by J. H. Croix
Moments later, he was slipping his phone back in his pocket. “It’s their car. Can we turn a few lights on now?” he asked softly.
Emma took a shaky breath and nodded. “I’m sorry. I overreacted.” She was finally able to relax her arms. Her jaw was clenched, along with every muscle in her body. Fight, flight, or freeze—the mantra in therapy for what humans did when confronted with a threat, real or imagined. In her case, she froze.
Trey seemed to sense she needed a few minutes. He quietly moved about, turning on a few lamps rather than the overhead lights. Returning to the kitchen, he put the last of the dishes in the dishwasher before pulling a bottle of red wine out of the wine rack under the counter, along with two wineglasses. Glancing at her, he lifted an eyebrow in question. At her nod, he filled both glasses before gesturing for her to follow him into the living room.
Emma sat down on the couch with a sigh. She felt silly now. It was as if the three years she’d worked so hard to get control of her fears and move on from Greg had never happened. A mere week of learning he was here, and she was a bundle of nerves and questioning everything she saw.
Trey wordlessly handed her the glass of wine, and she took a welcome swallow. She needed something to blunt the ragged edges of her fear. She started to say something and stopped, unsure how to explain or what she even wanted to explain.
Trey was seated close to her and shifted a little closer, his warmth a balm to her nerves. He slipped an arm over her shoulders. “No need to think this to death. You have every reason to worry about seeing a car like that. I’m glad you said something. If you weren’t worried, it would scare me. I won’t pretend this week has been easy. I hate that you haven’t been staying with me, but I’m more relieved than I can say that you’re not staying by yourself at your house.”
He rubbed the back of her neck, slowly massaging it. The coil of tension inside of her began to ease. She took a sip of wine and glanced at him. He was staring out the window, his expression inscrutable. He turned to her, his eyes meeting hers—intense and probing. Her eyes skittered away, her breath hitching. The rational part of herself—the one she tended to rely on, particularly after the fiasco of her marriage—told her she needed to get a grip, what was happening with Trey was too much, too intense, and too fast, that Greg showing up should remind her of how foolish she’d been to even think she could have something good, and letting her fantasies get the best of her was revealing what a farce they were. But her heart beat its soft wings against her fears. You don’t have to believe that. Maybe, just maybe you can have something with Trey. Her defensive mind sneered. Emma shook her head sharply and took a gulp of wine.
Trey’s hand slowly stilled. His voice broke through the quiet. “So are we gonna talk about how long you need to insist on having space? Because I don’t agree. I’m doing my best, but it’s not easy.”
Her throat tightened. Anxiety bloomed in her chest. She didn’t know how to explain, or if it made any sense, even to her. Forcing herself to take a breath, she took another few gulps of wine, the wine starting to dull the fear clamped over her. Trey’s presence was everything she wanted and everything she’d convinced herself she could never have. He was strong, sure, intelligent, caring, protective and sexy as hell. On top of all that, he was an amazing single father. And being near him set her nerves alight—shivery sparks skittering, her belly fluttering, and wet heat building.
Emma finally looked over and met his eyes, tumbling into the warm brown. “I don’t know. I don’t really want space, it just seems like I should. I hate that Greg showed up like this. I want to deal with it myself and not drag you into it.” Her words were soft in the quiet room. Restless, she looked away and out the windows. The sun had fallen lower, a curved crescent peeking above the mountains. The sky was deep red and orange fading into dark. The harbor lights cast across the water, the rippling waves visible in the reflected light. A half-moon sat low in the sky, its rise measured by the pace of the sun’s fall. So precise, as the tides were.
She felt the lift of Trey’s breath and looked back at him. His eyes were intent, focused on her. When he spoke, his voice was low and firm. “But you don’t have to deal with it by yourself. Whether you like it or not, no matter whether it happened too fast, we have something and what happens to you matters to me. A lot.” He paused and appeared to be considering his words. “I get why you want to deal with Greg yourself. You went through hell to get out of that relationship and stand on your own. But you don’t have to be alone anymore. Let me be there for you.” His eyes broke away from hers and he shifted abruptly, raking his hands through his hair. He looked out the window again, elbows resting on his knees. His profile, the strong, clean lines of his face, was etched in the shadows. A glimmer of sadness lingered in his eyes when he finally turned back to her.
Emma stopped thinking and let her heart lead her for once. Though it terrified her, she simply didn’t have it in her tonight, at this juncture, to fight what she wanted. Setting her wineglass on the coffee table, she spoke his name.
Trey turned, his eyes zeroing in on hers. She didn’t look away and slowly stood, coming to stand directly in front of him. With deliberation, she leaned forward and cupped his face in his hands. Tracing his lips with one finger, she fell into the blur of passion that hovered around them.
He muttered an imprecation and swiftly tugged her forward. Her knees collapsed, and she straddled him. Holding her gaze, his palms slid under her blouse and up her back, strong and warm, blazing a path of heat that suffused her body. With subtle pressure, he pressed her forward until she could feel his breath against her lips. “You’re not alone,” he said, his voice husked with passion.
And then he kissed her, his lips strong, sure and oh-so-thorough. His tongue traced her lips, urging her mouth open before delving in. The fear and anxiety she’d been trying so hard to hold at bay dissolved in the fiery passion between them. Emma became frantic and fumbled with the buttons of his shirt. Trey gentled his kiss and leaned back, his eyes boring into hers—the current between them leapt, her heart stuttered and raced. The sheer depth of yearning in his gaze took her breath away. He slowly slid his palms down her back, bringing one up to cradle her cheek, his thumb brushing away a tear she hadn’t noticed.
Straddling him, she felt the heat of his shaft against pressing against her own desire. Her hips moved of their own accord, spikes of sharp pleasure following each minute motion. He stilled her hips with a hand.
“Not rushing this,” he said, his voice soft.
He slid his palm down her cheek, skating down the side of her neck, his thumb caressing the beat of her pulse before landing just above where her blouse buttoned. In the haze of her passion, she couldn’t break away from his gaze, nor could she focus. With deliberation, he began unbuttoning her blouse. One button at a time, pausing to drop moist kisses as each inch of her skin was revealed. Her desire climbed in increments as he slowly opened her blouse. Feverish and restless, she arched into each kiss, desperate for more. When he finally pushed her blouse off of her shoulders, she sighed in relief. She moved to tug at his shirt and he stopped her.
“Not yet.”
Emma whimpered, undulating her hips against the length of his cock. A flash of satisfaction darted through her when he momentarily grabbed her hips and held her hard and fast against him, grinding into her. His breath came in short bursts before he reined himself in. Her nipples ached, straining against the lace cups covering them. Trey turned his attention to them, laving one and then the other through the silky lace. Moving with deliberation, his hands slid around to unhook her bra and toss it away. He sighed in satisfaction when he held both breasts in his hands, cupping them, toying with her nipples, smiling devilishly when she pleaded with him. The silver in his hair caught in the dim light when he leaned forward to nip, suck, lick and tease.
Burning need suffused her. She arched against him, sensation rippling through her. When she moved to unbutton his shirt, he didn’t stop her this t
ime. His chest, taut muscles dusted with dark hair, was delectable. His breath hissed through his teeth when she softly licked, kissed and nipped him. The roughened skin of his palms struck sparks on her skin as he slid them up her back again, this time pulling her close, skin to skin. They spiraled into a blur of need—kissing madly, tongues tangling, breathing into and through each other. She ground against him, so wet with desire she could hardly stand the feel of his arousal, so desperate for release that she began to peak, straining against him.
Trey abruptly broke their kiss and pushed her up. Their remaining clothes were torn off, scattered on the floor. He turned her quickly. She fell to her knees on the couch, his hands sliding to cup her bottom, the caress rough and unbearably arousing.
“Trey…”
“Yes?” he voice was husky with desire.
“Please…” she gasped.
He slid two fingers inside her cleft, slippery with her need. Her hands clenched against the back of the couch, her hips pushing into his hand. His slid his fingers in and out, slow and then fast. He brought his other hand around front to tease her clit. She came in a noisy burst. And yet…it wasn’t enough. She wanted more, wanted him to fill her.
He slowly removed his hands, sliding them to curl around her hips, the evidence of her desire dragged in wet trails on her skin.
“Emma…can’t wait anymore,” he bit out. He moved away briefly. She heard the tear of foil and then he rolled a condom on.
His hands returned, one curled around her hip while the other slid up the center of her spine, caressing its curve. The tip of his cock teased her entrance. She whimpered, dripping with want. Just as she thought she couldn’t take it anymore, he surged into her channel, driving deep. He established an alternating rhythm—pulling all the way out in excruciating slow motion and driving forward quickly.
She careened into the blaze that surrounded them. The warmth of his palm pressing into the arch of her spine anchored her in the tumult of sensation. She gradually climbed again, her yearning for release building with each stroke. He slid a hand around and at the touch of his thumb against her clit, she shattered, her hips convulsing against him, pulsing around his shaft. His control finally broke and his hips drummed into hers. A final thrust and he called her name, finding his own release.
Nothing but the sound of their breath was left. Trey curled his arms around her waist from behind and slowly tipped them sideways. They fell into a spooned position on the couch. Emma lay still in the quiet, adrift in the aftermath of sensation. He stroked her hair away from her face, placing soft kisses on the back of her neck.
Chapter 14
“So what’s the update from Darren?” Trey asked Jared.
Jared glanced up from where he stood on the boat. “Hey, don’t I get a hello first?”
Trey rolled his eyes and shrugged. “Hello. What’s the update from Darren?”
Jared chuckled and wiped his face with his sleeve. Trey had come out to meet him at the harbor. Jared had said he’d be here most of the day doing repairs and cleaning on the fishing boats he owned with his brothers. The sky was bright and clear today, the sun high in the sky. It was an unusually warm summer day in Diamond Creek with little to no breeze giving the sun a chance to create some heat. Trey looked out beyond the harbor into Kachemak Bay. Mount Augustine sat quiet and dark in the distance, void even of the clouds that often lingered around its peak. An eagle screeched nearby. Trey turned to see the eagle launch from its perch on a dock piling and swoop to the water, diving in a splash and coming up with a salmon in its talons. Just beyond the docks, a pair of loons floated in the water.
Trey turned back to Jared who sat down on one of the benches by the boat railing. He tugged his work gloves off and tossed them on the boat deck.
Resting his elbows on the railing, Jared leaned back and eyed Trey with a speculative gleam. “Far as I can tell, you’ve fallen and hard for Emma.”
Trey experienced a flash of irritation. He didn’t want to explain how or why Emma meant so much to him, but he was terrified Greg’s intrusion would ruin what they had. He zoned in on Jared’s refusal to answer his question. “Not denying it. But you’re not answering my question.”
Jared gave him a long look before nodding. “Talked to Darren this morning after you called. No luck confirming Greg’s still in town. But now they have Emma’s phone records, they’ve catalogued the calls and they all go back to two different cell numbers—one is listed under Greg’s name. The other one surprised me. It’s his wife’s number. He remarried about six months after his divorce from Emma was finalized.”
“You’re kidding me,” Trey said flatly.
“Exactly what I said,” Jared replied. “Darren assured me it’s true. When they traced the number and confirmed it belonged to a woman named Barbara Neals, they pulled her public records and found the marriage certificate. So Greg seems to be even more of an asshole than we thought. But you know guys like that, it doesn’t matter that he’s moved on. He doesn’t want Emma to. Probably still can’t believe she actually left him.”
“Damn. I wonder if his wife knows he’s been doing this all along. And does she know he showed up in Diamond Creek?” Trey wondered aloud.
Jared shrugged. “Hell if I know, but Darren’s contacted the local police for the town in Connecticut where they live. They’ve agreed to go check in with her and find out what she knows. So Greg may not have kept her up to date, but she’s about to be.”
“Hmm. That oughta be an interesting conversation. I have to let Emma know.”
“You think so? I wasn’t sure if we should just wait until Darren has info from the Connecticut police,” Jared said.
Trey shook his head. “Much as there’s a part of me that wants to sit on this because just saying the guy’s name stresses her out, I can’t. She’s not pushing me away. I don’t want to make that happen again by withholding anything from her. She needs to feel in control of this as much as she can.”
Jared nodded. “Makes sense. Why don’t you call Darren to see if he has any more news and then fill her in?”
“Will do,” Trey said. He glanced at his watch. “Did you need help with anything before I go?”
Jared shook his head. “Nah, man. Thought I could use your help with carrying some of this gear, but Nathan’s headed down in a bit and it makes more sense to load it in his truck, seeing as we store it at his house.”
Back in his car, Trey called Risa.
“What’s up?” Risa said in greeting.
“Wondering if you’d mind coming to stay for a week or so?”
“Don’t you think I might get in the way of time you could be spending with Emma?” Risa questioned in reply, her tone teasing.
“Better yet, I think it would be good to have you around to help out with Stuart,” Trey said before quickly filling her in on what was going on with Greg. “I finally persuaded Emma to stop avoiding me, but her sticking point is that she doesn’t want this to affect Stuart. If you’re around, you can help with Stuart and I can stay with her at her place.”
Risa quickly agreed and said she’d be there tonight. She brushed off his thanks. Trey didn’t know what he would have done without Risa sometimes. Yet again, she was stepping up to help, this time for a woman she barely knew. Risa had a huge heart. Though she’d been busy encouraging him to move on from Helen’s death, she dismissed him whenever he asked if she was seeing anyone. It would drive her near batty, but Trey figured she was due for a little prodding herself sometime soon.
With Risa on the way, Trey called his assistant at the office to let her know he’d be in tomorrow. He left Emma a quick message to call when she could and headed over to meet Darren.
Darren didn’t have any more to add than what Jared had already told him. He seemed bemused that Trey was checking with him, in addition to Jared. “Should I set up a phone tree to make sure everyone has an update the second I have anything new?” Darren asked wryly.
When
Trey started to nod, Darren burst out laughing. “Look, we’re not doing a phone tree here. I haven’t even had a chance to call Emma with Jared breathing down my neck because she’s family for him, and now I’ve got you on my tail too. I gather you’ve got something going on with Emma, and you’re worried about her. But these things take time. Unless we get lucky and spot this guy, we’re just gonna have to wait. For the rest, I’m moving as fast as I can. The Connecticut cops said they’d swing by the house where Greg and his wife live today and call me once they have something to tell me. In the meantime, not much else I can do.”
Trey kept himself in check. He wanted to shake Darren even though he knew damn well Darren was doing everything he could. He couldn’t help himself and had to ask if they had cops on duty round the clock. As with much of Alaska, that was no guarantee.
“Oh yeah, it’s summer. We’re staffed 24/7 all summer. Everyone’s gotten a copy of Greg’s picture, and we’re on alert for the car Emma saw. I promise I’ll call Emma as soon as I have any more news.”
Restless to do something other than wait, Trey swung into Misty Mountain Café to pick up baked goods for Risa and Stuart, along with something to surprise Emma with for breakfast tomorrow. Walking in, he spied Susie at a corner table. She appeared to be focused on work, typing rapidly on her laptop. While he waited in line, he saw Jared exit the restroom and head straight for Susie’s table. Jared paused beside the table and said something. Susie’s head lifted sharply. Trey’s curiosity piqued when Susie glared at Jared and returned to her typing. In a rare moment, Jared appeared uncertain, shifting on his feet and glancing around the café. Noticing Trey, Jared waved him over. Trey gestured to the line and nodded. He couldn’t help but wonder what was going on with those two.
Strong coffee in hand, along with two loaves of fresh bread and a box of Risa’s favorite savories, Trey threaded through the scattered tables.
