Reckless Envy

by Joss Wood

  He exhaled when he saw that she was alone. Matt watched as she approached him, taking in her pale face and haunted eyes. He was about to step into the light but hesitated, knowing that him jumping out of the shadows would scare her. His gut screamed for him to stay hidden and when another car sped up the driveway, he sent a prayer heavenward that he’d parked his car down the road and he stayed where he was.

  Emily turned slowly and watched as Morris stopped his car next to her. He was half-plowed at the restaurant and he was driving? What an asshat.

  Emily, Matt noticed, didn’t move when his passenger window slid down.

  “What are you doing here, Nico?” Emily demanded, her voice full of loathing. “We didn’t exactly leave the restaurant on good terms.”

  “I’m happy with the outcome.”

  “Because you’re holding all the cards.”

  “Yes, I am,” Morris replied, his voice cold. “Let me come up—we can open up a glass of wine, forget about tonight’s unpleasantness and start fresh.”

  Emily took a moment to reply but when she did, her words were coated with venom. “Are you kidding me? After the way you acted tonight? I’d rather have a glass of wine with a three-foot slug!”

  Matt couldn’t see the expression on Morris’s face but he could feel the tension crackling between them. If Nico stepped out of the car and forced his way into Em’s apartment, he’d rip his face off.

  But Nico, luckily, leaned back in his seat and released a low chuckle. “At some point you are going to realize that my way is the only way, Emily.”

  Emily rubbed her forehead with the tips of her fingers and, in the shadows, Matt could see the fatigue and frustration on her face. For that alone, he could beat Morris to a pulp. “Just go, Nico.”

  “Since you are being so unreasonable, I think that’s a good idea,” Morris replied, his voice soft and menacing. “And I hope, by morning, your attitude will be adjusted.”

  Without replying, Emily turned to walk up her stairs. Matt held his breath but she didn’t notice him standing below her, his dark clothes blending into the shadows.

  Morris shut off his engine, opened his car door, stood up and, like an animal sensing danger, sniffed the air. Matt felt his heart rate speed up, its beat so loud he was convinced Morris could hear it.

  Emily might have the survival instincts of a blind gazelle on the African plains but Morris wasn’t a fool.

  Matt considered his options: he could walk out now and confront him, and the urge to do exactly that was strong. But, if he remained hidden, he could find another way to attack later...and it would hurt for longer.

  But if Nico found him hiding in the shadows, all bets were off. Matt didn’t move, didn’t breathe for ten, twenty, thirty seconds? It felt like a century.

  For the rest of his life, Matt would be grateful that Morris climbed back into his car, started the engine and drove away.

  Matt waited for five minutes, then another five just in case Morris decided his first instinct was right. And when his gut stopped screaming at him, he took the stairs to Emily’s apartment three at a time. And when he hit the landing, he lifted his hand to tap the door to find it opened to his touch.

  When he stepped into the room, Emily’s soft voice drifted over to him. “It took you long enough to get your ass up here, Velez.”

  * * *

  She’d known he was there, standing under the stairs. She’d felt his presence as soon as she’d left her car but her inner voice had screamed at her not to acknowledge his nearness, to pretend she hadn’t noticed him.

  And thank God she’d listened because a few minutes later, Nico, doing his disgusting stalker thing, had roared up the drive to check on her. She’d been terrified he’d leave his vehicle and force his way inside but, thank the Lord and all his angels, he’d decided against following her up the stairs.

  If he hadn’t, Matt might be facing assault charges around about now.

  Emily stared at him standing by her doorway, looking hard and tough and a little bewildered. She fought the urge to switch on a lamp because she knew that would show two silhouettes instead of one, so she left the light off and waited for her eyes to adjust. His black Henley clung to his muscles and hard body like a second skin.

  His hair was messy and his eyes glowed with anger and fear and frustration.

  “Emily, what the hell is going on?”

  Emily wanted to lay all her troubles at his feet, to beg him to help her but she couldn’t do that. This was her problem and he wasn’t her Sir Galahad. That wasn’t a role he had any interest in playing...

  She would not throw herself at his feet, let him rescue her. She’d vowed to be self-reliant and she didn’t want to renege on that promise to herself.

  But damn, she was tempted. The situation between her and Nico was escalating and she had to tread softly, carefully. After tonight, she couldn’t take any more chances with Matt; Nico was more dangerous than she thought and she couldn’t risk Arnott’s over her temporary infatuation for Matt.

  She needed to force Matt out of her life, make him leave, make sure that he had no interest in coming back. And she’d do that but first she wanted one night with him. She wanted to have the memories of one explosive, thrilling night to carry her through whatever came next.

  She was out of options but she could have one night.

  Emily walked over to Matt and, after nudging Fatty aside with her foot—her cat seemed as enamored with Matt as she was—placed her hands on his hips and rested her forehead on his chest. “I know that you have a million questions and I can’t answer any of them.”

  “Let me help you, imp,” Matt begged, his lips in her hair. “He’s blackmailing you, isn’t he?”

  Her shoulders sank. “Let’s not do this now, okay?”

  Emily tugged Matt’s Henley up his chest to find his warm, hard-with-muscle skin. “Let’s do something else right now.”

  Matt pulled back to stare down at her, doubt in his eyes. “Are you sure? You’ve got a lot on your mind...”

  “I need this, Matt. I need you.”

  Matt lifted his hands; the pads of his fingers skimmed her lips, her cheekbones, the sweep of her jaw. His gentle touch surprised her; it wasn’t something she’d expected and it was exactly what she needed. A little gentleness, some tenderness.

  Matt knew what she needed and she sank against him, reveling in the knowledge that a tough man could be so tender.

  Matt cradled her head in both hands and his thumbs drifted over her eyebrows, down her temples and across her cheekbones. She didn’t want to rush this and while she wanted more, she somehow knew that dragging out their release would make this first night—their only night—so much more special. Emily wanted his mouth, his lips on hers, and finally, after many minutes, far too many minutes, Matt lowered his head and his mouth skimmed hers, once, twice, before his mouth fastened on hers. Emily tried to pull him closer, to force him to give her more but he kept the tempo slow, leisurely feeding her kisses.

  Heat rushed through her but, strangely, she felt shivery, like she was running a fever. Em looked into his dark eyes, hot and frothing with desire, and swallowed.

  Chemistry was such a tame word to describe what was fizzing between them. Matt drove her crazy, in the best way possible. She’d wanted him years ago but that tame want didn’t compare to how much she craved him now. Their attraction was bigger and bolder and brighter and Em thought there was a possibility they’d set the room alight.

  It was a chance she was willing to take.

  They kissed, slow, long, drugging exchanges of discovery, and Em touched him wherever she could. She slid her hand up and under his shirt, exploring his back, the bumps of his spine, the curve of his ass. Needing to know every inch of him, she brushed her fingers down his sides, allowed her tips to dance across the ridges of his stomach. He was so male, intensely, ind
escribably, powerfully masculine. Emily traced the long length of his sexy hip muscles and ran her finger under the band of his pants, feeling strong and utterly feminine.

  Needing him a little out of control, Emily stroked his erection, from base to tip and was rewarded by a low curse and garbled laugh. She undid the first button to his jeans, then popped open the ones below.

  “Not playing fair, Arnott.”

  Emily looked up at him. “I’m not playing at all, Velez.”

  After she slipped her hand inside his briefs, pushed down the material and freed him, Matt turned her and placed her hands against the wall. This was what she wanted, something new, something delicious, something out of her comfort zone. Trusting Matt, she allowed him to drag her zip down, spread open the panels of her dress, and she sighed when he placed his open mouth on each bump of her spine. She felt the clasp of her bra opening and watched as her dress and the lace-covered cups dropped to the floor below her feet. His hands traced her ribs, drifted across her stomach and then he cupped her breasts in his hands, groaning as he buried his face in her neck, sucking on that spot where her neck and shoulder met.

  “I want you,” he muttered. “I’ve wanted you from the moment I first saw you.”

  Emily groaned as he teased her nipples, hitting an exquisite point between arousal, need and pain. “I want your lips on me. I need you to kiss me,” she murmured, her voice raspy with need.

  Matt spun her around and his eyes drilled into hers. “Where?”

  Emily felt flattened by the desire she saw in his eyes, desire for her. It was heady, potent and made her feel like she was all woman and all powerful. “Everywhere, Matt.”

  Matt smiled, then bent his knees and pulled her nipple into his mouth, his tongue swirling over her nub. Emily felt the corresponding rush of heat between her legs and groaned aloud.

  “Matt, I—aah, that feels so amazing,” she muttered as Matt swapped his attention to her other breast.

  “And we haven’t even gotten to the good part yet.”

  Matt, impatient now, quickly kicked away her clothes and Emily was surprised at her lack of inhibition. But how could she feel shy when Matt was looking at her like she hung the stars and moon, like he was convinced that making love to her was all that was on his mind?

  Matt dropped to his knees and rested his forehead on her stomach, his hands digging into her hips. He hooked his thumbs into her lacy panties and pulled down her thong. He stared at her thin strip of hair and she gasped as he ran his finger over its softness “I can’t wait to taste you. You’re so hot.”

  Emily widened her legs and her eyes rolled back in her head when he kissed her hip bone, then the inside of her leg, his cheek brushing, ever so gently, over her mound.

  Tiny flashes of bright, hot lights danced behind her eyes. “Matteo...”

  “My beautiful imp,” Matt murmured and finally slipped his finger between her folds and touched her...there, right there. Emily shook as a combination of emotion and sensation rushed through her system, sensitizing every inch of her skin. She could barely think, breathe and then his hot, clever finger slipped inside her, followed by another. His thumb swept over her clit and Emily felt the pressure building.

  “I’m so close,” she whispered, all her focus on what he was doing to her.

  “Not yet,” Matt told her, leaning back to look up at her, his fingers still deeply embedded in her.

  “I can’t wait.”

  “You can, you must.” Matt’s voice, rough and sexy, flowed across her skin. Not hesitating, he leaned forward to kiss her, curling his tongue around her sensitive bud. He sucked her, once and then again, and his fingers pumped into her and Emily felt herself falling and flying, both at the same time.

  Would he catch her or would he let her fall? It didn’t matter; all that mattered was the ride, a unique combination of joy, pleasure, a sexy high. It was everything she’d heard and read about but better. Em didn’t want the feeling to end.

  She didn’t want anything to do with Matt to end...he was the only man she could imagine doing this to her, in this and in a million different ways, until the end of her life. He was what she needed, in a lover and in a man.

  When the lights behind her eyelids dimmed and lost their color and the mini-earthquakes deep inside her stopped, Matt pulled his fingers from between her thighs and held her hips, tipping his head to look up at her.

  Matt stood up in a graceful fluid movement and held out his hand. “I want you, Em. I want tonight. Come to bed with me?”

  Saying no simply wasn’t an option.

  Nine

  Emily woke up slowly and turned her head to see the soft fingers of dawn sliding through the night sky. She patted the bed and found it empty and, rolling onto her back, she placed her arm over her eyes and released a couple of creative curses. Matt was gone and she was alone.

  She’d heard that guys tended to withdraw after sex but she’d hadn’t expected Matt to leave without a goodbye or even a thanks for a good time. Emily furiously blinked away hot tears, angry that she was even allowing herself to feel emotional.

  What did she expect? That Matt, fully aware that she was engaged to another man, would pull her into his arms and promise her the moon and stars and to purchase her a pet unicorn? No, she and Matt had been building up to this night; they’d been playing with fire since their first kiss and last night they’d stepped into the flames.

  They’d stoked the fire, built it up to a bonfire and tossed on some gas. But morning was here and the coals were dying, as all good fires tended to do.

  “Morris is blackmailing you. With what?”

  Emily shot up at his deep voice and whipped her head around to see Matt sitting in the chair in the corner, fully dressed and his expression serious. Emily sat up and, noticing she was still naked, pulled the covers up and tucked them under her arms. Needing a minute to wrap her head around the notion that Matt was still here, that he’d been watching her sleep, she pushed her hair off her face and looked out the window. The sky was turning from black to gray and he needed to go...

  “Matt, you can’t be here. I can’t afford for anyone to know what we...” she gestured to the bed next to her, “did.”

  “I’m not going anywhere until we thrash this out.” Matt moved from the chair and sat on the side of her bed, hoisting his thigh up onto the mattress. “We’ve been dancing around the subject for weeks now and last night you pretty well confirmed he was blackmailing you. Let me help you!”

  Emily stared at him, so tempted to take the hand he held out and to let him in. Could she trust him? Then she remembered the blistering words Nico tossed at her last night and she shook her head. “I can’t. Last night he told me to stay away from you and if I didn’t, that there would be consequences, for you. I can’t risk your career and reputation.”

  Matt snorted, not looking the least bit worried. He placed his big hand on her thigh. “I’m a big boy and I can take care of myself.”

  Emily saw the confidence in his eyes and the self-belief and one of the many knots in her stomach loosened. But he needed to know what he was risking. “He threatened to report you to the Securities and Exchange Commission if I didn’t break off all contact with you.”

  Matt’s dark eyebrows inched upward. “He can try but since all the trades I oversee are completely ethical and aboveboard, he can shove his complaint up his ass.”

  Another knot loosened at Matt’s complete dismissal of Nico’s threat. “Are you sure? He could make trouble for you.”

  Matt put his hand on the mattress behind him and leaned back. “I run a well-known and well-respected company, the company Morris left under a bit of a cloud. I’m not in the least afraid of what he’ll do or say because there’s nothing there.”

  Emily looked at him and he frowned at the doubt he saw on her face. “You don’t believe me?” he asked.

 
Emily pushed her hand through her messy hair. “Of course I do, it’s just that Nico has resources and he’s not afraid to put a false spin on a situation.”

  “Is that what he’s done to you?” Matt gently asked her.

  Emily asked Matt to pass her dressing gown from the back of the chair next to her bed. After slipping into the gown, she slowly knotted the cord, sat down on the bed and faced him.

  “Why is talking to me so hard for you, sweetheart?”

  Emily took her time answering him. “A couple of years ago I promised myself that I would never rely on anyone ever again, that I would be independent and utterly self-reliant.”

  “We’ll get back to Morris and his blackmail attempt in a minute, but why would you do that?” Matt asked. “Why is being self-reliant so important to you?”

  This was like slowly picking the scab off a festering wound. “Because I got tired of people letting me down, of looking for the good opinion and validation of others. Because relying on people gives them importance in your life and everybody I’ve ever thought to be important has left me, in one way or another. My mom, my dad...”

  Matt tipped his head to the side. “Your dad is, I presume, sleeping in his bed in that big house across the driveway.”

  Emily pulled a face. “Physically maybe, but he left me emotionally the time my mom did.”

  “Ah.”

  Emily stood and walked over to her window, looking out to the still-dark forest. “I guess that’s a perfect segue into me telling you about Nico...”

  After gathering her thoughts, Emily spoke again. “After my mom left, my dad sank into a deep depression. When he came out of it, he threw himself into building up Arnott’s into a boutique wealth-management firm and recovering what he lost in the Black Crescent scandal. Dad became a semi-recluse and workaholic and one of the reasons I took the job at Arnott’s was because I thought it was the only way I’d ever see him.”

  Emily felt Matt’s presence behind her but, instead of touching her, he moved in front of her and mirrored her stance, shoulder pressed into the glass window.