Dive Into You

by Chris Keniston

  “You like?” she asked.

  “Oh, yeah.” He was torn between shoveling the pie into his mouth as fast as he could and taking his time to savor every morsel.

  Emily forked another piece of pie but didn’t take a bite. “I’ve been thinking about a few things.”

  Fork midair, Doug stopped chewing. Those words never led to anything good.

  Emily turned in her seat and opened a cabinet drawer, then pulled out a trifold pamphlet and handed it to Doug. “I’ve made up my mind. Life’s too short. I’m going to do the skydive.”

  * * *

  Why was he looking at her that way? Forehead creased and eyes narrowed, either anger or confusion stared back at her, and Emily had no idea which.

  “You’re sure about this?” He pointed to the pamphlet.

  She nodded. All the information she’d read online raved about how exhilarating skydiving was. A good number of people who jump once go back to do it again. She wanted to know what it felt like to fly free. Even if only for a minute. “I’m sure.”

  “Billy expects me to talk you out of it.” Doug sat stiffly in place, his expression equally stony.

  “Oh, really?” Her hands landed fisted on her hips, elbows spread like chicken wings. “Well, let me tell you something.” She jabbed him in the chest with her forefinger. “My brother is not the boss of me. No matter what he thinks, he’s not my father. I can take care of myself. Make my own decisions. My own choices. I am doing this.”

  Taking the last bite of pie, he dipped his chin in acquiescence if not in agreement. “Why?”

  “What?”

  “Have you ever jumped out of a plane before?”

  “Well, no. Isn’t that the whole point?”

  “Ever gone 120 miles per hour?”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “In a car maybe?”

  She shook her head. What was he after?

  His arms fell to his sides, his face softened, and, leaning across the table, he lifted her chin with his finger. “I’ve been an adrenaline junkie my whole life. It’s why I was in EOD and why I’m a licensed skydiving instructor. I like fast cars, planes and boats. And I don’t necessarily have to be in them to enjoy them. But you”—softly he ran his fingers down the side of her arms—“you’re the calm after the storm. Why are you doing this?”

  She closed her eyes to the warm sensations trailing after his touch. “Can’t I just want to?”

  “Yeah, you can. I have to do my jumps soon anyhow to keep my license active.” Leaning back he pushed to his feet and walked to the door. “If you’re jumping out of an airplane, you’re not doing it in anyone’s arms but mine.”

  * * *

  Tossing his keys onto the breakfast bar of his tiny apartment, Doug glanced around the room. When he’d taken the lease, he hadn’t given much thought to furnishings. A comfortable chair to watch TV from and a good bed was all he’d needed. Traveling light meant not filling an apartment with junk he’d only have to get rid of later. Except now, instead of an example in efficiency, the place looked naked. And not sexy naked, but third-world starving-nation naked.

  It wouldn’t kill him to pick up an affordable living room set and some stools for the bar. He didn’t need a table and chairs. A solitary recliner pointed at a hi-def TV might work for a beach-bum bachelor. But not for inviting a nice woman over for dinner who has a cozy apartment and a textbook-perfect family.

  Dinner? At his place? Where did that come from? Shaking his head, he stomped to his room. It would take a hell of a lot more than a sofa and pot roast to make him fit into Emily Everrett’s world. He was a street kid from the wrong side of the tracks, and all the cozy decorations in the world were not going to change that. He’d accepted that truth a long time ago. It’s why he had no business in his sister’s life, and it’s why he had no business in Emily’s.

  But he was going to make damn sure, if she went through with skydiving, it would be with him. And it wouldn’t kill him to buy a couch and cook a dinner. If he had a couch, he could invite his friends over for dinner too. Or a drink. Or a ball game. None of that meant he was trying to change his world.

  Maybe after he checked out the drop zone, he’d ask Emily to come with him to pick out a sofa. And a few accessories. Nothing too over the top. From a discount place. No big deal. Picking out furniture together wasn’t the same thing as picking out an engagement ring.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Nothing about Doug’s day went as planned. Not only did he do the morning dive with Nick but he got roped into covering for Billy at an afternoon birthday party. Doug should have known, once word got out he did well with kids, that he’d replace Lexie on priority party duty. Even though she was back in town waiting for her new husband to return from a mission, today she’d gotten the day off to go to Angela’s bridal shower.

  “I appreciate your stepping in for me.” Billy shoved out of his desk chair.

  “No problem.” And Doug meant it. Dealing with the birthday party would keep his mind off other things. Mostly Emily.

  “How’d it go last night?”

  “We ordered Italian. Tim was doing the delivery so he stayed to join us.”

  Billy frowned. “Our Tim?”

  Doug bobbed his head. “The one and only.”

  “Did ya get a chance to talk to Emily about skydiving? Is she still hell-bent on that dumb idea?”

  “It’s not a dumb idea. It’s a lot of fun, and you know it.”

  “For an adrenaline junkie, yeah. Not for my sister.”

  The way nothing seemed to be for Billy’s sister was starting to rankle Doug’s last nerve. What exactly did Billy expect for Emily? Life in a cloistered nunnery? “Lots of people go skydiving who aren’t adrenaline junkies.”

  “Doesn’t matter. It’s not for—”

  “Emily. Yeah. I got that. I did go through the standard prejump chitchat. She’d be jumping from around 10,000 feet. Had she ever gone 120 miles per hour before? That sort of thing.”

  “And?”

  “There is no ‘and.’ Just something for her to think about.” And nothing the brochures hadn’t mentioned.

  “I’d appreciate it if you’d keep at it. Someone has to talk some sense into her.” Billy grabbed his keys and waved for Doug to follow him. “Mom expects the bridal shower to wrap up in another hour or so. She wants me there for the end. Don’t know why.”

  “Does it matter?”

  “Nope. Doesn’t pay to argue with your mother.” Though Billy didn’t say anything more, Doug noticed the exact moment Billy remembered Doug hadn’t had a mother to argue with. For a fraction of a second Billy’s face pinched, then, just as quickly, he recovered and, blowing out a sigh, shook his head. “Thanks again, man.”

  “Anytime.”

  “Later.” Thumb and pinkie extended, Billy waved a hang-loose gesture and walked out the door.

  Two hours later the partygoers had come and gone, and Doug felt as drained as he would have after a high-alert mission. Kids were exhausting. He didn’t know how these mothers did this all day long every day. But the good ones did.

  Towel hanging from his neck, he locked the pool area doors and turned to find Emily sitting behind the register.

  “Thought you could use some help,” she said.

  “Thanks.” He glanced around for signs of life and, finding the place empty, moved in close enough for a kiss, but not so close he’d get Emily wet with his suit. Careful not to linger long enough to start his engine purring, Doug’s lips touched hers lightly, and then he eased back. “You hungry?”

  Emily rubbed her stomach. “Are you kidding? The shower was at Mom’s house. There was enough food for everyone on the island, and she made darn sure we ate most of it.”

  “I bet she did at that.” Doug laughed and wondered if Billy would be bringing leftovers to the shop tomorrow. Doug might not have a mother of his own, but Maile Everrett made sure leftovers miraculously made their way to the shop and then his refrigerator. “I’
ve been thinking.”

  Emily laid her hand on his arm. The gentle touch was enough to momentarily steal his train of thought.

  He took a step back. “I thought it was time to pick up a sofa for the apartment. Care to tag along?”

  “You’re asking a woman if she’d like to go shopping?” Grinning, Emily rolled her eyes at him. “Of course I’d love to tag along. I’ll wait here while you change, and then I know just the place.”

  “Give me five.” With every step Doug reminded himself: Just a little furniture. Humans used furniture. And he definitely qualified as human. Besides, an invitation to shop for a couch did not constitute a marriage proposal. So why did he feel as nervous as a man savoring his last day of freedom?

  * * *

  “It would be easier if I’d seen your place first.” Emily had tried to convince Doug to stop at his apartment so she could get a feel for its size, but he wouldn’t have any of it. So now she stood in the middle of the designer’s consignment store without much to go on.

  “That’s nice.” Doug pointed to a large leather set. A three-seat sofa, love seat and ottoman with matching chair and a half.

  “It is. Very manly. But very big. From what you said, I don’t think your living room can handle this much furniture.”

  His lips twisted sideways in thought. “Maybe you’re right.”

  The moment they’d walked into the crowded furniture store, stuffed with new and gently used items, Doug’s hand had slid over to wrap around hers like a small child searching for the safe haven of a wiser adult. She would have laughed if not for the comforting warmth that settled around her. She could get used to this. Very used to it. “What about this?”

  Doug looked over the smaller love seat, then let his gaze wander across the compact area to the mirrored image. A medium shade of blue. The midsized sofas would work well in most apartments. “I don’t know.”

  “Is it the style or the fabric?”

  His brows crinkled. “I have no idea.”

  Men. They browsed the nooks and crannies, and Emily realized that, even though Doug was far from interested in the tchotchkes that caught her attention, he’d not fussed or complained or hurried her along. Now that she thought about it, he was the same way with the kids in the pool. Caring, considerate and, above all, patient.

  The way he’d offer a warm lazy smile whenever she pointed to something she liked reminded her so much of how her father had doted on her mother. Her dad might not have appreciated what they were doing, or why, but he always appreciated her mom and let it show. If Emily closed her eyes and let her mind wander, she could easily see Doug as a father. Teaching a son how to work beside him. A daughter how to swim. And keeping both in line while Mom indulged in a little personal shopping. The visions brought a smile to her face before the reality slapped her.

  Doug wasn’t looking to be a husband or a father. This was supposed to be temporary and fun. Which was fine because she was not in the market for a husband.

  But when she was, a guy like Doug would be just the ticket.

  * * *

  “Try tilting to your left.” Doug leaned back against the door frame.

  Nick shifted his grip on the back end of the leather sofa. “You’re going to have to take the legs off.”

  “This was not how I expected to spend my evening.” Billy came up to the door carrying a tool box in one hand and a flathead screwdriver with the other. “If we pop the hinges and take off the door, the dumb thing will probably fit.”

  “I can’t believe you didn’t measure before you bought this.” Nick eased the heavy piece of furniture to the floor.

  “They made me a deal I couldn’t refuse.” Doug lowered his end of the sofa while Billy climbed around him and went to work on the hinges. Next time he went furniture shopping with Emily, he’d pay less attention to how pretty her mouth moved when she spoke and more attention to the words coming out.

  Looking over Doug’s shoulder, Nick scanned the inside of the living room. “How are you going to fit this bulky new stuff in here with the recliner you already have?”

  “Yeah. Thought I’d move the recliner to the bedroom to make room for the new sofa and things.”

  “What good is a recliner in the bedroom?”

  “That’s what Emily asked. Since I don’t have a TV in the bedroom, she suggested I keep the recliner in the living room and put that extra wide chair she calls a chair and a half in the bedroom.”

  “Emily?” Billy’s fingers stilled. “You took my sister shopping with you?”

  “She has good taste.”

  Nick cracked a smile out of Billy’s line of sight, and Doug resisted the urge to snap at him about wiping off the shit-eating grin.

  “So does my fiancée,” Billy answered, hesitating another moment before resuming popping the pins from the front door.

  “Next time I’ll call Angela.”

  That made Billy stop and frown again.

  Nothing Doug said was going to work in this situation. The best thing to do was keep his trap shut and let his friends get the massive love seat in the door. At least he’d had the good sense to listen to Emily when she suggested he get the two smaller pieces and, if there was room, come back and buy the three-seater sofa. If he couldn’t get the love seat in the door, room or not, he was not going back for the larger couch.

  “There we go.” Billy carried the door to the kitchen wall, and then the three men twisted and angled the love seat until all was in place across from the TV.

  A few huff and puffs later, the guys had the new chair and ottoman in the bedroom, and the new love seat was in place beside the recliner. As well as the bar stools, the side tables and the small dining table with four chairs Emily had insisted on just in case he ever entertained. Even her vocabulary was above him. Not that he didn’t know what the word meant. But people like him barely had friends over, never mind entertained.

  “Yoo-hoo.” Juggling several large plastic sacks, Emily came through the front door and stopped short at the three men standing in the middle of the living room. “Well. Good thing I stopped at the home store.”

  For the next thirty minutes she had them moving furniture left, right, and back and forth multiple times before finally settling on an arrangement she liked. And Doug couldn’t argue with her. The room looked much larger than it had when they’d just dropped the furniture anywhere.

  And even more to his surprise, as she put a few lamps, cushions, picture frames and other accessories around the room, rather than look too crowded or girlie, the place looked really nice. And masculine. Except for the fact that no straight guy has any idea how to decorate a room, it was pretty obvious this was a guy’s home. His castle. Or in Doug’s case more of a cave. But it was his, and right now he really liked it.

  “Thanks.” Doug resisted the instinct to take hold of her hand and pull her against him for a proper gesture of his appreciation. Especially with Billy scowling at him every few minutes.

  “You did good, sis.” Billy smiled at his sister. “Next time Angela asks my opinion I’ll tell her to call you.”

  Emily spit out a muffled laugh. “Men. It amazes me how you guys get along without us women to guide the way. I would not, under any circumstances, ever tell Angela to call me when she wants your opinion.”

  Billy’s brows curved into a sharp vee. “Why not?”

  “Even I know this one.” Nick slapped his buddy on the back. “It’s one of those things that shows them we care even when we don’t.”

  “Oh, for heaven’s sake. Don’t either of you ever say that to your wives.” Emily waited a moment, and, when no one answered, she continued, “Promise me.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” her brother and Nick echoed.

  “Good.” She gave Doug a fleeting glance before turning to hug her brother. “My good deed for the week is done. You guys enjoy yourselves.”

  “You’re leaving?” Billy asked, his forehead once again creasing in thought.

  Before she or Doug
could say anything, Nick cut in. “There’s no making you happy is there?”

  Billy spun to look at Nick. “Now what?”

  Nick waved him off. “Good job, Emily. Thanks for helping out a friend.”

  “Yes,” Doug repeated as though he weren’t aching to pull her against him and beg her to stay. “Thanks for the help.”

  Nick elbowed Billy who took a moment to shoot a nasty glare Nick’s way before smiling up at his sister. “Thanks, sis. We’ll talk later.”

  “Anytime.” And with a stilted smile, she turned and closed the front door behind her.

  Damn. This walking a fine line between disclosure and privacy with her big bother, who was Doug’s boss and good friend, was going to be just as hard as Doug had imagined. Maybe worse.

  Chapter Twenty

  “Wow, that looks great.” Emily stood at the back of the room and nearly drooled at the finished set. Over the last week Doug had come by every other day to finish the catwalk and help out with the construction of a few other props. The guy really knew how to work with his hands. Her only complaint was his unwillingness to use them on her.

  They’d gone out to eat a few times. Even had a picnic on the beach one evening. And just yesterday she’d accompanied him when he’d gone shopping for a few things to hang on the wall. Okay, maybe she’d more than gone with him; she’d practically shoved him out the gymnasium door and insisted he needed color on the bland white rental walls. But he’d agreed, and they’d had a wonderful time choosing just the right pieces, and, for a few minutes after they were done, she thought he was going to invite her back to his place to help hang the framed works.

  Instead they wound up having pizza at Luigi’s and afterward Doug had driven her home. In front of her house they’d made out in the front seat like a couple of teenagers oblivious to the gearshift between them.

  No matter how many times she’d invited him inside, he’d politely said he needed to go home, and then they’d end up in another heated make-out session. Even after he’d slid out of the car and trotted around to walk her to her front door, they’d spent another several minutes with her back pressed to his car creating enough heat to set the automobile on fire. And yet, at her door, he gave her one last peck, and, like he’d done every other time, he’d gone home alone.