by Ember Dante
I shook off the negative thoughts and gave him a small smile before tugging my fingers free from his grasp. The quick trip to the bathroom was the break I needed and when I returned I tried my damnedest to recapture my earlier good mood—before I’d met Blaire.
Shortly after eight o’clock, Finn made his excuses so he could catch up with Lukas, and I knew it wouldn’t be long before Ian would be ready to get the hell out of there as well. His mood had declined, and I could tell he’d had just about enough of the hobnobbing schtick, as had I. I was physically and mentally exhausted, and I dreaded the conversation I knew we’d have once we were alone—when I’d have to apologize, once again, for my craziness. I rehearsed the conversation in my head while I waited for Ian to finalize a few details with the gallery staff, but everything I came up with sounded trite and meaningless. Why was it so hard to let go of the past and just accept that Ian was who I hoped him to be?
We didn’t speak on the way to the car, which only served to amp up my anxiety. I didn’t know if that meant he was pissed or if I was just reading too much into it.
“Are you hungry?”
The question startled me because it seemed totally random but it flowed from his lips as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened earlier.
“Actually, no. Can we just go back to my place?”
“As you wish.”
The words hung in the air between us and that niggling doubt resurfaced. I angled my head toward him, hoping to get some clue about his mood. He was leaning slightly away from me, left arm propped against the door, supporting his head in his hand. His right hand rested on the top curve of the steering wheel. It was a relaxed posture, but even in the dark I could see he was scowling, jaw clenched. For a moment I thought I could hear his teeth grinding together. The remainder of the drive passed in deafening silence, and I’d never felt more desperate to be out of a vehicle in my life.
As soon as the vehicle stopped, I was out the door and headed up the stairs. Ian caught up to me quickly, his footfalls quick and sure on the steps behind me as he followed me into the apartment.
“Talk to me.”
“Ian—”
He covered the distance between us in three long strides, stopping in front of me. “What happened tonight?”
“I’m an idiot.” I snorted. “I saw her and imagined all sorts of things. I couldn’t stop myself, and I thought…”
“Babe—” He reached for me and caressed my cheek with his thumb. “I want you to listen to me very carefully. I only want one woman, and I’m looking at her.” Stepping closer, he cupped my jaw with both hands and tilted my head, forcing me to meet his gaze. “It hasn’t even been a month, but you completely own me. Haven’t you figured that out yet?”
I stared at him, not grasping his meaning.
“Do I have to spell it out for you? I. Love. You.”
My eyes burned with unshed tears at the realization that he wasn’t breaking up with me. “What did you say?”
One side of his mouth lifted in a half smile and his hands dropped to my shoulders. “I love you, Emmy.”
Happiness surged through me, and I threw my arms around his neck. “I love you, too.”
He folded his arms around me, drawing me closer. “I’m sorry about tonight. I had no idea she was going to be there.”
“Is it wrong that I wanted to punch her in the face for pawing at you and the way she was looking at you?”
“Would it be wrong if I said I’d be disappointed if you didn’t?”
Pulling away, my eyes lifted to meet his. “I’m sorry I freaked out. The way she was acting pushed my buttons. I guess I overreacted.”
The backs of his fingers brushed across my face. “It’s okay, babe. But I meant it when I said I don’t want anyone but you.”
I lifted my mouth to his, my lips parted in invitation. The kiss was sweet and slow, filled with love and longing. When we broke apart, he pulled me into a tight embrace.
“Do you want to stay here, or are we going back to your place?” I asked.
“Whatever you want. I told you before—as long as I’m with you, it’s all good.”
“I already packed for this weekend ... if I’m still invited, that is.”
He backed away and kissed the space between my brows. “Of course you’re still invited.”
“Give me a few minutes, and I’ll get my things.”
“Don’t change out of that dress. I want to peel it off you.”
I flashed the widest smile I could before rushing into my room. Taking a few deep breaths, I grabbed my bag and returned to the living room in time to see him slip his phone into his pocket.
“Is everything okay?”
“Yeah. That was Finn checking on us.”
Remembering what Finn told me earlier brought another smile to my face. “I like him. He’s really sweet.”
“That he is.” He nodded toward the small suitcase I was dragging behind me. “Do you have everything you need?”
“Yes.” I looked down at it, suddenly unsure if I’d over-packed—or not packed enough. “I needed more room since I’ll be staying with you through Monday.”
“Baby, you could pack your entire wardrobe and I wouldn’t care.”
Ian took the suitcase from me, and we left, making the trip to his apartment in less than five minutes.
“I thought we were going to Southlake?”
“Not tonight.” He gave me a meaningful look. “Em, it’s late. I just want to crawl into bed with you and try to forget the shit that happened tonight.”
That sounded like a damn good idea to me.
15
Ian
I woke with a familiar pressure on my chest. Emmy was curled around me, her head and shoulders draped across my torso. I scrubbed a hand over my face before checking my cell. Huh. Nine o’clock and no missed calls or texts. It was a first.
My anger at Blaire came flooding back, and I sent a quick text to Parker for a status update. The sooner that situation was resolved, the better. I regretted agreeing to take Emmy to Release. Given how pissed Blaire was over the prospect of my quitting, I was concerned she’d turn her attention to Emmy.
I replaced the phone on the bedside table and stroked my hand over Emmy’s back. Soft moans and cute cooing noises traveled straight to my dick when she began to stir and pressed her naked body closer to mine. Fuck. Having her near me, soft and warm, and knowing how she’d feel when I slipped inside her, had me contemplating rolling her over and giving her a proper good morning. Before I could put that plan into action, she tilted her face to mine, and her eyelashes fluttered open.
“Good morning,” she murmured, a warm smile bowing her lips.
“Morning, Beautiful.” I planted a kiss on her forehead. “Did you sleep well?”
“I did, actually.” She gave me a mischievous smile. “I’m surprised you’re still in bed. You’ve gotten up early the past couple Saturdays I've been here.”
“I guess no one wanted to talk to me this morning.”
“Good.” She giggled, kissing my throat. “So, what’s the plan for today?”
“We can head to Southlake whenever you’re ready. There won’t be any food in the house, so we’ll need to stop at the grocery store on the way. Otherwise, I figured we would just play things by ear once we’re settled. Did you pack a swimsuit?”
She nodded. “I wanted to be prepared since I wasn’t sure what we’d be doing this weekend.”
I was impressed at the way she took my invitation in stride, without even asking that many questions about me owning a house in a wealthy suburb like Southlake.
“I thought we’d stick close to the house most of the time and hang out around the pool.”
“That sounds fabulous.”
“Glad you approve.”
“Mm-hmm,” she purred, kissing the base of my throat above my collar bone.
Evidently, she had the same idea I did because she rose onto her knees and straddled me. Hell yes. My ha
nds automatically settled on her hips as she planted hers on my shoulders, pushing herself upright to gyrate and grind on my cock.
“What’cha doing, babe?”
Flicking her tongue across her upper lip, she tilted her hips and took me inside her slick opening. “What’s it feel like I’m doing? I’m riding your dick.”
“Fuck yeah, you are,” I groaned. “Damn, baby, you are so tight.”
I tried to sit, but she pushed against my shoulders, urging me to stay on my back. “Uh-unh. I’m driving.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
The ‘take charge’ Emmy was damn hot. I wasn’t sure what prompted it, but I wasn’t going to complain, especially when she skimmed her hands up her body and grabbed her breasts. Fuck me. Her hips never stopped moving as she shook her head and flipped her hair over her shoulders. Some of the pins were still in it from the night before—the ones I didn’t give her the chance to remove before dragging her to bed—and knowing I was responsible for the haphazard, disheveled look was hot as fuck.
She folded at the waist, lowering her body until her nipples grazed my chest, making me even harder than I already was. If she kept it up, I was going to come in no time. She was driving me crazy. I spread my legs farther apart, knees bent for more leverage, and rocked my hips into her. Just when I thought it wouldn’t get any hotter, she pushed herself upright and began moving her hips faster while squeezing her inner muscles with a steady, pulsating rhythm.
“Goddamn, babe ... what are you doing?”
“Like that?”
“Fuck yes, I like that.” My hands tightened on her hips. “You better slow down if you want this to last. You’ve got me so turned on, I’m not sure how much longer I can hold out.”
She squeezed my shaft once more before arching away from me and resting her hands on my shins. Fucking hell. The slight change in pressure was enough to drive me insane. Unable to stop myself, I sat, my hands grasping her ribs, my mouth latching onto her nipple. Gasping, Emmy straightened and twisted her fingers in my hair, holding me to her.
“You’re not playing fair,” she moaned. “I said I was driving.”
My lips parted in a smile as I moved to her other breast. “You still are. I’m just navigating.”
She tightened her fingers and picked up the pace. “I’m so close.”
I slid my hand between us to apply pressure to her clit. “Come for me, baby.”
She trembled, her muscles tightening around me, and threw her head back with a loud groan of release and my name on her lips. It was the sweetest sound I’d ever heard, and I couldn’t hold out any longer. She collapsed against me as I came, releasing hot puffs of air against my shoulder with each pant. I lay back with Emmy pressed tight against me, and we slowly drifted to sleep.
An annoying sound burrowed into my brain, overriding the sensation of soft lips peppering kisses across my chest. Squinting as I woke, I was greeted with a sweet smile from the bombshell staring back at me.
“Your phone is ringing.”
Lifting my head, I reached for the offending device and blinked several times while checking the caller ID.
“What the hell, man? Isn’t it a little early?”
“Early? Since when do you sleep past eight on a Saturday?” Parker snickered. “You getting old or something?”
I pulled the phone away from my ear and checked the time—it was just past eleven.
“Damn. I didn’t realize I fell asleep again. So, what’s up?”
Emmy tried to slide off of me, but I tightened my arm, halting her movement. Our eyes met, and I shook my head. Laying with her felt too fucking incredible. She wasn’t going anywhere.
Parker’s voice pulled me back to our conversation. “Are you busy later? I’d like to talk about Blaire.”
My gut clenched with another surge of anger at the mention of her name.
“Please tell me you found something—anything.”
“Possibly,” he exhaled. “But I don’t think it will be enough. I need to keep digging. You’ll be there Thursday night, yeah?”
“Yeah. I think Emmy is going with me.”
“Are you fucking insane?”
“It’s a long story,” I sighed.
“Whatever. So ... about later, are you going to be around?”
“Emmy and I are going to Southlake for the weekend. I mentioned it the other day, remember?”
“Oh, yeah. The Memorial Day thing tomorrow.” He laughed. “Man, you’re worse off than I thought. Never thought I’d see the day—Ian Walsh having a holiday barbecue, all domesticated and shit.”
“Don’t be an asshole.”
“Hey, I think it’s awesome. I like Emmy. She’s a great girl, and she’s good for you. Don’t fuck it up.”
“I don’t plan to. Can we talk about Blaire tomorrow?”
Emmy tensed and pushed away from me as soon as she heard Blaire’s name. I didn’t stop her.
“No problem,” Parker mumbled to someone in the background—probably Jules. “Hey, we’ll bring the booze…”—I heard more muffled conversation—“…and ice. Whatever. Her Majesty is going to make a list”—there was a loud smack—“Ow. I gotta go, Ace. Looks like I’m in trouble. We’ll see you tomorrow.”
Yeah. It seemed I wasn’t the only one who’d been domesticated.
“Later.” I laughed.
I disconnected the call and set the phone on the nightstand.
Emmy was laying on her stomach, propped on her elbows. She didn’t look happy.
“What about Blaire?” she asked, a hint of fury in her voice.
Rolling toward her, I propped my head on one hand and ran a finger over her shoulder, pushing the hair away from her face. It wasn’t the way I wanted to start our weekend, but after the shit at the gallery, I should have known it was inevitable, even without Parker’s call.
“Do you want the abridged or unabridged version?”
Emmy arched her brow. “Unabridged.”
Of course.
“Parker and I used to hang out with a few of our former teammates who settled in this area, typically meeting up at a different bar each time—just like you and your friends do every Friday.” She nodded, a passive expression covering her face. “Anyway, one time we went to a pub in Deep Ellum and Blaire was there. She seemed pretty cool at the time, and more often than not she would join us. After a while, she became a regular part of the group.” I took a deep breath. “One of the guys decided to have a New Year’s party, and Blaire was invited, too. I got a little more wasted than I had intended, and well ... you get the picture.”
Emmy’s pained expression slayed me.
“Go on.”
“It became apparent the next day that she really wasn’t my type, and I thought I made it pretty clear it wouldn’t happen again. She seemed okay with that.”
“Is not my type code for bat shit crazy?”
I lifted my eyebrows and give her a crooked smile.
“Fast forward a few months, and she approached me about photographing some of her clients. She also wanted to hook up again. I agreed to the photographs, but told her I wasn’t interested in anything else. The money was good, so I kept accepting private clients as they requested it. It seemed to work out all right for a while.”
Her expression shifted from anger to curiosity. “What happened?”
“She found out about Mason’s wreck.”
“The one you told me about?”
“Yes. She knows everything. When I got tired of dealing with her clients and told her I was quitting, she threatened to expose the truth.”
“She’s blackmailing you?” she asked, her voice rising in volume.
I nodded. “I can either continue working with her clients or—”
“Or what? You can fuck her? Is that it?” she asked, her voice almost a screech.
“Yeah.”
A deep scarlet hue washed over her face. “That bitch.”
“Parker and I believe she’s into some questionable, po
ssibly illegal things. I asked him to look into it for me.”
Emmy’s eyebrows knit together. “Which means—what? You blackmail her back?”
“No. If it’s truly illegal, we go to the police. Parker asked me to play it cool while he investigates.”
“Is that why he called? Did he find something?”
“Yes, but he said he wants to keep digging.”
“Why not ask your father—”
“No. I’m not asking him for anything.”
“But this is his fault,” she complained. “If he hadn’t…” she sucked in a harsh gasp and closed her eyes.
“This is my fault, babe. I made this mess, and I’m going to clean it up.”
Her eyes flew open, burning with a mixture of anger, confusion, and sadness. “How is it your fault?”
“I made the decision to do business with her. That’s on me. I intend to fix it, but I just need some time to work things out.”
“I want to help. What can I do?”
I leaned forward and pressed my lips to hers. “Be patient. I don’t want you involved. In fact, I was hoping we could go to the club Thursday without her even knowing you were there.”
“Are you ashamed of me?” she mumbled.
“What? No.” I released a frustrated breath. That fucking prick had really done a number on her. The next time I saw Brett, that asshole would be lucky if he could still walk. I clasped her hand in a tight grip, pulling it toward me. “Emmy, listen to me. I am in love with you, and I will plaster that on a fucking billboard if you want. Do you have any idea how difficult last night was for me? It was all I could do not to punch every mother fucker there for just looking at you. I damn near made a complete ass out of myself by throwing you over my shoulder and carrying you out of there just so everyone would know that you’re mine. I could never be ashamed of you.”
A light flush colored her cheeks, and her lips curved into a bashful smile.
“Unfortunately, Blaire is volatile on a good day, and I have no idea what she’s capable of. If she ever—” I squeezed my eyes closed and shook the dark thoughts from my head. “If she ever did anything to hurt you, I would kill that bitch without a second thought.” I lifted her hand to my lips and kissed her fingers. “Please, just be patient. I love that you want to help, but I need to know you’re safe. I just found you—I can’t lose you.”
