Chief Cook and Bottle Washer by Rita Hestand Read Free Book Online Page B

turned her back to them. Naturally they'd be
curious. Probably surprised as Deke had been about the baby. She
had trouble again with the buckle on the seat and Deke reached
around her to help as though he'd done it a thousand times. One
clip of the hand and Sammie Jo was free. There wasn't enough room
for the three of them.
    The intimacy made Emma back away. She bit a
nail nervously to keep from brushing hands with Deke Travers. It
was a unnecessary action, and she should have been grateful, but
Deke Travers was affecting her like no man she could recall.
    God, she was acting like a schoolgirl. She
didn't want to be shy, she wanted to appear sophisticated and in
charge of herself. She wanted to portray independence.
    Deke shot her a questioning glance, but said
nothing. She recognized the amused smile on his lips. He knew
exactly how his nearness was affecting her.
    Sammie Jo wailed loudly, shocking Emma back
to the present and two more cowboys came outside and up to the
truck. Brothers, Emma deduced quickly. Denver followed, wagging his
tail and licking at her leg every now and then as if to welcome her
too.
    "Dad, boys, this is our new cook, Emma
Smith." Deke said very matter-of-factly as he helped Emma with the
baby. The way he moved about with her seemed so natural, it spooked
Emma. Charlie certainly hadn't been this easy with the baby. In
fact, she'd never been that at ease with the baby.
    Emma picked Sammie Jo up and carried her on
her hip, handing her shoulder bag to Deke. Deke didn't flinch. Not
one cowboy laughed or smirked.
    "I'm very pleased to meet you all." She said
as she juggled the baby for a moment.
    There was a temporary silence, and then
everyone started moving at once towards them. Sammie Jo let out a
loud screech as her fingers went straight to her mouth, and big
huge tears pelted down her chubby little cheeks. Again a silence
and then clamoring near them again.
    "Hey now, come here little squirt. What's
wrong with you?" Cal Travers started cooing before Emma got to the
porch, his hands outstretched for the baby as though he had
expected her all along.
    It didn't immediately dawn on Emma to reject
his offer to take Sammie Jo. He was only being kind, and obviously
saying and doing all the right things, because before Emma could
voice her feelings on the matter, Sammie Jo had shut up.
    "This is Sammie Jo," Deke said as his two
younger brothers crowded around the baby as though she were some
alien being. One tried to tickle her, one cooed at her, and Sammie
Jo just cried louder.
    "Look at her little toes. She's like a little
cherub." One of the younger cowboys smiled.
    The men began gathering around the porch all
smiling and making amusing little remarks about the baby. Sammie Jo
stopped crying for a minute, eyed them, then burst into tears
again. Cal patted her on the back, and hugged her against him.
    The wranglers laughed.
    "Ya'll quit and stop staring. Got no manners,
Sammie Jo. Well now, it's obvious you got a tooth problem, and I
know just the cure. I've had a few of those, myself," Cal was
saying as he took her in the house and slammed the screen door
behind him ignoring the ogling crowd. Emma's mouth fell open in
surprise.
    She glanced at Deke for an explanation, but
he was shaking his head as though he didn't know what had gotten
into his dad, either.
    "I'm Rusty, the youngest and most handsome as
you probably already noticed." One of the brothers stepped right up
to her, and took his hat off. His smile was wide and generous, his
hair was cherry brown red, and his eyes almost as blue as his
brother's.
    "Yeah, and modest too." Deke said
good-naturedly just behind her.
    Emma smiled. How could she resist such open
charm, and he was right, he was handsome.
    "The name's Clint, ma'am." The other brother
took off his hat, gallantly and practically paved the road for her
to enter the house. The brooding silent type, Emma suspicioned.
    "My brothers," Deke assured her as he opened
the door for her. "You'll