Page 14 of Sebastian

“Jackson introduced her to me last week at the farmer’s market and she seemed so happy to be moving back to Bell Ridge. Apparently she got a job at the preschool. I’m actually thinking about enrolling Jack there in a few months.”

Jackson raised his eyebrows at his wife and Grace laughed. “Okay, maybe in a year or two.”

“That would be great for you, Grace. And I bet Sylvie is thrilled to have her little girl back.”

Sam Cooper was neighbors with Hank and Daisy. Instead of a hobby farm like Daisy had, Sam raised cattle on the Red River Ranch. The ranch had been in his family for over a hundred years and he was quite possibly the hardest worker Emma knew. She knew things had been hard for Sam since he lost his father unexpectedly a year before her move to Bell Ridge.

“Yeah, I guess we will just see how I eventually feel about leaving him with someone who isn’t family. Oh! I did really like Abby though. She seems so sweet. I was thinking the next time I run into her, I should invite her to our next girl’s night or family dinner. I know she’s a little bit younger than us, but I loved being pulled into the group when I got back to town. I think she would, too.”

“Yeah, I’m all for that, Grace. We should push to get Sam to family dinner, too. I know he’ll be at the auction tonight, but I swear I haven’t seen him in weeks.”

“He’s super busy with the ranch. After the fire, he never replaced his ranch manager. I think he’s just up to his eyeballs between taking care of the cattle and managing all the business side of things,” Jackson said.

“Sounds like he needs to get a help wanted ad out soon. I worry about him with how his dad died,” Emma sighed.

“Yeah, I think we all do.”

The store bell chimed, and Emma watched Natalie walk in with a large box.

“Hey Nat! You want the usual?”

She shook her head. “I can’t stay. It’s been non-stop at work today. But this is for you.” Natalie handed the box to Emma, winked, and waved goodbye as she turned and walked out of the shop.

“Oh, what is it?” Grace asked as baby Jack chewed on a teething toy in her arms.

“I have no idea. Whatever it is, it’ll have to wait. I’ve got cinnamon rolls that need to come out of the oven and cookie orders to fill before I close early today. You guys just holler if you need anything, okay?”

Emma walked to her office and placed the box on her desk. As she gently removed the ribbons holding it shut, butterflies fluttered around in her stomach. Once the lid came off, her breath stalled. The most beautiful siren red dress was inside.

Who the hell would have sent her such a stunning dress? As Emma pulled it from the box, a card fell to the floor. She was too busy admiring the style of the dress to notice at first.

Setting the dress back into the box, she bent and pulled the card out of the envelope.

Wear this tonight, Sprinkles.

Sebastian. Of course. She rolled her eyes, half of her determined to not touch the dress again just to spite him, and the other half of her dying to slip it on to see his reaction. Damn him.

Well, it didn’t matter at that moment, because her timer was alarming in the kitchen, forcing her out of her daydream and back to reality.

That afternoon, Emma closed the bakery and made her way up to her apartment, big box in tow. She threw the box on the sofa and fell into bed, closing her eyes. Sebastian had to know what sending that dress would do to her. How could she resist wearing it? And why couldn’t she stop thinking about whether he would be dressed to match her or not? Was this just a ploy to see if she was interested in him, since she hadn’t been giving him the easiest time?

What if she wore the dress and he brought another woman? He was known for having a new date to every event he went to. Models, musicians, basically any woman who was looking to be seen on the arm of a wealthy, well-connected man. She hated to admit it, but she’d spent some time after he saved her from that wild car looking at pictures of him at various fundraisers in D.C. He’d always looked so handsome, but was never photographed with the same woman twice.

Was he doing all this just to use her? Get the small town baker to let her guard down, have what would probably be the best sex of her life, and then just move on to someone else…ugh. Emma didn’t want that, not that there was anything wrong with a one night stand. It just wasn’t in the cards for her.

The alarm rang on her phone and she forced herself out of bed and into the shower. She had about ten minutes of hot water before the heater gave out. It was the next thing on her ever growing list of things that needed to be replaced, but she’d get there.

Emma grabbed her soap, working it into a lather before she started scrubbing her skin. As her hands spread the suds onto her legs, Sebastian suddenly popped into her mind. Would his hands feel cool and soft like hers, or would they be warm and rough as he spread the soap over her body.

Her heartbeat kicked up as she thought about the sight of Seb, wet from the shower, getting down on his knees and kissing across her skin, nipping at her thighs before she’d open her legs to him. He’d find her clit with one swipe of his finger before his tongue took over and she moaned as her fingers found that pleasure on their own.

Oh fuck. It felt amazing. His tongue would be warm and wet, lapping her up until she was nothing more than a boneless woman. Her fingers moved in the exact way she knew would get her off, but it was his name she screamed when the wave of ecstasy slammed into her like the eye wall of a hurricane. Emma leaned her head on the wall of the shower, her whole body feeling flushed from what she had just done.

She stepped out, wrapping her robe around her still sensitive skin. Would he be able to tell when he saw her that she’d just used his presence in her imagination to achieve one of the best orgasms of her life? There was a little excited flutter that grew in her stomach at the thought of seeing the blush on his cheeks if she was brave enough to whisper it in his ear.

Emma found herself standing in front of her full length mirror wearing the beautiful dress Sebastian had sent over for her. Damn, it fit her like a glove, accentuating her curves in the most alluring way. She finished pinning her hair in a half-up, half-down style and smiled. It had been such a long time since she’d felt butterflies in her stomach.

But there was no doubt in her mind that they were there. She eyed the black dress laid out on her bed. It was beautiful, and wearing it instead of the dress he gifted her would certainly send a message to Sebastian.

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