Her Way

by Jessica Jarman

  Will watched through heavy lids as she loved his body. He kneaded the supple mounds beneath his palms and smiled when her hands shook atop his. When he caught the pert tips, pinched and rolled them between his fingers, she gasped and arched into his touch. Her pace quickened, and she moved her hands behind her back, bracing them on his thighs. Fire raced through Will’s veins, and his balls drew tight to his body.

  Will trailed his fingers over her sweat-slick belly, savoring the way her muscles trembled under his touch. Using his thumb, he circled her clit. Emma’s grip tightened, her nails digging into his skin. Aching and close to release, Will vaulted up and caught a rosy-tipped breast between his teeth, biting gently before sucking hard.

  Emma shuddered and cried out. She shifted suddenly, moving so her legs wrapped around his waist. The change in position drove him deeper, and he moaned as he suckled her breast. Her arms circled his neck and she curled around him, surrounded him in every way. He kissed his way up to her neck and buried his face in the crook of it. Nibbling, sucking, laving the salty-sweet skin, he ran his hands over her hips and cupped her sweet ass. Lifted and lowered her again and again, harder and more firmly each time.

  Her pussy tightened around him, a silken vice squeezing him to ecstasy. He pulled his head back and murmured her name, wanting to look into her eyes as she came apart around him. When her chocolate gaze was locked onto his, he decided to let it all out. No more holding back. He wanted honesty from her; he sure as hell was going to give as good as he got—on every level.

  “I love you,” he ground out. Her eyes widened, and her pussy spasmed. “Not saying it…” he slammed her down on his erection, “because you did. I mean it. I.” Up. Down. “Love.” Up. Down. “You.” Up. Down. “Completely.”

  Tears gathered on her lashes, but the brightness of her smile said it all. “I love you,” she whispered, then her eyes slid shut.

  Her muscles clamped around his cock, over and over again as she fell into her orgasm. The little cries escaping Emma’s lips pushed him further and the force of his release swamped him, overwhelmed him to the point he couldn’t form a thought if he tried. With a final thrust, he emptied inside her, filling her with his seed, branding her as his.

  They stayed wrapped around each other for some time. Emma ran her palms up and down his back, her head resting on Will’s shoulder. Contentment and…just plain happiness filled him. Finally, she straightened and unwound her limbs from his body, then slid off him to stand next to the bed. He couldn’t hold back his groan when she lifted her arms above her head and bowed her back in a languid stretch.

  “I’m going to take a shower,” she said around a yawn.

  He leaned back on his elbows and took in the delicious sight of her ass as she sauntered toward the bathroom. She stopped and looked over her shoulder.

  “If you want to join me,” she offered with a saucy smile, “I’ll let you wash my back.”

  He swung his legs over the edge of the mattress and rose. “Yes, ma’am. I live to serve.”

  * * * *

  Emma lifted the mug and inhaled the heady scent of coffee before taking a long sip. Every muscle ached, and she couldn’t be happier about it. She glanced at the clock and chuckled. It was nearly noon and she was just getting up and around. Of course, much of the night hadn’t been spent snoozing. A slight shiver danced up her spine. She didn’t even know what time she and Will had finally given in to sleep, and it was probably better that way.

  The doorbell sounded and Emma frowned. She wasn’t expecting anyone. Will was upstairs getting ready for work and she’d planned on a solitary day in—preferably with a nap on the agenda. She pushed back from the table and rose. Tightening the belt of her robe, she made her way to the front door. Surprise coursed through her when she opened it to find her father standing on the front porch.

  “Dad,” she said, accepting the kiss he dropped on her cheek, then stepped back. “Come in.”

  “I probably should have called,” he said apologetically, “but I was on my way to the club and decided to swing by.”

  “No, no, it’s fine. Would you like some coffee?” She laughed at the grimace on his face. “Will made it, not me. Geez. Come on.”

  He chuckled and followed her into the kitchen. He remained quiet as she got a mug and filled it. When she handed it to him, he fiddled with the handle.

  “Is something wrong?” she asked, curious what would have the normally uber-confident man fidgeting.

  Before he could answer, the sound of footsteps on the stairs echoed through the house. When Will entered the room, he stopped short.

  “Oh, sorry. Didn’t know anyone was here,” he said stiffly.

  “Actually, I’m glad you’re here,” her father stated. He set his coffee on the table and turned to face Will fully. “I wanted to apologize for dinner last night. The things said were hardly appropriate and certainly not the kind of welcome you deserved.”

  Will gave a curt nod. “Would have been nice to hear that last night.”

  Emma pressed her lips together. Oh, he was still pissed off, and wasn’t hiding it a bit. She glanced at her father and was surprised to find the other man nodding.

  “You’re absolutely right, and I apologize for that as well. Clearly, you’re very important to my daughter, and I’d like a chance to get to know you. Perhaps the three of us could have lunch soon?”

  “Sure,” Will agreed with a shrug, then looked at Emma. “I have to run.”

  “Okay, I’ll see you after work?”

  He crossed the room and cupped her face. “Yup.” He lowered his head and treated her to a toe-curling, clit-twitching kiss…right in front of her dad. Her face heated but she didn’t pull away. When he ended the kiss, he slid his hands down to her shoulders. “Eat something,” he said sternly.

  “I will.” She rolled her eyes.

  “Not the leftover pizza in the fridge either,” he teased knowingly. “Actually, why don’t you come to the restaurant for a late lunch?”

  “I managed to eat just fine before you came along, Calonen.”

  “Eat, maybe. Fine? That’s debatable.” He chuckled, then kissed the tip of her nose. “Come in. Invite the girls if you want. My treat.”

  “Okay,” she agreed, shaking her head. “Get out of here.”

  He gave her shoulders a light squeeze and bent to press his lips to hers again. “I love you,” he murmured.

  Emma’s eyes slid shut and her stomach gave a happy little twist. “Love you,” she returned.

  Will straightened and, after a quick nod to her father, left the room. Emma stood awkwardly a moment, then made herself busy refilling her coffee. She gestured for her dad to sit and lowered herself into her chair.

  “I am sorry about last night. It didn’t go as planned.” Her father sipped coffee, studying her over the rim.

  “It’s fine. Really. It’s over and done with.” She shrugged.

  Lowering his cup, he continued to stare until she squirmed. God, she felt like a teenager again.

  “You really care for him, don’t you?” he asked.

  She exhaled slowly. “Yes. I love him, Dad.” She held a hand up. “I know what you’re going to say. We haven’t known each other very long. That’s true, but I know how I feel.”

  He shook his head. “I wasn’t going to say that.”

  “Really? I—” She stopped, unsure what to say.

  “Honey, I’m not here to analyze your relationship. It obvious you have strong feelings; and even more obvious that he returns them.” He smiled.

  “You don’t think he’s after my money?” She winced as soon as the words were out of her mouth.

  “Emma,” he sighed, “I don’t automatically assume that. Is it a worry? Sure. And not about Will in particular,” he clarified when she stiffened. “Just in general. I can’t turn the worry for you off. It’ll always be there, but I trust your judgment.”

  “Thanks, Dad.”

  He took a long drink then got up to refill
. As he sat back down, he said, “I do have another reason for dropping by.”

  “Yeah?” She leaned back and crossed her legs.

  “I know it’s short notice,” he started, “but I need an event put together for a group of clients.”

  “Okay.” Emma nodded. She was the go-to girl for her dad in this type of thing. “What type of event?”

  “Formal dinner with a presentation.”

  Mentally, she started sorting venues. “How many guests?” She let out a sigh at her father’s hesitant smile. “Dad, how many?”

  “A hundred and fifty. Including significant others. I know,” he said, “it’s a lot to ask but I don’t know anyone else I can trust to pull this off, honey.”

  “Just how short notice are we talking?”

  “Three weeks.”

  “Dad!” She pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head.

  “If it’s not doable, we’ll—“

  “No, it’s doable. Not easy, but doable,” she pointed out. “I’m going to need the guest list, what you’re thinking for the menu, what is going to be needed for the presentation, and…” She trailed off when he glanced at his watch. “Why don’t you call me when you get home from the club, and we’ll talk particulars? I’ll start putting together some options to run by you.”

  “Sounds perfect.” He stood and leaned down to kiss the top of her head. “You’re a gem, honey.”

  “Yeah, yeah,” she said with a laugh.

  After walking him out and shutting the door behind him, she sighed and headed up to her bedroom. Apparently, it was time to get dressed and get to work.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “Will?”

  Glancing up from the pass, Will saw his mother in the doorway. “Hey, Ma.”

  “Emma’s here,” she said cheerfully. “Ready for a break?”

  He pulled the towel from his apron and wiped his brow. It’d been a hellish lunch service as they were short staffed, but things were slowing down. He turned to his brother. “You good?”

  “Yeah, get outta here. Give Em a big ol’ kiss for me.” Justin grinned.

  Will snorted. “Can you seat her and tell her I’ll be right there?” he asked his mom.

  “Already done. She’s at table twelve.” She winked and left the kitchen.

  Walking into the small office adjacent to the kitchen, Will pulled off his apron and the cap he wore. He threw them both on the desk and took a long pull from the water bottle sitting on the surface. Eyes closed, he rolled his shoulders, working out the kinks. With a sigh, he headed into the restaurant to where Emma sat at a small table. Her face lit up when she saw him approaching.

  “Hey,” she said happily.

  “Hey back.” He bent at the waist and planted a kiss on her mouth. “God, it’s good to see you.”

  “Rough day?” she asked as he sat across from her.

  “You could say that. Had a no-show in the kitchen so lunch was harder than it had to be.” He shrugged. “Was hoping you’d come in. It was my light at the end of the tunnel,” he teased. “What about you? Did you fit your nap in?”

  She laughed and pushed her hair from her face. “Sadly no. Turned out to be a busier day than I planned.”

  “Hi, Emma, Will.” Felicia came up to the table and set ice water in front of them. “You ready to order?”

  “Yes, I’ll have the chicken parm. And an iced tea, please. Oh, and breadsticks!” Emma held a hand to her stomach.

  “Did you eat anything today?” Will laughed.

  “Yeah,” she murmured.

  “You had the cold pizza, didn’t you?” He lifted a brow.

  “No.” She looked at him, lips twitching. “I nuked it first.”

  “Heathen.” He glanced up at his sister. “Seafood crepes and just the water to drink.”

  “All right. I’ll have the tea and breadsticks out real quick for you.” Felicia grinned.

  When they were alone, Will sat back with a sigh. “So, what happened to ruin your lazy-day plan?”

  “I’m working on a project for my dad, and I don’t have a lot of time to pull it together.” She took a sip of water, and gave a little shrug.

  “What’s the project?”

  “A formal dinner. Pretty simple, just a tight timeline and a lengthy guest list,” she explained dryly.

  “Hmmm, and you do this kind of thing a lot for him? Plan dinners and events?”

  “Well,” she drawled thoughtfully, “I don’t know if I’d say a lot. Every few months or so. Usually more around the holidays. I really don’t mind doing it. Heck, I’ve been doing it for years, and know what to expect. If Dad hired a planner, he’d probably scare them off in the first day. Not that he’s unreasonable,” she rushed to add. “Just very specific about what he wants. And I’ve had plenty of practice smoothing his feathers and putting out fires.”

  “Is that info on the project?” He nodded toward the large manila envelope next to her elbow.

  “Oh!” Her cheeks pinkened slightly. “No, actually this is—”

  She clamped her mouth shut as Felicia came and placed a basket of breadsticks and Emma’s tea on the table. When she walked away, Will leaned forward, curiosity piqued.

  “What do you have there, Miss Emma?” he cajoled.

  “Well…it’s for you,” she blurted out and pushed the envelope across the table.

  “For me?” He picked it up and turned it over in his hands.

  She took a deep breath and let it out in a rush. “It’s about the property you’re looking at, for your bed and breakfast. I know when I mentioned investing before, you were hesitant, but I’ve run some numbers, looked at the property and put together some things. A proposal, really.”

  Will pursed his lips and looked from the envelope in his hand to Emma, back to the envelope. “I wasn’t hesitant. I said no.” He struggled to keep his tone gentle, knowing her heart was in the right place. “This is something I’m going to do on my own. I need to do this on my own.”

  “I know, but—”

  “No buts, Emma,” he snapped, tossing the envelope on the table.

  “Would you just hear me out?” she asked quietly, looking down at her hands clasped in her lap. “Please?”

  Closing his eyes, he counted to ten. When he opened them, she was staring at him imploringly. He gave a go-ahead gesture. It wouldn’t hurt, surely, to hear what she had to say, though his mind was made up. God, even entertaining the possibility of her investing was exactly what her asshat brothers would expect of him.

  “I did a walk-through of the buildings and the property,” she began.

  “You went there? Without saying anything to me?”

  “The property is for sale and available for any potential buyer to view,” she said stiffly. “I didn’t realize I had to check in with you to do that.”

  Well, fuck, where did that icy, lady of the manor tone come from? This was a new side of her, and one he didn’t particularly care to be on the receiving end of.

  “May I continue?” she asked.

  He gave a sharp nod.

  “I did a walk-through,” she repeated. “While the upper levels still need a lot of work, the main level is just beautiful. The wood work is restored, the floors redone… Well, you know all of that. The thing is it puts you in a good position immediately. Even though you couldn’t run it as a B-and-B right away, you could cater and host events—corporate, weddings, and so on. Bringing income in, which you could then funnel into the renovations and restorations needed in the rest of the building.

  “Even though I’d be happy to just invest, I think a partnership would work well.” She bit her lip a moment, then continued, “Will, I’ve done this kind of thing for a while now. I’m good at it. Planning, keeping things running smoothly. And it would allow you to focus on what you needed to, instead of the mundane details.”

  When she stopped and took a drink of her tea, Will reached across and took her free hand.

  “I appreciate the time you spe
nt looking at this. I really do.”

  “But?” she prompted in a whisper.

  He sighed. Damn it, he didn’t want to hurt her or think he didn’t care that she wanted to help him.

  “But,” he tilted his head, trying to catch her gaze, “I can’t accept your offer. As sweet and generous as it is. Please understand. This is exactly what your brothers were talking about. How would it look if I let you do this? If I agreed to this…proposal of yours?”

  Her head snapped up and she yanked her hand out of her grasp. “How would it look? That’s what this is about? You’re worried about what other people would think?”

  The anger, the heat in her eyes shocked him. He’d expected her to be hurt, sure—sad, even—but not pissed and raring for a fight.

  “My brothers’ opinions matter to you more than mine?”

  “Of course not,” he said quickly. “That’s not what I’m saying at all. I’m considering what’s best for you here, too.”

  “Oh really? And what is best for me, Will?” she questioned. “Sitting back, watching you work so hard for a dream that is just beyond your grasp? When I know I can help? How is that better for me?”

  “It isn’t just about money, Emma,” he said carefully, slowly. “Doing this is a big step for me, and is going to take a hell of a lot of time, effort and work. It isn’t something you can just throw money at and make happen.”

  “Don’t talk to me like I’m an idiot,” she said through clenched teeth. “Despite what my family believes, I’m not some little rich girl with half a brain living off her trust fund, throwing money around. I actually use my brain, and I’ve managed to make some damned good investments—even more than doubled what I started with.”

  “I wasn’t implying anything like that.” He sighed. “Em, going into business with anyone is a major commitment. One that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Mixing business and…well, pleasure isn’t the best thing to do. If one aspect of the relationship goes sour, the other part is affected too, and that is a big risk to take. I don’t know—”