by Rhian Cahill
“I’m sorry. It’s not what I meant,” she murmured, her head bowed.
“Then explain what you mean. I don’t want to think poorly of you, Emily, but right now I have to admit to doing just that.”
Em looked up and found Wade studying her, his hazel eyes penetrating in their concentration. Her mouth was dry and her hand shook as she reached for her glass to wet her throat. He deserved an explanation, only she wasn’t sure she was ready to reveal that scar to a man she barely liked. No, that was a lie. She more than liked him. And that was the rub.
Admitting how she felt would open her up for things she wasn’t prepared for. A relationship with a man was the last thing she had time for, except, if she were honest, she’d concede that they were already in the middle of an association rapidly descending into relationship territory.
“Emily?” He reached out and ran the tip of his index finger down her cheek. “Our dinner is getting cold. How about we forget it for now and just enjoy this delicious meal?”
Her throat too tight to get any words out, she nodded. Wade smiled, and, relieved, Emily offered a small one of her own. He picked up his utensils and gestured to her plate with his fork. Taking the hint, she took a deep breath to settle her still turbulent nerves and followed his lead. It didn’t take long for the awkward moment between them to pass. There was no way to remain silent when faced with the decadent meal he’d ordered.
“This has to be the most delicious thing I’ve ever eaten.” Emily picked up her wine for a sip before she dove back into the amazing fish. “I’ve never been a big fan of fish, but consider me converted.”
“At the risk of sounding conceited, I told you so.” Wade forked up the last mouthful of his meal and placing his cutlery together across his plate, leaned back in his chair.
Emily smiled. “You did. I shouldn’t have doubted you.”
“There was doubt?”
“Yes.” She grinned as she slid another bite into her mouth.
“Let that be a lesson to you.”
She chewed and swallowed. “Oh, and what lesson was that exactly?”
“I’m always right.” He smiled. “And you’d be wise to listen to me in the future.”
“I’ll take that under advisement.” Sitting back, she rubbed a hand over her full belly. “I can’t eat anymore and I think I’ve already hit overload stage.”
“We can wait until after the fireworks for dessert if you like.”
“That depends on what’s on the menu.”
“Let me see…I believe it’s something called Death by Choc—”
“Say no more. We’ll have dessert now.” Emily began to stack their plates, but Wade’s hand on hers stopped her.
“No you don’t. Our waiter will clear the plates before bringing out dessert.”
“Oh. Sorry. I forgot he was even here.”
“That’s the idea.” Wade glanced at his watch. “Now you have approximately eight minutes before show time. If you need to use the bathroom, you best hurry.”
“Good idea. I’d hate to miss one of the highlights of the night.”
“Through that door” – Wade indicated the far end of the patio – “you’ll find the outdoor bathroom.”
“Outdoor bathroom?”
“It’s so I don’t have to track chlorine water through the house after a swim.”
“There’s a pool?” Emily’s head swivelled from side to side but she couldn’t see anything beyond the patio.
“On the next level down. The one below that has access to the dock and boat.”
“Dock? Boat?” Em swallowed. Wade was rich far and above anything she’d thought. Pushing to her wobbly legs, she placed her napkin on the table. “I’ll just go freshen up.”
She made her escape, the magnitude of Wade’s wealth sinking into her bamboozled mind.
Wade hadn’t missed the myriad of emotions flashing through Emily’s eyes when he’d mentioned the lower levels of the yard. He should have known better than to talk about anything that pointed to his obvious wealth after her earlier comment, but he didn’t want to censor himself around her, didn’t want to be anyone other than himself. No matter how he looked at it, there was no way to leave out his money. He’d just have to show her he wasn’t the sum total of his bank accounts.
He glanced at his watch as the waiter headed back with their dessert. Brent would see the man out once he’d served this last course, so Wade could sit back and enjoy the rest of the night with Emily. If she ever returned from the bathroom. At this rate she’d miss the fireworks and he’d miss his first opportunity to kiss her. Movement caught his eye and he turned to see her walking towards him at a clipped pace.
“Sorry.” She retook her seat and slipped her napkin back in her lap. “How close are we?”
“Under a minute.”
“I cut that fine.” She grinned and Wade’s stomach clenched.
“Yes, but you made it back in time for the best part.” He scooted his chair closer to hers. “As you can see, dessert is served and…” He held up his arm, checking the time. “In…ten, nine, eight, seven, six–”
“It’s not time for the countdown yet.”
“Two, one. Happy New year.” Wade leaned over and planted his mouth on hers as the sky lit up with a kaleidoscope of colour, light, and sound.
He kept it simple, a little pressure, a little tongue. Her mouth gave under his and a warm puff of air mingled with his breath as she sighed. Wade held on to his sanity by a thread so thin he felt the weakness of it. There’d be no turning back if he didn’t pull away now. With a monumental effort, he tore his lips from hers. Their panted breaths merged as they struggled to find solid ground once more. Damn. The woman would fry his brain before the night was done. Neither of them took notice of the loud booms or flashes of colour that made up the nine o’clock family fireworks display. They were too consumed with the explosions detonating between them.
“It’s not New Year yet.” Emily’s laboured breathing broke up her words.
Wade smiled, thrilled to know she was as affected by their kiss as him. “It is on Christmas Island.”
“W-what?” Emily brought her hand up, her fingers trembling as they covered her mouth.
“It’s midnight on Christmas Island.”
“Oh.”
She seemed to struggle to form words and Wade would happily accept that as a compliment. The air around them stirred, bringing with it the distinct scent of gunpowder. Lights and booms continued to burst from the sky. He gripped Emily’s shoulders and twisted her around to face the water. “Look.”
He slid his arm around her shoulders and encouraged her to lean back and enjoy the rest of the show. They both needed the distraction: him so he didn’t jump her bones, and her so she didn’t go running into the night screaming at the top of her lungs. He’d love for her to join him in the depth of his desire, but he knew rushing her wasn’t the right way to handle things. Wade could be patient as a saint when necessary. There’d be no deviating from the plan. As the last of the fireworks faded away, they remained still, their casual embrace one of friendly companionship. Just the tone he wanted for moving forward.
“We should eat these yummy desserts.” He helped her sit straight in her chair. “And I can say, without a doubt, you’ll not eat anything as sublime anywhere on the planet.”
Emily laughed. “I’ll agree with you right now, seeing how we know you’re always right.”
He smiled and tapped a finger on the end of her nose. “Yes. I am. You’ll do well to remember that. Now eat.”
“There’s no eating when it comes to chocolate dessert.”
Emily slipped a spoonful of the smooth dessert into her mouth and moaned. The way she ate the creamy confection had Wade’s groin tightening and his trousers growing snug. He almost burst from his pants when her pink tongue peeked out to lick across her bottom lip. Shifting in his seat, Wade gained a little relief from the swelling in his lap, but he didn’t expect it to last long.
/> “Definitely no eating. Only savouring.” Emily spooned another mouthful between her lips and Wade barely curbed the groan rumbling in his chest. She used her empty spoon to point at his plate. “You’re not having any?”
He’d hand over his plate if she’d let him sit here and watch her eat. The purely sensual experience that was Emily devouring Death by Chocolate had to be the most sexual experience of his life without any form of touching between the parties involved. He was on the verge of passing her his plate when she dipped her spoon into the chocolate treat and brought it to his mouth.
“Here. You cannot quit before having some of this.”
She nudged his lips and he opened, letting her slide the cool metal and warm chocolate between his teeth. Wade closed his mouth around the spoon. He wasn’t partial to sweet things, but he had to admit this particular dessert was one he’d have again and again.
“Good, huh?” Emily took another mouthful.
Wade swallowed and picked up the last of his wine to help wash the stickiness down. “I told you that already.”
“You did, you did.” She leaned back in her chair, the last bit of her dessert poised before her. “Now excuse me while I take a moment to say goodbye.”
“It’s not goodbye if you take the rest of mine.” He held up his plate.
“How can you give up such perfection?”
He smiled at her. “For you, I’d forgo it.”
Before he could blink, she snatched his plate away. Laughter burst from his chest. He liked this relaxed, playful side of Emily. He’d make it his mission to see that she behaved this way more often. She deserved to have fun, to enjoy life and all the delights it offered. Wade no longer questioned his need to please her, or his need to have her in his life. It was what it was, and, from where he sat, it looked suspiciously like the slippery slope into love.
Chapter Four
Emily swallowed the last of Wade’s dessert and sighed. He was right. The chocolate treat was sublime. It hit ever button on her sweet-tooth palate. A sultry breeze skipped across the paved patio, a little stronger than before, and cooled the temperature another couple of degrees. Shivering, she wondered if she’d need to borrow a jacket from Wade. She’d neglected to bring one. In fact, with the weather so hot lately, a wrap or coat never entered her mind when she got ready.
“Cold?” Wade rubbed his hand up and down her arm. “Let me pack these dishes away and we can move down to the cabana.”
“Cabana? Is there anything this place doesn’t have?” Emily was beginning to expect the luxuries Wade had at his fingertips. Perhaps eventually she’d be able to remove the pause each show of wealth gave her.
“Dad always joked about getting Mum a couple of cabana boys to go with it, but said he couldn’t risk her running away with one.” Wade smiled. “I think he was more concerned about Vee taking off.”
“Your sister?”
“Yeah, she was wild.” He stacked their plates and utensils. “Two years younger than me and game for anything and everything. Still is to a degree, but our parents’ death seemed to suck some of the rebel out of her.”
“You think that’s a bad thing?” Em could hear the sadness edging his words.
“Yeah, I do. It was as though her light dimmed. I’ve glimpsed the old Vee a few times recently though. I’m hoping she’s finally passed the grieving stage.”
“And you? Are you passed it?” She placed her hand over his on the table.
“Mostly. I still have moments where I can’t be here, but those are few and far between nowadays.” Wade turned his hand over and, entwining their fingers, gave her hand a squeeze. “Thanks. Let’s get these put away in the kitchen and grab the stuff I’ve put together for our harbour side picnic.”
“A picnic? But we just ate dinner.” Emily pushed to her feet, her full stomach protesting the idea of anything else. “I don’t think I can eat any more food.”
“It’s only fruit, cheese, and crackers. Nothing special. I thought we might need something to nibble on while we wait for the countdown.” He picked up the stack of plates. “Can you grab our glasses and the empty champagne bottle?”
“Sure.” She grabbed the glasses in one hand, the bottle in her other.
With her hands full, Emily followed Wade into the house and stood to the side as he efficiently rinsed the plates and stacked them in the dishwasher. He really did know his way around a kitchen, and she let herself enjoy the thrill of a man not afraid to show his domestic side. She smiled.
“You’ll make someone a great wife one of these days.”
He glanced her way. “You offering me the job?”
Wow. His gaze was laser sharp and Em wasn’t sure how a smart-aleck comment had turned so serious. There was no denying Wade had read more into her joke than she’d intended. At least, she thought she hadn’t meant anything deeper. Unsure how to defuse the sudden tension, she was relieved when he turned back to setting the controls on the machine. She took a big breath and tried to calm the jitters running rampant in her lower belly. By the time she’d regained her balance he was pulling covered dishes from the fridge and laying them out on the counter.
“Can you help carry some of this down?” He looked at her and smiled. “I need to grab clean glasses and another bottle of champagne from the bar.”
Wade ducked out of the room before she answered. The smile he’d given her put her at ease although her nerves were still taut – edgy – and she felt as though she were waiting for the other shoe to drop. She really needed to pull herself together, only it was hard when he kept shifting the ground under her. Emily was sure he didn’t do it on purpose; it was just an innate part of Wade. Something about him touched hot buttons she didn’t know she had. On an emotional and a sexual level, he got at her like no other man, and she was beginning to think he alone held that power.
A sobering thought when she’d spent months pushing him away, rejecting every overture he made in his effort to deepen their acquaintance. A romance may not be in her plan, but could she afford to overlook it now that it had shown up? Could she live with herself if she let this chance with Wade slip by?
“Okay, here, take the wine and glasses.” Wade held out a wine cooler and two glasses. “I’ll get the platters.”
Jolted from her thoughts, Em reached out and relieved him of his load. A little thunderstruck at her own stupidity where Wade was concerned, she remained quiet and drew his unwavering attention once more.
“Hey.” He nudged her chin up with his knuckle. “Everything all right?”
“Oh, yes. Sorry, a bit fuzzy-headed from the wine I think.” Em smiled in the hope of reassuring him – and her – that everything was okay.
“I’ve got cold water and juice in the cabana. We’ll wait to open the second bottle of champagne.” Wade trailed his finger over her jaw and along her cheek, leaving a streak of shimmering heat in its wake. “Come on, let’s go.”
He turned abruptly, but not before Emily saw his pupils dilate and his gaze flash with desire. An answering flare of need erupted in the pit of her stomach. She couldn’t deny their sexual chemistry. It had been there from the beginning, its intensity foreign to her, and was in part responsible for the slither of fear and uncertainty Em felt around him. She’d experienced it the first time they’d met, and it had stopped her from getting to know him, from allowing herself to think of him as anything other than a contractor she’d hired.
Now, in a few hours, she’d been forced to accept him as a friend. He’d become human in a way she hadn’t permitted the contractor to be. He had family, friends – a life. A life he seemed to want to make her part of, if only she’d take the chance. All she had to do was meet him halfway. She could do that. She would do that. For both their sakes, she’d embrace the change and, without throwing caution completely to the wind, Emily would take what he offered and offer the same in return. Or at least try.
Pleased with her decision, she smiled and followed Wade across the patio to a flight of stairs
she hadn’t noticed earlier. Darkness surrounded them, but the path was well lit and clear of any encroaching foliage. The gardens here were as spectacular as the front yard. Small sections were illuminated by hidden lights, revealing masses of native grasses and bushes in rusts and greens. He led her passed a glistening, sapphire blue pool to another staircase. A glance at the pool deck gave the impression of an outback waterhole. Someone had spent considerable time replicating a natural setting that rivalled any image of central Australia she’d seem.
Every part of Wade’s home was beautiful. While it was obvious money had been spent in large amounts, the place didn’t feel like a museum or untouchable. His home welcomed visitors with warmth and enthusiasm. As she descended the last few steps, the cabana came into view. Obviously Emily hadn’t a clue what a cabana was because the structure in front of her was unlike anything she could have imagined. There were no walls, only corner columns of intricately carved timber. The closer they got, the more detail became clear.
The rear had a half-wall with a long bench-style seat butted against. Below the colourful cushions were a series of cupboards and Wade made his way to the furthest one, opening the door to reveal a concealed mini-fridge. Stepping onto the raised timber floor, Em noticed the blinds hidden under the roof that could be dropped down to block out either sun or wind. She set the wine cooler and glasses on a low table beside a section of floor cushions. On the grass area in front of the cabana a couple of sun lounges were positioned for sunbathing and beyond that she could see the railing at the end of the yard, a clear barrier between land and water.
Wandering over, Emily found herself gazing over dark waters at the boat moored to the end of the short wharf. She heard Wade walk up behind her. “Is that yours?”
