HALF A MILE FROM THE ranch, a cloud of dust in the distance alerted Ty to expect company soon. I guess Midnight made it home. He looked at the head still nestled against cheek, reluctant to wake her. She’d be embarrassed if the men saw her…and pissed at me, no doubt. One side of his mouth curled up. She was a sight to behold when riled.

He nudged her arm. “Emma…wake up. Almost home.” Home. When had Twin Oaks become home?

She murmured something unintelligible, and snuggled closer.

Desired blazed to life and his body throbbed. “Damn,” he whispered. “Come on, Em, wake up. Riders coming’.”

She sighed and pressed against his chest.

He gritted his teeth. “Em…dammit, Em, wake up. Riders coming.’”

She breathed in and slowly opened her eyes…then jerked back like she had been shot. Diablo sidestepped quickly forcing her to grab his arm for balance.

“Enjoy your nap?” Ty kept his voice calm revealing nothing of the chaos her proximity caused him. Mostly.

She shifted on his lap, hand still gripping his arm, and he stifled a groan. “Stop twitching.”

“How long did I sleep?”

Her voice, raspy with sleep, caused his body to sizzle.

“Not long. An hour maybe.”

“An hour!” Her head darted toward the approaching riders. “Why didn’t you wake me before now?”

“If you didn’t need the sleep, you would’ve been awake for the ride.”

The arriving search party ended any retort she considered.

“Miss Emma,” said Leo, concern etching lines on his face, eyes darting to the hand clutching Ty’s arm, “you all right?”

“I’m fine, Leo.”

Henry held Midnight’s reins. “What happened?”

Ty noted the bright flush creeping up her cheeks but she didn’t duck her head when she replied.

“Diablo…”

Henry started laughing. “What’d he do this time?”

Ty didn’t miss the fact she still held on to his arm and hadn’t yet attempted to get off his lap.

Neither did Leo. His pained expression said it all.

He’s in love with her.

“Fine one minute, nuts the next. Startled her horse.”

Emma snorted. “She tossed me like a damned greenhorn and took off.”

Henry was the only one who smiled.

“I…we was worried when Midnight come in without you. Are you sure you’re okay? Can you ride?”

Ty kept his expression neutral.

She tensed as though just remembering where she sat and quickly released his shirt. “Um, yes, I’m fine. Probably sore tomorrow, though.”

Ty placed a hand on her arm when she started to move. “Hang on.” He dismounted, wrapped his hands around her waist, and placed her on the ground.

And she let him.

So what if he kept his hands on her a waist a fraction longer than required? He just wanted to make sure she was able stand on her own. If Leo happened to see and got the wrong idea…What the hell am I doing?

She reached for Midnight’s reins and mounted. “Is Sarah at the house, Henry?”

“Yep. Insisted I come along to make sure you were okay.” He looked at Ty and grinned. “Told her you were in good hands.”

She nodded and set off at a trot, the rest of the group falling in line.

Henry rode beside Ty. “Anything you wanna talk about?”

“Like what?”

He shrugged. “You and Emma seem to be gettin’ on pretty good.” He shook his head and grinned. “There ain’t a man around who could’ve gotten her to ride in front of him and help her down like you just did. Not even Leo.”

“She know how he feels?”

“Saw that, did you?”

“Hard to miss.”

Henry looked straight ahead. “Emma’s special to us. I’d hate to see her get hurt.”

Ty tugged on the reins, stopping his horse. “You wanna spell it out and quit beatin’ ‘round the bush.”

“You told me yourself; you ain’t the settlin’ down type. I just don’t want her hurt when you go.”

“She won’t be.” He kneed Diablo and took off at a gallop leaving Henry to follow.

Emma’s cheeks burned. I fell asleep in his lap! She tried to ignore how her hand still tingled from contact with his chest.

Leo followed as she dismounted in front of the house, while the others left to complete their assigned tasks. “I’ll take care of Midnight, ma’am.”

“That won’t be necessary, Leo, thank you. Only one more section to look over before dark. I won’t be here long.”

As she spoke, Ty and Henry rode up. It took all her grit to face him and not flinch, unable to stop or hide the rush of heat to her cheeks. “I’d like to say hello to Sarah and then we can finish what we started.” Even to her, the statement sounded intimate.

One corner of his mouth curled up and the bottom dropped out of her stomach.

“Ready when you are.”

Henry spoke up. “I know you and Sarah have a lot of catching up do. Ty and me can check it out. Where did you leave off?”

Henry’s face revealed nothing of his thoughts as she told them where to look then turned for the door. “Supper will be at seven. See you both then.”

She rushed inside before passing out from embarrassment. He saw me in Ty’s lap! So did Leo!

Though not experienced with the opposite sex, she wasn’t blind to the fact Leo appeared sweet on her and she did her best not to encourage it. She liked him, of course, he worked hard and he a nice person to boot. But he didn’t make her heart stutter or leave her excited and off-balance like Ty did with just a look.

“Are you all right?” Sarah’s hug was hampered by the girth of her pregnancy. “I was so worried when your horse came in without you.”

“I’m fine. Not the first time I’ve been tossed.”

“What on earth happened?”

Sarah listened intently as they walked to the office and sat on the small couch.

“So…how was it?” Sarah’s bright blue eyes sparkled and her honey gold curls bobbed as she shifted on the seat.

Confused by the question, Emma looked at her friend and blinked. “What? Getting tossed?”

“No, silly. Riding in his lap. What was it like?”

Emma looked away quickly—too quickly, and stammered. “I don’t know, fine I guess.” I would gladly get tossed again to be held like that.

“Fine?” Sarah grabbed her arm. “You guess?”

Emma huffed and looked toward the window. “If you must know, I slept most of the way.”

Sarah’s mouth gaped open. “You rode in his lap? And slept?”

“Not exactly in his lap. More like across it…sort of like side-saddle.” She shrugged. “And I was tired.” He’s so warm and strong.

Sarah beamed. “But you enjoyed it, right? Having his arms around you while you slept?”

Emma’s face burned. She’d cut out her tongue before she admitted to anyone just how much she did like it. “Well, it wasn’t awful.”

Sarah paused. “I’ve known you since we were ten years old and I’ve never, ever seen you blush.”

Her hushed statement brought a new surge of color to Emma’s cheeks and she went to the desk, shuffling papers without seeing them.

“You like him, don’t you?”

“Of course. He’s a good foreman. I’m glad Henry sent him over.”

“That’s not what I mean and you know it.” Sarah didn’t let up. “You like him. As a woman likes a man.”

She flinched. Sarah’s observation was way too close to the truth. “No! Are you crazy?”

“I think he’s just what you need.”

“What?” Emma’s heart rate escalated and she gasped. “No!”

“Why not? You need a husband, Ty needs a wife.”

Emma sat at the desk, pulling open the top ledger. “You’re out of your mind. No way in hell would someone like him be interested in someone like me.”

“Who are you trying to convince, Emma?” She paused. “Henry said Ty has been…adrift since the war ended. Lost everything; his home, his whole family, his fiancée. He’s wandered from place to place with no roots, no reason to stay anywhere for long. Henry and me are about his only family.”

Emma glared. “Is there a point in there somewhere?”

“You grinned when you glanced back and saw him riding in behind you. You hid it fast, but I saw it.”

“I smiled. So what. Everybody smiles.”

“You don’t.”

“Sarah, I –”

“And I saw the way he looked at your backside when you stepped up on the porch.”

Emma stared at the ledger without seeing it, pulse pounding so hard she saw spots in her eyes.

Sarah rubbed her swollen belly and smirked. “I know desire when I see it.”

Emma jerked upright. “What? No! You must be mistaken.”

“Why is it so hard for you to see what a stunning woman you are?”

“Because I’m not blind! I’m not beautiful like you or even Mable. I’m too tall, my hair is a mess. I have no…no feminine wiles. And even if I did, I wouldn’t know what to do with them.”

“Do you want to?”

Emma stared, not comprehending this change in conversation. “Want to what?”

“Know what to do with your feminine wiles?” Her smile grew wider. “Because I can teach you.”