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But now Jesse was down, and Emma needed to take Maria's place in the kitchen for awhile. She owed it to the other woman to do so, she'd been friendly and had welcomed Emma with open arms.
But even though she'd be taking care of Luke's house for awhile, she knew she needed to put it in his mind that it was time she left.
Maybe if the sheriff knew she didn't want to be here any longer, he would somehow be able to find her a way to Denver. Or maybe she could find a position in Burnet? No, her mind almost immediately shied away from that idea, because she knew she needed a clean break from Luke. If he was anywhere in her radius, she knew she'd never be able to put this episode of her life behind her and move on.
With that plan in mind, it was the first thing she mentioned to him as he sat down for breakfast.
Her hand shook as she poured his coffee, and she bolstered herself to say what needed to be said. "As soon as Jesse is well and Maria can cook for you again, I think I should go to town."
Luke looked up from where she had sloshed coffee onto the table and narrowed his eyes on her. He purposely mistook her meaning. "What do you need from town? Cody will be going on Tuesday, I'll have him pick up whatever you want."
"I don't need anything. I think--I think I should move there." Emma didn't look at his face when she made that statement. She picked up a dishtowel and went back to wipe up the spill. When she was within reaching distance, his hand reached out and caught her wrist.
His voice was low and deep, still raspy from lack of use. "You're not going anywhere."
Chapter Ten
Emma pulled back but his hold on her was like a vise; it was unrelenting as it held her in place.
"It's time, Luke," she said in the firmest voice she could muster.
"No, bullshit, it's not time. This got something to do with what I said yesterday?" He was pissed. More pissed at himself than with her.
"No," she denied and she continued to twist her arm in an attempt to free herself.
"I don't believe you."
"Why would I lie?"
"Well, now, that's a question, isn't it, Emma?" he asked as the sarcasm in his tone couldn't help but remind her that he had caught her out in a lie once before.
Her heartbeat accelerated and she was afraid he could feel it where his hand held her wrist. Her blood banged loudly in her veins as he confronted her.
"What do you want me to say, Luke?"
"I don't want you to say anything. I want you to admit--"
Emma interrupted his words as she began to get angry. "You can't always have what you want, Luke!"
His eyes narrowed on her and his voice deepened. "If I had everything I wanted, you'd be naked and spent in my bed right now. You'd have been there since I brought you home on that very first day." He jerked on her wrist and she took a stumbling step toward him. "If I had everything I wanted, I'd have the memory of your taste on my tongue, I'd have the knowledge of what your breasts looked like naked, and what you sound like when you come."
Emma gasped and he pulled her wrist again. She only understood about half of what he was saying, and it was so provocative, she didn't know if she wanted to know what the rest meant.
But he thought she knew, and with a click in her brain, she realized that all she had to do was tell him the truth. All she had to do was tell him. And then he wouldn't be pulling on her wrist, he'd be shoving her away from him. He wouldn't be telling her she couldn't leave, he'd be taking her back to town.
Pain blossomed under her breastbone and she struggled with herself.
She thought about saying it right now, quick-fast, so the choice would be taken away from her. Then he'd know and nothing she could say or do would take that knowledge back from him. But she couldn't do it. She snapped her lips closed, and decided she'd give herself time to think it through.
"Let me go," she ordered through clenched teeth.
"No." His refusal was succinct.
"I'm going to town." Her voice was adamant as she began the argument again that she knew she wouldn't win.
"No, you're not." His jaw was clenched as he held himself rigidly.
"I'm going to town, and you can't stop me." Her words became a bit shrill as she squared her shoulders.
"No, you're not," he repeated, as low and calm as the first time.
She stamped her foot on the floor as hard as she could in a fit of temper. "You can't stop me, Luke!"
"I can, easily," he disputed.
"You can't keep me prisoner here." She wasn't in the least bit scared, only angry at his supreme arrogance.
"I can do any damn thing I want, Emma," he fired back.
"The sheriff would arrest you." She pulled on her arm again but it was useless, his fingers were like a band of steel around her.
"He'll never know." Luke gave her a smug smile.
"Somehow, I'll get word to him and he'll arrest you, hang you even!" Emma threatened him.
Luke bit out a laugh. "He's not going to hang me, Emma. We've been friends for years."
Emma stopped struggling for a second as that statement took her mind off the subject at hand for a moment. "The two of you are friends?" she questioned in a disbelieving voice.
"Yep." His thumb began making swirling patterns on the inside of her wrist.
"But the other day--it sounded as if ya'll disliked each other, were enemies, even."
"I didn't care for him questioning you, sweetheart. Didn't like it a bit. And he wanted to take you to town, and that purely pissed me off."
"But since he wanted to take me to town, wouldn't he be against you holding me hostage here?" she asked
simply.
"Is that what I'm doing?" he asked in a deadpan voice.
"You're intentions aren't honorable, Luke!" she snapped back.
"This is about yesterday. I knew it." His voice sounded irritated and smug at the same time.
"It's not. I'm just ready to leave. Ready to resume my trip to Denver."
"You don't want to go to Denver yet," he stated firmly.
"Yes, I believe I do." She turned her head away from him as if he didn't exist.
"Just give it a few more days, Emma. I need your help right now. Maria needs your help," he cajoled. "If you still want to leave then, I'll take you into Burnet."
She looked back and examined his expression to see if he was telling her the truth. "Honestly?"
"Yeah, honestly."
She was silent and he began that maddening swirl of his thumb again.
"Can I have my breakfast now?" he asked in the seductive tones of a fallen angel.
***
Luke finished his breakfast and walked out to the barn. That had been too damn close. He'd damn near ruined things with his stupid mouth. Why the hell did he think he always needed to be so goddamned honest?
From now on, he wasn't going to give her any more damn ammunition to use against him. He'd said what needed to be said, but by damned if he'd repeat it again.
From now on, he'd keep her happy to be here. Happy to cook for him. Happy to play poker with him. Happy to share kisses with him.
Happy to sleep with him.
Yeah, from now on, he'd keep his damn mouth shut.
****
Luke walked into the house for the noontime meal more in control of his emotions. His food was waiting for him on the table and Emma stood next to the cabinet with three drawers opened and towels and dishcloths in different piles around her.
The scents of the kitchen hit his stomach and he realized how hungry he was. He'd been doing Jesse's work in addition to his own, and he needed a break. "Smells good," he said as he walked to the water pump.
He washed his hands and face, and picked a dishcloth from one of the piles and dried himself off. She wasn't saying a word, but had given him a distracted smile when he'd walked through the door.
"What are you up to?" He moved away from the counter and sat at the table.
