Hope Flames

Chapter 13

AS THEY PULLED through the massive and oh-so-impressive scrolled gates of the L&M Ranch, Emma shifted in her seat to face Luke.

He’d been mostly silent on the way over there, and Emma was certain he was bringing her reluctantly. His brother had kind of wrangled him into accompanying her, and really, she could have come on her own. Still, he had agreed, when he could have said no. So, did he want to come with her, or was he just being a gentleman?

She had no idea. His expression gave away nothing, so Emma focused her attention on the massive sprawl of land in front of them.

“You grew up here?”

“Yeah.”

She all but plastered her nose to the window, miles of tall, honey-colored grass waving in the wind as they drove down the gravel road.

“All of this is yours.”

“Mine and Logan’s and our younger brother, Reid’s, yes.”

She tore her gaze away from the majestic panorama of trees and scrub and you-can-see-forever to look at him. “This is amazing.”

His lips finally curved. “You think so?”

“Yes. Oh my God, Luke. I had no idea you owned this much land. Oh my God again, look at the horses.” She rolled her windows down as they approached the property.

“You’re kind of cracking me up here, Emma.”

“Shut up. I’m a city girl.”

They pulled up to the house. Excited, Emma punched the button on her seat belt and climbed out of the truck. Their dogs scampered out and were greeted by a pack of barking dogs of all shapes and sizes, Whip being one of them. Emma crouched down to meet and pet them all.

“Hey, Whip, how are you doing?” She smoothed her hands over his sides. He was healing up just fine, despite his exuberance. She knew he wouldn’t be lying calmly on a bed of pillows in the house. Ranch dogs rarely sat still for a minute.

Logan had quite a pack of dogs. There was Whip, the border collie, an Australian shepherd mix, a beagle, a Labrador mix, a terrier mix, and a pit bull like Annie. And they were all friendly to Daisy and Annie. Boomer joined the fray, too. It was one enormous dog party.

“You’re walking better,” Luke said.

She lifted her gaze to his. “I’ve been sleeping a lot. Apparently falling down makes me sleepy.”

“It was a rough injury.”

“I’m feeling a lot better now, though. Thank you for asking. And again, thanks for that night.”

“You’re welcome. I’m sorry you got hurt.”

She shrugged. “It was my own fault for not looking where I was going. I should know better. I’ll be a lot more careful in the future.”

“I’m just glad you weren’t hurt worse. Are your knees healed?”

“Yes. Scabs and everything.”

He laughed. “Scabs are good.”

“I’m sorry. Probably not what you want to talk about.”

“I’m not squeamish about scabs, Doc. You can’t scare me away.”

She studied him. “Apparently not. You’re tougher than most men.”

“I’d like to think so, but you can feel free to put me to the test if you’d like.”

He was teasing her. And she blushed, so aware of him all the time it was embarrassing.

“I don’t think that’ll be necessary. I believe you.”

Logan came outside.

“Hey, Doc. Glad you could make it.”

She smiled at Logan. “Thanks again for inviting me.”

“Logan,” Luke said with a nod.

“Luke.”

She watched the interplay between the brothers. They didn’t hug, but both of them offered up curved lips. It was as if there was a secret language between them, where nothing needed to be said. She caught the sparkle in both their eyes.

Brothers. She and Molly used to be that way, too, where one look said it all. Her stomach tightened as she realized how much she missed her sister.

“You have a great pack of dogs, Logan,” she said.

“Thanks. We couldn’t run the ranch without them. Or at least they think so.”

She laughed. “All dogs like to think they’re important.” She bent to pet Annie.

Luke’s lips curved again. “Come on inside. The dogs will be fine out here.”

“I’ll be out by the truck,” Logan said. “Go on in and make yourself at home. Luke, give Emma a tour of the place. Martha’s in the kitchen.”

She followed Luke up the steps of what was a beautiful two-story house, painted white with blue shutters. Pots with a myriad of colorful flowers hung on the porch, their blooms spilling over. She loved the rocking chairs and the porch swing and could already imagine sipping tea at sunset on that swing.

How could Luke ever leave something so idyllic?

Because it obviously hadn’t been his idea of idyllic.

She stepped inside to polished wood floors and the smell of something amazing coming from the kitchen.

She turned to Luke. “Will you show me the house?”

“Sure. Downstairs is the kitchen and dining room. There’s a living room off to the right . . .”

He led the way and she followed, in awe of the rustic charm of the place, the utter beauty of the natural wood floors, and oh, the pictures on the walls made her heart ache. Generations of family members must have been in these photos.

“Are these your . . . grandparents?” she asked as they paused in the hallway.

“Yeah. And that’s my dad, with Logan, when he was little.”

She grinned at the photo of Logan as a small boy of no more than five or six years old sitting astride a horse. The man holding on to him was tall and rugged, with dark hair and a very stern-looking face. “Your dad was very handsome.”

“He was a hardworking man. He loved this ranch.”

The one photo that caught her eye was in the living room—three young boys, so adorable, sitting outside on the front porch steps. One with his hair cut very short, wearing a Western shirt. That had to be Logan looking all mature and serious. Luke, the middle one, with a happy smile on his face, his hair a little longer and shaggy. And then the baby, Reid, freckles spread across his nose with gaps in his front teeth.

“How old were all of you in this photo?” she asked.

Luke studied the photo. “Logan was thirteen, I was eleven, and Reid was eight. And if I recall correctly, none of us wanted to sit still long enough for that photo to be taken.”

She laughed. “I can imagine that. You were all probably like tornadoes. Hard to settle down.”

“Yeah. Something like that.”

He took her up the stairs. “Bedrooms up here. Four of them. Mine was here.” He opened the door, and there was a double bed with a quilt, a maple dresser with a mirror, and a beautiful window overlooking the land. She walked in and headed toward the window.

“I’ll bet you did a lot of daydreaming while sitting on your bed looking out the window.”

“I might have done some. Also threw some plastic military guys out that window when I played Army men with Logan and Reid. My army guys were always doing secret night missions, jumping out of airplanes.”

“Which just happened to be your window.”

“Of course. Got yelled at a few times for doing it, but hey, an Army guy’s gotta do what an Army guy’s gotta do.”

“Of course. I always got in trouble for cutting my Barbie doll’s hair. Parents. They just don’t get it.”

He grinned and showed her the rest of the bedrooms, all similar to Luke’s, except the master, which was larger and had its own bathroom. Then they went back downstairs and headed into the kitchen.

“You must be Dr. Emma. I’ve heard so much about you. Welcome to our home.” A tall, thin woman with short dark-brown hair swiped her hands on her apron. “I’m Martha. I run this house and try to keep Logan and the hands in line, though as you can imagine that’s not easy.”

Martha had a welcoming nature and an easy smile. “It’s very nice to meet you, Martha. Something smells really good.”

Martha grinned. “That’s my pot roast. It’s Logan’s favorite—Luke’s, too, though he hardly ever comes over for Sunday dinner anymore.”

Luke kissed her on the cheek. “Howdy, Martha. How’s Ben?”

“Ben is a pain in my butt, like always.” Martha turned to her. “Ben is my husband. He works as the foreman on the ranch, so he and Logan go way back. He’s been around since the boys’ daddy was still alive. Come on in and sit down. Would you like some iced tea?”

Emma blinked. Wow. Martha could certainly talk, but she was very nice, and the kitchen was clean and there were snacks set out on the oversized wood table.

“I’d love tea. Is there anything I can do to help you, Martha?”

“Of course not. You’re company, so just sit and take a load off. Logan told me what a great job you did fixing up Whip. That darned dog is always getting into something. All the dogs try my patience on a good day, but I love them all like they’re my kids. I hear you brought your two with you today?”

“Yes. Daisy and Annie.”

“I’ll have to go outside and greet them. I love when Luke comes and brings Boomer with him. I grew up on a farm, and there were always animals around. I don’t know what I’d do if there wasn’t a dog underfoot.”

Emma laughed. “I know what that’s like. We always had dogs when I was a kid.”

“I think I’ll head outside and see what Logan’s up to,” Luke said.

Martha waved her hand. “You go ahead. Dr. Emma and I will be fine in here.”

While Emma sipped her tea, Martha did all the talking. Emma learned that Ben and Martha never had kids, so Martha became an animal lover, and she unofficially adopted Logan, Luke, and Reid as her own after their father died.

Interesting that Luke’s mother was never mentioned. She wondered why, but knew it wasn’t her place to ask Martha about that.

“Lord, listen to me go on and on. How’s the new practice goin’? I used to bring the dogs into Doc Weston. He was a great vet.”

“Yes, he was. I used to bring my dogs to see him, too. I was sad to hear he was retiring, but so happy when I worked out a deal with him to buy his practice.”

“Let me tell you, without you taking over his practice, Hope would suffer.”

“There is the other clinic.”

“There is that, and those docs are fine, but there was something about Doc Weston. He had a way with animals. I hear tell you’ve got that same magic.”

Emma’s heart swelled with pride. “Thank you. To be compared to Dr. Weston is a very high compliment. I think I have a lot of years of practice ahead of me to be as good as he was, but I hope to someday be thought of as highly as he was.”

“Keep doing what you’re doin’, and I think you’ll get there.”

Emma stood. “Speaking of animals, how about we take a look at yours, and get them vaccinated. Do we have time before lunch?”

“Plenty of time. Let’s head on out. We’ll wrangle the boys into helping.”

Once outside, Martha stopped and petted Boomer, then greeted Annie and Daisy. It was clear she was an animal lover, allowing the dogs to sniff and lick her.

Emma could always tell when someone was comfortable with animals, and Martha was quite obviously one of those people animals gravitated to. Animals could tell, too, when a human loved them, because as soon as Martha walked away, they followed her.

Luke and Logan were looking at Logan’s truck, so Martha hollered for them and they came over.

“Let’s get these animals worked on, and then we can eat.”

“All right,” Logan said. “We can do that in the barn. There’s a worktable and a sink for you, Emma.”

Logan called his dogs, who followed along, clearly all well trained.

Emma grabbed her bag from the truck. In the barn, she took the dogs one at a time, examining each, then giving them all their shots. When she was finished, she handed the rabies tags over to Logan.

“They’re all healthy and in fine shape, Logan. You’ve got them on flea and heartworm meds?”

Logan nodded. “I get those at the animal-supply store.”

“Good. I’ve started a chart on each of them, so we’ll send reminders out to you when they’re due for their boosters. And Whip’s stitches look good.”

“You can thank Martha for that. She’s done a fine job of making sure he’s not running amok all day long. I think she’s kept him in the house more than not the past few days.”

Emma looked at Martha, who winked. “Whip enjoyed it, too. Slept on the sofa, and lorded it over the other dogs when he went outside.”

Emma laughed. “He can go outside now, as long as you clean the stitched areas once a day.”

“Good enough, Doc,” Martha said.

“I appreciate you taking care of all this out here,” Logan said. “Will you have your office send me a bill?”

“I’ll have Rachel take care of it. And it’s not a problem doing their exams and shots out here. Especially if I get to eat that great-smelling roast.”

“Which should be just about ready. So why don’t you both help Dr. Emma clean up her gear, get washed up, and then we can eat?”

“Sounds good,” Luke said. He and Logan helped Emma pack up her supplies. They shooed the dogs out of the barn and headed back to the house.

By then Martha already had the table set, and an older man was in the kitchen.

“Dr. Emma, this is my husband, Ben.”

Ben was tall and rugged-looking, with a shock of white curly hair. Emma shook his hand. “Nice to meet you, Ben.”

“You, too, Dr. Emma.”

“Please, both of you can just call me Emma.”

“That’d make you like family around here,” Martha said. “Which means we hope you’ll come around more often.”

“This is a great ranch. I’m hoping Luke will take me out after lunch so I can see more of it.”

“I’m sure he’d love to do that,” Logan said, giving Luke a smirk.

She wondered what that was about.

“Sure. I’d be happy to,” Luke said, ignoring his brother.

The roast was tender, the potatoes and vegetables perfect.

“This is an incredible meal, Martha. Thank you so much,” Emma said.

“You’re welcome. And thank you for the compliment.”

“So I got a phone call this week from some movie-production company,” Logan said as they ate.

Luke paused. “Yeah? What did they want?”

“They’re scouting locations for some film they wanna make, and they wanted to know if they could get a tour of the L&M. They think the locale is perfect for their movie.”

“Huh,” Luke said, leaning back in his seat. “Is there money in that?”

“Apparently a substantial amount. They pay you for use of the land for the time they’re on it filming. They bring in their crew, stay in the trailers, bring in their own food. They tell me other than use of the land, they wouldn’t inconvenience us any more than absolutely necessary.”

Emma watched the interplay between the brothers. It was fascinating to see Luke’s expression as Logan explained the whole movie deal. As part owner of the ranch, he had a business interest in whatever went on. She could tell this was something that would require some thought.

“Are you going to let them come in?” Luke asked.

Logan shrugged. “I figured it wouldn’t hurt to let them have a tour, then if they’re interested, they can make an offer and we can all talk about it. What do you think?”

“I think it sounds like a good idea. When do they want to come?”

“Next week. Do you want to be here for it?”

“Not necessary. You can handle it. Just let me know what they say.”

“All right.”

“It sounds fascinating,” Emma said. “I saw a movie crew doing a scene in Savannah when I lived in South Carolina.”

“Yeah? How was that?”

“A lot of cameras and booms and extras, and it was a whole lot of wow, at least from my perspective. But it was on one of the city streets, so that’s probably why it seemed so jam-packed to me. I imagine if they want to film on some of your acreage, it would be more widespread. Maybe you wouldn’t even notice them.”

Logan shrugged and picked up a roll. “No idea. We’ll see what they have to say.”

“I think it sounds exciting,” Martha said. “I wonder if we’d get Johnny Depp.”

“Why? Do you think you can get Johnny Depp to come over for Sunday pot roast?” Ben asked, glaring at his wife.

Martha lifted her chin. “He just might. I make pretty darn good pot roast.”

Logan and Luke exchanged smirks. Emma looked down at her plate.

After that, the subject of the potential movie on the ranch died, and the guys resumed normal ranch talk. Emma focused on the delicious food, especially Martha’s chocolate cream pie she’d had for dessert. By the time the meal was over, Emma felt as if she needed to walk the entire ranch acreage to rid herself of all the calories she’d consumed.

“I don’t know how you all stay so slender after a meal like that,” she said, helping clear the plates from the table.

“Fortunately, ranch work burns a lot of calories,” Ben said with a wink. “Otherwise we’d all be fat because my wife cooks great meals like that all the time.”

Emma laid her hand on Ben’s arm. “You are one lucky man, Ben.”

He grinned. “Believe me, I know.”

“Okay, now y’all are gonna make me blush. Luke, take Emma out and give her a look at the ranch while I clean up in here.”

“Oh, please let me help you with the dishes, Martha,” Emma said.

“Nope,” she said, shooing them out with a wave of her hands. “You already did your work for the day with the dogs. This is my work, and I get paid for it. Go enjoy this warm weather.”

Emma sent a pleading look to Luke, who shrugged. “You heard her. Let’s go take a ride.”

“All right.”

“I’m going to go check on the cows in pasture three,”

Logan said, grabbing his cowboy hat from the hook at the front door. “I’ll meet y’all back here later.”

Obviously, she wasn’t going to get to help Martha clean up the dishes, so she followed Luke out to his truck and climbed in. “Will the dogs be all right?”

“They’ll be fine. Ben’s going out to the barn. They’ll follow him out there. Once with the pack, none of them will wander off, and Ben will keep an eye on them. Trust me.”

“Okay.”

Luke took off down a gravel road with a fence on each side. No one was working today, but there were pens and gates.

“You work cattle here?”

“Well, Logan and his crew do, but yeah. They bring the cattle in from the other pastures and separate the herd, do inoculations, and whatever else needs to be taken care of.”

She stared out the window as they passed by some of the grazing cattle. Mothers and their young stayed close together.

“They’re beautiful.”

He laughed. “You wouldn’t say that if you had to get close to one.”

“Please. I did my large-animal rotation in vet school. I’ve had my hand in every cattle orifice there is. And I know how bad they smell. Doesn’t mean they aren’t pretty.”

“You think they’re pretty.”

She turned her gaze on him. “Yes.”

“You are one strange woman, Emma Burnett.”

Now it was her turn to laugh. “Shut up.”

He made a turn, taking her deeper into the ranch property. “This is where the wild horses roam.”

She saw them, hundreds of horses grazing across a hilly meadow.

He pulled the truck over so she could climb out. She leaned against the fence post and he came to stand beside her.

“Oh, wow. They’re gorgeous.”

“Now that I don’t disagree with. I always loved the horses. Of course we leave them alone other than providing feed for them in the winter, but I always wanted to get in there and ride with them.”

Their markings and colors were beautiful, from solid black to paints and chestnuts. “I don’t blame you.”

Suddenly, she felt his hands around her waist. “Go on, climb on up. We’ll sit for a while, and you can watch.”

While he steadied her, she climbed on top of the wood fence and took a seat. He hopped up and took a spot next to her.

“Logan, Reid, and I would come up here when we were kids and just watch the horses run. In the winter, we’d drive the feed trucks and drop feed for them. Though they’re wild, they’d come close enough when you were dropping feed that you could almost touch them. But they’re skittish, and we didn’t want to scare them, so we’d back away and go about our business. They sure are nice to watch, though.”

Emma was transfixed. She loved horses, and these were breathtaking. The horses grazed happily in the meadow, so still for the longest time as they ate. Then, suddenly, the herd took off and ran wild over the hill, disappearing from sight, their hooves thunderous in the quiet afternoon.

“Amazing.”

Luke hopped off the fence, then grasped Emma around the waist and helped her down. She noticed his hands lingered for a few seconds on her waist. And her gaze lingered on his. He looked like he might want to kiss her.

She waited, but then he let her go.

She pushed back the disappointment, trying her best to be logical about this.

They had both decided that one time was going to be the only time, so she had no idea why she was upset when he didn’t kiss her.

This was what she wanted, right? They were friends again, and nothing mucked up a good friendship more than sex.

They climbed back in the truck and Luke pointed out various working areas of the ranch.

“It’s sizeable,” she said. “A lot for Logan to handle.”

“I guess it was Logan’s lot to get stuck with the ranch, though he doesn’t see it that way. This is his life, what he says he was born to do. He loves living out here.”

“I can see why. It’s a beautiful way of life. Tough, of course, but it would be amazing to live out here.”

“So you’re saying I was crazy to give it up.”

Her gaze shot to his. “Of course not. This just wasn’t your calling, what you were meant to do. I spent a lot of time on ranches and farms when I was in vet school. You’re either born to love it or not. And if you’re forced into that life without it being under your skin—a part of you—then you’ll grow to resent it.”

He nodded. “That’s pretty much what Logan said to me when I told him I couldn’t live here anymore.”

“So he wasn’t mad at you.”

“No. It takes a lot to get him riled up. He’s usually a pretty mellow guy.”

“I don’t know. He looks fierce to me.”

Luke made the turn to head back to the house. “Oh, I didn’t say he couldn’t get mad, and once there, he’s got one hell of a temper. But it takes a lot to light his fuse.”

She liked that he stood up for his brother. She watched the scenery roll by. “It’s a really big ranch, Luke. Amazing that your brother handles it all.”

“He manages, and he’s got a good crew.”

“Do any of them live on the ranch?”

“Ben does, and a few of the guys have rented some property on the ranch. A couple live along neighboring land. We’ll hire a few extra hands during busy parts of the season. Our cousins will come help out then, too.”

She cocked a brow. “Just how many McCormacks are there?”

He laughed. “Just me and Logan and our youngest brother, Reid, but he lives in Boston. And we have a few cousins sprinkled around here and there.”

“Yeah, you mentioned Reid earlier when we were looking at photos. I don’t know much about him.”

“He hightailed it out of here after high school, scholarship to Yale in hand. We don’t see him much.”

“Yale? Nice. What does he do?”

“He’s an architect. Ranching wasn’t ever his thing. He was always the brainy one.”

She leaned back in the seat. “Oh, and I suppose you and your brother were the dumb country boys?”

“Not exactly, but Reid—now he was smart. Always the studious type. Logan and I used to make fun of him because he always had a book in his face. Logan would be plastered to our dad’s side, learning everything there was to know about ranching.”

“And you?” she asked. “What were you doing?”

“Down at the pond, fishing, trying to stay out of trouble and get out of doing any work.”

“I can’t imagine you got by with that.”

“Uh, no. My dad had a sixth sense about his sons. He always knew where we were.”

She laughed. “I can picture that. Though usually it’s the mothers who have their thumbs on top of their kids.”

Luke’s smile disappeared. “Yeah, she wasn’t much on keeping tabs on us. She was usually busy in the city, shopping with her friends or going to her exercise classes.”

Emma sensed the bitterness in that statement. “You didn’t get along with your mother?”

He didn’t answer for a few minutes. “She wasn’t much into having kids.”

“Yet she had three of them.”

His lips curved. “Yeah, she complained a lot about how hard she had to work at exercise class to keep her figure, and how having us boys had messed it up.”

Ouch. What mother would blame her kids for that? “She blamed you for the way her body looked?”

“Sort of. She still had a great body, always watched what she ate and worked out all the time. It was like an obsession with her. I think having me and my brothers freaked her out.”

“You would think if having children bothered her as far as her body image, she would have stopped after Logan.” When he shot her a look, she touched his arm. “Though I’m glad she didn’t, of course.”

His lips curved. “Yeah, me, too. Anyway, she wasn’t the best mother. She did the barest minimum, and then after my dad died, she remarried almost right away and hightailed it off the ranch and out of Oklahoma.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“Dead serious. She always hated this ranch, hated being tied to it and couldn’t wait to get away from it.”

And from her sons? Something he hadn’t mentioned but surely felt. She squeezed his arm. “I’m sorry, Luke.”

He shrugged. “Don’t be sorry for me. She isn’t missed around here. My dad was the one who was always there for us. He’s the one who’s missed.”

“I’m sure he is. It seems like he was a great guy.”

“Yeah. He was. He was always hands-on with us. Taught us about ranching, but the important things, too, like focusing on our education, how to act like a man, how to be polite, how to treat a woman.”

His father could have been so bitter, saddled with a woman who hadn’t wanted to be with him. And yet he’d obviously raised respectful sons. Luke was warm and affectionate, and had been there for her when she needed him. And they weren’t even dating.

“I’m sorry I never got the chance to meet your dad.”

He smiled at her. “He would have liked you. Mainly because you like his ranch.”

She laughed. “I do like his ranch. I like your brother, too.”

“Eh. He’s prickly. He’s just on his best behavior today because, one, he’s trying to impress you, and two, Martha would kick his butt if he was rude.”

“I might like to see you two brothers go at it.”

“The real fun is when Reid comes to visit.”

“You don’t pick on him, do you?”

He pulled up in front of the house. “Not more than a lot.”

When she gave him a look, he said, “Come on. Tell me you don’t pick on your little sister?”

She unbuckled her seat belt. “I see her so rarely that when I do, I’m so thrilled that I spend all my time worshipping her.”

He arched a brow. “I find that hard to believe. It’s the nature of siblings to argue. When was the last time you saw your little sister?”

She had to think about it for a minute as she climbed out of the truck and met Luke around the front of it. “Probably a year and a half ago. I was still living in South Carolina and she came to visit me. Molly is . . . interesting.”

“Now there’s a word.”

She shoved at him. “Hey, it’s a compliment. It means she’s quirky.”

“Sure it does. Is that like fixing a guy up on a date with your best friend and telling him she has a great personality, when in reality it means she’s a real dog?”

“No,” she said with emphasis. “That’s not at all what it means. Molly’s gorgeous, smart, and fun.”

He took a seat on the porch steps. “But?”

Emma sighed. “She has secrets.”

“Who doesn’t?”

“She left town after high school, and won’t come back home. And no one really knows why.”

They started walking down the dirt road. “Not even you?”

“Not me. Not my parents. No one.”

“Do you think something bad happened in Hope to make her leave?”

She tilted her gaze up at him. “Maybe. I don’t know. I’ve asked her time and time again why she won’t come home, but she says she craves adventure and new places, and she’s afraid if she comes back home she’ll never leave again.”

“But you don’t believe her.”

“Not really. Though she does move a lot. Every three to six months it’s a new job in a new city.”

“It might just be that simple, Emma. Some people are born wanderers, never setting down roots. They enjoy the thrill and adventure of new places and new experiences.”

“Maybe you’re right. I just worry about her.”

He put an arm around her. “We always worry the most about the people we care about. Does she seem happy?”

Emma had to admit she liked Luke’s arm around her shoulders. “She does.”

“Then I wouldn’t worry so much.”

She stopped. “You make it seem so simple. In my head, Molly is so complex and mysterious.”

He laughed. “Well, I remember her and Carter together. And that was a long time ago. And that ended kind of abruptly.”

“It did. Which was also mysterious. Has he ever said anything to you about her, or about why the two of them broke up?”

Luke recalled the conversation he had had with Carter last week. “No. Carter hasn’t said anything about Molly. I guess it was just a high school romance that ran its course.”

“That’s what Molly said, too.”

“So maybe you’re looking for some wild mystery that isn’t there, and your sister just likes to travel.”

“I guess you’re right.”

“And how are your parents?” he asked.

“They’re great, as you know. My mom’s a business-and-marketing genius.”

“Yeah, she did a really nice job on your adoption day at the clinic.”

Emma sighed and stared off into the distance. “Yes. She’s just full of wonderful ideas like that.”

“You sound like you’re not happy with her.”

“Actually, she’s an amazing woman. Two degrees, owns a company, and still manages to have date nights with my father.”

“She sounds like she juggles a lot.”

“She does. But she handles it all well. She always has.”

“And you feel like you don’t measure up.”

She tilted her head back to look up at him. “I didn’t say that.”

His lips curved. “You didn’t have to. I always thought my dad was the most incredible human being on the planet. I felt he could run this ranch single-handedly and live on no sleep. It wasn’t true, of course, but it had always seemed that way to me. I’m sure your mother is human, even though to you she seems like she has superpowers.”

“She’s just so energetic and full of amazing ideas. And she always has time for me, will sit down and talk to me about whatever’s on my mind.”

“And that’s a bad thing?”

“I guess not. Sometimes I just don’t think I’ll ever have it together like she does.”

He laid his hand on her shoulder. “Just be thankful you have a mother who loves you, cares about you, and is there for you when you need her.”

She saw it from his perspective. He’d had a mother who was more concerned about her own needs, who didn’t care at all about her children. And here Emma was, complaining because she had an overcaring, overachieving mother. That when she came right down to admitting it, she was jealous of.

“You’re absolutely right. My mother is amazing. And she also asked me to bring you over for dinner again sometime.”

He laughed. “I’d love to come for dinner again.”

“Sure. Until she comes up with a marketing or advertising plan for the Hope Police Department.”

When he gave her a look, she said, “Oh, she’d do it, too. There isn’t anyplace in this town that my mom doesn’t think can’t be improved.”

He laughed. “I consider myself warned. But I know I can always talk sports with your dad.”

Emma laughed. “Yes. My father, my crazy, sports-loving father, yet also the very quiet, very stable CPA. The total opposite of my mother. He’s like the calming force to her tornadic personality.”

“And you adore him.”

She let out a soft laugh. “I do. And I don’t want you to get the wrong impression of my mother. She might be a little overzealous, but she’s a wonderful person.”

“I never got a wrong impression. I’ve been to your house, remember? I think she’s fantastic.”

She smiled at him. “Thanks. It was really wonderful to have you over for dinner with them. I’ll definitely ask you again.”

“That would be fun.”

She let that settle, wondered what it would be like to have Luke over to her parents’ house for dinner on a regular basis. What did it mean that she even considered how nice that would be? Did she want a relationship with Luke? Why was she so confused? And what was Luke thinking? He thought coming over to her parents’ house for dinner again would be fun? What did that mean?

And why did she have to psychoanalyze everything? Why couldn’t she just leave it alone?

After all, they’d had a nice day here on the ranch. Though he could have brought along a buddy of his with the same result. He’d shown her the house and the ranch, and they’d eaten. It hadn’t been exactly romantic, had it?

“Thanks for showing me around.”

“My pleasure, ma’am,” he said with a wink.

She loved hearing him talk, the slight Southern twang in his voice reminding her how much she’d missed all those years living away from Hope. Though she had lived in the South while she’d been away, it just hadn’t been the same as being in her hometown.

“I suppose we should head back, get out of Logan and everyone’s way.”

He looked at her. “Does it look like we’re in anyone’s way?”

She glanced around. No one was in the vicinity. She didn’t even know where the dogs were at the moment. “I guess not.”

“Or maybe you just don’t want to be alone with me.”

She tilted her head. “We’re not exactly alone, Luke. Martha and Ben are inside, I’m sure, and your brother is . . . somewhere nearby.”

“Maybe. But you didn’t answer my question.”

That familiar tingling returned, that feeling she got whenever Luke was near. “I don’t think you asked one.”

“Sure I did. The part about you not wanting to be alone with me.”

“That was a statement, not a question.”

“Now you’re just arguing semantics. So, are you afraid to be alone with me?”

“No.” Though that wasn’t exactly the truth. And they weren’t alone right now. That she knew of.

“Good. Then you won’t mind if I kiss you.”

Her eyes widened. “What? Here?”

“Shhh. It won’t hurt. I promise.”

He leaned toward her, and her heart started jamming what felt like a thousand beats a second. When he slipped his hand around the back of her neck to draw her close, she licked her lips, drawing his gaze to her mouth. She couldn’t catch a breath as his lips hovered just a fraction of an inch from hers. She didn’t know at that moment whether she was dying for Luke to kiss her, or whether she wanted to leap from the steps and get as far away from him as possible.

And when their lips touched, she felt the crackle of chemistry, even stronger than the first time. The way he deliberately took his time coaxing her mouth open, not caring that they sat on the front porch where anyone could walk outside at any moment.

Which she soon forgot when he slid his tongue in her mouth and pressed his lips harder against hers. She clutched his shirt and moaned against his mouth, wanting oh, so much more. Her nipples hardened and every female part of her body screamed Yes, yes, oh, hell yes.

She rose against him, and he drew her tight against him, his hand inching ever closer to her butt. She felt him, hard, as he held her tight in his embrace.

She’d missed this. She wanted him. Right here. Right now.

“Hey, there you two are. Oh. Well, shit.”

Logan’s appearance through the front door of the house jerked her out of the languorous stupor. She backed away from Luke in a hurry, brushing imaginary dust off her jeans. Luke, on the other hand, just gave her a regretful smile before turning to glare at his brother.

“Hi,” she said, her face heating in embarrassment.

“As usual, Logan, you have lousy timing,” Luke said.

“So I noticed a second too late. Sorry.”

“It’s no problem. We were just . . . uh . . . talking,” Emma said, mentally trying to cool down her flaming face.

“Looked to me like there wasn’t any talking going on.”

Just then Ben came out from the barn, all the dogs trailing after him. Grateful for the distraction, she pivoted and headed toward them. When Daisy saw her, the dog took off at a fast run, with Annie doing her best to keep up. Boomer sauntered over like he was in no hurry.

“Hey, kids. Did you have fun today?” She busied herself petting all the dogs while Luke climbed the steps to have a word with his brother. She tried not to think about that kiss. And how much her body still throbbed as a result.

“They had a good time in the barn,” Ben said to her. “They even chased a few chickens out back.”

She laughed. “Good to know they weren’t napping the whole time.”

“I don’t think much napping went on. They were all too busy playing. I know our dogs will likely pass out the rest of the day.”

“I’m sure mine will, too. Thank you for keeping watch over them.”

“It was no problem.”

Luke came down the steps. “We should probably head out.”

She stood, not yet able to meet his gaze. “Okay, sure.”

They went inside, and she thanked Martha for lunch again. Then they said their good-byes.

“I’ll see you again soon,” Logan said, shaking her hand.

“You come around for Sunday dinner anytime,” Martha said, pulling her in for a hug.

They wrangled the dogs into the truck, then climbed in, and she waved good-bye.

Emma was silent the whole trip back to her place, not knowing how to work through the awkwardness that had settled in between them since that kiss. Luke must have been having the same problem because he was as mute as she was.

He’d started it, and by the time he pulled into her drive-way, she had no idea how to get past it and back to the fun friendship they’d settled into.

But was that what she wanted?

Yes. Of course it was what she wanted. She hadn’t wanted him to kiss her.

Had she?

Lord, could she be more conflicted? As an adult, couldn’t she make up her damn mind about what she wanted in life? Or from a man?

She had the life part down. She had her career trajectory in motion.

The man part? Not so much.

“Okay, here we are.”

She lifted her head to see he’d opened her truck door. The dogs were eager to get out, so she supposed she should stop pondering and get away from temptation.

She slid out of the truck and the dogs followed. She tracked her gaze back to Luke.

“Thanks for today.”

His attention stayed on her. “Anytime.”

Even in the dark, she noticed the tilt of his head, the way he looked at her. The chemistry between them was unmistakable, and utterly dangerous.

“I have to get to work early tomorrow, so I should go in.”

His lips curved, as if he knew she was trying desperately for a polite way to disengage herself from his presence.

“Sure.”

She walked to the front door, unlocked it, and the dogs went in. She flipped on the light, then turned back to him.

Before she could say good night, he’d pulled her against him, his mouth on hers in another of those mind-melting, blistering hot kisses that made her forget all her logical, reasonable convictions. She fell against him and kissed him back, her arms winding around him.

But as soon as things got started, he pulled back.

“I’ve got to get up early tomorrow, too.”

She blinked, still trying to reassemble her brain cells. “Uh, okay.”

“Emma?”

“Yeah?”

“This isn’t over between you and me. We need to talk . . . or something.”

Yeah. Or something. “Okay.”

“’Night.” He got in his truck and backed out of her driveway.

Exhaling, she closed the front door and locked it, then leaned against it.

Whoa. What had just happened? Her body knew what to do, what it wanted her to do. It acted on its own. It wanted to be kissed, to lean into him, breathe in that sexy male scent of him. There was a part of her that eagerly wanted to explore him, with her hands, and her mouth.

And as soon as he’d pulled her against him and kissed her, her body went with its natural reaction to go for it. If Luke hadn’t stopped, he’d be in her bedroom right now and she’d be tearing his clothes off with her teeth so she could get at all the good parts of him.

Which was pretty much all of him.

She shuddered as the mental images bombarded her. He’d looked good today in his jeans, boots, and tight T-shirt.

He’d look even better out of them.

Yeah, she’d definitely like to run her hands over his tight, muscled body, to get him hot and bothered and make him sweat, and then he, in turn, could make her sweat.

And thoughts like that didn’t fall in line with her “no men” plan.

With a frustrated sigh, she pushed off the door to go see to the dogs. Dogs were a woman’s best friend. Dogs weren’t complicated. They would never hurt her, or break her heart.

The trouble was, that whole “no men” plan?

It was crumbling as fast as her resolve to stay away from Luke.