Emma could barely contain her excitement as she steered her little car up the driveway. She pulled up next to the house and was amazed at the transformation that had taken place in her yard. The steel sheeting from the barn roof was gone, all the downed limbs from the trees were piled in the corral, ready to be burned, and there were clothes lazily flapping on the line strung between the house and an old maple tree.
Stepping out of her car, she made her way toward the barn, hopeful Sawyer would be there so she did not have to wait any longer to tell him her news. She pushed open the door and went into the quiet space. The cows were out to pasture, and had gone that morning as if it were just any usual day. Emma smiled when she heard the tap! tap! tap! of a hammer in the tack room. She made her way to the door quickly and her breath caught in her chest when her eyes fell on the sight of Sawyer Riggs in a beam of light, sweat trickling down his back, with the straps of his overalls hanging limply at his sides, leaving him bare from the waist up. They rode low enough on his hips, the dimples at the small of his back showed.
"You're gonna have to start paying for the peep shows, Emma. It's not fair to sneak up on a guy and stare at him," Sawyer said, the smile evident in his voice.
Emma rolled her eyes and replied, "Then you're going to have to quit putting on such a sexy show."
He continued the work he'd been doing, waiting for her to come closer. When she walked within arm's reach, his arm snaked out and wrapped around her waist. "How'd it go."
"Let's go sit on the porch, have some lemonade, and I'll tell you. It's a lot," she said softly, struggling not to press her lips against his neck.
Sawyer glanced sideways at her. "Good or bad?" He failed at keeping the worry out of his tone.
Emma took his hand and pulled him away from the framing he had been working on. "Good, I think."
He scowled at her, but let her lead him to the house. As she walked in front of him, he allowed his gaze to linger on her backside, allowed the sway of her hips to entice him. By the time they were on the porch and she had gone through the door to the kitchen, he had already imagined their next sexual encounter, and he was ready. One touch from her had ignited a flame of lust he thought he had mastered. When Emma returned with a tray laden with lemonade, cookies and fruit, his stomach growled, surprising both of them. Her laugh thrilled him as she sat next to him, putting the tray between them. His intense gaze caused her to look away self consciously.
"Look at me, Emma," he said gruffly, the emotion causing his words to come out thick.
She looked up into his face and without a word, his lips captured hers and she reveled in the sweetest kiss of her life. After a few moments, they parted and she cleared her throat. Uncertain how to start, she pulled the folders from her bag that she had left on the porch. "Here's part of the news."
Sawyer took them, questioningly glancing over the stained documents. As he read, a low whistle left his lips and he said, "Hot damn, Emma. You've got your money to fix this place up."
She nodded proudly, and her voice cracked when she said, "Daddy promised he'd always take care of me, and he pulled through one more time. I'm glad Jack held on to these, or daddy might have sold them to Kent Dickerson. But there's more."
At her pause, Sawyer became uneasy. "What did you do, Emma?"
"I talked to Jack. He knows."
She did not have to say what he knew, and the mood Sawyer was in suddenly turned sour. He said through tight teeth, "Did you tell him?"
"No, he knew, I think Sheriff Dwyer talked to him."
Sawyer nodded his head minutely. "Of course he did. That's what you get in a small town. So what, he wants to be there when I turn myself in, be a good ol' boy lawyer and try to help me out?"
Emma was offended for Jack, and replied indignantly, "No! He knows an attorney that specializes in cases like yours. He doesn't know everything. I didn't tell him any more than what he told me he had heard, that's your place. But he gave me the number, so you can call, and he said he would give the lawyer a call on your behalf once you did."
Sawyer had the decency to look chastised. "What good will that do? I'm on borrowed time as it is."
"Jack said that you should talk to Mr. Karney before you turn yourself in, that way you are represented from the beginning. You may even get to avoid going to jail."
Sawyer thought a moment. He had never paid much attention to options when it came to court martial, discipline or legal issues, because he had always been a soldier's soldier, working to the detail of the rules, never even allowing the thought of going against convention. "I guess it can't hurt."
Emma allowed a small smile to cross her lips and said, "I don't think it will hurt, and anything to help will be worth it. I can help with the cost of the attorney now. So don't worry about that. It's the least I can do, I haven't really been able to pay you for all the work you've done around here."
Sawyer reached up and cupped her cheek, surrounding her with a warm, salty scent that was remarkably masculine. "It stopped being work for me awhile ago. I stuck around because I like it. You don't have to pay for me. I've got some money put away, and I'll work it off."
Emma turned into his palm and placed a kiss on the rough skin. She had no words. Instead, she poured him a tall glass of lemonade and handed it to him. Then, she picked up a cookie and took a small bite, avoiding his eyes for a few moments, surveying the property. Emotion made her voice thick as she answered him. "I will do whatever it takes to help you, Riggs. I know I don't have to, but I want to."
He nodded, also choked by emotion. So many feelings swirled through his head, he could not pick one to express. His whole life, he had always been the one to take care of others, to make sure they had what they wanted and needed. He had thought if the people he cared about were happy, that meant he would be too. How wrong he had been. He realized it should go both ways, and for the first time he could remember, he honestly could say he felt what it was like to be cared for. Sawyer cleared his throat, gulped down the full glass of lemonade and set it back on the tray. "How's about you give me that number and I'll get the ball rolling. The sooner it's done, the better."
She pulled a business card out of her purse and handed it to him.
"I'll just need a minute, I think. Emma...thank you."
Her reply was a quick nod and she stood to leave him alone to make his phone call. Hurrying into the kitchen, she clutched her stomach as the first inkling of the reality she would be without Sawyer in the very near future crashed over her. Knots twisted in her gut and nearly brought her to her knees. She tried valiantly to control her breathing, but it was coming in gasps. Stumbling as she went she grasped the edge of the kitchen sink and ran cold water over her neck, trying to calm the nausea pushing bile into her throat. The thought of losing Sawyer hurt her almost as much as losing her father.
The screen door twanged shut, and she stood from where she was crouched.
"Emma, honey, you okay?" The concern in Sawyer's voice burst the dam of her tears and they flowed freely down her cheeks. Before she could say a word, he was in front of her, cradling her face gently between his hands. They ghosted over her neck to her shoulders, and ended with his fingers intertwined with hers. "Talk to me, Sweetheart."
Emma hiccuped and panted, hating the fact that she had broken down. "Dammit! I don't know why I'm crying like a baby."
When her voice rose on another wave of tears, he wrapped her in his arms, against his bare chest. Emma clutched onto him, hooking her hands around his back on his shoulders. When she'd had her cry, she raised her head from his chest and took a deep breath. Without a word, he went to a kitchen chair and sat down, pulling her onto his lap.
"Emma, it won't be forever. And I think that attorney you found can actually help. I'm supposed to get my affairs in order, and he's going to come here in 3 days, and will go with me when I turn myself in. He says he can usually bargain for the least amount of punishment. Maybe I'll only have to finish off the tour I left on base. I can do that. He said maybe I can go before the Medical Board and see if they can release me. Then I can just go." The hope in Sawyer's voice was contagious and a spark lit the dark place Emma had gone to.
"That's great! That's really great. But what am I going to do without you?" she asked, fighting to keep the disappointment from her voice.
"You'll keep on doing what you do. Are you going to keep this place? Because if so, you need some help. We've gotta hire a couple hands to help keep this place running."
Emma laughed. "That's for sure. You are the hardest worker I've ever met. It'll take a couple guys to equal what you do around here. The ladies will miss you milking them every morning. They only tolerate me because they know they'll be miserable if they didn't."
"That's better. I love your laugh. I'm gonna do whatever I can to keep hearing that."
She leaned down to kiss him again, letting the moment linger, savoring every detail. The taste of his lips, their velvety softness. The way his mustache tickled her nose a little. The taste of his tongue when it met hers. Emma moved to straddle Sawyer's lap, but he stopped her before she could settle in close.
"We've got chores to do, missy. Later," he said huskily. He laughed out loud when she pouted and groaned.
~~~~~~~~
The next two days went by too quickly. Emma and Sawyer had cleared away as much debris as they could, using the tractor to bulldoze the wreckage of the bunkhouse into a large pile. He had then put the animal carcasses in the pile and they had a bonfire to clear away the whole mess. He had somehow managed to repair the hole in the barn roof by himself. Emma had called in a few of her daddy's friends and they were able to find a few men willing to work for her. Sawyer met each one and felt they were trustworthy, seconded by Blue's judgement. He knew the men and seemed at ease with them. They would be there in the morning to start taking over the chores. It had been decided that Emma would be in the management role, but stay out of the day to day chores unless there was a task that needed more manpower. There was enough going on with the estate, the oil and now the insurance mess with the tornado damage, she needed to be acting as a full time clerical worker.
During one of the nights when they were cuddled into her parents' bed, while they were sharing all of their hopes and secrets, she had let him know that she missed pediatric medicine. Emma had decided to give up the neuro fellowship, but would just go ahead and study for the Pediatric Board Exam and plan to take it, then look for a job nearby. If she could get a good crew on the farm, she could work at least part time as a pediatrician. Sawyer was wholeheartedly supportive of her decision, as he could sense her passion for it as she talked about the kids she missed.
They avoided the subject of what to call what they had, but whatever it was, it was palpable. Emma felt her heart weaving around him and he had a warmth in his chest, a fullness he could barely contain.
~~~~~~~~
Thursday morning came and Emma awakened to the sensation of being watched. Her eyes fluttered open and met Sawyer's intent gaze.
"Morning. What are you doing?" she asked, trying to stifle a yawn.
"Memorizing every millimeter of your face."
Emma blushed and met his eyes. She traced her fingertips across his high cheek bone and traced the mustache he now wore. The sun had bleached his eyebrows and lashes to a cinnamon blond. "I'll be here, waiting for you. I promise."
At her words, he swallowed loudly and sat up on the edge of the bed. She came up on her knees and wrapped her arms around his shoulders from behind, kissing the nape of his neck and across his right shoulder.
He quickly squeezed her hand, before standing up. She felt bereft. Sawyer turned and pulled her to her feet, and held her close. "Today's the day. I've got to do a few things. I need to do them on my own. Okay?"
Trying not to be disappointed, she nodded, not trusting her voice.
"Do you have anything to do in town? I want to take you with me, I just have some things I need to do, and I'm not sure I can do it if you're there."
"I understand. I can go to the library and sign up for the Board Exams, since the internet sucks out here. And I'm sure I can find something else to do if it takes very long."
"Thank you," he said, the look in his eyes causing unease to settle into Emma's belly.
"You're not going to do anything dangerous, are you? Or something that can get you in more trouble," she asked.
There was a glint in his eye, but he shook his head no. He turned away from her and went into the bathroom and turned on the shower. She joined him there, not wanting to let a single moment go by apart from him that she had control over. Neither of them could eat, and Emma watched helplessly as he gathered the belongings he had come with and put them in his duffel bag. There were a few things he had bought in the last two months he had been there. He did not have room to pack them up.
Emma stepped forward as he stood before the kitchen table where some of it was piled. She put her hand on a pile and said, "You're coming back, right? Just leave it here. I'll put it in the closet with my things, ready for you when you come back."
"That sounds perfect, Em. If I have to go...um...If I have to go to prison, can you bring my things home with you?"
He asked this without looking at her, instead staring out the window. Emma put a hand on his arm and tugged at him to make him look at her. When he looked down into her eyes she said, "I will take care of it. If you come back to me today, tomorrow, next week or next year, it doesn't matter."
As she said it, she made herself keep a smile, but the thought of a year apart made her heart flutter. A thought crossed her mind. "If you have to go to jail, can I visit? Or is it only family?"
"I don't know. I'll have to find out."
"But if you go today, and I can't..." she couldn't finish her sentence.
"Then we'll have to fix that." Sawyer took Emma's hand and dropped to one knee. "You'll have to be family. If you'll have me."
Emma was confused, as everything was happening too quickly.
"Emma, will you marry me?"