Page 53 of Taming His Honeydoll
Henry and Everett had secured an apartment and were overseeing the repairs to the burned-out home Emma and he had lived in. Henry had decided to keep the house and would pay Emma her share once he was organized. So far, they had recovered very little of any value from the fire.
Marsha’s due date was fast approaching and Oliver was getting antsy. One of Oliver’s dogs was due to have a litter of puppies soon as well, and he’d promised one to Levi. The collie Sawyer had grown up with was older than dirt when his dad had passed away, and Beauty, as Carter had named her, didn’t live much longer after that. His mom missed Beauty and they all agreed a new puppy was in order.
The house was quiet inside. His mother was watching an old western and Emma was putting Levi down. His heart had nearly leaped out of his chest when he’d asked her to stay with them for a while so he and Rachel could get to know Levi better, and she’d actually agreed.
Their relationship over the last three weeks had been calm but with an edge to it. Even though they had talked a lot, argued some, and disagreed on occasion, he’d been treading lightly. He wanted Emma to trust him again—getting to know each other better was part of that. This was too important to screw up.
Big Henry, true to his word, had called him a few days ago and told him to get someplace private and he would call him back in five minutes. He’d agreed and they had gone to the barn and sat on the hay bale bench and waited for his call. When the phone rang, he’d picked it up.
“Son, I have Marlene in place over the edge of my desk for her first official installment to answer to the legal charges you indicated. She’s already had one bite of my cane. Do you two want the hear the other five?”
In the background, they could hear Marlene sobbing and softly pleading for them all to forgive her and please not be too harsh. Sawyer didn’t have one lick of sympathy for her but he didn’t necessarily want to hear her screaming in pain either. He raised his eyebrows in question at Emma and she quickly shook her head no. “No, Sir. I trust you are keeping your word.”
“I always keep my word. Her first punishment came from me personally, but she’s ready for you now.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Jolly good then.”
The phone connection was severed and they had stared at each other for a moment before Emma stood up and rushed into the house.
Marlene being punished this way was bothering Emma, Sawyer knew that. But she also knew it was probably the only way Marlene would pay for the things she’d done. She’d needed taken down several pegs and Big Henry seemed to know just how to take care of that. His mind wandered on.
Kissing Emma had become a habit in the last few weeks, as well as a hearty smack to her buttocks when she forgot to work on her language or sometimes just because he loved the feel of her firm globes beneath his palm. She always shot him a dirty glare but didn’t argue. They had talked about that too.
Discipline was a part of who Sawyer was, not only because of his parents, but from his service to his country. While she understood it, she said she didn’t have to like it. He could live with that. He hadn’t particularly liked it either when his dad’s razor strap had landed across his rear end, but he’d gritted his teeth and taken his lumps when he had them coming.
He had to admit, keeping his hands off her was getting harder by the day. Waiting for her to make up her mind was requiring all the discipline he could manage. Dreams of her beautiful eyes beseeching him to love her haunted him. Praying for a second chance to make that happen, he was patiently, or rather impatiently, still waiting. The hand on his shoulder started him out of his reverie.
“You have a minute, Son?”
He turned to look at his mother and a grin lifted his lips. “You startled me, Mom, I was daydreaming.”
Her face softened. “I bet I can guess about who.”
“That obvious, huh?” He shook his head ruefully.
“If you don’t mind my interfering, may I ask what you are going to do about Emma?”
Sawyer was surprised and then amused. “What? Where is my lasagna dinner and cobbler? Don’t I get that first before you tell me what’s on your mind?”
She lifted her chin and sniffed. “You don’t deserve that at the moment, not with what you are putting that little girl through right now.”
His eyes widened. “Me? I’m the one waiting on her. I’m trying to give us time to get to know one another.”
His mother’s toe started tapping and her arms crossed as she shot him a frown. “You already know each other, you have a child together, you love each other—what are you waiting for?”
“Mother,” Sawyer growled.
“Don’t give me that ‘it’s none of your business’tone, Sawyer Blackland. You and your father are carbon copies of each other. He always kept parts of himself back too.”
Sawyer rolled his eyes. “Just exactly what am I holding back? In your opinion that is,” he responded dryly.
“The ring that should be on her finger, that’s what,” she replied with a snappy glare. “Emma is a refined young woman from a good family. How do you suppose her brother feels about the fact that you haven’t spoken for her? Why, I’m surprised he hasn’t taken a shotgun to you yet. Or one of those protective friends of his. Especially that Ty. There’s a no-nonsense man if I ever saw one—probably dangerous too.”
Sawyer’s eyes widened. The comment about Ty amused him, especially after getting to know him a little better, but she was right—he would be a dangerous man to cross, as would all of Oliver’s friends. But sometimes amid his mother’s nosy interference he often found a good point—like the ring. He’d just assumed Emma knew he meant marriage in the future, after she learned to trust him again. Had he made yet another mistake? Was she waiting for him to formally ask her?
“I’m not sure she’s ready for that yet,” he said uncertainly, running his hand through his hair.
