Page 38 of The Forbidden Texan
Sunday night he went to her door to take her to her parents’ house for dinner. When she opened the door, his heart thudded. She wore a red sweater, a red skirt and red pumps. Her hair was again in spiral curls, falling over her shoulders. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and kiss her all night.
“You look gorgeous,” he said, getting his phone and taking her picture while she laughed.
“Come on, a selfie,” he urged. She stepped beside him and he slid his arm around her waist and smiled as he took their picture.
“Okay, now I’ll take you to your parents—unless we can go inside to kiss a little while first.”
“Absolutely not,” she answered and shook her head. “It’s time to go. Everyone tries to get there on time. You look very nice in your sport coat and navy slacks. I like your black boots, too.”
“Do I need a tie? I have one in the car.”
“No, we’re too casual for that. Actually, you don’t even need your sport coat if you don’t want to wear it.”
“I’ll keep it on. I’m trying to impress your family,” he said, smiling at her. “I just would like to take you home with me later and peel you out of those clothes.”
“Don’t even think about it. At least not now.” He took her arm to walk her to his car and the minute he touched her, he felt that spring of awareness at the contact. Their nights of loving hadn’t changed that instant reaction they had to each other because he could tell from her quick breath that she felt it, too.
As soon as he was driving, she turned slightly to him. “Jake, since this next week will be my last at the Long L, I’d like to invite some people to come by and look at it if that’s all right with you.”
“Of course, it’s all right. I’ve been thinking I might ask Ben Warner if he would like to see it. I don’t think Camilla or Vivian will want to come. But Noah and Mike might. They don’t have any bad memories of it, only curiosity. And I’ll ask some neighboring ranchers when we get more livestock.”
“I’ll make sure everything’s in order before I leave,” she assured him.
Her departure was something he didn’t want to think about. In fact, all he could think about now was how he was going to convince her to come back and go to bed with him. But he didn’t think she would agree tonight. In fact, he’d have to mind his hands at her parents’ house. Even though they hadn’t talked about it, he felt certain she didn’t want her brothers to know they were sleeping together, which was ridiculous.
When he drove up the winding drive in a gated area, there were cars lining the circular drive. Big shade trees and flower beds surrounded the three-story mansion.
The minute they stepped inside the wide hallway, he could hear voices and smell chili cooking. “Ahh, that dinner will be good.”
“So will everything else,” she said, smiling at him and linking her arm through his.
“Sure you want to do that?” he asked, looking at her arm. “Doug and Lucas will not approve.”
“I’ll tell you what, I can hold my own with my brothers.”
He smiled. “I believe you there, but they know better, I’m sure, than to pound their baby sis. Well, let’s go meet the happy family.”
She looked at him intently and he wondered what she was thinking, but they entered the great room and were immediately the center of attention of a whole group of people of all ages and he forgot their conversation.
* * *
Emily took Jake around the room to introduce him to her parents, both sets of grandparents, and Andrea and Andrea’s family. Sheila held her arms up, so Emily picked her up as she introduced Jake to her brother-in-law, James, and to Doug’s wife, Lydia, who he’d missed meeting at the charity dinner.
Her brother stepped up. “Welcome to our family gathering,” Doug said, offering his hand.
“Glad to have you,” Lucas added, shaking Jake’s hand next. “We want to come see the Long L sometime. Em’s been telling us about the changes and all our lives we’ve heard about the Warner grandfathers that lived there.”
“I can imagine. They were notorious in these parts. Come out this week while Emily is still there. We’ll be glad to show you around. It looks very different.”
“Are you settling there?” Lucas asked and Emily was curious about Jake’s answer, watching him give a shake of his head.
“No. I’ll stay there occasionally, but I love my Hill Country ranch and that’s where I’ll be most of the time unless I’m in Dallas.”
“Excuse me,” Emily said, “Mom is motioning for me.” She left him with her brothers, having a feeling the talk would soon be about horses and rodeos.
The men gathered in a cluster, drinking beers and talking until dinner was announced. She joined Jake and sat beside him. Her family had questions about Jake’s plans for the ranch. They moved on to other topics and when they laughed at a rodeo story Jake told, she felt a pang that he didn’t want a family because he fit into hers easily. After dinner, all the adults played a word game and Jake seemed to enjoy himself, but even if he wasn’t having a good time, she knew him well enough by now to know he could be very polite and pleasant when he needed to be.
Andrea and James were the first to leave because of the little kids.
