get you some different clothes to wear if I’m going to transform you into a cowgirl.”
“I’ve never worn pants like you’ve got on,” Millie said. “Are they comfortable?”
“Yes, but if you don’t want to wear pants, I have a split riding skirt you can have.”
“I’ll try anything once,” Millie declared. “Has Miss Harriet seen you dressed this way yet?”
“No, not yet.”
“It’ll be interesting to hear what she has to say.”
“Maybe we can convince her to dress for ranch work, too,” Emmie said with a grin, trying to imagine the older woman out working stock dressed like a ranch hand.
They both laughed at the idea.
“I don’t think that will go over very well with her,” Millie responded.
“You’re probably right.”
They lingered there a little longer before returning to the house for the evening.
Chapter Eight
I
t was long after dark when Josh finally finished working in the stable and started up to the main house. He wanted to check the books and make sure all the paperwork was caught up. The house was dark, so he let himself in, not wanting to disturb anyone. He went straight to the study and closed the door. He lit the lamp and settled in at the desk. Tired as he was, he hoped he could finish quickly and call it a night.
For Emmie, the day had been long and exhausting, both emotionally and physically, but she was finding comfort in being home at the ranch. She had spent the evening at the house with Millie and Miss Harriet, enjoying the delicious dinner Kate had made for them, and then they had all retired early.
Emmie had fallen asleep as soon as she’d gone to bed, and it was much later that night when she was jarred awake by the sound of someone moving about downstairs. She got out of bed and quickly opened her bedroom door to check. She thought Millie or Miss Harriet might need something. Shewas surprised when she found the house was completely dark.
Uneasy, she quickly donned her robe and silently went into her father’s bedroom to get his gun. She didn’t know who was downstairs, but she intended to find out.
Gun in hand, Emmie carefully made her way down the steps and looked around. She was surprised to see light coming from beneath her father’s closed office door, and her first thought was that someone was trying to steal the cash kept there. Her father had always locked what cash he had on hand in a small safe hidden in the office. She was frightened, but knew she had no time to go for help. Yelling would do her no good, since there was no one within earshot who could come to her aid in time.
Taking a deep breath, Emmie tightened her grip on the gun and in one smooth move threw the door open and rushed in to confront the thief.
“Hold it right where you are!” she ordered.
Josh had been hard at work when the door flew open. Startled, he looked up to find himself staring down the barrel of Hank’s revolver—but Hank definitely wasn’t the one holding it.
Shocked to find Josh sitting at her father’s desk, Emmie just stood there staring at him.
Josh tried to stay calm, but, in truth, he was furious. He was usually on the other end of a loaded gun. “I hope you know how to use that gun.”
“Oh!” Completely embarrassed, Emmie lowered the revolver. “It’s you.”
“And just who did you think it would be?” he demanded, glaring up at her. It was then that he noticed her robe had come untied and was gaping open, giving him a clear view of the pale blue silk nightgown clinging to her womanly curves. With her dark hair down and loose about her shoulders, she looked more like a seductress than Hank’s little girl. Josh immediately grew irritated with himself over the direction of his thoughts.
Completely unaware of her state of undress, Emmie heard the anger in his voice and returned it, challenging, “I heard a noise down here and came to check on it. When I saw the light coming from under the door, I thought someone was robbing us.”
Josh
“I’ve never worn pants like you’ve got on,” Millie said. “Are they comfortable?”
“Yes, but if you don’t want to wear pants, I have a split riding skirt you can have.”
“I’ll try anything once,” Millie declared. “Has Miss Harriet seen you dressed this way yet?”
“No, not yet.”
“It’ll be interesting to hear what she has to say.”
“Maybe we can convince her to dress for ranch work, too,” Emmie said with a grin, trying to imagine the older woman out working stock dressed like a ranch hand.
They both laughed at the idea.
“I don’t think that will go over very well with her,” Millie responded.
“You’re probably right.”
They lingered there a little longer before returning to the house for the evening.
Chapter Eight
I
t was long after dark when Josh finally finished working in the stable and started up to the main house. He wanted to check the books and make sure all the paperwork was caught up. The house was dark, so he let himself in, not wanting to disturb anyone. He went straight to the study and closed the door. He lit the lamp and settled in at the desk. Tired as he was, he hoped he could finish quickly and call it a night.
For Emmie, the day had been long and exhausting, both emotionally and physically, but she was finding comfort in being home at the ranch. She had spent the evening at the house with Millie and Miss Harriet, enjoying the delicious dinner Kate had made for them, and then they had all retired early.
Emmie had fallen asleep as soon as she’d gone to bed, and it was much later that night when she was jarred awake by the sound of someone moving about downstairs. She got out of bed and quickly opened her bedroom door to check. She thought Millie or Miss Harriet might need something. Shewas surprised when she found the house was completely dark.
Uneasy, she quickly donned her robe and silently went into her father’s bedroom to get his gun. She didn’t know who was downstairs, but she intended to find out.
Gun in hand, Emmie carefully made her way down the steps and looked around. She was surprised to see light coming from beneath her father’s closed office door, and her first thought was that someone was trying to steal the cash kept there. Her father had always locked what cash he had on hand in a small safe hidden in the office. She was frightened, but knew she had no time to go for help. Yelling would do her no good, since there was no one within earshot who could come to her aid in time.
Taking a deep breath, Emmie tightened her grip on the gun and in one smooth move threw the door open and rushed in to confront the thief.
“Hold it right where you are!” she ordered.
Josh had been hard at work when the door flew open. Startled, he looked up to find himself staring down the barrel of Hank’s revolver—but Hank definitely wasn’t the one holding it.
Shocked to find Josh sitting at her father’s desk, Emmie just stood there staring at him.
Josh tried to stay calm, but, in truth, he was furious. He was usually on the other end of a loaded gun. “I hope you know how to use that gun.”
“Oh!” Completely embarrassed, Emmie lowered the revolver. “It’s you.”
“And just who did you think it would be?” he demanded, glaring up at her. It was then that he noticed her robe had come untied and was gaping open, giving him a clear view of the pale blue silk nightgown clinging to her womanly curves. With her dark hair down and loose about her shoulders, she looked more like a seductress than Hank’s little girl. Josh immediately grew irritated with himself over the direction of his thoughts.
Completely unaware of her state of undress, Emmie heard the anger in his voice and returned it, challenging, “I heard a noise down here and came to check on it. When I saw the light coming from under the door, I thought someone was robbing us.”
Josh
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