by Eden Proctor
He nodded curtly, but Emily thought there was a fleeting flash of disappointment on his face. Probably something she had imagined.
“So…?”
“What?” he asked.
“What was that last night?”
“That was us fucking,” he said.
She laughed and then playfully punched his shoulder. “I know that.” She sobered again and then glanced at him.
“I got that part. But why?”
He changed instantly, his face going from one of amusement to an intense, deep expression. He let his gaze trace over her slowly, looking over her body from the tip of her head to her toes and back again.
“It’s your fault, Emily.”
“M-my fault?”
She didn’t like how tentative she sounded, but she felt it nonetheless.
“For being so fucking beautiful and irresistible,” he said.
She scoffed, though she blushed down to her toes.
“I’m not,” she said.
He stepped closer to her, his warmth and masculine scent enveloping her.
“You don’t think so?” he asked, his voice, already deep, dropping an octave.
She shook her head. “No,” she said.
“You want me to show you how wrong you are?” he asked.
He was closer now, his lips tracing the shell of her ear.
She nodded faintly, and he trailed down her jaw.
“You sure?” he whispered, his lips brushing against her skin as he spoke.
“Yes,” she replied.
Her voice was barely audible, but she knew he had heard it.
In the next breath, he reached for her hand and pressed it against his crotch. On instinct she closed her fingers, feeling the huge bulge in her hand. A part of her was surprised that she had taken all of him, but her body was getting even wetter now as she remembered his hardness again, how perfect a fit he was.
“Believe me?” he asked.
“I-I,” she said, squeezing a little harder, “I may need a little more proof.”
He chuckled, but then dropped the hand that he had placed on her hip to his waist.
She breathed in, barely allowing her chest to expand as he moved, the low snick of his zipper filling the room as he slid it down. Emily had dropped her hand, but in the next moment he reached for it, and she watched as he led it toward the hard cock that peeked from his open pants.
Her lids dropped low, and her breath came out in heavy pants. He laid her hand against his shaft and then locked eyes with her.
“Proof enough?”
She sighed, closed her fist around his shaft, sighing again when she was almost unable to hold him.
“I might need even more,” she said.
He chuckled, but then closed his hand around hers, his heavy fingers touching her fist as she touched his cock.
He lifted his fist, moving her hand with his up and down his long length. She sighed, felt her pussy begin to flutter. When he lifted their hands to the head of his cock, the fluid that seeped from his slit coated her fingers.
Then he led her back down, fist moving in a slow pattern that had her panting. He went down, then back up again, moving his wrist and hers in a jerky motion. Her breath was coming out in twisted, low pants, and she realized that his was also heavy, harsh.
She also felt him hard in her palm, his shaft solid, the veins under the soft skin standing in stark relief.
“This is you, Emily,” he said, his voice pushed out through gritted teeth.
He hardened even more in her palm, his thick dick flinching.
“You,” he said.
Once he had uttered the word, he came, his seed splashing onto his fist and landing on her wrist. It was searing against her skin, and she thought she would explode from the sensation of it.
She held him tight in her fists until he began to soften. Moments later he reached up and wiped his semen away and then tucked himself into his pants. Emily stood frozen, stunned, so turned on that she could barely move.
It was hard to believe that she had just stroked him to completion in his office and now he was staring at her.
“What are you doing tonight?” he asked.
“Nothing,” she said, surprised that she had managed to speak.
“Wrong answer. I’ll be over at eight,” he said.
Emily looked up into his dark eyes and smiled. “I’ll be waiting,” she replied.
The trip out of his office was much better than the one in. She had agreed to be his fiancée, but that barely even ranked. Instead, she thought about the evening ahead, knew that she was playing with fire like she had said so many times before.
But unlike before she was looking forward to getting burned.
Chapter 10
Daniel didn’t know what he had done, but he knew Emily was dangerous.
He needed to keep focused on the deal, ignore whatever this was that was driving him, but he knew such a thing wouldn’t be possible.
Because he was going to be at her house at eight.
That excited him more than anything had for as long as he could remember.
Even more than her agreement. He knew he should be thinking about the fact that he was going to close his deal with Charlie, that he had gotten the victory he’d sought.
He was happy about that, but it was nothing in the face of what Emily made him feel.
The fact that she made him feel.
He thought that maybe he could love her. That maybe he already did.
He froze, dropped the pen that he held in his hand.
What the fuck was he thinking? He couldn’t love her. Couldn’t love anyone. He hadn’t even loved the woman he’d planned to marry. He’d proposed because he’d thought the woman would be a useful partner, but once he’d learned the woman couldn’t be trusted, he’d ended things and moved on without ever looking back.
But Emily…
There was no way he could walk away from her. He grabbed his pen again, forced himself to work, though his mind was distracted. There was work to do, and he needed to get his head on straight.
Which meant he had to stay away from Emily.
Chapter 11
By Saturday, Emily didn’t know what to do.
Daniel had not shown up as he’d promised, and she felt like a fool because she had waited for him. Waited the next day too.
But by the third day, she realized he’d changed his mind. That surprised her, but it shouldn’t have. She’d told herself there was no real possibility of anything happening between them. She’d told herself that was the case, but she’d thought he wouldn’t end things officially until she’d gone through with the dinner.
Had hoped that maybe he’d meant what he’d said in his office.
That she’d been so mistaken hurt her, but not nearly as much as the pain of his absence. It was silly but she cared for him, had gotten used to him as crazy as that thought sounded. And while it shamed her to admit it, she was sad she wouldn’t get to see him again, had convinced herself the whole thing was over.
So it was a huge surprise when word had come the day before from his secretary that Daniel would be picking her up at seven the next evening.
She hadn’t known what to do.
She was angry, hurt, but she had given her word. And, she wanted to see him again.
She told herself that she was going through this process because of what he had promised, the promotion, the doors that would open, but she knew herself well enough to know when she was lying to herself.
She wanted to see him plain and simple.
And she had somehow convinced herself that if she could look into his eyes, see him, she’d get some answers. She hadn’t been alone in what she’d felt. The passion between them wasn’t something she had just made up.
What had changed it so quickly?
She didn’t know, but she wanted to find out, which was why she now sat, wearing her most appropriate evening dress waiting for him.
He arrived five
minutes early. To her surprise, Emily was disappointed when he knocked, and when she opened the door, her breath left her lungs.
She thought she’d prepared herself for seeing him again, but how could she prepare for him?
He was perfection, wearing a white button-down shirt and slacks, casual, but still so powerful, so sexy.
“Are you ready?”
She blinked, but then got a hold of herself and stepped into her heels. “I am now,” she said.
She locked the door and then walked to the elevator, disappointed again when Daniel didn’t put a hand on her as he had before.
By the time they reached his car she was so angry she couldn’t speak.
How dare he pretend like nothing had happened?
After she got into the car, she kept her eyes on him as he circled, stared even harder when he sat inside.
“Are you able to go through with this?” he asked.
He faced her, his own expression serious.
“You’re worried?” she said.
“You’re supposed to be my fiancée, but you’re looking at me like you hate me. If you can’t hold up your end, we may as well call this off,” he said.
He looked a little bit angry, which only increased her anger. But after a moment she breathed deep, calmed herself.
“I keep my word,” she said, her laser-pointed glare on him.
He said nothing but began to drive. They rode in silence, her mind whirling the entire time.
Had she really been so wrong?
Maybe, but as always seemed to be the case with him, he wasn’t giving her any clues.
He seemed different, but was he really, or was she pretending, hoping for something that wasn’t real?
She didn’t know the answer to that question, but what she did know was that she wasn’t going to let him drive her insane.
So she breathed deep again and prepared herself for the performance that might break her heart.
* * *
“So how did you two meet?” Mrs. Green asked.
The dinner was progressing nicely. Daniel had been the picture of charm, so much so that Emily had almost believed the affection and warmth in his eyes. She tried to remember all that had happened in the week, the fact that this entire process was a lie. But it was hard, very much so. And her host’s question had put her on the spot.
“Umm…”
She and Daniel hadn’t actually talked about this, and Emily felt a moment of panic. But he reached for her, held her hand and then looked at her, his eyes soft and light.
“We don’t have a crazy story, to be honest,” he said, looking at Mrs. Green but keeping his hand on hers. “I told Emily we should make one up.”
Mrs. Green looked at him frowning. “What do you mean, Daniel?”
“You know. People like great stories of love, but Em and I don’t have that. I noticed how beautiful she was, how intelligent and dedicated. Decided I wanted to get to know her better. I did, and over time she stole my heart. So nothing exciting, just me being smart enough to recognize that she was the best woman I’d ever met,” he said.
His hand still cradled hers, and when he looked at her, Emily thought she might melt right there.
And she wasn’t the only one.
Mrs. Green had dropped her fork and placed a hand on her heart.
“You’re very wrong, Daniel. That’s one of the most beautiful love stories I’ve ever heard. Real. Genuine. Why, it reminds me of Charlie and me,” she said.
Then she looked at her husband, and Emily saw the deep affection that passed between them.
She pulled her hand away and filled it with her napkin, hoping to cover her emotions as that deep sense of sadness, wrongness, came over her again.
She was lying to these kind people all to get ahead, letting her own feelings and ambitions make her go against what she believed in.
“Thank you, Mrs. Green,” Emily said, hoping her voice didn’t sound as haunted as she thought it did.
“No, thank you,” the woman replied.
“Charlie says I’m old-fashioned, but I know what’s important, and seeing the way you two care about each other is just wonderful.”
Emily murmured another thanks as did Daniel. The meal continued, but Emily was somewhat overwhelmed. The power of being with Daniel, the confusion of the current situation, and the warm friendliness and kindness of these people left her twisting, left her feeling wiped out.
“I have a wonderful idea! Why don’t you and Emily join us at the lake house?” Mrs. Green said, her eyes bright.
“Oh no… We couldn’t,” Emily said.
“Nonsense. Of course she can. Are you free two weekends from now?” she pressed.
Emily said nothing but looked at Daniel. His expression was inscrutable but in the next moment he nodded and then flashed that winning, addictive smile.
“We’d love to,” he said.
Chapter 12
“Looks like that was a success,” Emily said.
It was the first time she had spoken to him since they had left the Greens’ house.
“I think it was,” he replied.
She didn’t respond, and he wanted to speak so badly. But instead he kept his hands on the wheel, each revolution of his tires bringing her closer to her house and to the end of this.
There was no way he could go through with the weekend. He’d barely made it through dinner this close to her.
“I’ll tell them that we can’t do the weekend,” he said.
He waited for some reaction, wanted her eruption, but she simply said, “Fine.”
“And once the papers are signed, I’ll see that you get your promotion,” he said.
Her only response was another, “Fine.”
“Emily…” He started and then trailed off, knowing there was nothing to say.
He felt like such a fucking asshole for standing her up, but he couldn’t explain that to her. He’d wanted to go to her that night, had wanted to every day since then, but there was simply too much at risk.
The days away hadn’t helped. He wanted her as much as he had before, wanted her more. It was just as he had thought before.
Emily was dangerous.
With her, the impossible was happening. With her, his heart was at risk.
He saw her building approaching, sad because he would leave her, but knowing that it was the only thing that he could do.
He came to a stop in front of her building.
“Let me walk you in,” he said.
“No. It’s unnecessary,” she said.
He ignored her and got out of the car, circled it, and opened her door.
He wanted to reach for her again, would have, but he kept his hands at his sides. Because he knew that if he had touched her, he would never let her go.
The walk to her place was grim, and Daniel couldn’t shake the sense that he was making a horrible mistake.
“Good night, Emily,” he said.
The slamming of her door in his face was the only response.
Chapter 13
“The deal’s off, Charlie,” Daniel said a week later.
“What?” Charlie said.
“It’s off,” Daniel repeated.
Charlie put down his pen and then leaned back in his chair, looking at Daniel thoughtfully.
“Does this have something to do with Emily not being here?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Charlie, but I’ve changed my mind,” Daniel said, unconvincing even to his own ears.
Charlie shook his head, and Daniel felt that deep stab of loss in his heart.
“What’s this about, Daniel? Did you guys have a fight?”
He looked at the other man and felt himself opening up. “It’s complicated.”
“No, it’s not. You can’t let her go,” Charlie said.
“She was never really mine, Charlie,” Daniel said on a deep sigh.
“Tell me about it,” the older man said. Then he nodded to the chair closest t
o him, and Daniel stood watching, considering.
He had little experience with this. His own father had never had more than a moment for him and certainly hadn’t invited open conversations. But, if Charlie might help him through this, it would be worth it. He sat in the chair heavily and then looked at Charlie.
“I’ll level with you about this. The whole engagement was a lie,” Daniel said.
Charlie frowned, but then said, “Tell me.”
“You threw me off my game with that question about my family, my heart. Emily was there, so I just made something up.”
“I thought so,” Charlie said.
“And you went along with it anyway?”
“I wanted to see where you’d take it, but then I saw you and Emily, thought that maybe I’d been wrong.”
“What did you see?” Daniel asked.
“You look at her the way I look at my wife,” Charlie said.
“I think you’re seeing things, Charlie.”
“And I think you’re not seeing them. However it started, you and Emily are as real as me and my wife.”
“I’d like to think so, but I’m not like you. Sorry for wasting your time. I hope you find the right buyer,” Daniel said.
“Forget the deal, Daniel. Go get your woman,” Charlie said.
Daniel was stunned by the vehemence in Charlie’s voice, but after a moment, he stood and moved as fast as he could.
* * *
Emily had resorted to taking the stairs, going out of her way to do everything she could to avoid running into Daniel. She didn’t think it was likely, but she couldn’t risk it.
She was still hurting in a way that felt like heartbreak and seeing him would only make that hurt worse. Remind her that she still wanted him, even after what had happened.
When she got home, she remembered those moments they had had together here, how fun it had been. How close they had felt.
She missed him, but that didn’t matter. It hadn’t been real, and the sooner she accepted that, the better off she would be.
The knock on her door startled her, and still in a haze, she went to answer it.
