have to be more vulnerable than she’d ever been before. She wasn’t sure being that vulnerable was a risk she wanted to take.
“I’m going to tell Grady I’m pregnant tonight,” Francesca said the next evening. Emily had just walked in the door as her friend was getting ready to go out.
“Where are you meeting him?” Emily asked, assessing Francesca’s western-cut tan pantsuit. Her long, straight brown hair curved over her shoulder. She looked fabulous.
“At the saddle shop.”
“Alone?”
“Hopefully. This isn’t the kind of news I’d want to give him in public. The only thing is—”
“Are you afraid something else will happen?” Emily guessed, and when her friend’s cheeks turned red, she knew she’d guessed correctly.
“I don’t want a relationship, Emily. I’m not ready for one. And things would never work out between us. We’re much too different.”
Emily wondered how many times her friend had told herself that and if she was using it as an excuse. Francesca was just downright afraid to get involved with a man again.
Francesca checked her watch. “I should be going, but tell me how things went with