Was she crying out? She tried to hold it in, but she didn’t know if she succeeded. Emerson thrust inside her one last time and collapsed on top of her. Wyoming lay panting until her heart slowed again, her mind still tangled in the conundrum her emotions had served.
Was she loved by Emerson?
Surely not—it was way too soon.
When he slid out, she felt the same sense of being bereft she’d felt the previous evening. She craved that connection with Emerson, no matter how short a time she’d known him.
Love at first sight.
The phrase echoed through her mind.
Was it real? Or was it a trap? Mother nature determined to perpetuate the species at all costs?
Emerson turned her gently to face him. “You’re thinking,” he accused with a smile.
“I’m made to want you, aren’t I? Even if it isn’t wise.”
“Maybe it’s the wisest thing of all. I’d spend my life caring for you, Wyoming.”
“How can you know what you’ll feel like in twenty years?”
He smiled, but it was a sad one. “Because I know what I felt twenty years ago. I’m gambling, too, you know. I got my heart broken once before.”
By his parents, she understood. They might not have meant to leave him, but they had.
“I think love is worth the gamble.” He took her hand and kissed her fingers one after the other, then placed a final kiss in her palm. “You don’t have to make up your mind today,” he assured her.
“Have you made up yours?” She hadn’t meant to ask, and she held her breath, waiting for his answer.
This time his smile reached his eyes.
“Hell, yeah. I asked you to marry me, didn’t I? I wasn’t kidding around, Wye. I know what I want, and it’s not a slice of Two Willows. It’s you. It’ll always be you.”
And he kissed her again.
Emerson kept his eye on the time and made sure they were dressed and downstairs for breakfast by the time the General began to bellow for him and Ward showed up with Elise.
Ward was gruff this morning, and he didn’t meet Emerson’s gaze, but he handed the baby to Wye tenderly, kissed Elise’s head and said, “Thanks for taking her today.” He hesitated, put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a check. “Your friend’s right; I should be paying you. Wish it could be more.”
“We’re family…”
Emerson closed his eyes but didn’t interfere. Wye needed to learn to stand up for herself with her kin.
Ward shook his head. “This is a lot bigger deal than asking you to watch her for a few hours on a Friday night. This is a full-time job. See you tonight.”
“See you.”
When he was gone, Wye looked to Emerson in astonishment. “Did you see that? He gave me a check.”
“Better cash it quick.” He regretted his joke almost immediately. “Just kidding.” He touched her arm. “I knew your brother would be reasonable. He was too caught up in his own grief to think about anyone else until now.”
“Did I hear a baby?” Cass said, bustling into the room and pulling on an apron. “I’ve got to get breakfast started, but first I need a snuggle.”
Wye got Elise out of her carrier, and Cass took the baby in her arms. “You are darling, aren’t you?” she asked the little girl.
“When you aren’t teething,” Wye clarified, looking over Cass’s shoulder and making funny faces that caused Elise to giggle.
“And we get her all day?” Cass began to move around the kitchen, gathering ingredients for the meal, baby still at her shoulder.
“That’s right.” Wye took back Elise. “So you’ll get plenty of time with her.”
“Good. Emerson, you haven’t made coffee—”
“Where’s my coffee?” the General bellowed from his office.
“Hell, you’re right. Falling down on the job.” He winked at Wye, then got busy.
Luckily the General was in a good mood and didn’t seem to mind his coffee was late. When it came time for his exercises, however, he was as elusive as ever. Emerson had hoped he could take Wye to the Park to see his improvements on the trailers, but the way the General kept dragging his feet, they wouldn’t have time.
“You were right, Cass,” Emerson called out when he couldn’t take it anymore. “At this rate your baby will be riding a horse long before the General gets back in the saddle.”
Cass appeared in the doorway of the General’s room, her features slack with surprise. “What are you talking about?”
“Your father refuses to do his physical therapy exercises. Instead of getting more limber, he’s getting stiffer. All I’m saying is it’s a good thing he’ll have grandkids soon to get all the chores done, because he’s not going to do any of them himself.”
Cass put her hands up as if to say she wanted no part of this and ducked away without saying a word. Emerson didn’t blame her when he caught the General’s expression.
“Are you saying a passel of babies are going to run my ranch?”
“Pretty much. If they don’t take their cue from you and sit around on their asses all day, sir.”
It was a risk, but he knew the General would suffer more long term if he didn’t do those exercises than he would if he simply buckled down and got to them.
“You think that reverse psychology bullshit is going to work on me?”
“What will work? Because we need you up and on your feet, General. I know you’re sore and frustrated, but you’re not an old man, even if you’re acting like one. You could have decades ahead of you to enjoy your ranch and your family. What’s it going to take for you to see that?”
“Whatever it is, it won’t be your nagging that does it—” The General stopped midsentence, and Emerson followed his gaze out the window, craning his neck to see whatever it was that had arrested the General’s attention.
He smiled when he caught sight of Brian leading Button and Jack balancing baby Elise on the horse’s back. Elise was squealing with delight.
