Breathless (2 page)

She’d make this as hard as possible. At least until she got some of that cake. She eyed it surreptitiously—chocolate was her weakness. It was the most decadent chocolate cake she’d ever seen. She’d give her eye teeth just for the frosting.

Darby’s smile grew larger. “You want to cut that cake? Perhaps it might make you a little more forthcoming.”

Emma looked back at her. “I’m that obvious, am I? And here I thought I was being so mysterious.”

Darby’s laughter rang through the kitchen. “No, but I saw that little look you just sent in its direction. If you were aiming for mysterious, you’ve succeeded. The whole town is itching to know everything about you, especially the men.”

Emma blinked and frowned, confused.

“Why? I haven’t seen any, except at the hardware store, and my neighbor Harry. Oh, and of course your brother just now.” She cut the cake into huge wedges and placed one on each plate, handing Darby hers. “Why would they care?”

Darby took a bite of her cake. “You didn’t come from a small town, did you?” When Emma shook her head, she continued, “Do you own a mirror?”

Emma nodded, confused.

“There’s your answer. You came into the Spotted Cow last Saturday, and now they’re all buzzing about you,” Darby said around her mouthful.

Emma thought hard. That name rang a bell. “The bar downtown? I just went in for directions. I was only there for maybe five minutes. There was hardly anyone around. Maybe half a dozen people at best. It wasn’t even nighttime.”

Darby’s eyes glinted with mischief. “Well, those half dozen
men
saw you, and they were very impressed, believe me. It’s all I’ve heard about all week. How darn gorgeous you are. It’s not very often single women move here. You get used to who’s around. They’re friends, you know? You’re fresh meat, and you’ve gotten them all excited.”

Emma’s shock must have shown on her face. “You’re joking, right?”

Darby shook her head. “No. I’m not.”

“And you got sent as a sacrificial lamb? To be the one to check me out?” Emma asked, curious. She was still trying to understand why the guys thought she was hot. She just wasn’t the sex-bomb type. She was as far from it as possible, in reality. Sure, she liked pretty dresses and things, but gorgeous?

“No, I wanted to come and say hi. I thought it was time someone did. They’ve all been so curious, but none of them wanted to be the one to come see what the fuss was all about.”

Emma’s head spun. “Who didn’t want to come? The guys?”

Darby grimaced. “No, the women. They’ve gotten it into their heads that if you’re all that, they don’t want anything to do with you.”

Emma was flabbergasted. “Really? I haven’t done anything wrong.”

Darby stood and came over to put her hand on Emma’s forearm.

“It’s not you. Not exactly. They’re just angry at the guys’ reactions. They’ll get over it. Give them a few weeks, and it’ll all pan out.” Darby pulled the edge of her lip into her mouth. “It would help if you showed yourself in public though. It would show them that you’re really not some mythical creature hiding out in here. You’ll have a fuss made over you, but it won’t last. If you can put up with it, it would go a long way toward pushing it all along. You could come out with me tonight, if you like.”

Emma slumped back against the kitchen counter. She poked a finger at her cake, her appetite having suddenly fled.

She nodded, then looked at Darby. “Why are you being nice to me? Why aren’t you like the rest?”

Darby took a large sip of her coffee and sighed. “This coffee is wonderful. Why? Because I don’t listen to their crap. My sister-in-law, Amy—that’s my brother’s wife—she wanted to come too, but she had to watch the shop for me while I came. Mom would have come as well, but she’s in Pueblo today at some information-day thing she’s had planned for a while.”

Emma stared at her, not comprehending.

“I’ve dumped too much on you at once, haven’t I? Sorry about that. It’ll all come together after a few days. Mom owns the bakery in town. Amy and I work with her.”

Amy.
Another name to file away. Emma gazed at Darby. “So, Amy’s married to Gabe.”

What a shame.
He was a cutie, all right. Emma gave herself a shake. She wasn’t interested in men. Not now, and probably not ever, but he was nice eye candy. Damn nice. He looked a lot like an actor from her favorite disaster movie. It wouldn’t do to get caught staring at another woman’s husband in a town as small as this. That would only amplify their wonderful impression of her.

Darby’s laughter grabbed her attention again. “Hell no. She’s married to Dan, our older brother. He owns the bar that you’ve already seen, the Spotted Cow.” Her grin turned mischievous. “Gabe’s not married. Doesn’t even have a girlfriend. Why, you interested?”

“No! I just assumed…” Emma shrugged, embarrassed that Darby had seen through her. “Why isn’t he attached? It’s not because he’s ugly,” she joked to cover her slip.

“He’s far from ugly. No, he’s just not interested in girls,” Darby murmured.

“Oh,” Emma said, her mind whirling a mile a minute from such an information dump.

Emma glanced sharply at Darby as the implication struck, but Darby’s attention was on her cake.

That’s a shame for women the world over
.
But good for me.
A man that good-looking could make a girl’s pulse speed up just by looking at him. Not that hers had, of course. A man was the last thing on this earth she needed, or wanted.

“You may as well get the third degree over with, Darby. Ask away.” Emma picked up her cake and took a bite, her eyes nearly rolling back in her head from the explosion of flavor. “Oh yum! This is amazing.”

“Mom’s secret recipe. She won’t even tell
me
what’s in it. She made it especially for you, kind of an advanced apology.” Darby popped the last of her cake into her mouth and washed it down with a healthy mouthful of coffee. “Okay. Where are you from, specifically? How old are you? What brought you here to Jefferson?” she asked rapid-fire.

Emma took a deep breath. “Gee, you don’t hold back, do you? Let me see. From a small city called Matheson. I’m twenty-nine. I chose here because it looked really lovely from the website blurb. I spent hours researching the industry and surrounding areas. You have a small city only an hour away, and Denver is only three hours. So if I want to go shopping, I can in a day, but I’ll still have the country lifestyle. It looked like a friendly kind of place.”

Darby nodded as she spoke. “Okay. Sounds good. What do you do for a living? Are you married, or do you have a significant other?”

Emma’s blood chilled. She knew this question was likely, but it didn’t make answering it any easier.

“I’m a hairdresser by trade, but my dad was a carpenter. I used to help him on holidays, so I can manage small repairs.” She indicated the dust on her clothes. “And no, there’s no one. I’m single,” she added softly. Pain shafted, not the agony it was before, but still there, aching. She kept talking to keep her mind from dwelling on the subject. “I like chocolate, in all things. I like puppies. I’m not so fussed on cats, but some are okay. I like summer, but I love winter better, especially if it snows, but I hate to be cold. Go figure. I like beer and red wine—but not together. I love pizza, cakes and savory things. I love parties, and I love to dance. I’m not terribly good at it, but I love it anyway. I like the water and I wear a one-piece, not a bikini. I love to be able to dress up and wear pretty things. I love expensive perfume and French lingerie, but I prefer to wear pants if I’m working or outside. I’ve never ridden a horse and I don’t like cows.”

Emma took a breath. “I think that just about covers it.”

Darby blinked and nodded, a small smile tilting the corners of her lips. “I think it does. If there’s anything else, I’ll get back to you.”

Emma swallowed the final piece of cake on her plate and licked the frosting from her sticky fingers.

Damn, that frosting was as good as it looked.

Darby looked at her, her eyes assessing. “Are you going to come out with me tonight? Give the locals something to talk about?”

Emma blew out a breath. She nodded. “Sure, why not? I guess I’m game. Don’t expect miracles though. If these people already have a problem with me, that’s not going to change in a hurry.”

Darby flipped her hand in the air. “Oh, who cares what they think. Just come out and have some fun.”

Emma couldn’t help but smile at Darby’s infectious humor. “I will. It’s been a long time since I’ve done that. Where are we going and, more important, what do I wear?”

Darby’s grey eyes sparkled. “Dan’s. Do you have a summer dress?”

“Oh yeah. I have oodles of them. My clothes are pretty much the only thing I brought with me. The rest of my stuff is still on its way over in a container,” Emma said.

“Wear one of those. I’ll pick you up at seven? We can eat there and stay for the entertainment. Dan has a band play every Saturday night at eight. Should be an interesting night.”

Emma followed Darby as she went back toward the front door.
Mmm. Interesting for them maybe.

Chapter Three

Gabe glanced at the screen of his cell phone. Darby.

Again.

This was the fifth time she’d called in less than ten minutes. It had to be a record. He sighed heavily, resigned to the grilling he was going to receive as soon as he answered.

“What?”

“Well, aren’t you in a good mood!” Darby chirped, her own tone a happy contrast.

Gabe rubbed his hand against his rough jaw. “Is there anything in particular you wanted? Except to make my life a misery?”

Darby’s contagious laugh echoed in his ear. He couldn’t help but smile when he heard that. She always could get around him. You’d think, even being twins, they’d get along okay, but his and Darby’s relationship was special. They were close, and she was the one who could always pull him out of a funk.

“Yes, my beautiful brother, there is. What were you doing there?”

Gabe closed his eyes. He didn’t have to ask where she meant. He hadn’t been able to get that girl out of his head, which didn’t help his mood any. “Is it really any of your business? And stop calling me that. Men aren’t beautiful. It just isn’t right.”

She chuckled on the other end of the line. “Hey, I’m only repeating what I hear from others. Do you know how many women in this town would love to get their claws into you? Even for one night? It’s positively indecent some of the things I hear at work about my own brother. Besides, if I say you’re gorgeous it reflects on me, my fair friend, since I look like you.”

Gabe groaned. “Do you have to keep going on about that? How many times do they have to hear I’m not interested? I don’t need anyone in my life, okay? I’m quite happy here by myself.”

Darby’s happy voice dulled. “You can’t keep blaming yourself, Gabe. It wasn’t your fault. You can’t stay a monk forever. It’s been two years since you’ve been with anyone. I don’t believe you when you say you’re happy. I wouldn’t be, cooped up all alone out there, with just your cows for company. You’re only thirty-four, for heaven’s sake!”

“I happen to like my cows, and I don’t think Dad would be too impressed being lumped in with the cattle. He’s here most days too, remember? And you, when I can’t get rid of you,” Gabe grumbled. He really didn’t want to get into this.
Not here and not now.

“Mmm. You didn’t answer my question. What were you doing at Emma’s? I thought maybe you’d decided it was time to get over yourself and get a life. She’d certainly be one to get it with, if that’s your aim.”

“Nothing. And no, I’m not. She just moved here. Why didn’t you ask her yourself? You were there.” Gabe hedged. He wasn’t in the mood.

“I had enough questions for the poor girl, without grilling her about my useless brother as well. Give, already!” she demanded.

“Fine. I don’t know why it’s such an issue. She had some busted pipes in her bathroom. She couldn’t get ahold of Hank. Harry gave her my number. She called. I went and patched them up. It should get her through until she sees Hank on Monday. That’s it. Satisfied?” Gabe shook his head in frustration. Darby could be the biggest pain in the butt when she wanted to be.

“See how painless that was? That’s all you had to say from the beginning. Don’t you think she’s hot? All the other guys are pretty gung ho about her. The ones that have seen her anyway. The rest are almost salivating, waiting to catch an eyeful. I almost feel sorry for them.”

“Well good for them. I told you, I don’t care. She’s not my type.”

Darby chuckled. “Gorgeous and sexy is not your type, huh? Oh well. We’ll just have to wait and see which one gets up the nerve to ask her out first. I wonder if she’ll say yes? You know, she seems really nice.”

Gabe threw down the wrench he was using to tighten the tractor wheel, the ringing echo bouncing around the large shed. There was no point even trying to get anything done until Darby was finished. He wouldn’t be able to concentrate.

“I suppose so. Look, is there anything else you wanted, or are you just wasting my time here? I have things to do before dark,” Gabe said, exasperation spilling over into his tone.

“No, I’m done. You’re still on for dinner, aren’t you? Dan said you’re going to give him a hand later.”