Boxed Set

by Brenda K. Davies

  Emma's mind spun as she tried to think of a reply instead of standing there like an idiot. But it was him. She’d hoped she would get the chance to see him again, but she certainly hadn't expected it to be right now, and she hadn't expected him to speak to her first. It didn't matter though; he was still standing there, watching her, and expecting an answer that proved she wasn't a moron.

  "Ah, yes, it is." Her hesitant response wasn't the best in the world but at least she’d finally gotten a few coherent words out.

  "Is the girl with the braids your friend?"

  This brought a genuine smile to her face.

  "She is," Emma said.

  It took him a few seconds to gather his thoughts as he was charmed by her smile and the warmth radiating from her. "She's good."

  "She is. Do you play?"

  Ethan glanced at the court, but he found he much preferred to watch her than the game. "I do."

  "You should jump in then."

  "Maybe later."

  Not even when he was sixteen, and fumbling with his first bra, had he felt this awkward and uncertain as he extended a hand to her. "Ethan Byrne."

  "Emma Morgan."

  Her skin was cool and felt like satin as she took his hand. A jolt of electricity seemed to sizzle from her hand to his, up to his elbow, and through the rest of his body. Her eyes dilated a little as her breathing hitched and her eyes searched his face in astonishment.

  His hand involuntarily constricted upon hers as he stepped even closer to her. The heat of her body slid over his flesh as her bare arm came into contact with his chest. It took all he had not to pull her into his arms and kiss her, but he'd probably end up being slapped in the face if he did; something he'd well deserve for molesting her on the beach.

  Emma's whole body still vibrated from being in contact with his. She felt as if she'd grabbed an electric fence, something she'd done once as a kid while visiting her cousin's horse farm. This time it was an entirely pleasant sensation whereas that one brought her to tears and sent her running across the yard to her mother's arms.

  Fresh jolts of nervous electricity went through her body when his thumb brushed over her skin, and he moved a step closer to her. For one crazy second, she thought he was going to kiss her as his eyes deepened to a forest green color, and he pressed her knuckles against the firm muscles of his flat stomach. She'd known him for all of two minutes, but she would welcome his kiss and found herself longing for it.

  "Here."

  Ethan hadn't seen the young woman who had been standing with Emma before he approached, until she spoke and thrust a pink drink between them. Emma's hand slid away from his as she fumbled to take the drink. The woman's deep brown eyes were assessing and stony as she scanned him from head to toe. There was no lust in her gaze; she came across more like a mother bear protecting her cub than anything. Ethan held her stare as her assessing eyes came back to his.

  "Hello," she said to him.

  "Mandy this is Ethan, Ethan this is my friend, Mandy," Emma introduced. She grabbed her straw and took a sip of her drink. The sweet scent of strawberries drifted up to him, but he didn't detect any alcohol in it.

  "Hi," Mandy greeted, but she continued to watch him like a hawk. Under other circumstances, he might have found her protective attitude amusing; now, he found it irritating.

  A loud cheer drew his attention back to the game. The brunette with braids was jumping up and down as she high-fived her teammates. She jogged over to them and grabbed her towel from the sand. Words spilled out of her mouth at a million miles an hour as she dried the sweat from her body and grabbed the drink from Emma. She closed her eyes and made a pleased sound in the back of her throat as she sipped it.

  "Delicious," she said. Her hand stilled on the towel when she opened her eyes again and finally noticed him standing there. A sly grin curled her lips as she thrust out a hip. "Well, hello," she greeted. "And who might you be?"

  Emma and Mandy rolled their eyes, and Emma grabbed her drink back from her friend. Ethan smiled at the woman as she dropped her towel on the ground. "Ethan."

  "Nice to meet you, Ethan, I'm Jill, and these are—"

  "We've met," Mandy interrupted.

  Jill frowned as she glanced between Emma and Mandy and then back at him. "Oh."

  "We should probably go; I could stand to get out of this sun for a bit," Mandy said.

  The disappointment filling him was a little disturbing, but he wasn't in the mood to examine it.

  "Maybe we'll see you later," Jill said.

  "I'm sure of it." He didn't even look at Jill but kept his gaze locked on Emma as he spoke. He was as startled by the words as Emma appeared to be. Her eyes flickered, and she bit her bottom lip.

  She smiled at him, and Mandy took her arm. Their excited words and laughter floated back to him as he watched them walk away with their heads bent close together. The further away they got, the more aware he became of the cluster of people around him and the blood flowing through their veins. His teeth ground together as his hands fisted. After the stillness her presence had brought him, the influx of awareness was like sandpaper on his skin.

  Turning away, he walked back to Isabelle and Stefan. They were both watching him with questioning expressions, but Isabelle jumped on him first. "Who was that?" she demanded.

  Ethan shrugged as he lowered himself to the blanket beside her. "Just some girl," he muttered, but he found his gaze drawn back to Emma as she climbed the dunes with her friends.

  Chapter Four

  Emma brushed out her hair and let it fall around her shoulders as she studied herself in the mirror. Turning away, she grabbed the purple and white sundress from the bed and slid it over her head. Jill was adamant they go to the bar again tonight. Emma thought she might have a bit of a crush on Ethan.

  That thought didn't sit well with her, but there wasn't anything she could do about it. She didn't blame Jill; he was gorgeous. Just recalling the feel of his large hand encircling hers caused her heart to pound a little faster and her mouth to go dry.

  There was a rod of strength in him, and he radiated an aura both formidable and appealing. She should probably stay far away from him. She'd already become entangled with a man who seemed perfectly normal, and even a little boring, when she first met him, but over time she'd come to realize she'd seriously misjudged his character. Her mistake had caused her nothing but betrayal, aggravation, and a nightmare she wasn't certain would ever end.

  She hadn't known him long, but she got the impression Ethan was anything but boring. Though common sense told her to stay away, she found herself intrigued by him and hoping he would be there again tonight. Even if he was there, that was no guarantee he would talk to her again; today might have been a fluke. He may have just been watching the game and looking to pass the time with some idle conversation.

  Her fingers twitched as she smoothed the front of her dress and tried to get her nerves under control. She felt as jumpy as a cricket; she wasn't sure she could stand still long enough to carry on a conversation with him even if she did see him again.

  Ugh, she was an idiot, she decided as she brushed her hair over her shoulder and turned away from the mirror. Grabbing her purse from the queen-size bed, she tossed the strap onto her shoulder. The cheerful yellow of the room calmed her nerves and brightened her mood as she made her way to the door and stepped into the narrow hallway.

  Jill and Mandy were already in the kitchen. Even over the noise of the blender, she could hear Jill singing Buffalo Soldier at the top of her lungs. All the windows in the house and the sliding patio door were open to allow the ocean breeze to flow inside. It was refreshing as it tickled over her skin and brought with it the smell of the hibiscus growing just outside the doorway. Emma stepped into the small kitchen as Mandy shut the blender off and began to pour the red liquid into three different glasses. Over Mandy's shoulder, she could see the cotton candy pink house next door through the window above the sink.

  "What's in it?" she inquired
as Mandy handed her a glass of the blended concoction.

  "A little bit of everything," Mandy answered.

  Emma's nose wrinkled as she sniffed at the drink, but the sip she took tasted delicious.

  "Are you ready to go?" Jill inquired.

  Her braids clacked as she bounced on her toes and danced around the kitchen. Thankfully, she stopped butchering Bob Marley, but she began to hum some other tune Emma did not want to hear.

  Emma took a big gulp of her drink to get rid of it before Jill launched into her newest rendition of an unsuspecting reggae song. One drunken night, a guy had told Jill she should be on The Voice to get in her pants. Jill hadn't left with him, but that night was the closest she and Mandy ever came to choking Jill as she continued to sing, loudly and badly, until three in the morning. Thankfully, sobriety brought sanity with it, but Jill still loved to sing her out of tune songs.

  The cold rushing to her head caused Emma to wince. She placed the glass down and rubbed at her temples to ease the headache the chill caused. "Ready," she muttered.

  Jill looped her arm through Emma's and took Mandy's. "Let's go then!" she said excitedly.

  "We're not going to see the wizard, Jill," Mandy said with a laugh as she extricated her arm from Jill's.

  "I think someone has a crush." Emma tried to keep her tone airy and teasing, but she knew she failed miserably.

  "No, I don't," Jill protested. "I'm just looking to have some fun. I don't," she insisted at Emma's pointed look.

  Jill smiled even more as she exchanged a look with Mandy. Emma felt a trickle of foreboding slide down her spine as she got the distinct feeling they were plotting against her. The thought drifted away though as they walked down the hill to the small bar on the beach. She tried not to let excitement get the best of her, but she found herself eagerly hoping he was there.

  Her excitement faded when they stepped into the nearly empty building. Jill's face scrunched up; her shoulders slumped as she headed over to a table next to the open windows. The tangy sea breeze picked up strands of her hair as Emma settled next to the window and placed her order.

  The waiter turned away when the door opened, and Ethan stepped inside with the couple he'd been with last night. Emma's fingers clenched on the table; she sat straighter in her chair. She didn't want to look in case he caught her staring, but she couldn't tear her gaze away from him. His head turned toward them, his eyes latched onto hers, and a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

  He was mouthwateringly gorgeous with his tousled hair and endearing smile. Emma shifted in her chair, and heat crept into her cheeks. Her blush wasn't just from her embarrassment over staring but also from the desire she felt growing within her. She'd never experienced anything like this before, but just looking at him made her heart race and her palms sweat. She wiped her hands on her dress as she averted her gaze.

  Jill and Mandy grinned annoyingly at her when she picked up her drink and took a sip. She couldn't stop her gaze from going back to him as the couple he was with settled onto stools at the bar. Ethan crossed his legs, rested his elbow on the bar and leaned against it. She felt it when his eyes came to rest on her, but she didn't look in his direction again.

  "I think it's you who has the crush," Jill teased.

  Emma shot her a look, but she didn't say anything as she took another sip of her drink. She was looking for something to cool her off, but it didn't have the effect she'd intended. Taking a deep breath, she placed her glass on the table and focused on the dazzling array of pinks, oranges, and reds the setting sun cast over the ocean.

  His approach was so discreet, she wasn't aware he’d left the bar until a chair from the table next to them, settled beside her.

  "Do you mind?" he asked when her eyes shot to him.

  "Not at all," she managed to get out.

  He settled his large frame in the chair and stretched his long legs before him. The muscles in his forearms and biceps rippled when he leaned toward her. Heat seemed to radiate from him; she'd thought her palms were sweaty before, but they were worse now as she was drawn toward him like a magnet to metal.

  Jill lifted her glass and chugged it down. "I think I'll get another. Want to come with me, Mandy?"

  "Sure," Mandy said and pushed herself to her feet. "You need anything, Emma?"

  She reluctantly tore her eyes away from Ethan and shook her head. "No, I'm fine."

  Ethan folded his arms over his chest and leaned back in the chair as her not so subtle, but extremely astute friends hurried to the bar. Emma gulped when she spotted Isabelle and Stefan watching them raptly from the bar.

  "Just ignore them," Ethan told her, hoping to ease her discomfort. Her eyes came back to him. "My sister is just nosy."

  "That's your sister?"

  "My younger and highly annoying sister, Isabelle, and her even more annoying husband, Stefan."

  He grinned as the couple at the bar scowled at him before turning away. She thought they were too far away to hear his words, but their reaction to what he'd said made her wonder if perhaps they had.

  "I don't have any siblings," she said.

  "You can take a few of mine."

  She laughed as she began to relax a little. "How many do you have?"

  "Nine."

  "Nine?" she blurted.

  He chuckled. "Yep, nine. It's quite the brood."

  "Sounds like it."

  "My brothers Aiden and Ian will be joining us in a couple of weeks. They decided to return home after they finished college before coming here."

  "They graduated?"

  His hair fell over his forehead as he shook his head. "No, they still have some time left; they're just done for the summer."

  "We just graduated," she said and gestured at her friends.

  He glanced at where Jill and Mandy were standing by the bar; their heads close together as they kept glancing at them. It was amusing, but he wished he could have some time with her away from the prying eyes of friends and family.

  "What are you going to do now that you've graduated?" he asked.

  Emma shrugged as she twirled her glass on the table. "That's a good question, and I'm not sure of the answer."

  The strange sense of calm she brought to him was back again, and he welcomed it as he watched the setting sun play over her hair and skin. It added a glow to her that made her seem almost angelic in the growing twilight.

  "You've got plenty of time to find the answer," he told her.

  "I guess. What about you, what do you do?"

  "Not college," he said with a laugh.

  She was aware it wasn't much of an answer, but she didn't press it further. He lifted the bottle to his mouth and took a long swallow. His skin glistened with a thin sheen of sweat as he lowered the bottle again. Something about his gaze made her stomach feel like a thousand butterflies flitted around in it. Her hand fisted as she fought the urge to run her finger over his chin; she was dying to know what his skin felt like.

  His head tilted to the side in a way that made her think he was trying to see inside her, trying to understand her, but she didn't know what he was looking for. Feeling a little self-conscious, she fiddled with a strand of her hair.

  "Where are you from, Emma?" he asked.

  "Upstate New York, but I went to college in Pennsylvania. What about you?"

  "Oregon."

  "I've never been there, but I've heard it's beautiful."

  "It is."

  He moved closer and placed the bottle on the table. He carried the subtle scent of male and something enticing that brought to mind springtime and sex as it tickled her nostrils. Her fingers clenched on her thighs as her body quickened. What was wrong with her? She never felt this way around men; not even Tristan had made her feel this turned on, and she'd stupidly thought she might be in love with the pathetic ass.

  Unclenching her fingers, she pushed back a strand of hair and grabbed her drink. She could feel his eyes on her as she took a sip. The door opened, and three men stepped into
the bar. Emma barely glanced at them, but Ethan's casual attitude vanished as he straightened in the chair and the smile slid from his face. At the bar, Stefan rose from his stool and moved to stand in front of Isabelle.

  Ethan prepared himself to launch to his feet if it became necessary when the three vampires entered. He didn't smell the foul stench of garbage on them that would indicate they were killers. It was something he hadn't realized only he and his siblings could smell on the more murderous vampires until Stefan came into their lives.

  Ethan had assumed everyone could detect the stench, but it appeared only purebred vampires could do so. It was a handy ability to know if a vampire was a killer or not, but even if he didn't detect the scent on them, he couldn't relax—not with them being in such proximity to Isabelle and Emma.

  Isabelle touched Stefan's arm and shook her head no. Though he relaxed slightly, he didn't return to his seat. Ethan tried to appear casual, but he couldn't turn his gaze away from the men. Attacking Ethan or any member of his family would be a stupid mistake for these men to make, Stefan was old and powerful, and he and Isabelle weren't anything to mess with either.

  Emma frowned as she glanced from the men to Ethan then over to his family. The men didn't seem like much of a threat. One of them was blond and could easily be a horse jockey given his small stature, the other was also blond and maybe weighed a hundred and forty pounds soaking wet, and the third was average height and weight with reddish colored hair. The men looked Ethan and Stefan over before moving to the other end of the bar.

  "Where are you staying?" Ethan asked. He was still trying to sound casual, but he heard the strain in his voice.

  Emma continued to stare at the men before turning her attention back to him. "We're renting a house down the road," she told him. He nodded, but his eyes remained on the men. The skinny one was talking to Mandy who didn't look at all impressed as she turned away from him. "And you?"

  His attention came back to her. "Stefan rented a home at the end of the road for a month."