outside, he stopped her and with a serious
look on his face, proceeded to send her nerves into a frenzy. "I suggest
we come up with a good story together. Something to tell people when they ask
about our… um, relationship."
Right. She was supposed to be his girlfriend. His pretend girlfriend.
"Alright."
"My family might have some ideas and some of them may
be inappropriate. Just, don't take it too seriously with them. They're just
having fun."
She wasn't sure why he was so nervous, but figured she
should listen to him. She had taken everything so seriously for so long, it
would be nice to have a little fun for once.
He started toward the sidewalk and she followed closely
behind. Then he stopped again, abruptly enough that she nearly collided with
his solid back, and turned to look at her. The expression on his face was one
of apprehension and she couldn't help but think it was an adorable look on him.
"And don't listen much to what Gus has to say."
"Okay."
"And if anything comes up that makes you uncomfortable,
just let me know."
"What would come up to make me feel
uncomfortable?"
He raked a hand through his hair and tugged on it before
dropping his arm back to his side. It brushed against hers, sending a wave of
acute awareness through her body. "Your brother or the case. I'm sure they
won't bring it up, but I'll do my best to steer them away from it."
He faced forward once more, but this time kept his pace
slower so she could walk beside him. She felt a warmth wash through her at his
concern and found herself looking forward to whatever it was that came up in
conversation.
Especially if it was about him.
***
Emily opened her eyes to sunlight pouring in the window and
the sound of a lawnmower. Something she hadn't heard in a long, long time. For
once, she woke up rested. She couldn't remember the last time she had a good
night's sleep. She hadn't truly felt safe in the last several months and had an
extremely difficult time getting the thought of what she was doing out of her
head, so she spent most of her nights tossing and turning. She had been so
exhausted after dinner, however, that the moment her head hit the pillow, she
was dead to the world and didn't wake up once.
She sat up and stretched, taking in the room around her. The
bed had been really comfortable and she promised herself to make that a
priority whenever she got back to her old life in Denver, if she ever did. She
never splurged on anything - her apartment was proof of that - but she was
going to spend whatever money she had on a new bed and some comfortable sheets.
It had obviously made a huge difference since her muscles weren't sore anywhere
and she didn't need to immediately pop a few Tylenol before starting the day.
The sound of the lawn mower got louder as it passed under
the window in her room. She wondered if it was Conall that was taking care of
the lawn and hurried out of bed to dress for the day.
The Brannocks weren't the most unusual family she had ever
come across, but they certainly were the funniest. The banter between the
siblings and Lucas had Emily almost falling out of her chair with laughter, and
the stories they told her had been unforgettable.
It started out extremely awkward. Emily wasn't sure if Ash
would be uncomfortable around her after her short emotional episode that
afternoon and Conall had been acting strangely ever since they returned to the
house. Well, maybe he was acting completely normal. She had no idea since he
barely spoke to her.
When Lucas Shade had walked into the kitchen, Emily understood
exactly why Ash got that faraway look in her eyes whenever his name came up. He
was extremely handsome and his piercing blue eyes were definitely something to
gawk at. He was tall and even though he wore loose slacks and a dress shirt,
you could see the strength in his shoulders and chest. It was when he smiled
that Emily finally understood what Ash had been saying to her. Those dimples
could do some serious
look on his face, proceeded to send her nerves into a frenzy. "I suggest
we come up with a good story together. Something to tell people when they ask
about our… um, relationship."
Right. She was supposed to be his girlfriend. His pretend girlfriend.
"Alright."
"My family might have some ideas and some of them may
be inappropriate. Just, don't take it too seriously with them. They're just
having fun."
She wasn't sure why he was so nervous, but figured she
should listen to him. She had taken everything so seriously for so long, it
would be nice to have a little fun for once.
He started toward the sidewalk and she followed closely
behind. Then he stopped again, abruptly enough that she nearly collided with
his solid back, and turned to look at her. The expression on his face was one
of apprehension and she couldn't help but think it was an adorable look on him.
"And don't listen much to what Gus has to say."
"Okay."
"And if anything comes up that makes you uncomfortable,
just let me know."
"What would come up to make me feel
uncomfortable?"
He raked a hand through his hair and tugged on it before
dropping his arm back to his side. It brushed against hers, sending a wave of
acute awareness through her body. "Your brother or the case. I'm sure they
won't bring it up, but I'll do my best to steer them away from it."
He faced forward once more, but this time kept his pace
slower so she could walk beside him. She felt a warmth wash through her at his
concern and found herself looking forward to whatever it was that came up in
conversation.
Especially if it was about him.
***
Emily opened her eyes to sunlight pouring in the window and
the sound of a lawnmower. Something she hadn't heard in a long, long time. For
once, she woke up rested. She couldn't remember the last time she had a good
night's sleep. She hadn't truly felt safe in the last several months and had an
extremely difficult time getting the thought of what she was doing out of her
head, so she spent most of her nights tossing and turning. She had been so
exhausted after dinner, however, that the moment her head hit the pillow, she
was dead to the world and didn't wake up once.
She sat up and stretched, taking in the room around her. The
bed had been really comfortable and she promised herself to make that a
priority whenever she got back to her old life in Denver, if she ever did. She
never splurged on anything - her apartment was proof of that - but she was
going to spend whatever money she had on a new bed and some comfortable sheets.
It had obviously made a huge difference since her muscles weren't sore anywhere
and she didn't need to immediately pop a few Tylenol before starting the day.
The sound of the lawn mower got louder as it passed under
the window in her room. She wondered if it was Conall that was taking care of
the lawn and hurried out of bed to dress for the day.
The Brannocks weren't the most unusual family she had ever
come across, but they certainly were the funniest. The banter between the
siblings and Lucas had Emily almost falling out of her chair with laughter, and
the stories they told her had been unforgettable.
It started out extremely awkward. Emily wasn't sure if Ash
would be uncomfortable around her after her short emotional episode that
afternoon and Conall had been acting strangely ever since they returned to the
house. Well, maybe he was acting completely normal. She had no idea since he
barely spoke to her.
When Lucas Shade had walked into the kitchen, Emily understood
exactly why Ash got that faraway look in her eyes whenever his name came up. He
was extremely handsome and his piercing blue eyes were definitely something to
gawk at. He was tall and even though he wore loose slacks and a dress shirt,
you could see the strength in his shoulders and chest. It was when he smiled
that Emily finally understood what Ash had been saying to her. Those dimples
could do some serious
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