Page 21 of Marrying a Cowboy

“Emma?” he asked. Why did he sound so unsure? He hadn’t seen anything and for some reason, he had this deep need to tell her that hehadn’t.

“You can comein.”

He hesitated. “Are yousure?”

“I’msure.”

Reaching down, he turned the handled and hesitantly pushed open the door. Emma was standing in front of the mirror with a towel wrapped around her hair and one around her body. Her skin looked flushed and for a moment, he let himself wonder if it was because of the earlier events or because of the heat of the shower. Before he let his thoughts travel into uncharted territory, he scolded them and told himself that it was only thetemperature.

“I didn’t see anything,” came tumbling out. He cursed himself. Man, what he would give to have a redo of thismorning.

Her cheeks reddened as she narrowed her eyes. “Is that what you wanted to tell me?” She reached up and rubbed the back of her neck. Austin tried to ignore just how smooth her skin looked or the way her collarbones swept across hershoulders.

“Yes.” Why was he such a bumbling idiot? This wasn’t him. He could normally form sentences. He shook his head to get his thoughts in order. What he needed to do right now was work. That would help him get all images of Emma out of hismind.

“I’m going out to do some chores. Feel free to whatever’s in the kitchen. But, with Sean spending the last few days here, I’m guessing there’s not a lot left.” He turned and made his way out into the hallway. He’d take a shower later. With the way he was feeling, he needed to work off some of this tension which would result in him coming back sweaty. Plus, leaving would let him get as far away from Emma aspossible.

“Okay,” she called afterhim.

He waved his hand as he slipped into his room and shut the door. Now alone, he scrubbed his face with his hand. Maybe this had all been a major mistake. He should have never brought her here. He should have never asked her to marry him. He was never a good actor and all of this was turning into one bigmishap.

* * *

By noon,the sun was high in the sky and Austin had lost himself in the work almost forgetting about Emma and her silky-smooth skin. And when he found himself dwelling on it, he forced himself to work harder. It was a good thing he had a patch of fencing to fix. That always seemed to drain him of anyenergy.

Reaching up and adjusting his hat, he squinted up at the sun. It was hot. Like, boil-an-egg-on-the-sidewalk hot. He shifted, pulling his shirt away from his skin. Having enough of the irritation it caused him, he set his hat on the ground and pulled it off. Now released from the confines of the material, he grabbed his shovel and begandigging.

Fifteen minutes later, a cough sounded from behind him. Straightening, he glanced over. Emma was standing there in jeans and a tank top. She had her camera up to her eye. “Smile,” shesaid.

He moved to stop her but he heard the shudderclick.

“What are youdoing?”

She brought her camera down and glanced over at him. “Taking a candid. I’m calling itLife in Montana.” She eyed him, her cheeks turning pink as her gaze slipped down to his barechest.

Her reaction intrigued him. It was probably only fair. He did just see her in the shower. But he couldn’t just let her reaction go. “You okay?” heasked.

She nodded and then focused on the fence. “Yeah. It’s just lonely up at the house so I thought I’d come see what you were doing. And take some pictures on the way.” She glanced down at the screen on her camera as if she were reviewing the ones she’d taken. Seizing her moment of distraction, Austin reached over and grabbed his shirt. He wanted the protection it gavehim.

After it was on, he tried not to groan as the wind picked up her hair and tossed it around. Now the place he’d run away to, to get away from her, had disappeared. He should tell her to go back to the house. To get away from him. Fast. But instead of listening to his head, he smiled and motioned toward her. “You wannahelp?”

She nodded and slipped the camera off from around her neck. “Yes.” After placing it on a nearby rock, sheturned.

“You sure? Your city hands just might not be able to takeit.”

She scoffed and walked over and stopped a few inches from him. He could smell the sweet scent of her hair. Feel the closeness of her body next to his. He swallowed. What was he doing? He should be sending her away not inviting her to comecloser.

“I can do anything you big country boys can do.” She folded her arms and studiedhim.

He held up his hands. “Okay. But, don’t say I didn’t warn you.” He grabbed the handle of the shovel and motioned toward the hole where he’d just been digging. “See those big rocks? I loosen them and you pull themout.”

She shot him an annoyed look. “That’sall?”

He nodded. “That’sall.”

“Sounds easy enough.” She wandered over to the hole and removed a large rock. “Where do I putit?”

He motioned over to the growing pile next to him. “There’sfine.”

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