by Anne Rainey
The instant she’d walked into the nightclub, Jason had wanted to get up close. Her pretty brown hair that swung just above her ass in bouncy little ringlets made him ache to stroke it. And every inch of her curvy body was on display in the sexy green dress she’d worn. Jason had never been attracted to bone-thin women. He liked something to unveil. Something to make his time worthwhile. And Emma was surely worthwhile.
He tore his thoughts away from the elusive Emma and back to the conversation he’d been having with his brother, Jensen. “I don’t see why you won’t agree to hiring a little bit of office help.”
Jason was growing increasingly bored with the discussion. For over an hour, they’d been sitting at the small round table at the nightclub while Jensen grumbled about their decision to hire an office manager. Their business, Man-Maid Cleaning Service, was a success. They had new clients coming daily. Frankly, Jason didn’t see anything wrong with hiring some help now that they were doing so well. The business was growing fast, and they needed someone to take the load off. It would free them up to take on more clients if they weren’t always stuck at the office. It was a good decision. Still, Jensen seemed reluctant to give up control over the books. Before they’d started the maid service, Jensen had been a financial analyst. Jason supposed that was why his brother balked at the idea of someone else handling the money end of things.
“I would if there was a good reason. You haven’t given me one.”
Jason shoved his fingers through his hair. “It’s simple. If we’re always busy adding up numbers and filling out invoices, then we can’t take on more clients.”
Jensen took a drink of his beer before setting it back on the table. “I do see your point. I’m just a control freak when it comes to the finances.”
Jason slapped his brother on the shoulder. “Yeah, we all know that, man.”
His brother sat back in the chair and crossed his arms over his chest. “We’ll put an ad out first thing Monday morning.”
Jason pushed his barely touched beer away before replying, “Sounds good.”
“Now that we have that cleared up, let’s talk about the woman who just landed in your lap.”
Jason could feel his muscles tensing. He didn’t want to talk about Emma Ryan. “What about her?”
“Isn’t she the waitress you flirted with at Pete’s Pizzeria?”
“Yep.” Jason signaled the waiter for his check before adding, “We also went to high school together.”
Jensen narrowed his gaze. “Something must have happened, because there was some serious tension between you two just now.”
His brother would never let this go. Jason would have to fill him in. “It was during our junior year. She asked me to homecoming, and I turned her down.”
He drummed his fingers on the table. “You were going out with Patrice then, right?”
Jason nodded. “Patrice Samms.”
“I never did care for her.” Jensen shook his head. “She was an airhead and flirted with every guy in school. I never understood what you saw in her.”
Jason seriously didn’t want to have this conversation, but Jensen could be like a dog with a bone. “My hormones sort of ran the show back then. I was an idiot, I know.”
“And you want to remedy that, huh?”
“I think she’d rather I drop dead, but I can’t seem to get her out of my head.”
“You might be surprised.” Jensen shrugged. “There could be some serious groveling on your part first, but I have a feeling she’s worth it.”
Jason thought of Jensen’s girlfriend, Marquetta. They’d met recently when she’d saved him from getting hit by a car. Now they were living together, and he’d never seen his brother happier. “Was it like this with Marquetta? Feeling like you just have to see her again?”
“Pretty much. She knocked me on my ass, and I haven’t stopped grinning since.” Jensen smiled as if to prove his point. “So, what’s your plan with Emma?”
The answer to that was easy. “First, I need to find out if she’s single.” The idea that Emma might be taken set Jason’s teeth on edge.
His brother chuckled. “And if she’s available?”
“Then I’ll ask her out.” He only hoped she’d say yes, because the idea of Emma turning him down sucked. For some reason, the thought of never seeing her again just didn’t sit right with him. Ever since she’d quit working at the pizzeria, Jason had an itch to track her down. Now, fate had dropped her in his lap—literally—and he wasn’t about to let the opportunity pass him by.
Jensen cocked his head to the side and said, “It just so happens I know where she lives and works.”
The news practically knocked Jason out of his chair. “You do?”
“Yep. I overheard one of the waitresses at Pete’s talking about Emma the other day. The girl was going on and on about Emma opening her own business. A little shop called Your Heart’s Desire. It’s right down the street from here, actually.”
“What sort of business is it?”
“From what I’ve gathered, it’s an odds-and-ends store. She’s living in the little apartment above it.” He held up his hand. “That’s the extent of what I know, though.”
Hell, Jensen knew more about Emma than he did. “I had no idea she was a business owner.”
“I have a feeling there’s a lot about Emma you don’t know.” Jensen pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and looked at the screen. “It’s late, come on.”
After paying for the beer that they’d barely touched, they stood and headed for the door. When they reached the cool night air outside the bar, Jason took the keys to his Harley out of his jean’s front pocket, then turned toward his brother. “Say hi to Marquetta for me.”
He nodded. “Drive safe.”
“You too,” Jason replied as he took his helmet off the handlebars and slipped it over his head. He swung his leg over the seat and started the bike. Before he even realized what he was doing, Jason found himself pulling up outside Emma’s shop. He had no business skulking around in the dark. She could have a boyfriend. Hell, a husband. As a light went on in an upstairs window, Jason became transfixed. Emma appeared at the window, and she looked like she was alone. She had changed out of the dress he’d seen her wearing earlier at the bar. Now she wore an oversize, fluffy robe. He had to grit his teeth against the need to go to her. God, she’d been gorgeous in the clingy dress earlier. How could she be that same shy girl he’d cheated off of in history class?
When she looked in the direction of where he sat on his cycle, Jason wondered if she knew it was him. Was she as attuned to him as he was to her? Suddenly, she pulled the curtain closed and disappeared. Jason revved his Harley’s engine and took off down the dark street. Now that he knew where she lived and worked, he could relax. Tomorrow he aimed to pay her little shop a visit. If he was lucky, he’d walk away with more than a few odds and ends.
Emma didn’t take a deep breath until she was back inside her shop. Lordy, she wasn’t easily shaken, but Jason Kershaw shook her. She needed time to think about the way he affected her. Ever since high school, the man had had the power to render her mute. The connection between her and Jason seemed altogether too strong for her peace of mind. Jason’s rugged face sprang to her mind, and she shuddered. The way he’d stared down at her with such concern when she’d tumbled onto his lap… He’d held her in his arms, cradling her almost protectively. Jason Kershaw was bad for her peace of mind, of that she was absolutely certain.
As she maneuvered through the crowded aisles of knickknacks, healing oils and herbs, a sense of pride shot through her as she thought of how much work had gone into putting her store together and making it a place she could be proud of. She’d started her online business a little earlier, and it was already expanding. Her customers seemed eager to flock to her physical store too. When Emma reached the stairs at the back of the shop, she
kicked off her heels. Her mind focused on one thing as she took the steps to her upstairs apartment. Sleep. She needed several hours of it, or she wouldn’t be able to think clearly, and she had an early day tomorrow. As her head hit the pillow, sleep evaded her, though. All she could think about was Jason. His large, muscular frame had her body spinning out of control. The man was incredibly rugged and so very male. His messy, dark hair and five-o’clock shadow made her think he was as wild as imagined. Sleep would be a long time coming.
Later in the evening, she somehow sensed him. Jason was close by. She even got out of bed to see for herself, but she hadn’t seen anyone on the street outside her apartment. Finally, she’d given up and rolled back into bed, falling fast asleep from exhaustion. But it seemed like only minutes passed before the blasted alarm clock was chiming.
She shoved out of bed and made her way to the adjoining bathroom. A long hot soak in some soothing bath oils should wake her. Soon, the tub was filling with hot water and bubbles, and the small room was abundant with the scent of lavender. She loved flowers. The scents of them always reminded her of her grandmother’s garden. When Emma was little, her grandmother would show her how no two flowers ever looked exactly the same, never smelled exactly alike. She’d grown up learning all about nature at her grandmother’s knee.
She pinned her hair atop her head, then immersed herself in the water’s healing scents. She closed her eyes and used the time to meditate. Soon, peace permeated every cell in her body. She concentrated on each tiny particle of her body. From the hairs on her arms to the tips of each finger. It was easy for her now to create the right atmosphere. No matter where she was or what she was doing, she could always find the peaceful garden in her imagination, where she felt like nothing and no one could hurt her. Her grandmother’s garden, even though it was long gone now, still held a place of honor in her mind.
Grandmother Lilah had been a woman to reckon with, formidable and fierce in her ideas and beliefs. She’d all but raised Emma from the time she was just a small girl. She’d taught her in the ways of natural healing and how to use the riches of the earth to her advantage. Grandmother Lilah had taught her well. Emma hoped to use all that knowledge in her new business. She silently wished her grandmother could tell her what was going on now with Jason and why she felt so drawn to him. Suddenly, Emma got a quick glimpse of her grandmother smiling down at her. She would firmly plant her hands on her hips the way she always used to do when she would try to drive a point home. She’d say, “Baby doll, you listen to your Grammy, I know what I’m talking about. Don’t think I don’t.” Then she’d hug Emma and send her on her way with a kiss on her cheek.
Emma sighed and sank farther into the scented heat. She missed the warm, tight hugs the most, as well as the bond they’d shared. Now Emma was alone. The sense of belonging she’d had when her grandmother was alive had all but disappeared. She’d never known that kind of unconditional love before or since. It was just as well, she supposed, because caring about someone meant they might leave you. They couldn’t hurt you if you didn’t allow yourself to care.
She lifted herself out of the tub and grabbed the towel hanging on the back of the door. As she dried off, Emma knew what she had to do. Put Jason Kershaw out of her mind and get on with life. Lonely it may be, but she could handle lonely, so long as she didn’t let her heart do her thinking for her. She’d done that once with Damian. Look how that had turned out. She refused to play the fool again.
Chapter Three
Emma stared at the sign on her door. Open. It’d been a busy day, and she’d loved every second of it. It was nearly closing time now, but the joy of being a business owner sent a shaft of excitement through her, and a grin slipped across her face. She went behind the counter and took one last swallow of her apple juice, then tossed the empty bottle in the trash. The bells on the door chimed, signaling another customer, and she had to still her racing heart when she looked up and saw Jason striding through the door. When their gazes clashed and held, Emma’s cheeks heated. Jason’s mouth curved upward, as if he knew how easily he affected her. Damn annoying man.
She started to step around the counter to greet him, but her foot caught on a box sitting on the floor. Emma stumbled, her knee twisting enough for Emma to feel a dart of pain travel the length of her leg. She cried out, and suddenly Jason was there, catching her before she landed on her butt. With agile movements, he caught her up and cradled her in his arms. Everything ceased to matter in that moment; there was only Jason and his powerful arms and solid chest.
“Why do I keep catching you?” He kept his voice soft and gentle, and the easy rhythm calmed her like nothing else.
“I-I’m fine. Really.” Emma went stiff in his arms. “I feel ridiculous.”
She squirmed, trying to get him to put her down, but he was too determined. His arms were steel bands around her. She wasn’t going anywhere till she convinced him she was truly fine. “Jason, please put me down.”
He kept his hold on her and stared. The rigid expression on his face dared her to defy him. “I can see you’re in pain.” She started to argue, but he overrode her. “Is there a place I can sit you down among all this…stuff?”
Was that disapproval in his tone? “Stuff? I beg your pardon?” She felt totally affronted at his criticism.
“What is this place anyway?”
“Jason,” she gritted out. Her tone should have warned him he was treading on dangerous ground, but apparently he’d never learned to censor his thoughts. “Now, don’t get all huffy, I just figured with a name like ‘Your Heart’s Desire,’ a lingerie shop would be more…fitting.”
Her lips kicked up at the corners of their own accord. “You would think that.”
He frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You’re a guy, so it’s not a real big leap that your mind might go down a slightly dirtier path with the name of my shop.”
“You do have a point,” he replied. “Still, you shouldn’t make assumptions about me.”
She barely heard him. She was too consumed with his woodsy male scent. God, he was intoxicating. He carefully made his way through the tight aisles of knickknacks and odd and ends. When he grumbled under his breath about feeling like a bull in a china shop, she swatted him on the chest. “Put. Me. Down.”
He stopped abruptly, pulling her more fully against the hard plane of his chest. “If you’ll direct me through this maze of queer objects, maybe I will. Do you have an office or a backroom?”
She sighed at the inevitable. The man was too impossibly persistent. “Back and to the right.”
He nodded and headed there. A door revealed a tight stairway leading to her apartment. “This will be a tight fit.” He angled his body sideways and maneuvered his way up the twisting steps. When he reached the top, there was another door. “It’s a good thing I’m not claustrophobic.”
Jason squeezed through the doorway and nearly fell over a bundle of clothes. He stepped over them and stopped. When he located the bed, he took two wide steps and placed her on top of the rumpled comforter. “Better?”
Emma nodded and breathed a sigh of relief at finally being out of Jason’s arms. He was too overwhelmingly male. His presence in the small room seemed to swallow up every ounce of air and every inch of space. She’d never had a man in her apartment before. Once upon a time, she was an intelligent, cautious woman. A few minutes in Jason’s company, and suddenly she lost all good sense.
She positioned herself, propping her throbbing foot up on the bed, the slight movement causing her to wince. In a strained voice, she said, “Thank you.”
He angled his head and crossed his arms over his chest, taking a minute to study her. She looked damn good sitting up in the unmade bed. Her hair, in disarray, floated around her body, so long that it skimmed the mattress. Her face flushed a slight shade of pink, and she breathed erratically as if still in pain and trying to
hide it. Her black slacks were fitted to her lengthy legs, and the crisp white camisole top was just see-through enough for him to make out the lace on her bra. She looked classy-sexy. It made him want to see her in a state of disorder like the bed. But first things first.
He crouched beside the bed and pulled up the hem of her slacks. Her knee was already beginning to swell. It was going to hurt like hell in the morning if he didn’t take care of it. “You need ice for the swelling. Where’s the kitchen around here?” When he started to straighten, she stopped him with a touch.
“Thank you, Jason,” she whispered.
He took her face in his hands and stroked his thumb over the adorable cleft in her chin in a gentle caress. He couldn’t help it. The soft skin of her cheek begged for his touch and he brushed the backs of his fingers over it. “You’re welcome.” He smiled when her eyes softened. “The kitchen?”
“Down the stairs and to the right.”
As Jason reached the downstairs, he almost knocked over a glass display case of what appeared to be…elves. “Who in the hell would want a figurine of an elf?” He made a mental note to ask her what kind of customers frequented a store like hers.
Jason glanced around and spotted the doorway to the backroom. He wound his way around shelves of crystals, amulets, statues and even an entire aisle devoted totally to little vials of scents and herbs. He stopped and squinted at one of the bottles, but he couldn’t pronounce what was written on the label. Jason went through the doorway to the kitchen area, though it looked more like a break room. There was a small refrigerator, a microwave, and a little round table with only enough room for two chairs. No stove? Did she have another place? Somewhere she called home sweet home, or was this it? It bothered him to see her living such a skimpy life. She was an intelligent business woman. Why was she living in a small room above a curio shop? He went to the refrigerator—if you could call it that—opened the freezer section and spied an ice pack. He grabbed it up along with a hand towel that sat on the counter next to it, then left the room.
