by Rhian Cahill
“Dad’s. I haven’t taken it out much since he died. Brent uses it though, so I haven’t sold it.”
“Brent?”
“You met him the day we did the quote for your alarm system.”
“Tall, blond guy?”
“Yeah, he owns half of the company, but prefers to take a back seat when it comes to customer interaction.” Wade moved next to her and leaned his hip on the railing. “He also lives here. Made the place more bearable in those first rough days after my parents died and neither of us saw a need for him to move back out.”
“So he’s more than a business partner, he’s your friend.” Now that Emily wasn’t fighting her attraction, she was curious to hear about Wade’s best friend. “Is he here tonight?”
“He was earlier, but I think he planned to leave after seeing our waiter out.” Wade turned to look at the boat bobbing gently in the water. “Did you want to take a look?”
“I don’t have very good sea legs in daylight, and I’m pretty sure they’d be worse in the dark.”
“Another time then?” He returned his gaze to hers, a different question lurking in his eyes.
Em smiled. “I’d love to.”
Wade’s smile stretched wide. “What about tomorrow? We’re meant to get a cool change around three in the morning and the wind is supposed to shift to the south, making for a great day to take the boat out on the harbour.”
“Only if you let me supply lunch.”
“You’re on.” He pushed off the railing. “Let’s get set up for the celebration.”
“Set up?” Other than opening the champagne Emily didn’t know what sort of set up Wade meant.
Wade cupped her elbow and pulled her along beside him. “There’s a speaker system in the roof cavity and floorboards. I’ll tune in the radio so we can listen to the simulcast soundtrack when the fireworks start at midnight.”
Before they reached the cabana Wade’s watch beeped. He stopped and turned to her. His hand on her elbow tightened as he tugged her in close. The fingers of his other hand brushed under her chin and exerted light pressure to tilt her face up. Emily’s gaze locked on his as he lowered his head, his lips coming closer and closer to hers. She sucked in a breath and held it. Waited for that moment when he’d kiss her again.
“Happy New Year, Emily.”
Wade’s mouth pressed to hers, a barely-there touch that provoked a desire for more. He caressed her lips with his, back and forth, back and forth, before he took them deeper. His tongue licked from one corner to the other and Emily opened her lips in invitation. She wanted him to take, to thrust his tongue into her mouth and tangle it with hers. But he had other ideas – ideas that left her whimpering with need and burning in frustration. Her breath snagged in her throat when he pulled her torso flush with his. The full-body contact sent a shower of sparks through her, igniting every nerve, scorching every cell, and dropping her into dangerous territory.
She’d give him anything. If he asked her to lay down in the grass with him, she would. The shocking thought pulled her from the moment quicker than a dip in the cold ocean below. Gasping for air, Em pulled free and took a step back. Her chest ached, her lungs striving to fill with vital air. Caught in between desire and fear, she was left floundering for words. And then she remembered the words he’d spoken moments before rendering her brainless with his lips.
“Where are we now?” she asked, knowing he’d understand her question instantly.
“Auckland.”
“New Zealand.” She licked her bottom lip and the taste of him filled her again. “Never been there, have you?”
“Once, years ago. It’s probably changed a lot since then.”
“Probably.” Emily glanced around, her gaze bouncing off everything before landing on Wade once more. “Um, we should…”
“We should do a lot of things, Emily, but we won’t. Not yet.” He reached for her hand and wrapped his fingers around hers. “For now, let’s sit down, nibble on some cheese, and listen to music. And while we’re at it, we can find out a little more about each other.”
He’d blown it. That kiss hadn’t just stepped over her boundaries, it had smashed them to smithereens. Not that he regretted a second of it. She’d wanted more, he’d felt her need in the tremble of her lips, heard it in the little sighs that slipped from her throat as he’d meshed his mouth with hers. Wade wasn’t sure what made her panic, but that’s what she’d done. At some point he’d overwhelmed her. He wasn’t a novice in the sex game and he knew Emily had vibrated with desire while in his arms. The question was, could he get her there again? Could he tempt her with the pleasure they’d surely have together?
For now, he needed to back off. Give her time to process what had happened and come to the conclusion that doing it again would be good. Better than good. He moved around her into the cabana. His goal was the juice he’d stocked in the fridge earlier today – they’d save the champagne for true midnight. Besides, Wade wanted her clear-headed, he didn’t want to hear she’d given in due to inebriation. The last thing he needed in his pursuit of Emily was to give her an easy excuse to walk away.
Wade collected the platters of fruit and cheese and set them on the low table with the wine cooler and glasses. He picked up the cooler and took it to the fridge. Removing the champagne, he swapped it out for the juice. Grabbing some napkins and a couple of tumblers from the cupboard under the seat, he made his way back to where Emily had taken a seat beside the food. Neither of them spoke, and, like the awkward silence they’d experience on the drive over, Wade let it ride. They’d get back to their comfort zone soon enough. He’d accept nothing less.
He flopped down on one of the huge floor cushions and reached for a chunk of cheese and a cracker. Partial to vintage cheddar, he savoured the strong bite and smooth texture of his favourite brand. The silence stretched and Wade realised he’d forgotten to switch on the stereo. Rolling off the cushion, he walked on his knees to the cupboard that housed the cabana’s electronics. With the flick of a few switches and the press of a couple of buttons soft music floated from every corner of the open structure. Along with sound, fairy lights came to life in the recesses of the ceiling. He’d added the lights himself back when he’d sought the seclusion of this level after his parents death.
“Oh, how beautiful. It’s like staring at a star-filled sky.”
Emily’s voice drew his gaze her way. She leaned back on her cushion, virtually horizontal, and peered up at the roof. Wade stayed where he was. The sight of her in his home was one he wanted to etch on his memory banks. He’d never again see the wonder of her first look and he liked that expression on her face. Her eyes all lit up like a child on Christmas morning finding the tree buried in presents. And the smile that curled her lips made him want to kiss her and taste the excitement bubbling over. She was rapidly become an addiction.
An addiction he never wanted to be cured of.
Chapter Five
Wade’s stomach hurt. He’d been laughing his damn fool head off for the past half hour while Emily regaled him with story after story of the antics the children in her care got up to. He didn’t know how she did it. How in the world could she keep a straight face and discipline her little charges when the mischief they got into was so funny? There was no way he’d have been able to manage. Not when her telling him the stories made him laugh this hard. The little rascals would lose all respect for his authority in seconds. But not Emily.
They loved Emily. He’d seen it firsthand. The way they hung off every word she spoke, even the ones chastising the little devils. It didn’t matter what she said, they all wanted a part of it. And he was no better. Every word, every movement, every damn little thing about her, he wanted. Before tonight he knew he was falling under her spell, but now, after hours in her company, Wade knew he’d actually been in free-fall and at some stage, the exact moment of impact debatable, he’d face-planted in love with her. Completely.
And wasn’t that a bitch? The woman had barely
tolerated him up until now. He’d forced her hand to get her here this evening and, if he were honest, while he wasn’t proud of the blackmailing part, he’d still do it again in a heartbeat. Why lie? Wade would do anything to spend time with Emily. She made him feel things he hadn’t felt in a long time. Emotions he’d shut down after his parents deaths. Now he couldn’t hold them back, struggled to hold his tongue and not blurt out the depth of his admiration for her.
The slight awkwardness after their last kiss had lingered for only a few minutes before they’d relaxed into natural conversation again. Wade had known they would. As much as what was happening between them scared her – and him to a degree – he didn’t think Emily could ignore it any more than he could. They were inexplicably drawn to each other. Currently they were laying back, their heads close together, staring up at the night sky. Echoes of shoreline parties drifted over the water, but otherwise it seemed as though they were the only two people in the world right now. He’d grabbed her hand and tangled their fingers two stories ago, and, to his surprise, she hadn’t made a move to pull free.
She’d convinced him to drag their cushions out onto the grass earlier and he had to admit, even though they were in the open, the night had concealed them in an intimate cocoon the cabana hadn’t offered. She continued to surprise him, her love for her job, the joy she found in caring for the children that weren’t hers, and the openness with which she shared that part of her life with him. Wade rolled to his side and gazed at Emily’s profile. The moonlight gave her skin a shimmery glow, but it was the joy he sensed inside her as she spoke that really made her shine.
“What?” She turned her head slightly and their eyes connected.
“I just wanted to see what the happiness I hear in your voice looked like.” He reached over with his free hand and stroked a finger down her cheek. “You’re beautiful.”
She smiled, the colour of her cheeks darkening. “Thank you.”
“No, it’s I who should be thanking you. You could have reneged on our deal. I basically blackmailed you into being here. You know I would have put that Santa suit on even if you’d refuse to go out with me, right?”
Her smile widened. “Guilt eating at you, is it?”
Wade felt heat rush into his face. He was blushing? When was the last time a woman made him blush? Had it ever happened? “Kinda. I’d do it again though. Especially if it meant being here with you.”
“I don’t know what to say. I’m flattered. But, you know, desperate as I was for someone to play Santa, I never would have agreed to come if I really didn’t want to.”
He cupped her face, her smooth skin warm against his cool palm. “Will you go out with me again?”
“What? Are you forgetting our date to take your boat out tomorrow?”
Wade smiled and slid his fingers over the curve of her jaw. “No. I thought you may have changed your mind though.”
“Are we going to ignore the pink elephant in the corner?”
“Only if you want to.” He toyed with the strap of her dress where it spanned her shoulder.
Emily stared at him, her eyes searching his for long moments, before she replied. “Where are we going next time?”
How did she know him so well? Or was it that he was predictable? “What makes you think we’re going somewhere?” He stroked his fingers lightly from her shoulder to her elbow and watched goose bumps spring up in their wake.
“I doubt Sydney is the next place to hit midnight. It stands to reason that you would continue the unique aspect of this date over the course of the whole evening.”
“You’re either too clever or I’m extremely predictable.” Wade’s hand had travelled to her wrist and he pressed his thumb to her pulse point, felt the rapid beat under her skin.
“While I’ll admit to having a brain, it isn’t that or predictability that brings me to my conclusions.”
His gaze met hers. “No?”
“No.” Emily shook her head. “It’s more wishful thinking on my part.”
Wade arched an eyebrow. “Really? You want me to take you somewhere else tonight?”
She sucked her bottom lip between her teeth and worried at the flesh for a second before answering. “Yes.”
“No more pink elephant in the corner then.”
Emily smiled. “No more pink elephant.”
He could see she wasn’t completely comfortable with what their conversation revealed, but he could also see determination behind the fear lurking in her eyes. With a few cryptic words they’d removed a barrier and pushed what was between them out in the open. His respect for Emily went up several notches. Wade glanced at his watch. “Another ten minutes ‘til our trip. Think we can wait that long?”
“Yes.” She turned her face away, stared straight ahead at the sky above them. “I can never remember any stars except the Southern Cross.”
He turned his gaze skyward. “Never did find stargazing fascinating. You’ll have to show me the Southern Cross. I can’t even pick that out.”
Emily leaned over until the sides of their faces were pressed together. She raised the arm between them and pointed. “Look straight along my arm. The top of the cross is there.” Her hand moved a fraction to the right. “The right point there, the left, and the bottom.”
Wade was too busy enjoying her closeness to take notice of any stars, never mind the ones she pointed out. “Ah, right, I see it.”
Her delicate laughter filled the night. “You don’t see a thing.” She gave his arm a playful punch.
Before he thought better of it, Wade rolled over and caged Emily beneath him. His body lay draped across hers, their chests pressed together, his groin locked against her thigh. “Are you saying I’m a liar?”
“Does the shoe fit?” Her face was inches from his and her warm breath bathed his face.
Wade sighed. “Yeah, this time it does.” He lowered his forehead to hers. “I want to take our next trip early.”
She licked her lips, the sight of her tongue sending heat to his lower regions. “Where are we going this time?”
“A little place called Marshall Islands.”
“Where are they?”
“In the Pacific Ocean, north of here.”
“Sounds nice.”
Wade smiled. “Oh, I can guarantee our trip will be better than nice.”
Emily held her breath. She’d had time to reflect on their last kiss, time to regret panicking over the sensations Wade aroused. It shouldn’t have surprised her; everything he did affected her in a nerve-wracking way. He’d had her off balance since the day they met, and she still wasn’t sure she had her feet under her fully. What she did know was she couldn’t deny or fight the chemistry arcing between them any longer, not when arousal still lingered in her veins. She wanted to grab that sensation with both hands, hold on, and see where it took them. And she wasn’t talking about imaginary trips to foreign countries.
Wade’s mouth was a breath away and, for the first time in Em’s life, she took what she wanted from someone else. She raised her chin and met his lips with hers. Her limited skill at being the aggressor didn’t matter, the sexual encounters of her past insignificant blips on the timeline of her life. What mattered right now, in this split second, was the man who refused to let her hide from him. The one presently thrusting his tongue between her lips.
He took control, teased and coaxed until she tangled her tongue with his. Slick slides of soft, warm flesh. Nips and scrapes of teeth. The press and brush of kiss-swollen lips. Each pass drove her farther into the madness of carnal need unlike anything she’d experienced. Her chest heaved, the need for air secondary to her need for more, but of what she wasn’t exactly sure. She only knew it had to do with Wade and the pleasure he delivered with only a kiss. Em twisted her fingers in his hair, clawed at his scalp in an effort to pull him closer.
Air rushed from her lungs and her mouth separated from Wade’s, as his hand cupped her breast through the thin fabric of her dress. She bowed against him,
pushing her tingling flesh into his palm. Her head fell back and Wade’s lips trailed kisses over her jaw and down her neck. He nibbled, licked, and sucked a path to the pulse pounding in her throat. His hand continued to caress her, his fingers plucking at her hard nipple, and darts of pleasure shot straight into her core. Emily’s sex clenched, the swollen flesh growing wet with want and urgency.
Her eyelids fluttered closed only to spring open again when Wade moved completely on top of her. His erection pressed into the juncture of her thighs, the pressure perfectly placed over her centre, sending shockwaves of pleasure rippling through her. Her legs fell apart to welcome him closer. He took the invitation her body offered and ground his hips to hers. They moved together, their bodies desperately searching for relief in spite of their clothes. Wade’s mouth found her nipple through her dress, his teeth gripping the swollen bud while his tongue lashed at the sensitive peak. Emily bucked against him, rubbed her cleft along his shaft until she found the rhythm she sought.
Em’s breath caught, her channel convulsing as spasms swept through her core. Heat bloomed, drenched her in a hot bath of release she hadn’t expected. Gasping for air, she squirmed beneath him, thrashed her head from side to side as her orgasm blindsided her. Wade rode out the storm with her, rocking his hips in ever decreasing speed as the last of her climax ebbed away. His hands cradled her face, kept her in place as he lowered his lips to hers. She went slack under him, every muscle liquefied in the wake of her surprising pleasure. He nibbled at her mouth, peppered kisses over her cheek, her jaw, and her lips once more. Emily grasped his forearms and forced her eyes open, her gaze meeting his.
“You get more beautiful with each new part of you I discover.” His lips brushed hers as he spoke against them.
His words pleased her. The gentle stroke of his fingers at her temples pleased her more and Emily all but purred at his attention.
“That’s the closest I’ve been to coming in my pants since I was a green teenager fighting hormones a stiff breeze could incite.”
