Jake Cadwell. A no-good man. That’s where.
Now she had another man, even sexier than Jake, who made her react in all types of wicked ways, waiting on her to take her out for burgers.
She sighed, shutting her eyes a moment. How did she keep ending up in these situations? She’d always been a good girl. She’d never had a one-night stand. She wanted love. Real love. Passionate love. Love like her Grams and Gramps had. But now wasn’t the time for love.
First, Jake wrangled her heart.
Now, Shep roped her body.
Both had a similar effect. She still cared for Jake. She wanted to hate him but couldn’t seem to manage to do that. If she were being honest with herself, she wanted Shep to make her forget Jake altogether, but how unfair would that be to Shep?
Maybe she needed to talk to a professional. There had to be a good therapist in River Rock.
To avoid the looming pity party, she grabbed her damp towel off the bathroom tile floor and hung it onto the hook behind the door, then faced the bathroom’s brass door handle. Sure, she was dressed in a white lacy blouse and a pair of blue jeans, but she felt more exposed than ever. Shep had a way of making her forget that adding a guy into the mix right now was a terrible idea. She lifted her chin, determined to keep her head on straight. No more men. That’s where the trouble all began.
She exited the bathroom, and the moment she reached the top of the staircase, she inhaled the scents of grease and meat, and her stomach rumbled. Confused, she slowly made her way down the grand white wooden staircase. Grams had lived in this house since she was a child, and she’d raised three children there. Even though the old farmhouse had some good history behind it, the interior paint was fresh, everything spotless, like it had always been. Pictures lined the staircase’s wall, showing off the quiet life Grams lived, surrounded by all her favorite animals. One black-and-white photograph was of her and Gramps on their wedding day. She only had twenty years of marriage with him. Emma knew for her grandmother that twenty years wasn’t nearly long enough.
All the memories. All the love. Emma’s heart clenched. She missed Grams. Her absence was an empty hole in Emma’s chest that seemed to be growing bigger ever since Emma had gotten on the plane in New York City. Everyone had that one person who seemed to understand them more than anyone else. That was Grams. Her person.
Emotion clawed at her throat as she stepped off the last stair. She padded along the worn hardwood floors toward the kitchen. Soon, she discovered Shep standing in front of the stove, the hand towel tucked over his shoulder. She stopped in the doorway, noting a pull to him, a draw of sorts making her want to get closer to him. Maybe she was needier because of everything that she’d lost. Grams. Her job. Her life in New York City. Regardless of why she felt so sucked i
n, she was also more confused than ever. “I take it we’re not going out for cheeseburgers,” she said.
He glanced over his shoulder, grinned. “No one makes a better burger than me.”
She laughed softly, captivated by that undeniable heat he exuded. Dangerous warmth. The kind of thing that made women drop their panties and lose their inhibitions. But that sensation lied. It was often faked. “I don’t think you understand the challenge you’re up against. I’ve had a burger in every state from the west to the east.”
Shep winked. “You’ve never had mine, darlin’.”
She got the feeling whatever he served up was totally mouthwateringly delicious. Those big strong hands seemed quite capable. His muscular body was meant for hard labor. Though with this guy, it was the power in the eyes making him stand out. The way he carried himself. His confidence wasn’t arrogance but seemed natural. Almost like if a person trusted him, he wouldn’t let them down. Problem was, she didn’t trust herself anymore. She’d thought Jake cared about her. How could she get that so wrong?
She forced the thoughts from her mind and moved farther into the kitchen. “When did you get everything you needed to make burgers?” She was supposed to go shopping this morning after she’d done the morning feed. Before the devil horse decided otherwise.
“I asked my brothers to do a grocery store run.” He gestured to the white kitchen chair.
“Brothers?” She took a seat next to the head of the table.
He nodded. “Nash is the youngest, then Chase, then me.”
Sweet Jesus, that smooth sensual voice caused heat to flood between her thighs. She vividly remembered how incredible he sounded whispering in her ear when he’d roped her at the bar. She crossed her legs, squeezing them tight. “What do they do?”
“Nash is a retired bull rider. Chase works for my father’s farm, Blackshaw Cattle.” He turned to the stove, flipping the burgers sizzling in the cast-iron pan. “I’d have grilled the burgers, but it seems Daisy wasn’t much for outdoor grilling.”
“Grams was all about comfort food,” Emma agreed. “She doesn’t own a grill.”
Shep flipped the burgers once more, then turned off the gas stove. “There’s some sweet tea in the fridge, if you wouldn’t mind grabbing that.”
Emma set to fetching their drinks. By the time she had the glasses on the table, Shep had the burgers on the buns.
“How do you like it, Emma?” Shep practically purred, all types of promise in his gaze.
Heat pooled low in her belly that she couldn’t stop, even if she wanted to. “All the fixings, please.”
“My kind of woman.” He winked again, then banged the palm of his hand against the glass ketchup bottle.
Ignoring her damp panties, she returned the sweet tea to the fridge, while Shep finished up topping the burgers. Once he added the tomatoes onto the patties, he grabbed the plates and gestured down the hallway. “Why don’t we go sit out on the porch, keep an eye on that horse?”
“Sure, sounds good.” She grabbed the glasses of sweet tea and followed him outside.