All she needed was a push in the right direction, and my weeping cock would find the relief I craved.
But, I needed to learn from my mistakes or I was doomed to repeat them. So, I kissed her. But this time, I kissed her goodbye. I had to let her go. She wanted to leave and who was I to stop her. Sure, I would have loved to tie her down to my bed and fuck her senseless until I had my fill, but I didn’t think either of us would ever reach that point.
No, she made her decision and I needed to honor that. Man up, as my father would say. That was why I found myself taking a shower for the second time this evening. I needed to release the tension that had built up during our brief encounter.
She walked into the room and I was instantly hard. When she kissed me, I nearly fell to my knees.
The steam from the hot water engulfed the large tile shower so thickly I could barely see the vanity across the room. Grabbing the shower gel, I rubbed the soap across my chest, soaped down my abs and then slid my hand up and down my rock-hard erection. My hand slipped effortlessly around the head of my cock then back to the base, all the while picturing Emmery kneeling before me, her soft, warm mouth open, begging for my cock. I’d tell her to stick out her tongue and she would. Gripping myself, I would rub my dick over her top lip then smack her wet tongue gently before feeding her greedy mouth my entire length.
The faster I stroked the more I imagined pumping rhythmically into her sassy, hot mouth. Tightening my hold, I imagined thrusting my cock into her throat, fucking her mouth relentlessly while she moaned and rubbed her clit. Within a matter of minutes, a deep growling release shook me. Picturing her face was almost enough to make me hard again.
After cleaning up and drying myself off, I threw my basketball shorts back on and crept down to the kitchen. I grabbed a can of Pepsi and popped a bag of popcorn then settled down onto the couch for a movie. I needed a distraction, something to take my mind off of her.
Flipping through the channels, I could swear the universe was trying to fuck with me. Every movie on was some sappy-ass love story. Finally, I decided against a movie and wound up watching a replay of UFC 193. Halfway through I heard the veranda door open then close. I waited, cautiously, to see if was her or Jane. I prayed it was Jane.
Yet again, the universe mocked me. It was her. Emmery.
“Oh, hey. I’m going up to bed. I just went to see Jane,” she informed me, lingering in the hallway. She was dressed in green plaid boxers, with a pink sports bra peeking out of her white tank top. Her tanned, supple breasts spilled over the top of the bra—a seductive contrast to her white shirt. Her legs, long and lean, screamed to be wrapped around me again. And those boots. She was running around in the dark in shorts and her heeled cowboy boots.
“’Night,” she called.
“’Night.” I knew I should leave it at that, but my dick spoke up. “Hey, come sit with me and watch the fight,” I said with a tilt of my head.
“Fight? What kind of fight? Like boxing?” she asked, clomping over to check out the screen.
“No, UFC. It’s the Rousey-Holm fight. It’s a replay but there were some good fights before the women’s fight.”
“Uh, I don’t know. I’m not really into seeing two people beat each other up. Especially when the only way to win is if the other is unconscious. It’s pretty barbaric.”
“It’s not the only way to win. They can tap out before it gets that bad, but point taken. We can watch something else. Hell, I’ll even let you pick,” I offered with a chuckle, holding the remote out to her.
“Okay, but let’s turn on a light. I don’t want to be sitting alone in the dark with you watching TV and have you start kissing me again,” she teased, walking over and turning on one of the side-table lamps.
“Me? I’m fairly certain you were just as willing. Don’t try to make me out to be the bad guy. You want me just as much as I want you. The difference is that I’m willing to give in to my desires. You’re not.”
“I don’t see the point. I’m leaving tomorrow, Brody,” she confirmed, flopping down on the couch rather ungracefully. “Maybe it’s just a case of bad timing. But we”—she flicked a finger back and forth between us—“won’t work. I’ve already given you all of the reasons. You just don’t want to hear them. It’s not a matter of want. I need to protect myself. You would cripple me. I wouldn’t be able to walk away. And I have dreams and aspirations. Things I want to do and achieve. And those things cannot be accomplished here or while in a relationship with anyone.”
“We’ll see.”
Shaking her head with a roll of her eyes, she brought the guide up on the television and quickly picked a movie. Jurassic World. “Have you seen this yet?”
“No. You?”
“Parts of it. It was really good. Pass the popcorn?”
“Sure,” I said, handing her the large yellow melamine bowl.
“Thanks.”
An hour into the movie—which I had to agree was good—I heard her yawn softly as she pulled her knees up to her chest and turned into the couch to rest her head on the back. I looked at my watch and saw that it was only ten p.m.
“If you want to go to bed you can. I can finish the movie by myself.”
“No,” she yawned. “I have to see the ending.”
“Well, you won’t if you keep yawning like that,” I said as I tried and failed to fight back a yawn myself.
“Sounds like I’m not the only one who’s a little sleepy,” she mocked, sitting forward and placing the empty bowl onto the coffee table. “We can finish this tomorrow. There is a two-hour flight in our future.”
“If that’s what you would like to do, then I will make it happen.”
“Well then, I’m definitely calling it a night. All that walking downtown wore me out.”
“Okay, good night,” I said, picking the remote up off the couch. I shut down the TV as she reached over and turned off the lamp. Suddenly, we were cast into the pitch black.
“Crap, I can’t see,” she giggled.
“Here, hold my hand, I’ll lead you out to the hallway. I have maneuvered this darkened path a few times.” Blindly, I reached out and found her hand. Slipping her fingers between mine, I turned and tugged her along behind me. “Be careful of the table leg to your left, you don’t want to kick that.”
The admonition conjured up the first encounter I had with her on this couch. It was only a few days ago, but it felt much longer. I was sure the wanton lust and carnal desires I couldn’t seem to control had something to do with that. Wanting something and not being able to have it? I didn’t have much experience with that until Leila, and not even that lasted too long in the beginning. And I royally screwed that up.
I was trying to remember what Jane had told me and live in the present. I was my own worst enemy. Oh, and scotch—it was no good for my disposition. Or so I’m told.
As we reached the hallway, rounding the corner, the light spilled down the staircase from the floor above and in from the windows surrounding the front door in the foyer.
Gently, she tugged her hand from mine. “I think I can manage from here. Thanks for the movie and for the pizza.”
“You’re welcome. Thank you for trying to make dinner. The thought was really sweet. Good night,” I wished her then leaned forward and kissed her on her forehead.
“’Night,” she mumbled with her eyes closed.
Needing as much distance between us, I lied and told her I need to get my charger from my office for my cell. She smiled then ascended the stairs. Rooted to the wood floor, I watched her go. She smiled tightly then disappeared from my sight.
Scrubbing my hand down my face, I turned and headed toward the office. I definitely needed a drink after yet another successful attempt at not fucking the ever-living shit out of Jane’s niece.
Universe: two, Me: zero.
***
The next morning, I got up, showered and dressed for a typical day in the New York office. In other words, I suited up. As I got ready, I
took note of the silence, the stillness of the house. Mornings after Lillian returned to Leila’s seemed to be the worst. I missed my baby’s little cooing and babbling more the first day after she left than any other.
I had to go to the office in town and grab a few files before flying to New York. After gathering what I needed, I rushed to get home—for the first time in a long time.
When I entered the kitchen, I was hoping to find her leaning on the counter, her long beautiful hair hanging over her shoulders. Sadly, the only thing I found was a half-full pot of coffee and my newspaper in shambles. “Great.”
After I fixed myself a cup, I went to put the spoon in the sink, glanced out the window and saw Emmery riding Noir in the paddock. I took the opportunity to enjoy the view and savor her talent.
Out of nowhere, Noir spooked and reared up on his hind legs, catching Emmery off guard then he dropped down and took off like a bullet from a gun, Emmery still on his back. The coffee cup I had been clutching fell to the floor in a clatter as I ran out the back door, across the veranda and down to the paddock. By the time I got to the three-board fence, Noir was nowhere to be seen.
I tried to quiet my panting to see if I could hear her.
Nothing.
Praying she was still on Noir, I jumped the fence and ran across the paddock toward the grove of trees that lined the driveway. As I reached the crest of the hill and could see the shallow valley, I spotted Emmery on the ground about a hundred or so yards away.
Sprinting to her like my life depended on it, I begged God to let her be okay. Reaching her, I wasn’t sure she was. She was too still and quiet.
“Emmery,” I screamed as I forced my legs to move faster. Still no movement. I yelled her name louder. When I had finally reached her, I slid to a stop in the lush, green grass. Thank God, she wore a helmet. She was laying on her right side, almost in a fetal position. She looked as if she might just be asleep.
“Emmery,” I said calmly as I quickly did a visual assessment. I didn’t see anything other than grass stains on her jeans. I knew better than to move her, so I took her hand between mine and squeezed it gently. “Emmery, honey, I need you to wake up. Can you hear me, sweetness? Please wake up. Or squeeze my hand. Something.”
Nothing.
I could see she was breathing, so I knew she was alive. She was just out cold, completely unconscious. Rising up on my knees, I dug out my phone and called Jane. “Jane. It’s Em, she fell. She’s in the paddock and she is hurt. She’s been knocked out. I need you to call—”
Emmery groaned softly and gingerly squeezed my hand. “Brody? Oh God, it hurts. Ugh, my leg.”
“Jane she’s awake. Call nine-one-one, now,” I ordered, hanging up and refocusing on Em. “Baby, talk to me. Which leg?”
She cried, groaned and rolled on to her back.
“No, don’t move. Jane’s called for help. You need to stay still. Tell me what hurts.”
“My leg. My right leg. I think it’s broken,” she sobbed and started to writhe in pain. “Fuck. It hurts.”
“Emmery, please don’t move. We don’t know if your neck or back is hurt. You were unconscious for a good two minutes.” I tried to get her to lie flat as I heard Jane hollering, coming down the hill.
“Ambulance is at least fifteen minutes away,” she called out, panting as she jogged.
“Fuck. What’s taking them so goddamned long? They are only five miles away.”
“Brody, calm down, dear. She’s going to be okay. It’s eight in the morning. Traffic is a mess, I’m sure.” Jane finally reached us and knelt down beside Emmery. “My sweet girl, are you okay?”
“It’s her leg. She thinks it’s broken,” I answered for her. Em now had a death-grip on my left hand. “Are you positive it’s just your leg? Nothing else hurts. Arm, back, shoulders, anything?”
“My leg… Just my leg,” she gritted out between howls of what had to be excruciating pain.
Waiting and not being in control—not my strong suit. I wanted to scoop her up and take her to the hospital myself. I hated waiting. “Jane, stay with her. I’m going to get the Mercedes and drive it out here. We can load her into the backseat. Emmery.” I reached down and wiped away the stream of tears from her left cheek. “I’m going to get the SUV and come get you. I’m going to get you to the doctor. I’ll be right back, okay?”
“Hurry, please,” she begged.
“I’ll be as fast as I can.” Carefully, I set her hand down on her chest and sprinted back to the front of the house. I wasn’t that far from the front door but it seemed like an eternity before I reached the porch. Quickly, I tapped the passcode into the digital lock and flung the door wide. Running to the console, I secured the key fob and yanked the garage door open. I tapped the opener as I jumped in the vehicle. Backing out, I barely cleared the door before throwing it into four-wheel drive and flying down the driveway.
Once I made it to the paddock gate, I slammed the car in park and leapt out. Running to the fence, I undid the latch and pulled the stake up, threw both sides back and allowed enough berth for the wide SUV. As I looked down the hill, I noticed Noir trotting back over to Jane and Emmery, stirrups beating against his side.
Jumping back in the car, I drove through just far enough that I could close the gate. I didn’t want Noir to escape. By the time I was able to get back to them, Emmery had her helmet off and Jane had Noir by the reins.
Round the back of the car, I opened the back passenger-side door. “Jane, can you take Noir to the stable and just put him in his box stall? I’ll have Andrew take care of him.” Noir had always been my safe haven but right now, I couldn’t even stand to look at him. I knew he simply reacted to something that scared him, but I didn’t feel particularly rational at the moment.
“Of course I will, but you aren’t leaving without me,” Jane stated.
“I wouldn’t think of it. I’ll call Andrew.”
“No, I will. You get her in the car,” she instructed.
“Okay, sweetness, I’m going to pick you up and get you in the backseat, but first I need to know exactly where on your leg it hurts,” I asked, turning all of my attention back to Emmery.
“My shin and ankle,” she said through gritted teeth. “Please be careful.”
“I’ll try, but this is going to hurt like hell, no matter what.” I took a deep breath and scooped her up as she screeched. “I know, I’m so sorry, Em.”
As I carried her to the car, she clung to my shirt like it was her lifeline. Her head was tucked in against my chest as I cautiously put her across the backseat, feet first, careful not to bump her leg. She whimpered as I set her down. “Jesus, that hurt.”
“I’m sorry. You should probably prepare yourself. Getting back to the driveway is going to be bumpy,” I warned. “I’ll go slow.” I shut her door. Rushing around the car, I jumped in the front seat, started the car and put it in gear. “You may want to lift your leg off the seat until we are back on the pavement.”
“Already tried,” she said flatly. “It hurts too much to keep it up.”
Looking in the rearview, I saw her beautiful olive skin smudged with black streaks of mascara and tears. Even in that moment, seeing her in misery, crying and vulnerable, I realized that even on her worst day, she was the most gorgeous thing I’d ever seen. She still shined like a raven-haired angel.
Slowly I drove over the uneven terrain, listening to her try to muffle her groans. The road wasn’t too far away, about fifty yards, but it seemed to take an eternity. I had never realized just how uneven the paddock was until I was slowly creeping across it swerving, trying to avoid any dips or humps.
Finally, I reached the driveway and turned left toward the stables to pick Jane up along the way. “I just need to get Jane and then we will get you to the hospital.”
“Okay,” she whispered.
“Hey, you need to stay awake,” I told her as I looked in the rearview and noticed she was resting her head on the back of the seat. Her eyes were heavy and
blinked slowly. I worried she had a concussion. I wasn’t a doctor, but you didn’t have to be to know that if someone was knocked out they’d most likely gotten a concussion. “Em, have you ever had a concussion before?”
“No, I don’t think so.” Her eyes popped open fully as she answered the question. I needed to keep asking her questions.
“Let’s play a game. I’ll say two things, you have to pick one and tell me why. Okay?”
“No,” she groaned.
“You have to stay awake. If you have a concussion, you can’t go to sleep,” I instructed. Then it dawned on me to call Lei. I fished my cell from my pocket as I pulled up to the stable and called Leila.
As the phone was ringing, Jane slid into the backseat with Emmery. “Who are you calling?”
“Leila,” I muttered, waiting for her to answer. “Lei, Emmery had an accident on Noir. I think she has a concussion and I’m pretty sure her leg is broken.”
“Brody, you need to call an ambulance,” she informed me.
“Jane did, but it was going to be fifteen minutes. So I scooped her up and we are driving there now,” I said as I put the car back into gear and took off for the front gate. “I need to keep her awake, right?”
“Not necessarily, B. Is she slurring her speech or having any numbness, vomiting?” Leila questioned.
“Hang on,” I said, pulling the phone away from my head. “Em, any numbness anywhere?”
“No, just pain,” she gritted out, looking over at Jane sitting next to her head, holding her hand.
“No, Lei, just pain from her leg.”
“Without seeing her, I can’t say for sure, but it sounds like she’s okay. Did she hit her head or get kicked? What, exactly, happened?”
“Em, Leila wants to know exactly what happened. Can you explain if I put her on speaker?” I glanced in the rearview.
“Fine, but give Aunt Jane the phone so you don’t kill us on the way,” she snipped. Looking up, I saw I was almost off the side of the driveway as I slowed waiting for the sensors to activate and open the large, black wrought-iron gate.
His Redemption Page 13
