“Sorry, Daddy.” Her rosebud lips pursed. “Can you pwease get my brush?”
Knox set the storybooks down, and Shelby released Ema’s hair and picked up The Princess and the Pauper. She couldn’t read any of it, but as she opened the first page and started rattling off the story, he realized she’d memorized most of it.
He met Ema’s gaze. The air sparkled between the two of them. She was here, in his home, holding his daughter. The sparkle turned to lightning strikes, zinging into his heart. He wanted her to stay. He’d give up anything but Shelby to have her stay.
Backing up, he tried to think of anything to break the connection before he fell deeper into her trance. He didn’t think she was a Delilah like his mom had warned him about, but she was definitely casting a spell over him.
“Are you hungry?” he blurted out.
“I am,” Shelby said. “Nellie was making me pizza when you came home. You like cheese pizza?” she asked Ema.
“I like any pizza,” Ema said.
Knox made it to the doorway. “I’ll bring some pizza up and we’ll have a picnic on Ema’s bed. How does that sound?”
Shelby nodded vigorously. “Yes! But get the brush first …” She paused and grinned impishly. “Please, Daddy. Us girls likes our hair pretty.”
Knox pressed his lips together so he didn’t tell Shelby that everything about Ema was beautiful. He all but ran from the room. He’d wanted Ema here to make sure she was okay after she got hurt in his care. He hadn’t stopped to think about how it would affect him to see her in his home like this, holding Shelby, and obviously Shelby was already under her enchantment. His life made sense a few days ago. Now his stomach was in turmoil. He had further to fall under Ema’s spell than Shelby did, but he was already crash-landing at her feet. What could he do to get Ema to stay?
Ema fell hard for Shelby from the moment the little girl tried to comb the tangles out of her hair and bossed her beastly father around. The three-year-old was absolutely adorable, angelic, and seemed as drawn to Ema as Ema was to her—and, unwise as it may be, as Ema was to her father. Oh, Knox. He was all man, but he melted like butter in his little girl’s hands. Was the Beast gone, or would he resurface and ruin all this peace and coziness?
They ate their pizza picnic after Shelby “read” Ema five of her princess books. She was a smart little thing, having almost every word memorized. Dinner was pretty quiet, mostly Shelby telling them about the trailer for Maia’s new princess movie and how they all had to go together. When she requested that, Ema couldn’t help but look at Knox. His gaze was on her also. Ema wouldn’t be around when the new movie came out. She couldn’t even remember what state she’d be in two weeks from now, but she definitely wouldn’t be part of this little family.
Genevieve came to retrieve their dishes and Knox reassured the older lady he’d get Shelby into bed. Genevieve had been nothing but kind and had given the three of them all evening alone. Ema wondered what it would be like to live in a big mansion with staff everywhere. Knox liked his privacy, but honestly, she had more privacy than he did in certain aspects.
“We’d better tell Miss Kahue good night,” Knox instructed.
“Miss Kahue?” Shelby giggled. “It’s Miss Hawaii, Daddy. That’s why she has the beach room and looks like Moana.”
Ema loved that Shelby had insisted she stay in this room with bluish-gray walls, white trim and furniture, and huge windows overlooking the backyard and ranch beyond. The decorations were gorgeous landscape art of the ocean and some lacquered seashells on the side tables. It reminded her of home. Why did she feel like Knox’s mansion was home? She shook her head, needing to stop that crazy thinking.
Shelby scrambled across the bed and gave Ema a kiss on the cheek. “Night, Ema.”
“Good night, Shelby.”
“Love you,” Shelby said brightly, then flung herself into Knox’s arms.
Knox’s face froze as he stared at Ema.
Ema had to clear her throat before murmuring, “I love you too.” It was true. Who couldn’t love this little shining star?
Knox looked like he was in shock as he carried his daughter from the room. Shelby peeked over her daddy’s shoulder and waved at Ema.
They disappeared and Ema sank back into the cushions. What was happening to her? Did Knox approve of her interactions with his daughter, or was he going to shut her out again? His main mission in life was to protect Shelby, which Ema admired, but where did that leave him in regards to a relationship with anyone else? Ema shook her head. There she went again, making more of this than was there. She was feeling great, and tomorrow she’d have to bid them goodbye and only remember them in her quiet moments. Now if only her heart wasn’t telling her head it was stupid to not beg Knox to let her stay.
She sat there staring out the windows as the sun set in all its fiery glory. The house was quiet except for a deep rumble coming from up the stairs. Knox singing to Shelby? She wished she could creep upstairs and watch them. Her heart flared with love and desire for him.
Ema gulped and grasped her neck with her hand. Oh goodness, she needed to get out of here. Love? She was a sappy idiot. She had a very busy and successful career. Knox was a superhero. They didn’t fall for mere humans. Look how Jane and Thor didn’t work out. She smiled to herself, but then her mind flashed back to Knox tying the ties of her hospital gown. Warmth flooded through her and she bit at her lip. Why hadn’t she kissed him then and there? Maybe if she kissed him, she could get all of this out of her system and move on with her life and her future. Yet a warning voice in her head said kissing him was not the solution to removing him from her misplaced desires.
She couldn’t stand sitting here any longer, so she wandered into the bathroom; her ankle hardly bothered her when she put pressure on it, and the throbbing in her head faded with every hour. Admiring the brightness of the polished bathroom, Ema found a packaged toothbrush and toothpaste in the drawer. Brushing her teeth felt amazing. She eyed herself critically in the mirror. She was a mess with no lipstick left, her face shiny, and her eyeliner running. There was a bandage on her temple, and even though they’d obviously cleaned her face, there were some stains from the blood. At least Shelby had brushed her hair until it was straight and smooth. She smiled.
Splashing some water on her face and cleaning off the misplaced eyeliner, she walked out of the bathroom, opened the patio door, and soaked in the warmth of the evening. The sun dropped out of sight, and she could hear horses’ neighs and even the running water of the manmade waterfall feeding into Knox’s pool and hot tub. It was peaceful and beautiful.
The doorbell rang and she quietly walked toward the open door of her suite. Women’s voices came from the entryway. Was one of them Claire? Then she heard Knox’s footsteps descend from the third story. She paused and waited until his footsteps stopped in the foyer, down below the second-floor balcony. Edging to her bedroom door, she listened.
“Here’s her suitcase.”
“Thanks, Claire.”
“I live to serve,” she said.
Knox chuckled.
There was a brief silence before Claire spoke again. “You okay?”
“This is awkward, but …” Knox cleared his throat and his voice got quieter. “I wanted to ask you … do you think she’s into me?”
Claire’s throaty laughter lit up the house, but all Ema could hear was Knox’s last question. Did he want her to be “into him”? He had to be talking about Ema, right?
“Yes, you beast. I think if you can be your nice self, she would never be able to leave your side.”
Ema swallowed hard. Claire was wrong. Ema couldn’t stay here. What happened to all of Claire’s encouragement about strong women and being successful?
“That’s not what I meant,” Knox said. “You know I can’t have some relationship with her.”
“Why not, you loser?”
Knox didn’t respond.
“Oh, goodness’ sakes. Buck up, little buddy. You deserve happine
ss too, you know?”
“No, I don’t know. Thanks for bringing the suitcase.”
“Emotionally closed off,” Claire declared.
“Bye.” Knox’s tone firmly ended the conversation.
Ema deflated against the wall. Why didn’t Knox deserve happiness?
The front door opened and closed and Knox’s footsteps ascended the stairs. Ema listened with her heart pounding faster and faster. She wanted him to come in here, talk to her, hold her, kiss her. This staying in his house was messing with her mind big time.
Knox rapped his knuckles on the open door. “Ema?”
She pushed off from the wall and he was right there, in her doorframe.
“Oh.” His eyes widened. “I thought you’d be in bed.”
“Just walking around.” Did he know she’d listened in to his conversation with Claire? Her face heated up.
“Your ankle’s okay?”
“Yeah. It’s not bad at all.”
“Good.” He hefted the suitcase. “Where do you want this?”
“In the bathroom, please.”
He nodded and strode to the bathroom. She watched every step. His movements were fluid, strong, unbelievably attractive. Why couldn’t he dance when he moved so beautifully?
He came back out of the bathroom and caught her watching him. “How’s your head?” he asked, stopping in the middle of the room.
“It only hurts a little bit.” Truthfully she thought she was fine, but she didn’t really want him to know that. She was only here so he could watch over her. If she didn’t need his help, would he ask her to leave? The very thought had her chest tightening painfully, much more painfully than her head. “I can think of something that would make it feel better, though.”
His dark eyes were hyper-focused on her face. “Really? What’s that? I’ll grab you anything you need.”
“I need my purse.”
“Okay.” He hurried past her, and she could hear him pumping down the stairs to his office where she’d left her purse this morning, then back up. Mere seconds passed before he was back in her room and handing her purse to her. He was close enough she could smell Perry Ellis. She was sending Perry a thank-you card soon.
Knox stayed by her side as she opened her purse and pulled out her phone. “Your phone’s going to help you feel better?” he asked quietly.
She smiled up at him, setting her purse on the side table by the door and clicking on her music app. Knox’s eyes were on her, but he didn’t ask questions as she scrolled through and found “It’s More Than the Rest.” The song started a few seconds later. She pushed the volume all the way up and set the phone on the side table. As she let herself focus on Knox, she was surprised at how out of his element he looked.
“You needed Sloane Kent?” he asked roughly.
“No.” Ema smiled, loving the jealous tone she picked up on. She held out her hands to him. “I needed to dance with Knox Sherman, aka the Beast.”
A true smile crossed his face, but it was there and gone quick. Knox stepped closer to her, and his cologne did funny things to her stomach. “You need me?” His voice was deep and husky.
“You have no idea,” she whispered back.
Knox took his time. His eyes never left hers as he took her hands in his and lifted her hands to his chest and placed them there. Ema was temporarily dumbstruck by all the muscle under her fingertips. His thin T-shirt did nothing to hide it. When had he changed out of the button-down he’d had on this morning? She liked the way his T-shirt clung to his muscular chest and shoulders.
Knox wasn’t done with messing with her mind. He ran the palms of his hands from her fingertips, across her forearms, along her upper arms, and up to her shoulders. She shivered from his sensual touch. His hands kept going, tracing along her upper back and then slowly dipping down, down, until he reached her lower back. It was more tantalizing than when he’d done up the ties on her hospital gown.
Putting pressure on her waist, he pulled her against his body. Ema gasped, not surprised but definitely overwhelmed by the sensations he stirred in her. Her hands slid up around his neck and he bent down closer. She’d never been so grateful to be five-ten than she was at this moment. Knox didn’t have to lean down very far.
“There is one problem,” he whispered.
Ema could think of no problems at the moment as Sloane Kent sang in the background and Knox Sherman’s body encompassed her. “What’s that?”
“I still can’t dance.”
“I don’t really care if you can dance.”
Knox grinned.
Ema swayed her hips and moved her body against his. Knox let out a low groan. Then he was slowly moving with her, and it was sweet yet sexy and so, so perfect. He wasn’t good at it, but he was trying to dance … for her. Knox sort of waltzed with her around the room, and then he backed her up against the wall. He did that slow, languishing move with his hands again that about did her in, running them up her sides and along her neck. Then he framed her face with his palms and leaned in to her.
“Why don’t you care if I can’t dance?” he asked huskily.
Ema tilted her head up. They were so close, she could feel his warm exhalations. “I only care if you can kiss.”
Knox let out a low groan again and his thumbs tenderly traced her cheeks. “What if I’m as bad at kissing as I am at dancing?”
Ema laughed. “Not possible.”
Knox’s perfect smile lit up his handsome face. “Not possible because my dancing is so horrible?”
Ema arched onto tiptoes, their bodies aligned, and she knew his kiss would turn her world upside down. His simple touch had her on fire for him. Knox’s breath shortened as his smile disappeared and his eyes dipped to her lips, then up to meet hers.
“Not possible,” she said, “because I know already how you’ll kiss me.”
He arched an eyebrow. “Really? How’s that?”
Ema moistened her lips. “You’ll kiss me like the beast you are. You’ll take complete control.”
“I thought you didn’t like the Beast.”
“I like you, Knox … all of you.”
His eyes widened and his breath became ragged. Ema had a moment of concern that he really would burst into a hulking beast, but he still held her tenderly, just very, very firmly. “Ema,” he murmured. “When the Beast kisses someone, it isn’t because he’s out of control. When he kisses her, it means something.”
Ema’s heart raced faster and faster. “So you’re saying I mean something to you?”
He nodded solemnly, and some of the raw passion of the moment faded, but it was replaced by something truer, deeper. Knox was telling her that if she didn’t want him, she needed to back out now. His kiss would mark her as his. Somewhere in the back of her mind she remembered that she was a twenty-first-century woman who was strong and career-oriented and driven. In Knox’s arms, all she could see was him and she wanted to be his. She wanted it far more than she wanted a spot on ABC, name recognition, fans, or success.
“I want to mean something to you,” she admitted.
Knox smiled briefly, and then he bent his head and claimed her lips with his. Nothing could have prepared her for the burst of devotion, passion, and commitment that poured from his kiss. He knocked the doubt and fear clean out of her body. Knox would protect her and care for her until his dying day. It wasn’t so much that she was his; it was that he was hers.
Ema arched up into him, returning his kiss with her own and feeling every inch of this powerful man surrounding her. His hands trailed down from her face to encompass her waist. He lifted her off her feet and pressed her up into the wall behind her. The pressure of his kiss increased until she thought she’d burn up. It was a good thing he was holding her in place, because she would’ve fallen to the ground without him.
Knox lowered her to her feet and slowed down the kiss, tenderly tasting her, savoring her. She was weak and strong at the same time in his secure embrace. He brought both hands back up her s
ides, along her shoulders, and then down each of her arms. Wow, he was good at touching her. Releasing her mouth, he pressed his forehead against hers and whispered, “Better than I dance?”
Ema laughed, but it was shaky. “That’s like comparing a flickering match with a fireworks show.”
He chuckled. Pulling her against his chest, he simply held her close. Ema wanted to talk about all that had just transpired, but it was too new, too fragile. It was like a beautiful butterfly that had landed on her hand, but if she tried to grab it, she’d break its wings.
Knox suddenly swept her off her feet and carried her to the bed. Ema’s heart thudded out of control. He’d just kissed the dickens out of her and she was a guest in his home. Did he think that meant … something different than she’d intended?
Setting her down, he straightened and said, “You’d better get some rest. It’s been a pretty big day for you.”
Ema relaxed against the pillows, relief pouring over her. Knox was an honorable man. “It sure has. I’ve never been kissed like that before.”
Knox smiled. “I meant your head injury. Do you need anything before I go?”
“Don’t go,” Ema begged.
Knox’s eyes widened and he whispered, “Ema, I don’t—”
Ema felt her face flush. “Oh, no, I didn’t mean stay stay. I’m not like that. I’d just like to talk to you, have you close.”
Knox nodded. “I should’ve known Miss Hawaii would be a good moral example to her fans.”
Ema wrinkled her nose. “That’s right. Also, I’m a Christian.” She pulled out the cross she wore on a long chain around her neck.
He studied it. “I like that. I pray, but that’s all.”
“Because you hate people and don’t want to go into a church?”
Knox straightened. “It’s not that I hate people.” He shifted his weight from foot to foot.
Ema scooted back and patted the bed. “Sit and talk to me, Knox.”
He shook his head quickly. “No. Sorry.” He walked away, and her breath caught. He was so abrupt. Now he was leaving her? But instead of making a beeline for the door, he grabbed the chair from a writing desk in the corner and carried it back, propping it up next to her bed.
The Beastly Groom Page 12
