Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 92167 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 461(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92167 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 461(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
“Miss Emma? Miss Emma?”
Glancing over her shoulder at the sound of her name, Emma didn’t recognize the man striding in her direction. She knew she was wrong for stereotyping a person but this one, to her, screamed Texas. From the accent to the dress. The man behind him? Him, she knew. Linc. Mr. Conner. The one who had given her daughter all of this. She owed him big-time for helping her daughter smile and bloom.
The man who could make her want to kiss him and punch him all at the same time. The one who didn’t look all that happy about this man coming toward her.
The Texan stopped before her, his black Stetson plunked down on his head, a bit out of place for the region, but that was not her business. His thick moustache had some gray in it, but his eyes, they were an incredible shade of blue.
He smiled at her and some of her discomfort eased. She wasn’t going to acknowledge how much more comfortable she became when Linc strode up to stand beside her. He had a message in his black eyes but she couldn’t decipher it.
“Miss Emma. You’re beautiful. It’s a pleasure to meet Linc’s fiancée.”
I’m sorry. Say what now?
Shifting her eyes to the sexy man in front of her not wearing the Stetson, just a nondescript baseball cap, she swallowed. Although, nothing on Linc was “just” anything.
“Mr. Conner?”
The man’s barrel chest moved as he boomed with laughter. “Oh, she doesn’t call you Linc? That’s interesting.”
Linc slipped to her side, his arm around her waist. “She just started working for me and we were trying to keep it professional.” He held up a hand. “Do you mind if I steal her for just a moment?”
“No, no. I can wait to speak with her.”
“Perfect.” Linc moved her out of the man’s hearing range and stared down at her.
Emma waited, not sure what would come out of her mouth if she opened it at this particular juncture. Perhaps it should have helped that he looked all out of sorts but right now she didn’t give a damn.
“Go with me on this.”
She arched her eyebrows, not one like he could do, because she didn’t have that particular skill, but both. “Go with you on this. Sounds like you’re telling, not asking.”
He gulped. Hard.
What kind of person did it make her if she wanted to settle her fingers against his throat, purely to feel that motion?
God, she truly was hard up.
“Emma, he’s an investor for the center. Hopefully. But he showed up unexpectedly and his wife is here somewhere.”
“And you just blurted out that you were engaged?” She closed her eyes to stave off the panic that was creeping in.
He shrugged. “I mean, I don’t actually remember telling him that—only that I was with someone…” His full, kissable lips flattened. “If I had realized, I would have had time to figure it out and ask you properly.”
Linc’s answer took all the wind out of her sails. “Me?” Was this possible? She’d been more than half in love with this man the majority of her life, watching from the outside, wishing to be there with him. The dreams, the fantasies.
She blinked and sucked in a breath as he lifted her hand to place it against his chest. Oh dear Lord in heaven, this man was sculpted chocolate and she was desperate for a taste.
He shrugged. “Or someone.”
And that killed her high, deflated her like a balloon with a hole in it. “Right…someone.”
They didn’t have the chance to say anything more as Mr. Stevenson walked up to them.
“Everything okay over here?”
His gaze begged her and while she was hurt, like gutted hurt by his callous “or someone” comment, she did truly appreciate the community center and what it meant to the kids, her own child especially.
Unclenching her fist and flattening her hand across his chest, Emma stepped closer to him as she turned on the charm for Mr. Stevenson. She may not have a model body but she knew how to charm. It was how she drew in good tips at the diner.
“You have to understand, I’m very private and wasn’t expecting this to be out as an announcement as it just happened a short time ago. I haven’t even told my daughter. If you don’t mind keeping it quiet, so I can tell her, I would appreciate it.”
“You have a daughter? Where is she?”
Taking the opportunity to move away from Linc so she could breathe a bit better, she pointed out Greer sitting with her teammates as they watched the latest game unfold.
“This was their first game and she was so excited.” She had no doubt her pride and love poured from her statement.
“She is adorable. I’m looking forward to meeting her.” The man stepped back and she continued facing the same direction, not fully sure how Linc wanted her to act around him. “I didn’t think you would be engaged to a single mother, Mr. Conner. I am impressed.”