Dead mother. That was one explanation for the lack of home-cooked meals. “I’m sorry.” It sounded lame, but what else do you say in that situation? She slipped her phone from her pocket and snapped a picture of the front and back of the card. When she checked to make sure it came out clearly, she saw her battery was almost dead.
She ate the rest of her food in silence. Sean and Tommy talked about Tommy’s car. Mostly, Sean yelled at him for not taking care of something on it. It sounded like a conversation they’d had before.
She poked at the last few bites because she was at a loss for what to do next. She needed to get her bag from downstairs. She needed to get a ride home or to the garage to get her car. She needed to charge her phone.
As she tried to figure out the most tactful way of asking for a ride from a guy she’d planned to sleep with but hadn’t, Sean asked, “What are your plans for today?”
She blinked a few times. “Nothing. Getting my car, I suppose. Any idea when it might be done?”
He shrugged. “It’s a quick fix. It might be done already. I’ll call and check for you.”
“Thanks.” She scooped up her last bite of the crêpe and withheld her sigh of pleasure. This was definitely a recipe she planned to add to her repertoire. She stood and put her plate in the sink. Sean was suddenly at her back, placing his dish on top of hers. “Should I wash?”
“Nah. I’ll get it later.”
He followed her back downstairs. After she grabbed her bag from the bathroom, she went to his bedroom to find her shoes. She sat beside him on the bed and slid her feet into her mom’s sneakers, which, if she remembered correctly, were Emma’s hand-me-downs. “Sorry about last night.”
“What about it?”
“I’m not a tease. And I’m not usually so drunk. I don’t know what happened.”
“You got me into a fight to protect your honor, and then you fell asleep before I could get you naked.”
He said it with a smirk, and Emma decided she liked him. A lot of guys would’ve shoved her out the door the moment they realized they weren’t getting sex. Or they’d have tried to get it anyway. He might be a man-boy, but he had morals. He’d come to her defense last night, and even when she’d offered drunken sex, he’d told her to sleep it off.
She smiled at him. “Guess you’re not as talented as you thought. I mean, I got half my clothes off for you.” She lifted a shoulder. “Maybe follow-through is your weakness.”
A shadow passed over his eyes before he quickly covered it with a smile.
“I don’t think so.” He wrapped an arm around her waist, and before she could do anything, he swooped her down on the mattress and covered her with his body. “I’m very good at completing. Maybe you just need to give me another shot.”
Part of him was joking, and Emma knew it. More of the game they’d been playing. But with the press of him on her, the heat of his blue eyes staring into hers, his lips within kissing distance, she wanted to give him that chance.
Even though having sex with him would almost break her one-night-only rule. A guy like Sean only got one night. His easygoing manner pricked something in her. Between that and the bar fight and the basement bedroom, something niggled in her brain, holding her back from really wanting him. She could enjoy herself, find what she needed, but there was no confusion about it leading to something more. He couldn’t give her the more she was looking for.
As if she needed more convincing, he leaned down and kissed her. His lips pressed against hers gently, then more insistently. She opened for him and he licked at her, as if sampling a new food. Then he pulled back. “Spend the day with me.”
“Huh?”
“There’s a fest in Old Town I was planning to go to. Music, food, end-of-summer kind of bash. It’ll be fun.”
Emma froze. She’d been prepared to have sex right now, as a continuation of her night with Sean. But to spend the day with him? That would definitely break the rule. He shifted his hips, bumping her just right as a promise of what was to come.
“You’re lying in my bed, but you have to think about hanging out with me?” he said.
She knew it was silly. Of course, she could spend the day with him and have fun and not think it would go any further. “I’m trying to decide if you’re trying to get me horny in order to spend the day with you or if you think spending the day with you will seal the deal.”
“Both.”
“Both?”
“I totally want you naked. All night if possible, but this is the last weekend of the summer. I won’t be able to ride my bike much longer, and I have hockey practice tonight. And I like you.”
He was so blunt, it was refreshing. No pretense about what the day was.
“Okay.”
Chapter Three
Sean held his breath waiting for Emma’s answer. He normally took things in stride when it came to girls. If a chick said no, he moved on. But something about Emma stuck with him. It was why he’d dragged her up to breakfast and why he wanted to spend the day with her. It was more than fucking, but he had no idea what. He knew he could strip her bare and have her right now, but he wanted more.
When she whispered, “Okay,” he released his breath and pressed another quick kiss to her lips. He jumped up. “Let’s go.”
He hoped her car wasn’t ready because he liked the feel of her wrapped around him on his bike. He’d been with a few women who wouldn’t go on the bike. Some were afraid. Others didn’t want the helmet to mess up their hair. Emma not only didn’t mind, she enjoyed the motorcycle.
She sat up slowly. “Now?”
“Yeah, now. We can make a day of it. I have to be back here by six to make it to practice. We can catch some music and eat and go for a ride.”
“Okay,” she said again, looking less sure.
“You want a shower or anything? I’m going to hop in.”
“I’m good, I think. Do you have a charger I could use for my phone?”
“Next to the bed.” He rifled through his dresser and grabbed fresh clothes. As he left, Emma settled in and plugged in her phone.
He took the quickest shower possible and ran his hands through his hair. Back in his bedroom, Emma sat in the same spot on his bed, scrolling through her phone.
“Telling all your Facebook friends about the great guy you met?”
She looked up and around the room. “Who would that be?”
He grabbed his chest. “You wound me.” He keeled over on the mattress.
She poked him with her foot. “Seriously, as great as you are—and compared to some guys I’ve known, you’re ranked near the top—but I don’t do Facebook.”
Sean let her words sink in. She hadn’t talked much about herself last night; neither of them had. Hearing how he compared to her past boyfriends or hookups, or whatever, helped. “Near the top, huh? I’ll have to see what I can do about that.”
She smiled.
“You’re really not on Facebook? I’ve never met a girl who wasn’t.” Hell, most girls couldn’t wait to log on and change their status. They went straight from meeting to “in a relationship” within a night.
She shrugged. “I used to be. Then a couple of years ago, my college adviser pointed out that principals and eventually parents would be looking up my social media.”
“So?”
“My mom has a habit of posting some inappropriate stuff. Stuff I wouldn’t want my boss to see. Or the parents of my kids.”
“If you’re not on Facebook, what are you doing? Sending out messages for a rescue?” He sincerely hoped not. He didn’t think he’d done anything to warrant a rescue call.
“I was on Pinterest.”
“Huh?”
She turned her phone to face him. “It’s a virtual bulletin board. I collect recipes of stuff I want to try. Sometimes books.”
He took the phone and scrolled. “Yeah, shirtless dudes are really recipes. Aren’t you worried about your boss seeing that?”
She reached for her phone, bu
t he pulled it away.
Emma slumped back, not engaging in his game. “I guess you didn’t notice the words ‘secret board’ above that one. No one can see that board or what I have pinned to it except me.”
He handed her the phone. When she took it, he whipped off his shirt.
“Want a picture for your secret board?” He flexed and posed, and Emma doubled over laughing. “What are you saying? That even though I’m better than the losers you know, I can’t compete with your eye candy?”
She laughed harder, and Sean felt like he’d accomplished something. If he got nothing else done for the day, this would be enough. He’d seen her smile, which was pretty great, and she’d snarked at him jokingly, but her laugh was fantastic.
With a hand on her chest, she inhaled deeply. Then she raised her phone. “Hold still.” And she snapped a picture of him.
“Wait. I can do better than a sneak shot.” He crawled closer, straddling her outstretched legs as he did. He lifted an eyebrow. “How about a smolder?”
Another peal of laughter had him joining in and almost falling on top of her. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d laughed so hard with a girl, especially in bed. It was a good feeling. Sean rolled next to her and they caught their breath, sides touching, and even though they were both fully clothed, something sparked between them. God, he loved it when the chemistry was hot.
He bumped her thigh with the back of his hand. “Ready to go?”
“Yeah.” She sat up and put her phone in her bag. “Any idea when I can get my car?”
He swung his legs over the side of the bed and sat next to her. “I haven’t called yet. I’m sure it’ll be ready by the end of the day. Let’s just take my bike around and I’ll get you to the garage before it closes.”
She bit her lip. “Are you sure it’ll be ready? I need my car. I have to go home at some point.”
“But for now, you’re good. Let’s go have some fun.” He pointed at her bag. “You got room in there for a few bottles of water for us?”
“Sure.” They stood and went upstairs for the water. As he came through the kitchen, Sean saw Norah at the sink.
She spun to face him. “You know, it’s bad enough you ate all of the breakfast so I couldn’t bring any to Kai, but you could’ve done your dishes.”
“I was gonna get to the dishes, but thanks for taking care of it, squirt.” He felt Emma at his back, but even if he hadn’t, the look on Norah’s face would’ve told him she was there.
Norah quickly dried her hands on a towel and stuck one out to Emma. “Hi, I’m Norah.”
They shook. “Emma.”
Sean had no idea what that was about. Norah never introduced herself to any of the girls he’d brought home. Of course, part of that was because they usually came and went through the basement door.
Norah pointed at Sean. “It would’ve been nice for you to save some crêpes for Kai.”
“Why? He doesn’t live here. In fact, when are you moving out? You’ve been dating that big lug for a year. Shouldn’t you be living together or something by now?”
“What’s the rush?”
“If you move out, I get the sweet apartment upstairs Jimmy made. I still don’t think it’s fair he gave you his place.”
“Of course he gave me his place when he moved out. First, I’m the only girl. There’s no way I’m sharing space with either you or Tommy. Second, I’m the baby. It’s his job to protect me from the debauchery in the basement.” She peered around Sean and looked at Emma. “No offense.” Coming back to Sean, she said, “And third, he loves me best.”
Emma chuckled behind him.
“Whatever. So what’s your timeline here?”
“I’m not moving in with Kai until after I graduate. Next summer. Is that soon enough?”
Sean opened his mouth to respond, but Emma cut in. “I know it’s none of my business, but good for you. Finish your education and you can always take care of yourself. You’ll never need to rely on a man. It’s a smart move.”
Norah practically beamed. “Thank you.”
Chicks. He’d never suggested she not finish school. Or that she should rely on Kai, although he was a good guy who clearly loved his baby sister. He moved past Norah and opened the fridge. Emma wasn’t much of a talker, but when she opened her mouth, her words meant something. She was independent. He liked that. A woman who could take care of herself. She might be the perfect woman. Someone who wouldn’t expect anything from him but fun.
He handed her a few bottles of water. “See you later, squirt. Coming to practice tonight?”
Norah had the water running in the sink again. “Probably,” she said over her shoulder.
He led Emma through the living room to leave. As usual, his dad was in the same spot on the couch. Sean was sure there were permanent ass imprints from his dad. The man had done nothing since retirement, other than drive them all a little crazy. “Hey, Dad.”
Dad grunted back. Sean paused and considered introducing Emma but decided not to. Seamus O’Malley wasn’t exactly a pleasant guy. Sean had managed to keep Emma’s interest this long. He didn’t need his dad to screw anything up.
Sean paused at the front hall closet and grabbed his spare helmet. He handed it to Emma and headed out the front door. It was near noon and the sun blazed. Humidity weighed heavily in the air. It would be a great day for a long ride.
* * *
Emma rode on the back of Sean’s motorcycle and let the sensation of pure freedom wash over her. She’d allowed herself to forget how much she enjoyed riding. She’d had a string of boyfriends after high school who all rode, but she’d given up the joy of a motorcycle ride when she’d given up bad boys. Mostly.
An occasional indulgence was allowed until she found the guy she would settle down with. She planned to live her life. So for now, she’d hang out with Sean, who managed to make her laugh until she cried and who kissed her like he could spend a lifetime playing with her naked body. And they hadn’t even had sex yet. It could only get better.
The sun scorched the skin on her arms, but the wind felt good. She didn’t question where Sean was driving, but when the lake came into view, she tried to keep her excitement in check. She loved Lake Michigan. She’d spent so many days on the crowded beach as a kid. They’d never had a pool or even a sprinkler, but her mom had taught her and Nicky how to get to the lake. They’d spent entire days there, coming home red as lobsters, but loving every minute of it.
As they grew older, she’d replaced time with Nicky with hanging out with friends. And then guys. Flirty splashing in the water and sweaty palms holding hands in the heat. Her first kiss had happened in the sand. At nineteen, she’d sneakily had sex on the pier with other people milling around. She’d never forget the thrill of getting off where other people might see. The memory alone caused a rush and she hugged Sean a little tighter. He’d probably go for it if she made the suggestion.
Sean pulled off Lake Shore Drive and down Wilson to get to the beach. Montrose Beach was farther north than she used to travel as a kid, but she’d been here before. There was a dog park on the north end and the harbor on the south end.
Besides the distance from where they had grown up, Emma had stayed away from this beach because she’d always thought it was the rich people’s beach. She’d never had a dog to take for a walk, much less to the beach. There was bird-watching and a bird sanctuary. The only birds she could recognize were pigeons. And the idea of owning a boat? Laughable.
Sean parked and held out a hand to help her off the bike. Her legs were a little wobbly from the vibrations, but in a good way. While he locked down the helmets, she took off her shoes. “I thought you wanted to go to some fest.”
“We’ll get there. This is the last weekend the beaches are open.”
“But that’s for swimming. There are always people here. The beach never really closes.”
“It’s not the same.”
“Sure, it is. We’re not swimming.”
&n
bsp; “Says who?” he asked, wiggling his eyebrows.
“Not funny.”
He rushed at her and scooped her up. They were still far from the shore, so she had no real fear of getting dumped in, but the surprise attack caught her off guard. She squealed, dropped her shoes, and gripped his arms. He laughed and stopped moving.
She slid back down his body, loving the complete contact. Her hands rested on his biceps, the fingers of her right hand brushing over the shamrock tattoo.
“Glad you came out with me today.” His voice was barely more than a harsh whisper.
“So am I.” She spoke the simple truth. Although she loved teaching and looked forward to each new school year, she loved her summers off and the time to recharge they afforded. This summer hadn’t been enough of a recharge, and she had started to feel it. She hoped a couple of days doing everything she shouldn’t would be enough.
Sean’s hands held her hips, his fingers flexing before pulling her closer. His crystal-blue stare captured her as he lowered his mouth to hers. The kiss was demanding, forceful in a way most guys she’d known a day wouldn’t be. His tongue tangled with hers, and he bit her lip, causing her to gasp.
His palm urged her hips forward to feel how hard he was. He shifted and swiveled just a touch, and she almost swallowed her own tongue. If he was this good fully clothed, she needed to get to the real deal naked. Sean trailed kisses from her lips, across her jaw and to her ear. Then he bit down again. Emma had never been much of a biter herself, but she enjoyed it when Sean sank his teeth in.
“I think we should’ve stayed in bed.” Her voice was husky with desire.
“I think you’re right.” He rested his forehead on the top of her head. His breath fluttered against the hairs that had slipped from her ponytail.
She licked her lips, and her mind raced over the choices they had. They could drive back to his house, where his brother, sister, and dad all were. They could go to her apartment and be alone, but she preferred not to bring guys back there. At least not the guys she wasn’t dating. Damn if this didn’t feel like a date though.
In Your Arms Page 4
