12. Emma
Twelve
Emma
I felt my cheeks flush with embarrassment as our fingers brush as he takes the Tupperware from me. Fumbling backwards I say “I-I should get going.”
I turned to leave but my foot caught on a rock and I lurched forward, bracing for the impact. But before I could hit the ground, a strong arm wrapped around my waist, steadying me.
I looked up, breath catching in my throat, to find Ridge gazing down at me, his brow furrowed in concern. The little girl on his hip giggled, seemingly delighted by the near-disaster.
“Careful there,” Ridge murmured, his voice low and rumbling. His gaze flickered to my heels then back to me. “Wouldn’t want you to go tumbling especially with those shoes you’re wearing.”
I felt a shiver run down my spine at his proximity, my heart racing. “T-thank you,” I whispered, suddenly hyper-aware of the warmth of his hand on my waist.
Avery squirmed to get closer to me effectively breaking the spell. “Here, Emma, can you hold her for just a sec?”
Before I could react, he deposited Avery into my arms. Our bodies brushed together as the little girl settled against me, and that now familiar shiver of awareness danced along my spine. I swayed slightly at the tingling contact, feeling almost dizzy being this close to Ridge.
Warm chuckles rumbled from his chest as his hands shot out to steady me, curving around my waist again. “You need to steady yourself there, sweetheart,” he murmured, the unexpected endearment sending my heart lurching.
I froze, certain my face was plastered with a hopelessly lovestruck expression as I gazed dazedly into his sparkling green eyes. The air seemed to thicken with sudden tension, the only sounds Avery’s soft giggles and the thundering of my pulse in my ears.
Then, before I could catch my breath, Ridge dropped into a crouch at my feet. His large, calloused palms cupped my ankles, making me sway precariously. On instinct, my hands landed on the solid wall of his shoulders to brace myself as he efficiently unbuckled the straps of my high heels.
“Wait here,” he instructed in that deep, rumbly rasp that had become my favorite sound.
I could only nod dumbly, feeling utterly unmoored as Ridge rose fluidly and strode away, Avery contentedly settled in my arms. What on earth was he doing?
Moments later, he reappeared carrying a dusty box. A devilish grin played about his lips as Ridge knelt again, gently grasping my ankle to slide my bare foot into a pair of gorgeous buttery soft cowgirl boots.
“There,” he said in satisfaction, securing the boots on each foot before rising to his full towering height again. “Can’t have you taking any more spills in those hazardous high heels.”
His gaze raked over me appreciatively, eyes shamelessly lingering on my legs now encased in the snug boots. “Much better.”
I felt my cheeks flush hotly under his smouldering stare, acutely aware of every place our bodies brushed as Avery snuggled contentedly against me. The tension was suddenly thick enough to cut with a knife, my heart rabbiting as Ridge held my eyes for a long beat.
“Ahem…sorry, that was Leone on the phone,”Ethan’s familiar voice jolted us out of the heated trance and our eyes snap in his direction. My older brother stood in the doorway, cradling Lily in his arms as the 8-year-old squirmed impatiently.
As Ethan took in the scene before him - me flushed and flustered with Ridge crowding my personal space, our bodies mere inches apart - realization seemed to dawn in his eyes. A knowing look flickered across his face as he pieced together the lingering tension and the way Ridge’s hand rested possessively on my waist.
In that moment, I could practically see the understanding click into place. Ethan had figured out my secret - the crush I had been harboring on our handsome next-door neighbor, the owner of the sprawling ranch that bordered our family’s modest homestead.
My cheeks burned brighter at having been so transparent, worried Ethan would say something embarrassing to call me out in front of Ridge. But to my surprise, he stayed quiet, lips pressed together in a tight line as he wrestled with this new realization about his little sister’s feelings.
“Hey Em, what are you doing here?” was all he said, his tone carefully neutral as an amused grin played at the corners of his mouth.
Shifting Avery in my arms, I fought the urge to squirm under Ethan’s newly perceptive gaze. “Oh, I just made some brownies and snacks for everyone. Lily and Cody loved the pancakes I brought over last time, so I thought I’d bake some treats.”
Ethan’s eyes slid meaningfully between Ridge and me, his smirk widening ever-so-slightly. “How…thoughtful of you,” Ethan said dryly, jerking his chin towards Ridge. “I’m sure the big, strong Ridge appreciates you looking out for him and his little crew.”
The emphasis he put on the words had me flushing with embarrassed annoyance at his assumptions. Before I could retort, Lily let out a mighty squeal of “Daddy!” and launched herself out of Ethan’s arms.
She streaked across the room and flung herself at Ridge, who caught her easily and swung the giggling girl up into his embrace. “Well, hello to you too, Princess. Did you have fun at your drawing class with Uncle James?”
Lily nodded vigorously, blond curls bouncing. “Uhhuh! I made you the most amazingist picture ever!”
She squirmed to be put down, and Ridge obliged with an indulgent chuckle. The moment her feet hit the floor, Lily was off like a tiny blonde tornado, no doubt racing to grab her prized artwork to show her dad.
She squirmed to be put down, and Ridge obliged with an indulgent chuckle. The moment her feet hit the floor, Lily was off like a tiny blonde tornado, no doubt racing to grab her prized artwork to show her dad.
“Anyway, I should get going,” I mumbled, attempting to sidle towards the exit before things could get even more awkward and uncomfortable.
Sliding Avery off my lap, I deposited the drowsy little girl back into her booster seat Ridge had nearby for her. But as I made to pull away, her tiny fists shot out and tangled in the loose waves of my hair, holding me in place with a surprising surge of strength.
A tiny gasp escaped my lips as my head was tugged back by Avery’s grip, exposing the slender column of my throat, she let out a soft whimper of protest.
I gasped at the sharp tugging on my hair, equal parts surprise and pain lancing through me at Avery’s unexpected grip. “Stway,” she mumbled plaintively, her cherubic face scrunching up in clear distress at the idea of me leaving.
In an instant, Ridge was there, closing the distance between us with two long strides and reaching out to gently disentangle his daughter’s grasping hands from my hair. He crouched in front of us, murmuring soft reassurances in that deep, rumbly rasp that had featured in my dreams more than once.
“Hey now, sweet pea, let go of Emma’s pretty hair,” he cooed, deftly working to free the trapped strands from Avery’s clutching fingers. “You don’t want to hurt her by pulling like that, do you?”
Avery shook her head, seeming calmed by the soothing timbre of her father’s voice, but she refused to relinquish her hold on me. If anything, she clung tighter, burying her face against my neck as Ridge continued his tender efforts.
“Shh…it’s alright, baby girl. Emma’s not going anywhere if you don’t want her to,” he promised in that same hypnotic tone, stroking Avery’s downy curls. “But you need to let go of her hair so you don’t cause any ouchies. But we can’t keep her trapped here all night.”
As Ridge spoke, one of his large hands found my nape with sublime tenderness, his calloused fingertips brushing the sensitive skin there in a shiver-inducing caress. My breath hitched at the scorching contact, eyelids fluttering helplessly as he gently but firmly worked Avery’s tiny fists free of my hair.
My breath had gone shallow, every nerve ending exquisitely attuned to Ridge’s proximity and the feeling of his calloused fingertips brushing my sensitive skin as he worked. With every low, reassuring rumble of his voice, fresh heat licked through my veins. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying and failing to block out the utterly compelling picture he made like this.
There was something so primally arousing about watching this rugged, muscular man turn tender and gentle, channeling pure paternal concern for his little girl’s happiness. Ridge was fully in control, radiating quiet strength and authority, yet completely focused on soothing away any hurt or distress with tenderness and care.
Unconsciously, my mind conjured up a brief, dizzying fantasy of what it might feel like to have that same indulgent warmth, that velvety cajoling tone directed at me. To be on the receiving end of Ridge’s gentle ministrations and coaxing reassurances, perhaps cradled in the safety of his powerful embrace after a stressful day while he soothed away any lingering worries or hurts with soft words and trailing caresses…
The vivid images, fueled by tantalizing snippets of his husky murmurs, made me feel molten and unraveled inside, swaying on my feet as if in a trance. Ridge was so close I could drink in the warm, distinctly male scent of him surrounding me, all burnished cedar and earthy spice. He smelled like sin and safety all at once, an utterly bewitching combination.
But I barely registered it over the ringing in my ears and the thunderous pounding of my own heart.
Because in that moment, with Ridge bent over me tenderly, bracketing me in with the sheer power of his body, my brain had whited out into a hazy spiral of longing. All I could focus on was the exquisite sensations sparking along my nerve endings everywhere his skin brushed mine.
Wild, half-formed fantasies flickered through my mind’s eye, providing flashes of vivid imagery. Ridge’s hands roaming over my body, his touch is possessive yet infinitely gentle, as those cinnamon-colored eyes smoldered with molten warmth. That wicked mouth finding the sensitive pulsepoint below my ear, tongue flickering out to taste my thundering pulse before his lips parted to coo indecent praise and reassurance against my flushed skin.
A strangled whimper very nearly escaped my parted lips before I felt the scorching weight of an unmistakably heavy stare that I jolted back to awareness, my cheeks going up in flames. Ethan was watching the entire scene unfold with narrowed eyes, his brows hyper wing into an unmistakable scowl as he witnessed the intimacy between me, Ridge. My eyes flew open to find Ethan’s steely gaze locked onto me and Ridge, his expression dark with unveiled masculine disapproval.
I could only imagine what conclusions he must be leaping to, what assumptions he was making about the tender moment he’d just witnessed. No doubt my hopelessly overprotective big brother saw the whole thing as Ridge working some sort of seductive angle to charm his innocent baby sister.
There was no mistaking the accusation and challenge in his stony features. And the clear, unmistakable message they conveyed: get your hands off my little sister before this gets ugly.
Suddenly desperate to escape, to put distance between myself and those smoldering emerald eyes that seemed to see straight through to my deepest fantasies, I went rigid in Ridge’s grasp.
“Please, Avey, you gotta let go now,” I whispered hoarsely, wincing as the movement tugged sharply on her fists still tangled in my hair. “Emma needs to go take care of grown-up stuff, okay? But I’ll be back later to see you and your daddy, I promise.”
Whether it was the slight hint of distress in my voice or simply the persuasive words themselves, Avery immediately unraveled her grasp on my hair, tilting her head back to blink up at me with those big, impossibly blue eyes. Her plump little rosebud mouth turned down in a trembling pucker of dismay.
Quickly, before either of us could dissolve into tears, Ridge smoothly took over. “Hey, what’s that look for, sugar pie? Emma said she’ll be back,”
Scooping Avery up onto his hip, Ridge dropped a loud smacking kiss on her cheek that set her giggling through her distress. “Why don’t we go get your mega ultra chocolatey chocolate ice cream, I hear those fudgy brownies of hers make the greatest ice cream sundaes.”
At the mention of her favorite treat, Avery instantly perked up, little face shining with hope and joy. As relieved as I was by her brightened demeanor, I felt oddly bereft at the loss of her cuddling warmth from my arms. Part of me longed for Ridge to hand her back over so I could covet her softness and sweetness for just a little longer.
Giving myself a mental shake, I focused on putting as much distance between us as possible before I said or did something unforgivably idiotic in front of my ultra-judgmental brother.
“Bye,” I mumbled thickly in their direction, unwilling to make eye contact with anyone and have my lingering, foolishly sappy feelings exposed any further.
Turning on a wobbly heel, I fled for the sanctuary of the front hallway before anymore lines could be blurred or boundaries crossed between Ridge and I. This… whatever this explosive chemistry was that kept blindsiding me needed a major dose of distance and some clear air ASAP.
Outside, the crisp spring evening enveloped me in an embrace scented with fresh greenery and sweet clover blooms. It felt like a dousing of ice water after the suffocating heat that had enveloped me, pressing in from all sides, during my interlude with Ridge and Avery. Greedily, I sucked in one deep lungful of cleansing air after another, heart thundering and skin still tingling with both embarrassment and arousal.
What was wrong with me? How could I let some innocent hair-grabbing and reassuring words from Ridge reduce me to a quivering, lovesick wreck like that? I was a grown woman, for heaven’s sake, not one of the love-addled milkmaids in one of mom’s silly romance novels.
Shaking my head sharply to dislodge the floaty, dreamlike images still drifting behind my eyes, I started off down the long drive leading away from Ridge’s sprawling ranch house. With each brisk step, I could feel the foolish romantic haze dissipating and my common sense beginning to reassert itself.
This was ridiculous! Having a harmless crush on our devastatingly handsome, charming neighbor was one thing. But actually entertaining wistful little fantasies where I cast myself into the role of his romantic partner, fantasies that put me into inappropriate situations with Avery’s swoon-worthy single father. - that crossed so many lines!
What kind of respectable, self-possessed woman let herself devolve into such a slobbering, weak-willed puddle over a hot guy and some silky words? I was better than that. I was the level-headed realist in my friend group, the one who kept things grounded and sane when the rest of the girls went off into lovestruck flights of fancy.
Yet here I was, unraveled in the span of just a few potent, heated gazes and deliciously honeyed endearments rumbled in that rich, smoky baritone of Ridge’s.
My feet couldn’t carry me away swiftly enough as heat blazed hotter across my cheeks. Ethan’s silent reprimand still scorched the back of my neck, making me want to melt into the hardwood floor from mortification. Only when I was safely outside, the cool evening air kissing my overheated skin, did I finally begin to breathe again.
I made it all of six steps towards the welcoming solitude of the shed where I live when a familiar voice called out, halting me in my tracks.
“Hey Em? Wait up a sec.”
It was Ethan jogging to catch up with me, expression unreadable. I braced myself for the inevitable lecture about making googly eyes at his best friend and our next door neighbor, the notoriously handsome single dad rancher, Ridge Monroe.
But to my surprise, when Ethan reached me, there was no scolding or big brother warnings. Instead, he drew me off towards a stairs on the shed framed by thick jasmine vines, their sweetly exotic scent perfuming the air around us.
“Yeah?” I prompted when he still hadn’t spoken, arching one questioning brow.
Ethan blew out a harsh breath, raking one hand through his tousled chestnut waves - a gesture I recognized as his way of gathering his thoughts before diving into something heavy.
“I got a call from Leone,” he admitted at last, referring to our eldest brother.
I felt the tight knot of tension in my stomach loosen slightly at the words, a relieved breath puffing past my lips. “Oh? What did he say?”
There was a stretch of silence as Ethan seemed to wrestle with how to articulate what was on his mind. His moss-green eyes were uncharacteristically shadowed, mouth turned down at the corners in a pensive frown.
“Not much, really,” he said finally, shoving his hands into the back pockets of his worn jeans. “But I could hear it in his voice, you know? Leone’s struggling again - with the job, with feeling adrift and unsettled…”
My heart panged in sympathy at the thought of our perpetually unsatisfied older brother trapped in yet another round of unhappiness and restlessness. Of the three of us siblings, Leone had always been the most driven for success and security, yet also the most devotedly unmoored. Nothing ever seemed to satisfy his relentless ambition for long before he grew discontent and began casting around for the next opportunity to chase. He is RICH yes capital letters rich, he makes money off the stock market but I don’t know why he works for some bitch boss at some company.
“I don’t understand why he works at the job that just burns him out,” I murmured, watching as Ethan’s expression grew more somber. “And I’m sure being alone in the city, without any of us nearby, isn’t helping matters either. Specially after the incident.”
Ethan made a gruff noise of agreement, his jaw ticking with frustration. “Leone’s latest ‘dream job’ with that massive corporation has clearly turned into another disappointment. He’s miserable, Em. And I’m sick of watching him run himself into the ground trying to find whatever-it-is he thinks will make him happy.”
There was an undisguised protectiveness in Ethan’s tone, the nearly obsessive fraternal loyalty that caused all three of us to look out for one another with fierce tenacity.
Looping my arm through Ethan’s, I leaned my head against his sturdy shoulder, seeking to soothe the worry clear in the taut lines of his body. Beneath the blustery overprotective exterior, Ethan carried the weight of his dreams and somehow ours too like a cross on his back. As the second son, he seemed to have been hardwired from birth with that burden of solidarity and support. Since Dad died Leone went into this spiral of need for success and security and maybe so did I and Ethan has been the one trying to provide that for us, even if it meant coming back from France to now getting us to work with him at this million dollar vineyard business he built himslef
“So what are you thinking?” I asked softly, recognizing the glimmer of an idea beginning to form behind those pensive green eyes. “I can see the wheels turning up there, brother. You’ve got a plan brewing to save our wayward big bro from himself, don’t you?”
Ethan’s arm came around my shoulders, squeezing me to his side as his mouth curved into a tiny, wry smile.
“You know me too well, Emma-rae,” he murmured, using the childhood endearment that never failed to fill me with a sense of safety and warmth, even now into our adult years. “I’ve actually been kicking around an idea about bringing Leone out here to Amor Di Vino.”
I pulled back slightly to catch his gaze, intrigued. “As in…offering him a job out here with us and your businesses?”
The excitement began building as Ethan continued, laying out his thought process so far. “Think about it, Em. We’re getting ready to break ground on that huge expansion into a full-service luxury vineyard resort and wedding destination, right? A project of that magnitude is going to require a ton of hands-on leadership beyond what you or I can dedicate while keeping our own duties here handled.”
He paused, gauging my reaction before pressing on with one of those looks - the understanding glimmer in his eyes that said he alone recognized my limitations and fears, even when I did my best to mask them.
“We both know your true passion lies in the creative side of things - the design, the decor, crafting those romantic over-the-top wedding ceremonies and receptions you’re so brilliant with. And me?” Ethan shrugged, “You know I’m much more suited for the real wine-making, getting my hands dirty in the vineyards we’ve been cultivating. But neither one of us has the head for big-picture logistics and operations management required for something as huge as the resort rollout.”
Warmth bloomed in my chest at the care and consideration in his tone, not wanting to overstep or impose something massive without my input. Ethan knew me inside and out - knew that as the youngest of our ragtag trio, I often felt overlooked and underestimated. Always having to chase after my big brothers somehow I was always too much if I asked for something for myself.
Which was why he was coming to me now about this idea, leaving the decision in my court. Giving me an equal say in the direction our lives and the businesses would take from this point forward.
“And you think Leone could be the key to keeping all these new expansion plans on track?” I asked thoughtfully. Despite his mercurial tendencies, our eldest brother did have a razor-sharp business acumen that had seen him build corporate empires from the ground up, only to turn around and walk away just as quickly once ennui inevitably set in. “You’re proposing we bring him on to…what? Be the CEO of Amore Di Vino Resorts or something?”
The idea was thrilling and terrifying all at once. Involving our nomadic, outrageously competent eldest brother in the ranch’s operations could be the missing piece that rocketed us into a new stratosphere of success. But it also felt vaguely ominous - like ringing the bell that summoned the all-devouring beast from its lair.
Leone leaving in his customary whirlwind of enthusiasm and ceaseless venture-chasing was one thing. But entrusting the future of our generational family legacy into his capable yet fickle hands? It left me feeling nervous and strangely unsettled for a reason I couldn’t quite put my finger on.
Ethan must have picked up on my mixed reaction, his calloused palm finding the nape of my neck in a reassuring squeeze. “I know it sounds a little crazy at first,” he soothed in that deep, rumbly tone meant only for me. “But hear me out, okay? Leone’s talents are utterly wasted rotting away in some stuffy corporate box, and we both know it. He’s at his best when he can put that freakish intellect and drive to work building something incredible from the ground up.”