Page 67 of Pretend To Be My Cowboy
An image rose up in Nash’s mind and it hit him like a sucker punch. He nearly bent over with the force of it. Emma with a babe in her arms. Not just a babe,hisbabe. Emma with a little girl with blonde locks just like hers. Emma with a houseful of kids running around her and making her laugh.
Aw heck. He had to banish that picture right here and now. Tempting as it might be, she’d be leaving soon enough, and thoughts like these weren’t his to have.
She straightened then, turning to swipe a stray hair off of her face with the back of her hand. She laughed softly at the sight of him and the others watching her. “What? Am I doing it wrong?”
JJ was the first to respond. “No, ma’am.” He removed his hat and held it over his heart. “We’re all just wondering how we can convince you to stay here forever.”
Emma’s laughter was light and sweet as she shook off the idea.
She still had every intention of leaving and selling this place just as quickly as she could get all the signatures. That was what her laughter told Nash.
It was a good reminder, and it was exactly what he needed to hear.
No more letting his attraction for her mess with his head. They were friends, that was all. And so long as he remembered that, no one would get hurt.
She stuck her pitchfork in the dirt and leaned against it slightly, her cheeks flushed. “So? What’s next?”
He walked toward her with a chuckle, taking the pitchfork so he could put it away. “Next, you and I head home for some supper.”
“Oh.” She looked so disappointed he wanted to give her a hug.
“You did great today.”
Her lips curved as she peeked up at him. “Yeah?”
“You’re a natural.”
She laughed. “You said that about horse riding too. I’m starting to think you’re just really nice.”
This made Kit and JJ crack up.
“Em, if you think Nash here is one to throw around compliments while we’re working, you clearly haven’t met the man.”
She giggled at that. Nash felt a muscle in his jaw twitch, not because he was offended. He wasn’t quick to give compliments, that was a fact. But when did JJ start calling her by a nickname?
He took a deep breath. No more jealousy. It wasn’t his place to be so greedy. And yet...it was his place to take her to the festival. Right?
This shouldn't be confusing. The town thought they were dating, she’d enjoy the event—there was no reason for him to be overthinking this.
As they headed toward the house, leaving Kit and JJ to head to their respective homes, he removed his work gloves and slapped them against his palm. “Hey, Emma?”
She looked over with an adorable teasing smile. “Hey, Nash?” she echoed back.
He cleared his throat. He was making this weird for no good reason. Drawing in a deep breath, he spit it out. “Would you like to go to the Aspire Days Festival with me?”
She turned to him with wide eyes.
He swallowed hard. Much as he tried to remind himself that this was not a real date, his heart didn’t seem to buy it. The organ was pounding away like he’d just run a marathon. “It’s this yearly festival that they hold downtown and—”
“Yes.”
He blinked. “Yeah?”
She grinned. “I heard all about it when I went into town for baking supplies. I’d love to go.”
“Oh.” He let out a long breath. “Good.”
She linked her arm through his as they headed toward the house again. He tried not to notice the smell of her shampoo, or how good it felt to walk with her like this, side by side after a hard day’s work.
