LITMIR.BIZ

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in that moment she’d never forget him, no matter what turns her life took in the morning.

      Very slowly, her movements deliberate and unmistakable, Emma pulled herself away from Casey. She took one step, then another and another, until she stood several feet away from him.

      It wasn’t easy, but she managed to face his parents. This time her gaze never wavered. What she had to say was too important to leave any doubts. “Casey has never touched me.”

      Sawyer sat up a little straighter, and his eyebrows came down in a dark frown of bewilderment. Honey’s gaze darted between them.

      “Emma…” Casey took a step toward her.

      She shot up a hand to ward him off. His nobility, his willingness to sacrifice himself, amazed her and made her love him that much more. She smiled at him, her first genuine smile in weeks. The time for sniffling and crying and being a fool had ended. She owed this family more than that. She owed Casey so damn much. “Casey, when I told my parents I was pregnant, I lied.”

      “But…”

      Feeling stiff and awkward, she rolled one shoulder in a casual shrug. “I’m sorry.” Her words trembled, nearly incoherent, and she cleared her throat. She wanted to beg him not to hate her, but that wouldn’t be fair. “I know it was wrong. I had to say something to get away and I couldn’t think of anything else.”

      His gaze locked on her, Sawyer rose from his chair. He looked angry, but Emma had the feeling his anger wasn’t directed at her. Still, she couldn’t stop herself from backing away at his approach. When she caught Casey’s frown, she halted and forced herself to remain still.

      With a large gentle hand on her chin, Sawyer tipped her face this way and that to examine her bruised cheek, then he carefully looked at the rest of her face. He was an imposing man, and she’d always been in awe of him. Now, with him in front of her and Casey close at her side, she almost felt faint.

      “What happened to your face, Emma?” Sawyer’s tone left no room for evasions. He expected an answer. He expected the truth.

      He couldn’t have it.

      Emma touched the bruise, and winced. “I…I fell, that’s all.”

      Casey snorted.

      She cast him a quick worried look, but couldn’t meet his piercing gaze for more than a few seconds. They didn’t deserve to be lied to, but neither did they deserve to be drawn into her problems. If they knew, they’d never let her get away. She’d done enough to them. From here on out, she would handle things. Alone. She had to.

      Sawyer again tipped up her chin, this time to regain her attention. “We can help if you’ll let us.”

      Did every one of them take nobility in stride? Emma wiped her eyes on her crumpled tissue, wondering how to explain without telling too much. Shame bit into her, and she sighed. “Dr. Hudson, I’m so sorry—”

      Casey caught her elbow and whirled her around to face him, his anger barely leashed. “Quit apologizing, damn it. It’s not necessary.”

      Emma pulled back. “I’ve barged in here—”

      “Your father barged in, not you.” Casey’s light-brown eyes burned nearly gold, and his jaw was set. “You’re not responsible for what he does, Emma.”

      “But…this time I am,” she explained gently. She was very aware of his parents’ attention. “I told him I was pregnant, and I told him…I told him that you were the father.”

      She turned to Sawyer and Honey in a rush, stumbling over her words. “Casey hasn’t ever touched me, I swear. He wouldn’t. He’s so much better than that. But I knew if I named any other guy…” She stalled, not sure what else to say. From the time she became a teenager, she’d been with so many boys. And yet, she’d named the only one who hadn’t wanted her.

      Hands on his hips, Casey dropped his head forward, staring at the floor. He made a rough sound, part growl, part sarcasm. “None of the other guys would have defended you, would have taken you in.”

      Relief that she hadn’t had to explain, after all, made Emma’s knees weak. “I used your integrity against you, and I am sorry.” Twisting her hands together, she faced Sawyer. “Everyone in Buckhorn knows that you and your brothers are good people. I thought that you might help me, so I used Casey’s name to get here. It wasn’t right and I can understand if you hate me, but it was the only thing I could think of.”

      “Emma,” Honey murmured, her tone filled with sympathy, “no one hates you.”

      Impatient, Sawyer shook his head. “Why did you need to get here, Emma? That’s what I want to know.”

      And Honey added, “But of course you’re more than welcome to stay—”

      “Oh, no.” Appalled by the conclusions she’d led them to, Emma shook her head. “No, you’re not stuck with me or anything like that.” She’d made a real muddle of things, she realized. “I have no intention of imposing on you, I swear.”

      They met her promises with blank stares.

      She started trembling again. She’d never felt more unsophisticated or more trashy than she did right at that moment, standing among them. The comparison between herself and them made her stomach pitch. She wanted to take off running and never look back.

      Soon, she promised herself. Very soon. “I have some money that I’ve saved up, and I know how to work. I’m going to go to Ohio first thing in the morning.”

      “What’s in Ohio?” Casey asked, and he didn’t look so even-tempered now. He looked ready to explode.

      A new life, she wanted to tell him, but instead she lied. Again. “I have a…a cousin there. She offered me a place to stay and a job.”

      Her expression worried, Honey glanced at Sawyer, then Casey, before tilting her head at Emma. “What kind of job?”

      What kind of job? Emma blinked, taken aback by the question. She hadn’t expected this. She’d thought they’d be glad to see her gone. Oh, she’d known that they would offer to let her stay the night, that they’d be kind. She wouldn’t have come to them otherwise. But she figured once she told them she had a place to go they’d send her on her way with no questions asked.

      Think, she told herself, and finally mumbled, “I’m not sure, actually. But she said it’d be perfect for me and I assume it’ll be something…reasonable.”

      The way they all looked at her, they knew she was lying. Emma started backing away toward the phone. “I…I’m going to call a cab now.” She dared a quick peek at Casey, then wished she hadn’t. In all the time she’d known him, she’d never once seen him so enraged. “When…when I get settled, I’ll write to you, okay?”

      Casey again crossed his arms over his chest. “That won’t be necessary.”

      Her heart sank and she wanted to crumble in on herself. “I understand.” Why would he want to hear from her anyway? She’d offered herself to him plenty of times—and every single time he’d turned her away. And still she’d barged into his life.

      “You don’t understand a damn thing.” Casey began striding toward her. “Emma, you’re not going anywhere.”

      His tone frightened her. She felt locked in his gaze, unable to look away, unable to think. “Of course I am.”

      “No.” Sawyer strode toward her too, his movements easy, nonthreatening, which didn’t help Emma’s panic one bit. “Casey is right. It’s damn near the middle of the night and you look exhausted. You need to get some sleep. In the morning we’ll all talk and figure out what’s to be done.”

      “No…” She shook her head, dazed by their reactions.

      “Yes.” Sawyer took her arm, his expression gentle, his intent implacable. “For now, I want you to eat a sandwich

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