Leopard 03 - Burning Wild

protested. “You never wear a skirt.” He passed a hand over his face and blinked at her. “You never look like this.”
    She laughed ruefully. “I’m not sure that’s actually a compliment. I’ll see you tomorrow, Joshua.”
    “Oh, God, Emma.” He nearly wailed it. “You aren’t thinking of spending the night with this guy, are you? I’ll get killed for this. I’m dead. Boiled in oil.”
    Emma scowled at him with exasperation. It was clear she needed to leave the ranch more often. Did they all think she wasn’t date-worthy? “Will you stop? It has nothing to do with you. I’m just going to a movie, maybe out for coffee afterward. Don’t wait up.”
    “Skip the coffee.” He glanced at his watch. “It’s too late for the early show. Call the guy and cancel.”
    “Joshua.” Exasperated, Emma started the Jeep.
    “Wait! I’ll drive you in,” he said desperately.
    She patted his arm. “Not on your life. Stop worrying. I’m following Jake’s orders.”
    Joshua stared at her with his mouth open, clearly at a loss for words. Then he cleared his throat. “You sure?”
    “Absolutely. Why do you think I’m doing this? Jake told me to.”
    “He did?” Joshua echoed. “That doesn’t sound like him.”
    She nodded solemnly, gave a cheery little wave and roared off, leaving Joshua frowning after her in a swirling cloud of dust.
    “Drake!” Joshua bellowed at the top of his lungs as he sprinted toward Drake’s truck.
    Drake beat him to the driver’s seat, gun in hand, looking wildly around and then after the Jeep. “That wasn’t . . .” He’d already started the vehicle and reversed, wheeling the truck around to follow the fast-moving vehicle. “Who’s in the Jeep?”
    “Emma.” Joshua sounded like doom.
    “Emma?” Drake echoed, barely able to believe his ears. “Where the hell is she going this time of night, and why aren’t a couple of bodyguards with her?”
    “The movies.” Joshua grimaced. “Emma’s going out. On a date.”
    “A what?”
    Few things shocked Drake, and Joshua was pleased to see he was shaking at the news.
    “Date—a date—with a man. Someone I don’t know. Someone you don’t know.”
    Together they groaned and said simultaneously, “Someone Jake doesn’t know.”
    Drake called the main gate. “Emma’s coming through, Jerico. Let her go. We’re on it.” He turned to Joshua with a raised eyebrow. “What movie are we going to see?”
    “Hell, I don’t know, but I’m definitely getting too old for this kind of thing. Don’t get too close to her.
    If she spots us, we’re dead. She has a mean streak in her. She’ll pull our coffee privileges.”
    “We’re probably already dead. You couldn’t stop her? She’s a sweet little thing,” Drake said. “And you should never have allowed her to go without a bodyguard.”
    “Ha! You try it. She smiles at you sweetly, nods her head a lot and does whatever the hell she wants to do. You can’t stop that woman short of tying her up. And believe me, I considered it.”
    “Jake’s going to go up like a volcano,” Drake announced grimly. “You should have tied her up.”
    “Hell, Drake, you gave the order to let her off the property. I’m going to make sure Jake knows that when he pulls off our fingernails.” He brightened as he settled against the seat. “We could murder the guy while she’s in the ladies’ room.”
    They followed her right to the theater, Drake keeping a few cars between them at all times. “The movie better not be some sloppy love story,” Joshua hissed as they crept through the parking lot, hiding behind cars, keeping pace with her.
    “Uh-oh,” Drake said. “I think lover boy is waiting. There he is, he’s taking both her hands in his, gazing into her eyes. You recognize him?”
    “I think he’s the telephone guy. I’ve seen him around. Jake isn’t going to like this,” Joshua pointed out with a little groan.

    “Neither is Emma if she catches us. I wish we could just get rid of this guy somehow. Got any ideas?”
    Drake asked hopefully.
    “Maybe we should call Jake right now and just let him handle it,” Joshua suggested.
    “Are you crazy?” Drake pushed money at the woman at the ticket counter. “Whatever movie they’re going into,” he added, nodding toward Emma and her date as they went inside.
    “Hey, we’re in luck,” Joshua exclaimed gleefully. “It’s a comedy. I hope we get good seats.”
    “Joshua!” Drake smacked the younger man with