by Autumn Marks
“Excuse me. I think someone just walked in.” Mrs. Gordon waved her off.
Emily hustled up the stairs and rushed to the foyer to see none other than Brandon standing there. He was looking as sexy as ever in a pair of tailored dress shorts and a mint green button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. She wanted to run up and kiss him square on the mouth—but there was someone right behind her. Not one for missing out on anything, Mrs. Gordon had followed her up the steps.
“Well, isn’t this a pleasant surprise,” Mrs. Gordon said. “Did you bring me some lunch?” she asked Brandon.
He looked down at the sack in his hand. Emily hadn’t even noticed he’d been holding anything. She’d been too busy staring at his face and thinking of their time together the night before. “Uh, no. I brought this for—”
“I was just teasing you,” Mrs. Gordon said. “I know you brought it for Emily. You two have been seeing quite a bit of one another lately.”
“Yeah, we have. Thanks for keeping tabs on us,” Brandon said without an ounce of humor.
Mrs. Gordon leaned in closer to Emily. “That one’s a looker. Much better than that other guy you were seeing.”
It was likely the first time Mrs. Gordon had ever said anything Emily could agree with. Brandon was much better looking than Jason. “I’m lucky to have him,” she replied.
“Well, I’ll leave you two kiddos alone,” Mrs. Gordon said, making her way toward the door. “Enjoy the rest of your afternoon.”
Once Mrs. Gordon was out of the house, Brandon stood there, the sack in his hand, looking unsure of what to do next. He was on her turf now and she was supposed to be working, even though her current office was a circa 1830’s massive brick home. She closed the distance between them and kissed him full on the mouth. He placed his hand at the small of her back and pulled her closer to him, deepening the kiss. She broke away, knowing if she didn’t stop now, she might use one of the empty bedrooms to finish what they had been planning to do this morning.
But that could wait until this evening. She hadn’t said anything yet, but she was planning on having Brandon over. To her house. In her bed. In her sanctuary.
She was ready for it.
“Is this for me?” Emily asked, plucking the sack from his hand.
“I wasn’t sure if you had lunch yet, so I thought I’d deliver you some.”
“That’s sweet. Thank you. But you didn’t have to do that.”
“Think of it as a sort of conciliatory gift.”
“For this morning?” she asked with a smile, knowing full well she couldn’t be the only one still upset about his mother’s interruption.
“And tonight,” he said with a slight frown.
Emily tipped her head to the side. “What’s tonight?” Brandon wasn’t a mind reader, but how could he have known she was planning on having him over?
“I was hoping to get together this evening, you know, to continue where we had left off, but—”
“But?”
“Trent’s having an impromptu bachelor party at his place. He sent me a text about it a few hours ago and I’m feeling pretty guilty I didn’t think of it first. I’m supposed to be his best man.”
“Don’t beat yourself up over it. I’m sure he’s not upset by it. He knows you have a lot on your mind and you haven’t been in town all that long.” Emily put the sack down on the table and opened it. “Where did you go for lunch?”
“I got you a little something from a place you might be familiar with.” He had a glint in his eye that Emily picked up on right away.
She pulled the takeout containers from the bag and couldn’t hide her smile. “Beef and broccoli.” He’d brought her Chinese food from the restaurant they’d been to before the wedding. “You went all the way up there to bring me lunch?”
“Since I didn’t share much of mine last time, I brought you some of your own. It’s only fair,” he said with a shrug.
“Thank you. I’m sure if it’s anything like what I had before, it’ll be delicious.” It was just lunch, but it meant so much more than that to her. It showed that he’d put a lot of thought into what to bring her. That he’d been thinking about her—just like she’d been thinking about him while they were apart. “Do you have time to stay for a bit?”
“I don’t. I told Trent I’d be over around three and I still have to head to the store for a few items.”
“It’s okay. I understand.” Sure, she understood, but it was hard not to feel deflated. She’d had their evening all mapped out, but now she’d be spending the evening alone. “Then I guess I’ll see you later…whenever that is.”
“It won’t be too long. I promise.” Brandon pulled her close and cupped her face in his hands. He pressed a soft kiss to her lips, just once, then pulled away. It wasn’t enough. She wanted more. She waited for another kiss to come, but after a few beats, it was clear that was all she was going to get. Brandon was smiling, which made Emily almost certain he was toying with her. “Besides, you still owe me a speech.”
She stepped back and crossed her arms over her chest. “Do I? And maybe you’re not done paying me.”
Brandon’s gaze darkened as he stalked toward her in a move that was both primal and possessive. “How many bedrooms are in this house?”
“Six,” Emily said, struggling to get even that simple word out. She knew where he was going with this and even though her body was screaming for her to haul up the steps with Brandon, she couldn’t. It was unprofessional, improper, definitely not good business practice—but certainly fun to fantasize about.
“Should we hit up every single one?”
“I thought you said you didn’t have time.”
“I’ll make time,” he said, pulling her against him. He captured her lips with his and for a second, Emily forgot who she was, where she was. His hands roamed over her body while his tongue grazed against hers. Brandon consumed her, invading all her senses, making her forget all the responsibilities of her job.
But then guilt smacked her right in the chest. This was her job, her livelihood, her reputation. How would it look if her clients, or anyone else, walked in now? She leaned away from Brandon, took his hands from where they’d been on her backside, and held them in hers. “I think you know I would love nothing more. But…I still have a job to do. And my lunch is getting cold,” she said with a grin.
Brandon let his hands drop from hers, but held her gaze, his eyes still wanting to head for the bedroom. “Some other time then.”
“Some other time,” Emily repeated.
Brandon stood in the doorway, his hand on the door handle. “I’ll be in touch.”
If she didn’t beat him first.
Emily arrived home later that afternoon and stripped off her work clothes in favor of something more comfortable. She stood at the foot of her bed, recalling how much time she spent each morning making the linens perfect. The hospital corners that had to be just so, the duvet cover that she smoothed down with both hands, the five decorative pillows that sat propped up against the headboard. It was excessive, but it had become routine for her.
Not everything could be controlled. She knew that enough from her job. But she needed order in her house in order to function. Or so she’d thought.
She walked around the bed, sizing it up, plotting her move and which area she would attack first. Her fingers twitched.
She tossed the decorative pillows first, stashing them away in the closet. Five was too many anyway. Then she pulled back the duvet cover, trying her best to make it look as unstaged and casual as possible. The sheets were next. She pulled those back and ruffled them up. Emily stood back to assess her work. A smile spread across her face. Even though Brandon had never entered this house, he was already having an effect on it.
She went downstairs to find a snack and checked her phone for any missed calls or texts. She was hoping Brandon had sent one, but none of them were from him. There were a few texts from Audrey, a picture from Steph, and a m
issed call from her dad.
She called her dad back first.
“Hi, Dad. How are you?” she asked when he picked up.
“I’m fine. It’s good to hear from you.”
“Where are you guys at now?”
“We’re in California at Sequoia National Forest. I’ve never in my life seen trees as big as the ones here. They’re massive! I wish you could see them.”
A small part of her wished that too. She’d never seen the West Coast before—or the East Coast. Vacations were a luxury and once her mother got sick, all the extra money her parents had stashed away dried up quickly. “Maybe someday I’ll see them too.”
“I hope so, honey. There’s so much I wish we could’ve seen together—as a family.”
He didn’t need to go on further. She knew what he implied. Together, when it was the four of them. “I know, Dad. But we made do.”
“How are things in Brookview? Any changes?”
It was time for her to tell him everything. She’d put it off long enough and was tired of the guilt she felt over lying to him. “Actually, there’s something I need to tell you. Remember the day you called me from the Grand Canyon?”
“Yeah?”
“I didn’t tell you at the time, but Jason and I had broken up at that point.”
“I’m sorry. I wish you would’ve told me. Do you think you guys can work it out? You were together a long time.”
“He cheated on me. I don’t ever want to see his face again.”
“Well, that pisses me off.” It was as close to a cuss word as she was going to get from her dad. “How could he do that to you? Doesn’t he have any respect for you?”
“I don’t think he was ever serious about me. And maybe this isn’t the first time he cheated. It wouldn’t have been hard for it to go unnoticed. But this is the first woman he was serious about—serious enough to leave me for.”
“I’m sorry. I don’t know what else to say.”
“It’s okay though. I’ve met someone.”
“What? Who?”
“Remember when I told you about my new neighbor? He and I have gotten to know each other pretty well. And I really like him.” There was silence on his end and Emily felt compelled to fill it. She told him everything: the way Jason dumped her, her first meeting with her neighbor, her flowers getting destroyed, Stephanie’s wedding. Everything. Although she left some parts out, of course. This was still her dad after all. “I know what you’re thinking. It’s too soon. You haven’t given yourself enough time to heal.”
“I’m thinking none of those things, Emmie. You’ve got a good head on your shoulders and you’ve never been one to act without thinking things through first. In fact, I’ve often wondered if you think things through too much.”
“I’ve realized there’s a lot in my life I’ve tried to control. Sometimes I need to let life happen.”
“I’m happy for you, honey. I really am. This guy must be pretty special to have snagged you.”
Emily’s heart swelled. Even though she was an adult, she would always be daddy’s little girl. “Thanks, Dad.”
Chapter 24
Brandon was hooked. There was no denying it now.
Having Emily once wasn’t enough.
He wanted more, craved more.
The whole time he’d been at Trent’s his mind was elsewhere, which in turn made him feel awful that he couldn’t give his friend an evening of his time. He’d tried to block her out, for a few hours at least, but that had only made him think about her more.
That explained why he was currently standing on her doorstep at six the next evening. Through text messages, he and Emily had arranged their next date, a dinner date at Emily’s. Afterward, they would work on his best man’s speech. And he fully planned to work on Emily, pleasing her, tasting her, whatever the evening called for.
He’d dressed a little nicer than normal for the occasion, choosing a black button-down shirt with gray dress shorts. This was Emily’s domain after all, and he knew how important her house was to her. He’d wanted to make an effort. Looking down at the bouquet in his hands, he wondered if she was even going to like what he’d picked out. He’d gone for a bouquet of flowers in coordinating pink tones. He had no idea what any of them were, but the lady in the flower shop had been excited about them.
Brandon knocked on the door and waited. He was so used to his home, where every time someone knocked, Ollie would bark. With Emily’s home there was nothing but silence. Then finally he heard soft footsteps padding to the front door. His heartbeat sped up, his body becoming fully aware he would soon see Emily.
She opened the door and met his gaze. Brandon noticed he wasn’t the only one who’d dressed up. Emily stood in the doorway wearing a floral print sundress that cinched at her waist and stopped at her calves.
He took a moment to drink her in. From her wavy brown hair which fell right above her breasts, to the curve of her hips, to her long and shapely legs, Emily was beautiful in every way.
“I brought you something,” Brandon said, holding the bouquet up for her.
She took the bouquet from him and inhaled their scent. “Thank you! They’re beautiful. Come on inside and I’ll get a vase for them.”
He stepped over the threshold and looked around at his surroundings. Emily pointed out the living room and dining room, then led him back to the kitchen. The smell emanating from the oven was divine and his stomach grumbled in response. She pulled a vase from one of the cupboards and filled it with water, then trimmed the ends of the flowers to get them to fit.
“I’d give you a tour of the house, but you’ve seen most of it already. It’s not that big and—”
“It’s perfect,” he said. She didn’t need to make excuses for the size of her home. The house seemed to fit Emily and from looking at the furnishing and décor, everything had a reason to be there. There was nothing extraneous or excessive about the place.
His stomach grumbled again. “Do you need any help with dinner?” He wanted to move this along so he could get to the next course—which was Emily.
“No, I’ve got it covered. I have everything keeping warm in the oven. Are you ready to eat now?”
Brandon nodded.
“Then have a seat at the table and I’ll bring it out to you.”
He narrowed his eyes. “I’m not having you serve me. At least let me carry my own plate,” he said. She seemed to hesitate, leaving him to wonder if she had their whole evening planned out. And here he was, barely five minutes into it, screwing things up. “If you’d rather do it, I totally understand.”
“You’re right. Why should I have to do all the heavy lifting? You can carry both of our plates to the table.”
“I’ll carry you too, if you’ll let me,” he said, closing the distance between them.
“You,” she said, pressing a finger against his chest, “can carry me to the bedroom later.”
Emily had no idea how much her words affected him. His hands longed to touch her, his mouth wanted to be on hers, and his other part…well, that part knew exactly where it wanted to be. He pulled her close and nuzzled her neck, pressing his lips against the delicate skin there. “Now’s a good time for me,” he whispered.
Emily grabbed his hands and for a second, he thought maybe she’d lead him upstairs to her bedroom. But then she pulled his hands off her, dashing any hope he’d had. She took a step back. “Not now. You’ll have to wait until later.”
Brandon let his body go limp and put on his best pout. “Do you have any idea what you’re doing to me?”
She grinned. “Yes, and I’m enjoying every minute of it.”
Brandon let out an exaggerated sigh. “Such a temptress.”
In all her life, no one had ever called Emily a temptress. She never knew herself capable of driving someone crazy like that, so to see Brandon crave her so badly was going straight to her head. It was a heady feeling knowing she had so much power over him.
But she wouldn’t toy w
ith his emotions forever. He’d have his chance with her later. Right now, though, it was time to eat. She’d worked hard to prepare their meal and wasn’t about to have it go to waste because they couldn’t contain themselves.
Emily got two plates from the cupboard and then retrieved the food she’d been keeping warm in the oven.
“What are we having for dinner?”
“I made you some pork chops with grits and a bacon tomato sauce.”
“You made grits?” Brandon’s eyes brightened.
“I thought I’d honor your time in North Carolina with a Southern staple.”
“I used to go to this diner down the street from my townhouse and they had the best grits,” he said, looking heavenward in appreciation. “I could never get enough.” He refocused his attention on Emily.
“I hope mine aren’t terrible,” she said, wishing she’d picked something else. The pressure was on now.
“I’ll still eat them and tell you they’re fantastic even if they aren’t.”
Emily chuckled. “Don’t do that. Don’t lie to me or else I’ll end up making them for you again.” Again. She’d said the word and the look on Brandon’s face told her he’d heard it too. Again meant he’d be over more times than just this.
“I won’t lie to you then,” Brandon said, his eyes still firmly on hers. Emily sensed he wasn’t just talking about food. In the seconds that passed, there was an unspoken understanding between the two of them. He wouldn’t lie to her. Ever.
She shifted her gaze back to the plates on the counter—which were still empty. “I should probably get our dinner on these plates if we’re ever going to eat.”
“What do you have to drink?”
“I bought beer for you, but I’m drinking wine. You can have some of my wine if you’d like.”
“Thanks, but I’ll take the beer.”
Emily let him grab the beer and wine out of the fridge while she spooned out their dinner. He poured her a glass of wine and took both to the table then returned to grab his plate. Emily followed him into the dining room and they took their places across from one another, except Brandon wasn’t sitting.
