Taming a Texas Tease (Bad Boy Ranch Book 7) by Katie Lane

Author:Katie Lane [Lane, Katie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-03-20T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

“Miss Johansen? Did you hear me?”

The question pulled Emma out of her thoughts, and she realized Cheyenne Daily was standing there waiting for an answer.

“I’m sorry,” Emma said. “What did you say?”

Cheyenne glanced at the open shipping box on the counter. “I asked if there was something wrong with the new shipment of paintbrushes. You’ve been standing looking at them for a long time.”

Emma shook her head. “The paintbrushes are fine. My mind must’ve wandered. I thought we’d agreed that you can call me Emma.”

“We did, but my dad said since you’re my bosses I need to call you and Boone by your last names. He says it’s a sign of respect. He’s old-fashioned like that.”

“He’s right. It’s not old-fashioned to show respect to your bosses and elders. But since you’ve proven time and time again in the last few weeks that you respect me as your boss, I think it’s okay if you use my first name—maybe just not around your dad.”

Cheyenne grinned. “Deal . . . Emma.” She paused. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure. Anything.”

“Did you really try to kill Boone? Is that why he hasn’t been back to the store?”

Emma wasn’t surprised by the question. She knew the entire town was thinking the same thing. Emma Johansen had finally gotten rid of Boone Murphy by trying to kill him. But the truth was that she hadn’t been trying to kill him. She’d just been trying to save herself. If Boone had kissed her, she knew it would’ve caused the wall she’d built around her heart to crumble. And once the wall was down, her heart would be exposed once again. She knew she couldn’t survive history repeating itself.

Although it was repeating itself anyway.

Boone was leaving.

Emma had won. The store was hers. She didn’t have to endure any more bad dates. She didn’t have to get a loan. She didn’t have to do anything but accept the gift Boone had given her.

At first, she’d thought it was all a joke. Or that the painkillers he was taking for his ankle had made him say something he didn’t mean. She expected him to call the following day and say “Just kidding.” But he didn’t call the next day. Or the day after. Or the day after that. Nor did he come into work. She would’ve thought it was because of his injury. But according to town gossip, his ankle hadn’t kept him from doing things around his grandparents’ house, getting it ready to sell. She’d also heard that Boone had given his landlady notice.

It was exactly what Emma had wanted. She would no longer be awakened by his howling dog. She’d no longer look out her window to see him tossing the ball for Romeo or mowing the lawn without his shirt.

At work, she would no longer have to watch as he rang up a customer and remember how those strong fingers had felt on her body. No longer have to look into his eyes and remember all the hours she’d spent lost in the beautiful meadow green.

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