“She went skydiving,” he repeated to his fiancée, as if she hadn’t heard for herself.
And then he saw Emily’s tandem instructor’s face on the video, and Doug was sure his ass was grass.
“Still like living dangerously,” Nick muttered.
“You son of a bitch.” Billy shoved to his feet. “I asked you to talk her out of it!”
“And she couldn’t be, so I did the next best thing. I made damn sure, if she jumped out of a plane, it would be with someone who knew how to keep her safe.”
“That’s true,” Nick muttered again, a little louder and with a hint of a smile.
“Butt out,” Billy snapped at his partner.
Emily jumped to her feet. “Stop this. I am perfectly fine. I did something that you’ve done a hundred, maybe a thousand, times, and it’s over.”
Billy glared daggers at his friend, his hands fisting at his side.
Doug moved around Emily and stood in front of Billy. “You asked me to take care of her, and I am. Do you have a problem with that?”
“Does he have a problem?” Emily bristled beside him. “Excuse me. I don’t need anyone to take care of me.”
“You don’t want to be a single mother.” Doug looked away from Billy and, moving closer to Emily, lowered his voice to nearly a whisper, “I want to take care of you and our baby.”
Doug saw Emily’s eyes widen about a millisecond before he heard Billy growl, “You son of a bitch,” and one beefy fist coldcocked him. Hard.
Chapter Twenty-Five
“Oh, my God.” Emily didn’t know what was more startling. That Doug thought she was pregnant or that her brother had just punched Doug in the face.
Doug had taken a step back and was still shaking off the impact when Billy took a step forward.
“Billy,” Angela screeched. And Angela never screeched. “What are you doing?”
“I’m going to kill him.”
Emily knew the fire in her brother’s eyes was dangerous, but she realized how dangerous when Nick bolted from his seat and landed between Doug and Billy. “Take a breath, bro. Take a breath.”
“I will. After I kill him.”
“I’m not pregnant,” Emily shouted, and six heads turned to stare at her. With only a thought to save Doug from her brother’s ire, Emily raised her arm, her index finger extended and said, “She is.”
Everyone turned to eye the only female at the end of Emily’s dangling finger. Jennie. Even her brother seemed to deflate at the stricken look on the young teen’s face. But it was the slack-jawed Tim that surprised Emily. For the first time since discovering the pregnancy tester in her bathroom, Emily considered who the father might be. And as much as she didn’t like the idea of a high school pregnancy ruining both Jennie’s and Tim’s futures, she liked the idea of Jennie tied to the buffoon of her football player ex even less.
“I…I’m not pregnant.” Tears pooled in Jennie’s eyes, and all three men shifted uncomfortably.
Tim gave her a weak smile. “It’s okay if you were.”
Blinking back more tears, Jennie shook her head. “I’m not. Really I’m not.”
Her gaze seemed to be pleading with Tim to believe her. His smile never faltered. Pulling her into his shoulder, he looked up at the adults in the room. “Jennie’s not pregnant.”
Billy looked at his sister again. “And you’re not pregnant either?”
Lips pressed tightly in thought, she turned her head from one side to the other in a very adamant no.
Billy turned back to Doug. “But you thought she was?”
Hand on his cheek, stretching his jaw from side to side, Doug nodded.
“So you slept with my sister?”
Doug nodded again, and true friend that he was, Nick pushed into Billy’s face. “Think, brother.”
“He’s right,” Angela said softly. “The only person upset here is you.”
Billy stared down at his fiancée a minute and then frowned when he saw Emily now standing beside Doug.
She had never been more tempted to strike another human being in her life. “Hit him again, and I’ll never speak to you as long as you live.”
Doug moaned, but she realized he’d smiled at her words.
“I’ll get some ice.” Jennie ran to the kitchen.
Suddenly Billy looked more perplexed than angry.
Jennie came running back and shoved a dishcloth of ice at Doug. “So why do we think anyone is pregnant?”
All heads turned to her. For a moment Emily had forgotten what had started the trouble. Had Doug not announced she was pregnant, as upset as Billy was over the skydiving, he would have calmed down. She faced Doug first. “You found the test too, didn’t you?”
He nodded, then grimaced. “I was just getting used to the idea.”
“You were?”
Doug nodded again. “I was kind of liking it too.”
Her cheeks pulled back in a broad smile. “You were?”
“What the hell is going on here?” Billy nearly shouted, but thankfully he took a few steps back, taking in the people around him. “What am I missing?”
“Sounds like not much.” Nick grinned and returned to his seat. “I’d say your sister and one of your best friends like each other.” Nick looked at Emily and winked. “A lot.”
“Yeah, but who’s pregnant?”
Eyes closed, Angela cleared her throat. “That would be me.”
Before anyone could say another word, Billy scooped Angela into his arms and spun her around. “Hooyah!”
“I’m going to be an aunt.” Emily ran up to her brother and future sister-in-law for a group hug and squealed a little louder. “I’m going to be an aunt!” They all spun around one more time, when Emily leaned back and stared at Angela. “Except I don’t get it. Why would you take a pregnancy test at my apartment and leave it in the bathroom for everyone to find?”
“Because I was on my way home from the drugstore when you said come over. I hadn’t expected a houseful of people or I would have stopped at McDonald’s. I didn’t want to wait. I wanted to know, and I didn’t leave it for everyone to see. I buried it under the other trash.”
“I kicked the can over by accident,” Doug filled in. “When I cleaned it up, I didn’t think to hide it.”
“And then I came in after you and assumed Jennie didn’t want her family to find it.” Emily turned to face the young girl. “I am so sorry, Jennie. Please forgive me.”
The pretty blonde actually smiled. “That’s okay, Miss Everrett. I would never have suspected Angela either. If you think about it, this is actually kinda funny. I mean, except for Mr. H getting punched in the face.”
“Emily, I was going to tell you about it as soon as I told Billy.” Angela leaned against her fiancé. “I’m sorry for the confusion.”
Nick pulled out his phone. “I’d better call my wife. She’s going to be really ticked off she wasn’t here for all this.”
“Great idea.” Billy gave his wife-to-be a peck on the forehead and then looked at Nick. “Tell her to clear her schedule for tonight. And your son’s too. Dinner will be on me. We’re celebrating!”
“Not yet.” Angela patted him on the chest. “It’s too soon.”
“Nonsense. Mom will take one look at you and know. Trust me.”
Angela blew out a sigh. “Emily, you talk some sense into him.”
“Sorry.” Emily shook her head. “He’s right. One look is all she’ll need and the cat will be out of the bag. Might as well get it over with.”
“All right then.” Billy patted Angela’s totally flat tummy. “I’m going to take you home for a nice nap. Later we’ll all meet up at Mom’s. I’ll make a reservation at Chez Gerard’s. But no champagne. Ginger ale for everyone!”
Nick slid his phone back into his pocket. “Kara’s on her way to get Bradley. She’s also planning our childrens’ future. Wouldn’t be surprised if she’s drawing up a marriage contract as we speak.”
Billy let out a roarin
g laugh. “Wouldn’t that be something?”
“Wouldn’t it though.”
* * *
The last thirty minutes had Doug’s head spinning. And his jaw aching. Gently pressing his fingers against his face, he moved his jaw from side to side, ignoring the pain. With a big brother like Billy, none of the Everrett sisters would ever have anything to worry about.
Tim and Jennie had been the first to leave. The crazy scene in Emily’s living room had to have been a little rough on them. Emily was still talking to her brother and Angela at the front door. It was Doug’s good fortune that any thoughts Billy might have had of beating Doug to a pulp disappeared at the news of Billy’s impending fatherhood. But as happy as Doug was for his friend, there was a weight on his chest at the loss of a child he’d never had. Never would have.
That damn tether to reality bellowed in his ear, reminding him that he only would have F’d things up anyhow. Doug had neither the nature nor the nurture to be the kind of family man Emily needed. Bad blood was what one of his foster fathers had called him. There was no changing that. All Doug could be sure of was that he knew how to be part of a team. A team of guys. Rough and ready.
“Don’t go there.” Nick walked past him to one of the kitchen drawers and pulled out a zipped plastic bag.
“Go where?”
Filling the bag with fresh ice, Nick said nothing. Sealing the bag, he wrapped it in a new dish towel and handed it to Doug, retrieving the soggy mess he still held to his face. “You’re not your father. You’re a decorated US Navy EOD tech. A reliable team member. A good friend. And someone I’d be happy to call brother-in-law if you weren’t already in love with Emily.”
“I’m not in love.” Was he?
Nick chuckled. “I suppose that’s better than insisting you’re not good enough for her.”
“I’m not.”
“See? That’s what I mean. Same old broken record. Damn it, man. Don’t lose the best thing that might ever happen to you out of stubborn stupidity.” Nick turned away, then looked back over his shoulder. “And take some aspirin. You’re lucky he didn’t break your jaw.”
“You leaving?” Emily crossed paths with Nick on his way out.
“I’m going to take Billy’s advice and go home and take a nap with my wife.” He made it as far as the door before he turned around. “Don’t give up on him. And make sure he takes those aspirins.”
“I will.”
From where Doug stood, he could see the entire layout of the small apartment. The DVD logo circling on the TV. He felt badly for his part in the midday fiasco. He should know better than to jump to conclusions.
“How’s the jaw doing?” Emily opened her purse and pulled out a small bottle. “Take a few of these. I think your stomach can handle it.”
Her cheeky grin made him want to smile too, but his jaw didn’t agree. At least she wasn’t mad at him. That was a good thing. Or maybe it would be better if she were pissed as hell and never spoke to him again. Christ, he didn’t know what to think anymore.
“You’re thinking too much.” Emily handed him a glass of water and waited for him to take the ibuprofen. “Do we need to talk?”
“Probably.” He swallowed the two pills at once. “But not now.”
“Fair enough.”
Leaving the homemade ice pack in the sink, Doug walked up behind her and, tugging her against him, wound his arms around her waist. “I guess jumping out of an airplane wasn’t enough excitement for one day.”
Emily’s hands already curled over his, she leaned her head back against his shoulder and laughed. “Apparently not.”
As much as he didn’t want to, he said, “I should be on my way.”
“Or…” She turned in the circle of his arms to face him. “…we could take a nap.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Doug eased out of her arms.
Emily had known it was a long shot but had to try. Taking the wrapped ice bag out of the sink, she placed it in his hand and raised it to his face. “You’ll need to ice down the injury for at least twenty-four hours.”
“I know.”
She loved how the corners of his eyes crinkled when his smile was sincere. “You should probably keep taking the aspirin too. That will help with the swelling some.”
“Good idea. Uhm, about your mother’s.”
“What about it?”
“Under the circumstances I don’t think it would be in anyone’s best interest for me to tag along.”
“You wouldn’t be tagging along. You’d be with me.”
“Yeah. About that.”
His shoulders tensed, and Emily’s stomach sank. She didn’t want to hear what he had to say. Instead she focused on Nick’s parting words. Don’t give up on him. “We’ve still got a little time. I’m going to freshen up.”
“Emily.” His arm stretched forward, and he snagged her hand as she tried to pass him. “This isn’t going to work. You know it as well as I do. We come from two different worlds. In your world a man beats the crap out of anyone who hurts his family, and in mine he beats the crap out of his family.”
“What are you saying? That if I bring you to my mother’s for a celebratory dinner, afterward you’ll beat the crap out of me?”
“No. Of course not.”
“Just someday soon?”
“No. I wouldn’t hurt you.”
“But if we were married. Had a family. Then you’d come after me. And our children.”
“No!” He took a deep breath and lowered his voice. “No.”
“Then what are you saying?” Please, please, please, Lord, let him get it.
Doug stared at her with the intensity of a high-precision laser. The seconds ticked by, and she worried, what did he see? What was he looking for?
“I would never hurt you. Never.”
“Then what?”
Eyes closed, he shook his head, then slowly opened his eyes again. Some of the darkness was gone. She still saw hurt, even fear, but she also saw hope and longing and wanting and, dear Lord, maybe even love. “All my life I’ve been told I wasn’t good enough.”
“Not all your life,” she said softly.
His brows buckled in confusion.
“You were better than good in the navy,” Emily continued. “All of you were. And I heard what they said at the skydive place. You were better than good there too. And I know what Billy thinks about you and scuba diving. He doesn’t trust anyone as much as he does you and Nick. Not even Lexie.”
“That’s different. That’s work.”
“No, it’s not. It’s you. You’re good.” She swallowed the grin that threatened to spread across her face and added, “At a lot of things. Earlier today you said you were getting used to the idea of us, of a family.”
Doug nodded.
“Did you mean it?”
“Yes.” Standing nose to nose, his eyes leveled with hers. “I did.”
“Then please don’t give up on us. Not now.”
His forehead lowered to hers, and he closed his eyes. “I’ve never wanted anyone or anything as much as I want you and the life you think me capable of.”
Carefully placing her finger on the uninjured side of his jaw, she lifted his face to look at her. “Neither have I.” With as much tenderness as she could manage, Emily very softly puckered her lips to his and then stepped back. “I love you, Douglas Hamilton.”
* * *
Never had so few words sounded so sweet. Emily loved him. Doug’s lips met hers in a hot, hungry kiss that sent need whirling through his body so fast and hard it burned. Slipping one arm under her knees and the other around her side, he lifted her off the floor. To hell with waiting. She was his to claim, and there would be no holding back.
Every step down the hall, his mouth never left hers. Crossing the threshold into the spacious bedroom, he kicked the door closed behind him. Now she was all his. Placing one knee on the bed, he set Emily down on the thick comforter. Afternoon sun shone through the window bathing
her in bright light. The raw need in her eyes nearly cracked him wide open. “God, you’re beautiful.” Except he wanted to see so much more.
Once again his mouth dropped to the corner of her lips, he nibbled and pecked and shifted his touch down along the line of her jaw, her neck, her collarbone. All the while reveling in the soft little sounds she made as he seared a trail of loving kisses on her exposed skin, anxious to bare all of her.
“God, you taste so good,” he managed to mumble between breaths. His fingers eager to quickly undo the buttons of her blouse, sheer will and determination forced him to take his time. Desperately ignoring his own maddening desire, he was bound and determined to show this precious woman how much he loved her.
The last button undone, with one hand he shoved open the unwanted garment, his other hand finding its way under her bra. The feel of soft curvaceous flesh nearly did him in. He wanted to feast, to devour, but instead he gently licked the tender tip through the lacy bra and smiled when a soft, throaty moan escaped her lips. Leaning back, he brought her with him, his tongue continuing to slowly twirl around the hardened nipple as he worked the shirt off her shoulders and brushed it aside. The skimpy bra followed after it.
He hadn’t thought she could possibly be more beautiful than he remembered. With reverent awe, he breathed her name. “Emily.”
To Emily her name on Doug’s lips sounded like heaven. His hard and gentle kisses were a slow, sweet torture. With his mouth barely touching her face, her neck and the one lace-covered nipple, Doug already had her heated like molten lava ready to erupt. She didn’t think she could stand waiting to feel him deep inside her.
Their one and only night together had been fierce and frenzied and explosive. Two strangers taking and giving pleasure. But now, this slow and sensual dance brought her heart and soul to new heights. Shifting so he could suckle her neglected breast, Doug brushed his palm back and forth over the other still moist nipple. The synchronized strokes of his hand and tongue had her insides clenching in an unexpected burst of heat, building and spiraling, until she arched and bucked, hurtling over the edge.
Dive Into You Page 18
