A Family for the Rugged Rancher

“You sure do.”

Sam let out a delicate snore. Luke’s lips curved and then he lifted his head, sharing the smile with Emily.

Something clicked inside her. Suddenly it wasn’t about protecting her heart from Luke anymore. He’d already breached the walls. She was in perilous danger of caring for him, truly and deeply caring.

She sat for a few moments, wanting to snatch Sam away from the security of Luke’s arms, knowing it was foolish and petty. She should have foreseen she’d get in too deep.

But this job could give her the start she needed. She only had to keep the goal firm in her mind—a temporary retreat to regroup and then move forward. If she did that, it would all be fine.

She would enjoy every blessed minute she could, she decided. She’d be here when the beans ripened and the pea pods popped in the sunshine. Sam could maybe go for that horseback ride—maybe they both would. She could spend an hour on the porch with a paperback while Sam played.

When she looked back at Luke, his lips had dropped open as he dozed off, too. Seeing them sleeping together made her feel as though she was losing Sam, even as her head told her it was a ridiculous thought.

She had spent months worrying about the lack of a male influence in Sam’s life. Now that he had it, she wasn’t sure she could resist the man—the real live cowboy, as Sam put it—who was putting stars in both their eyes.

CHAPTER NINE

FOR THE NEXT week Emily, Sam and Luke settled into a routine. Luke spent his days working the fields and Emily did the hottest work in the mornings. In the afternoon she ran errands or took time out to play with Sam, roaming the extensive yard looking for wildflowers and animal tracks. Luke made an effort to arrive for dinner and they all ate together. And as the sun sank below the prairie, Emily listened to the peepers and the breeze through the open windows of her bedroom. Luke was right next door and often she lay awake at night knowing the head of his bed was only a wall away. What was he thinking as his head lay on the pillow? There was a sense of comfort that came from knowing he was so close, but she wondered what to do with the attraction that kept simmering between them.

Because it was simmering. He hadn’t touched her again. There hadn’t been any more kisses. But the memory of the first kiss always seemed to hover between them, and every time she looked at him she felt the same jolt running from her heart down to the soles of her feet. It stood between them like an unanswered question. The only thing Emily could do was focus on her job. Feelings, attraction…it was all secondary right now. She had to keep her eye on the prize—self-reliance. She would need Luke’s recommendation when she went job-hunting at the end of the summer, and she wouldn’t do anything foolish to jeopardize it.

One mild evening Luke took Sam for a walk around the corral on Bunny’s back, getting him used to the feel of the horse before letting Sam take the reins himself. After that, Sam was permanently smitten with both Luke and with the mare. It was all he talked about as he helped in the garden or dried the dishes, standing on a stepstool. He visited with Liz’s twins one afternoon while Emily shopped for groceries. Emily had a look at the old record player and thought she might have a go at fixing it up. The cabinet was filled with old LPs. What would it be like to hear the scratchy albums again?

They all slipped into the routine so easily that it felt, to Emily at least, a little too real.

Then Luke came home with Homer.

At first Emily just heard the barking and she wrinkled her brow. Had a neighbor’s dog strayed into the yard? Her heart set up a pattering, as she knew Sam would be paralyzed with fear. He’d never quite gotten over his fear of dogs since he’d nearly been attacked. She dried her hands on a tea towel and headed for the door.

Sam was making a beeline for the porch, his normally flushed cheeks pale. Emily scooped him up as Luke approached, holding a leash in his hand attached to a brown-and-white dog that limped behind.

Luke paused several feet away from the steps. Sam was clearly afraid of the new pup. It showed in the pallor of his face and how he clung to his mother.

“Sam, this is Homer.”

No response. Luke’s heart sank. He’d seen the dog weeks ago and had fallen in love. Oh, he knew that sounded ludicrous, but he had a soft spot for dogs and especially one like Homer, who needed a home so badly. But Homer had been in no shape to be adopted and in the hectic pace of haying season, it had gone to the back of Luke’s mind. Until the veterinarian had called a few days ago. Luke had thought of Sam, too. He’d thought Homer could be a playmate. He hadn’t thought about the boy being afraid.

“You don’t have anything to fear from Homer,” Luke said easily. He put his hand on Homer’s back and the dog sat, his tongue hanging out happily. “He’s the gentlest dog you’ll ever meet.”

Sam shook his head and clung to Emily even tighter. Luke noticed the shine of tears in her eyes and resisted the urge to sigh. He had to help the boy. Had to show him he didn’t need to be afraid. He wasn’t sure why, but he knew that it was important to help Sam overcome this hurdle. Maybe because he saw in Sam’s eyes what he’d seen too often in his own—knowledge and understanding. Even at such a young age, Sam had been hurt and had grow

n—painfully—because of it. Luke couldn’t fix that. But maybe he could make this better.

“We had an incident in the park last year,” Emily said quietly. “Someone had their dog off leash and it started to go at Sam. I reached out and grabbed its collar.” She looked down at Luke with liquid chocolate eyes. “He’s been terrified ever since.”

Homer whined and Luke heard distressed sounds coming from Sam’s throat.

“Homer, hush.”

Luke gave the firm order and the dog immediately quieted. He squatted down and put his hand on the brown-and-white fur. “Stay.” He dropped the leash. Then he stood, went to Emily, reached out and touched Sam’s back.

“Look at him now, Sam. Harmless as a flea.” He spoke softly to the boy, knowing a gentle and steady touch was required. Sam obediently turned his head and looked at the mutt, whose tongue was hanging out in happy bliss as he panted.

Luke couldn’t accomplish putting Sam at ease while he had a death grip on his mother. “Come here, buddy,” he said, and he lifted Sam right out of her arms and settled him on his hip. He half expected Sam to cry and reach for Emily, but he didn’t. Knowing Sam trusted him did something to Luke’s insides, something warm and expansive. Luke pointed at the dog. “Do you know what’s special about Homer?”

Sam shook his head.

Luke looked over at Emily and smiled, hoping to thaw the icy wall that had suddenly formed around her. “Homer had an accident a while back. He’s been at the vet’s, because he was a stray and no one claimed him. A few weeks ago he was still wrapped up in bandages. You never saw a sorrier sight than that dog. He didn’t even bark. He just looked up at me with his big, sad eyes.”