“I don’t know if I can,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
* * *
Emily breathedin the fresh air and took in the small purple and yellow wildflowers surrounding the blanket Jake had set her on. She closed her eyes and listened to the water rushing over the small waterfall twenty yards upstream. Even the bark of the pine tree pressing into her back made her feel so alive.
Every time Jake took her for a ride, Emily didn’t think she’d seen anything quite so beautiful, especially amid the desert landscape of Southeastern Washington. But the location of today’s picnic was the prettiest yet.
They sat in a small grove of Pine and Aspen trees next to a crystal-clear stream, secluded from the rest of the world.
“This is our own little piece of heaven on the ranch.” Jake’s voice was tinged with pride.
“It’s beautiful.” She drew in another deep breath and let it out. “And peaceful.”
If only she could forget about all she’d lost.Will I ever truly have peace again?
Jake spread out enough food to feed a small army. Lottie and Faith had thought of everything—sandwiches, crackers and cheese, chips, vegetables, and assorted fruits, including a separate, small container of strawberries. Packed just for her, since Jake was allergic.
She opened the container and picked out a plump berry. Holding it by the leaves, she took a bite. The sweet juice burst in her mouth.Delicious.She closed her eyes savoring the flavor.
How allergic is Jake to strawberries?
If he kissed her after she ate the strawberry would he be able to taste it on her mouth? Would it be enough to cause an allergic reaction?
Heat flooded her cheeks. She shouldn’t be thinking about kissing Jake. Kissing was off limits.
She opened her eyes to find his eyes on her mouth. Self-consciously, she licked her lips to make sure there was no juice left on them.
The muscle in his jaw clenched as he tore his eyes away from her face.
Knowing she shouldn’t, but unable to stop herself, she cleared her throat and asked, “So, how allergic are you to strawberries?”
Jake’s eyebrows rose as he looked at her lips again. Had he read her thoughts?
Planting a hand on the blanket between them, he slowly leaned toward her.
Emily’s pulse accelerated, and she forgot to breath.
Jake drew closer, until his cheek almost touched hers. His warm breath against her ear sent a shiver down her spine. “Ishouldtell you I’m deathly allergic, so you’ll stop teasing me.” Then he shifted so his lips almost touched hers.
Her lips parted, and her mouth grew moist.
“But the truth is... I’m only mildly allergic.”
His breath brushed across her lips, light as a feather. He pulled away, and she drew in a shaky breath. She’d never felt so relieved and disappointed at the same time. She’d wanted that kiss.
Thank goodness he had the strength to resist kissing her, because kissing would have complicated things further. She needed to find the strength to do this on her own, but she wasn’t even strong enough to resist Jake’s kiss.
This is the worst possible time in my life to fall in love.She needed to remember that.
“I’m sorry, Jake. I didn’t mean to tease you. When I ate the strawberry, I couldn’t help thinking...” she let her voice die off, realizing she wasn’t making it any easier, for either of them.
“The same thing I was thinking about, obviously.” The smile Jake gave her, made her heart stutter. “Serves me right for thinking I need to watch every bite you take to make sure you eat enough.”
“I’ll do my best to eat,” she said. “So, you don’t have to watch me.”
“Good.” The word was little more than a grunt.
After a few minutes of silence, while they each nibbled at their food, Jake asked, “What do you think will happen to your father’s company?”
