The Naughty List Bundle - Kylie Adams [260]
Jordan rubbed his chin, appearing somewhat exhausted and ultimately pleased at the same time. It was a strange expression for him. “That’s Adam, Georgia’s son.”
“Georgia?”
Morgan leaned forward and said in a whisper, “The bar dancer who Jordan fought over.”
“I did not fight over her.”
“Shh!” Morgan gave him a severe frown for his raised voice.
Jordan glanced at Lisa, who was oblivious as she attempted to shuffle the cards, which sent them all flying to the floor. “It was a misunderstanding,” he growled in a lowered voice.
Casey noticed his uncle’s color was a bit high and choked back a grin. “Hey, whatever you say, Jordan.”
Morgan shook his head, then looked beyond Casey with a questioning frown. Casey turned and saw that Emma had backed up until she was against the wall beside a plastic floor plant. It almost seemed she was trying to be invisible, which of course was impossible for a girl who looked like Emma.
He frowned. So brazen one minute—especially when they were alone—and so timid the next.
He held out his hand. “Emma, have you met my uncles?”
Her big brown eyes widened at the attention given to her, and she swallowed hard. For the first time that Casey could ever remember, her face turned bright red. “I’ve…um, that is, I know who they are of course, but we’ve never actually been introduced or anything.”
Since Casey still stood there with his hand out, she finally stepped forward and took it, the embarrassed heat positively pulsing in her cheeks.
He rubbed her knuckles with his thumb, trying to reassure her. Damned if he knew why. “Emma, my uncle Jordan and my uncle Morgan.”
Strangely enough, she did an awkward curtsy of sorts, then looked appalled at herself. “Uh,…hi.”
Morgan grinned, which always made him look menacing. “You two out on a late date?”
“No.” Casey turned her loose so fast, both his uncles scowled at him. He hadn’t meant to hold her hand anyway. “I just picked her up.”
Jordan raised both brows at that.
Emma pulled the shirt tight around her and folded her arms beneath her breasts. “Casey is just…giving me a ride. Home, I mean.”
“But you live in Buckhorn,” Morgan pointed out. “Isn’t that right?”
“Yeah.” Even her neck turned red. “I was…um, headed that way, but Casey said he needed to come here first, then he’d drop me off later.”
Morgan glanced at Casey, then back at Emma. “If you’re in a hurry to get home, I can drop you off on my way. I’m heading out now.”
Jordan made a disgusted sound and stepped in front of Morgan. Casey knew he was trying to shield Emma, since Morgan tended to always look a bit like a marauder. “You and Casey can both head out. I think they’ll probably get Georgia’s mother settled in her own room soon.”
Emma glanced at Casey. He took his time thinking about it, not wanting to embarrass her, but not wanting to give her the wrong impression either. “You want to call your folks first, so they won’t be worrying?”
“No.”
She said that far too quickly and Jordan and Morgan shared a look. It didn’t surprise Casey; he’d already figured out Emma’s home life wasn’t exactly ideal. If it had been, no way would she have been walking home alone at this time of night. Or done half the other things her reputation suggested. He turned back to his uncles.
“You’re sure you don’t want me to stick around, Jordan?”
Jordan gave Casey a searching look before he shook his head. “We’ll be fine.”
As Casey handed him the keys to the car, Morgan took Jordan’s arm. “I want to talk to Jordan for just a minute, Case. Can you keep an eye on the kids?”
Lisa looked up and sighed at him again. Casey smiled. “No problem.”
“Thanks. I’ll bring the Bronco around and wait out front for you both.”
THEY WERE barely around the corner when Morgan asked, “What the hell is Casey doing out so late with that girl?”
Jordan shrugged. “Hell if I know. But I don’t think there’s anything going on between them.”
“Why not?”
“She doesn’t look like his usual type.”
Morgan snorted. “Like Georgia is your usual type?”
Jordan almost faltered. He did frown.