by Karen Booth
“And how long am I staying?”
Mindy gnawed on her fingernail. It was time to ask for everything she wanted. “Until I figure out what in the world I should do with you.”
Eight
Daniel was just as shocked by Charlotte Locke’s second phone call that day as he’d been by the first.
“We’re still full speed ahead with the lease negotiation?” He tapped a pen on the mahogany desk in his home office.
“Yes. I should know something in a few days. There are quite a few layers of bureaucracy with the property management company. And I’m sorry about the confusion earlier today. My other client is, well...” Charlotte hesitated, as if she felt the need to parse her words. “I’ll say they’re particular. And not easy to please. I hope you can understand that I had to show loyalty. There’s a lot of family history mixed in. It makes everything more complicated.”
If ever there was a situation Daniel could relate to, it was one where family history made everything hopelessly tricky. He only hoped that Emma wasn’t somehow involved. “I’m glad to be back on track.”
Daniel said goodbye to Charlotte and got off the call. He waited for some sense of relief to settle in, but it showed no signs of coming. He was just as torn up and conflicted as he’d felt that morning. His conversation with Emma was still fresh in his mind. She’d insisted that she didn’t play games. That was a refreshing idea. If it proved to be true.
His phone rang again and he was dismayed to see it was his mother. Luckily, he hadn’t had to tell her about losing his agent for a few hours. “Hello, Mum,” he said.
“Hello. Have we got an update on finding a space?”
He hadn’t told his mother about the lease, since she would only give him a hard time if he began negotiations and they failed. But it would be nice to deliver good news for once. “I do, actually. I just got off the phone with the agent. Lease negotiations are under way. We should know something next week if all goes well.”
His mother let out a squeal on the other end of the line. “Wonderful. Simply wonderful. Which one is it? The last one you sent pictures of?”
“That’s the one.”
“Oh, good. It’s perfect. Only five blocks from Eden’s. I’d like to be able to go head-to-head with them.”
“That’s not why I chose it. The architecture of the building is lovely. It needs some work, but it has enough history that it will make sense for the store.”
“Well, I’m glad we’re moving forward. Now what’s the latest with Nora Bradford?”
Daniel cleared his throat, his stomach uneasy. No matter what might happen between Emma and him, he wasn’t sure he was cutthroat enough to steal a designer from Eden’s. “I’ve been wondering if we shouldn’t go in a different direction. Perhaps focus on some new up-and-coming designers. Someone fresh and exciting who we can get for a good price.”
“I saw the papers, Daniel. Miriam in my office showed them to me. You’re still seeing that woman and she’s still wearing Nora Bradford dresses for all the world to see.”
“Emma and I went to the opera. I told you we’ve developed a friendship. It’s nothing more serious than that. Trust me, I know what I’m doing.”
“I don’t like wondering where my own son’s loyalty lies.”
Oh, how Daniel could have turned the tables on her. She’d shown so much more loyalty to William than she’d shown to him. She’d simply refused to believe the stories about William and Bea. “You don’t have to worry.”
Of course, Daniel was nothing but worried right now. He felt as though he was teetering atop a house of cards.
“I want Nora Bradford. If you won’t get her, I will.”
“I’ll work on it, okay? I’m also going to send you information about some other choices. Designers that will still bring customers into the store. In the end, that’s all that matters.”
“Fine. I’ll look at them, but I don’t want to play around.”
“Neither do I.”
Daniel got off the phone and ran his hands through his hair. The sooner he could get his mother to retire, the happier he would be. The question was when? Not any time in the immediate future, he feared.
A knock came at the door and Jolly tore off, barking like crazy. Mandy and Buck were close behind. “Shush!” he snapped. Jolly quickly obeyed the order, although she looked as though she resented it greatly.
He took a peek through the hole in the door. There through the fish-eye was Emma. The universe did not make a habit of sending him happy things, and he knew he shouldn’t be having this reaction, but there was a smile a mile wide across his face. He opened the door.
“Emma. This is...” He watched as she crouched down and Jolly hopped up and down on her stubby rear legs, tail wagging.
Emma looked up at him, her eyes like a beacon in the middle of a dark night. “What? A surprise?” She straightened back to standing.
“I hate to be so unoriginal, but yes.”
“I came to tell you that neither of my sisters had anything to do with Charlotte dropping you. Have you heard from her? Sophie made a phone call to try and sort things out.”
So he had been wrong. So very wrong. He reached for her arm, his pulse pounding. “She did call me. All has been fixed. I’m so sorry I assumed you or your sisters might be involved. I jumped ahead and I shouldn’t have done that without more information. I hope you’ll accept my apology.”
“I do. Of course I do.”
He was still so in awe of her generous nature. “Thank you.”
“I have to be honest. I wasn’t entirely certain that my sisters hadn’t done it. I’m still learning to trust them. It’s not easy. And this whole thing about the feud between our families? Is it just me or is it a little crazy?”
Daniel smiled. How they could be of the same mind so often, he didn’t know. “I agree. In this day and age, it simply doesn’t make sense.”
“I guess that’s what happens when there’s so much money on the line, huh?”
“And pride. Don’t forget about that.”
Emma nodded in agreement. “So I think the question is, what do we want to do about it?”
“In terms of business?”
She shook her head. “No, Daniel. In terms of us. I like you. I like you a lot. And it’s more than just last night, although last night was spectacular...” Her voice trailed off and Daniel watched as color rose in her cheeks. She was thinking about him the same way he’d been thinking about her. He was sure of it.
He took her hand and pulled her closer. “Last night was unbelievable. I hate the idea that we’d only get to do those things once.” He could feel his own body temperature spiking. Every nerve ending was crackling with electricity.
“I agree. I totally agree. Can we find a way to put everyone else’s baggage off to the side? It doesn’t seem fair to either of us.”
It seemed an impossible task. Daniel’s entire life revolved around his business and his family, but he knew the same was true for her. Maybe they could do this. He wanted to try. “Agreed.” He realized there was another component to their short relationship that wasn’t working, at least not for him. “I have a request of my own to make, though. Can we please stay away from the press?”
“The hubbub about Eden’s starting to get to you?”
“Honestly, no. I know how hard it is to come by a boon like that. You find a means of creating excitement and you seize it.”
“So then what is it?”
“What has been in the newspaper twice will quickly become five times, then ten. Then we’ll reach the point where even taking the dogs across the street will become an ordeal. We’ll be living in a fishbowl, and trust me, it’s no way to live.”
“That’s what you were trying to tell me last night, before the opera, isn’t it? Was this after your brother’s accident?”
> “It was.” Daniel’s nightmarish memories sprang to life again, of trying to outrun reporters and photographers on the streets in London while they shouted questions at him about William and Bea. He didn’t want to think about those things now, not when he had Emma here. “I don’t want to talk about it. Not now. Not while I have the chance to kiss you.”
He placed his hand on her hip and slid it around to the small of her back. He was prepared to pull her forward, but he didn’t have to do a thing. Before he had the chance to think, Emma had dropped her handbag on the floor and threaded her hands into his hair. She kissed him eagerly, backing him up until his spine met the wall.
“Is it bad if I say I’ve been thinking about this nonstop since last night?” Emma yanked his shirt out of the waistband of his jeans. Her fingers scrambled to undo the buttons.
“Not at all. I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t been thinking about the same exact thing.” Jolly yipped at Daniel’s feet. “Somebody’s jealous.”
Emma leaned into Daniel and kissed him. “Is there somewhere we can be alone?”
“Absolutely.” He took her hand and led her down the hall to his bedroom, closing the door behind them.
She perched on the edge of his bed, bouncing once or twice. “Nice.” She was a vision too sexy and beautiful to believe. In a silvery-gray silk blouse and form-fitting black skirt, she was sheer sophistication with an edge. Exactly what he liked.
She reached down and pulled a sleek black pump from her foot, placing it on the floor. She did the same with the other. How he enjoyed watching, and waiting to see what she did next.
“Well?” she asked, popping the top button of her blouse and trailing her fingers down the edge of the placket. Her knuckles grazed the top of her breast. A growl worked its way through his throat. He wouldn’t have thought it possible, but he wanted her more now than he had last night. He approached her and stood between her legs, letting her finish getting rid of his shirt. She smoothed her slender fingers across his abs. The admiration on her face was a great reward for all the hours he spent in the gym.
She looked up at him, seeming uncertain, as if she was waiting for him to tell her what she should do next. “You’re thinking,” he said. “Don’t think too much. Just do what you want to.” With a reassuring nod, he encouraged her.
She kissed his stomach, dragging her tongue across his skin as she unbuttoned his pants and pulled them down his legs. He dug his fingers into her silky hair, gently curling them into her scalp.
The tension in his hips was growing, the ache for her making him restless. He wanted to be in her hand, her mouth, inside her. As if she knew what he was thinking, she tugged his boxer briefs down and took his erection into her palm. She wrapped her fingers around him and he felt himself get harder with just that single touch. Then she lowered her head and took just the tip into her mouth, rolling her tongue over the smooth skin. Daniel’s mind went blank. Rational thought was gone as she took him between her lips, sucking and licking. He touched her shoulders, the fabric of her blouse soft and sensuous against his hands, but what he really wanted was her naked. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head, urging her to let go of him.
She parted her lips with a pop and peered up at him. “Did I do something wrong?”
“You did everything right. Now I want to get you out of that blouse. And that skirt. And everything else.”
* * *
Emma stood so Daniel could undress her. “Sure you don’t want me to help?” she asked.
He shook his head, as he busied himself with unbuttoning her blouse. “No. This is the fun part.”
“This is the fun part?”
He laughed. She really loved that sound. It even came out with a tinge of his wonderful accent. “It’s the fun before the real fun.”
He undid the final button and slipped his hands under the fabric and onto her shoulders. Just that one touch made her ready to give in. She dropped her head to one side as he dragged the sleeves down her arms. Then he dropped to his knees before her, and tugged her skirt and panties down in a single motion. Goose bumps dotted her skin when he looked up at her, and his blue eyes somehow darkened.
He smoothed both his hands over the upper part of her inner thighs, and with his fingertips, spread her wider. He lowered his head, and before Emma knew what was happening, he was pleasuring her with his tongue, rolling it in delicate circles over her apex. She clamped her eyes shut, quieting her mind and letting her body take over. It felt so good, and she willingly gave in to the heavenly sensations.
Once again her peak was barreling toward her. Perhaps it was just being with Daniel that had her so sensitized to his touch. Hot tension sizzled up her thighs. She took one hand and threaded her fingers into his hair, while with the other caressing her own breast through the lacy fabric of her bra, her nipple already tight from everything Daniel had aroused in her. The orgasm rolled over her slowly this time, growing in intensity, and Daniel followed the cues of her moans, changing his speed, playing her body like he was a master musician and she was his instrument.
Daniel sat back and looked up at her, grinning like he was pleased with himself. He had no idea. She dropped to her knees and kissed him with abandon, wrapping her fingers around his erection and stroking firmly.
“I need you now, Daniel. I’m not done yet.”
He lunged for the bedside table drawer and pulled out a condom, quickly rolling it on. Emma kissed him again, hungrily, and urged him to his back, right there on the bedroom floor. She straddled his hips and lowered herself onto his body. Again, she was overwhelmed with how perfectly he filled her. How well they fitted together. She rocked back and forth as Daniel moved his hips. She liked how connected they were right now. It was like they were one.
Emma realized she still hadn’t taken off her bra, so she reached back and unhooked it. Daniel’s hands immediately went to her breasts, plucking at her nipples, bringing her back up to speed.
“I love this view of you,” he said.
“I love all views of you.”
He smiled and dragged one of his hands from her breast, down her midline, and settled his thumb against her apex. The man did not neglect this one part of a woman’s body and she was so happy for it. He knew exactly how to make her feel her absolute best, sexy and adored all at the same time. She sat back a bit, resting her palms on his thighs and lifting her body higher with each pass. This gave Daniel an even more effective angle with his hand, and he brought her right to the brink.
His eyes were closed now, his mouth open, head to the side, breaths choppy. He was so handsome, she just had to watch, and the expressions on his face gave her enough clues to know when he was about to give way. She held tight, waiting for him, and when he began to squint, she let go. They both came at the same time, and that was an experience even better than she’d ever imagined. Colors and music swirled in her head while the ecstasy rushed through her body, every inch of it from her toes to the top of her skull. She pitched forward and collapsed on his chest, letting her full body weight rest on him.
He wrapped his arms around her and they kissed. And kissed again.
“That was unbelievable,” she said.
“It was. Nothing like some floor sex to remind you you’re alive.” He took a playful nip of her neck.
“Very funny.”
“But seriously. Let’s get up into bed.”
She climbed in under his fluffy duvet and he joined her after a quick trip to the bathroom. “I really am sorry I ever doubted you.” His hand traced up and down her hip, soft and sensuous. He was so gentle when he wanted to be, and so commanding if that was his mood.
“It’s okay, Daniel. Really.” She cupped her fingers around his shoulder, feeling every hard contour. “There’s a lot of bad blood between our families. It makes perfect sense that you would suspect my sisters. I just need you to know that it wouldn’t be me
.”
A smile bloomed on his face and he rolled to his back. Emma smoothed her hand over his firm chest. “I do know that. My gut was telling me it couldn’t have been you.”
She cozied up next to him. It meant so much to have someone see the good in her. Many days, she felt invisible to the two people whose opinion she cared about most—Mindy and Sophie. But Daniel was stepping into the arena. She cared what he thought of her, and how he saw her. “I knew you were a good guy, Daniel. That’s why I wanted so badly to be able to prove you wrong. I think it’s time for us to turn our backs on this silly feud between Stone’s and Eden’s.”
“Is there an opt-out form I missed?”
She playfully swatted his arm and leaned over to kiss him softly. “No. I’m just saying that we can say we won’t play those sorts of games. We’re the newest generation of both businesses, right? I want to find a way to get past the negativity. I don’t see the point in it.”
A deep crease formed between his eyes. He seemed leery at best. “Have any ideas how to do that?”
“We focus on the good. We focus on helping each other.”
“You really think your sisters and my mother will be okay with that?”
“I’m not saying I’m going to come work for you or anything. But if it’s the context of us dating, is anyone entitled to their opinion?” She quickly realized what she’d just said. “I’m sorry. I... I don’t want to assume. This is only if you want to be dating.”
He laughed quietly. “After the last few days, I don’t want to be not dating you. Let’s put it that way.”
Her cheeks puffed up with a smile so fast it made her face hurt. “Good. Because I have an idea of how we can keep tearing down these walls.”
“Tell me. Please.”
“I have to host an evening shopping event at Eden’s. I want you to be my date. Hold my hand and don’t let me be nervous. Just like that night at Empire State.”
