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But as much as she wanted those words to be true, they weren’t. And that hurt. That first night had been wonderful, fantastic, so many expletives, but it had not cured her of wanting Tanner. Only, now, she had to avoid him at all costs.
As she turned to go back into the kitchen, Tanner came through the door.
A groan escaped her lips and she hurried back inside her domain, hoping he wouldn’t follow her.
“We need to talk,” he said.
“I need to cook dinner,” she replied.
“You said something about your husband the other day,” he said, ignoring her.
“Yes,” she replied as she went to check on her cake. It was just starting to brown. “What about him? He’s dead.”
If he thought she was going to tell him about John, he was definitely insane. She’d just run from a city that thought that they had to remind her every day of the sacrifice her husband made. While all along she knew the truth.
And it ate at her soul like a cancer.
“You told me at least I’m alive,” Tanner said. “Did he die in the military?”
“I’m not going to talk about this, right now,” she said. “I’m trying to cook dinner. I’m working and it’s none of your business.”
Tanner leaned against the counter. “I’m not going away until you tell me.”
Stopping, she stared at him. “All right. I’ll tell you about John if you’ll tell me about your great-great-whatever-grandmother Eugenia.”
His eyes popped wide as he leaned forward. “You saw her?”
“Yes, she came to visit me last night and all she wanted to talk about was you.”
“No, I don’t believe in her. It’s my disease.”
“Well, then I have it as well,” Emily said. “Your disease is contagious. We have seeing-ghosts disease.”
She could tell he didn’t appreciate her humor.
“Not funny.” Tanner shook his head and she could tell he was not happy. “Travis warned me.”
“What did he warn you about?”
The man walked away from her, running his hand through his hair. Suddenly he no longer seemed interested in learning about her dead husband and that was perfectly acceptable to her. She didn’t want to tell him about John. That was private and she’d escaped Colorado with the express purpose of putting her husband and his service behind her.
“Never mind,” Tanner said, walking back to her, his eyes had darkened and he appeared angry.
Why wouldn’t he tell her what Travis had warned him about? Did it have to do with the ghost?
“I’d like to know how I keep her from coming into my cabin,” she said. “I wanted to go to bed and she wanted to talk about how I was perfect for you. Boy, she doesn’t know how you feel about me, does she? You should tell her.”
“How do I feel about you Emily?” he asked, moving closer.
Oh no, she didn’t like that look in his eyes. There was passion there and they had no business exploring that particular feeling.
“You tell me. All I’ve heard lately is that you want me fired. You want me to leave. Pack my stuff and go back home. Let me tell you, I don’t have a home anymore,” she said, thinking of the cute little house she and John had purchased.
After three years of seeing him in every room, she’d sold it.
“That’s because I can’t have you here. You’re a constant temptation. One I don’t need,” he said.
“Don’t worry. Nothing is going to happen. Not even your grandmother is going to convince me that you’re the man for me. She wants to continue the Burnett line. She wants her grandsons to marry and give her babies.”
