Don't Walk Away

by Elle Kennedy

  He grabbed a wooden box and covered it with his jacket before placing it under her and guiding her to a sitting position. He’d tied her hands just right so that they were stretched slightly above her shoulders, her breasts thrust forward.

  Emma moaned. “I’m so turned on right now.”

  That made two of them. He didn’t bother to order her around anymore. He clutched her knees and pushed them apart, her skirt riding up and exposing her naked sex. Dean dropped to the deck and levered her legs higher in the air, and then damned if he’d wait a second longer. He pressed his lips to her pussy and ate greedily, his tongue drawing a symphony of noises from her mouth that just increased the urgency driving him.

  “Right there, right—”

  Emma jerked under his mouth, legs quivering in his grasp. Dean smiled and kept going, lashing her clit with his tongue until she was screaming his name.

  Only then did he pull back, shove his jeans down and cover himself. Only then did he grab hold of her ass and pull her hips to the edge of the box, the crown of his aching cock in perfect line with her sweet pussy.

  He glanced up to check how she was doing. She’d let go of the railings and was clutching the ropes. Ropes he’d deliberately tied loose enough she could get free at anytime she wanted to, but she was choosing to stay there. Holding herself in position as he lifted her ass off the box and thrust forward.

  “Jesus, fuck.” Pleasure raced up his spine as she fisted around him. “So damn good.”

  Emma’s head jerked in agreement, her lower lip caught between her teeth as he pumped in and out like a madman. She wrapped her legs around his hips and squeezed in synchronized pulses as if trying to bring him closer. Deeper.

  Her head rolled back and she whimpered. “I’m close. Oh, God, Dean, I’m so close…”

  Sweat beaded on his forehead as the world narrowed to right here. Them, connected. The sensation of her, wet and warm around his cock, the small panting sounds escaping her lips. Hell, the heavy pants escaping his…

  “Right now, baby. Right now.” God, she had to come soon, because he refused to let go before she did. He slid one arm farther under her so he could support her, raising his other to find her clit with his fingers. Rubbing his thumb over it in tight circles as he watched his cock disappear into her over and over again.

  “Yes. Yes, yessssss….” Emma hissed out her release.

  Dean rejoiced as he relaxed the iron grip on his control that he’d barely been able to maintain. His balls were tight, and the tingling at the base of his cock threatened to short-circuit his entire system.

  He let go and came, rocking forward once, twice, before pressing as close as he could and allowing his spine to melt with pleasure.

  When his vision cleared enough for him to see straight, it was like staring into heaven. Emma’s hair was tousled around her shoulders like a wanton angel’s. Her lips swollen, eyes filled with satisfaction. Dean leaned forward and kissed her while he undid the ropes from her wrists. He dealt with the condom and got her into his lap, and she draped herself over him like a human blanket. Cuddling close as the yacht rocked slowly under them.

  “You good?” he asked.

  “Oh yeah,” she breathed against his neck happily.

  He rubbed her wrists and stroked her shoulders. He couldn’t fucking stop touching her.

  Emma chuckled softly, tilting her head back and pressing a kiss to his cheek. “You’re a fine pirate, Captain Dean.”

  A burst of laughter escaped him. A woman who was into pulse-pounding sex and had a sense of humor? Damned if he didn’t love this new grown-up version of Emma.

  No, damned if he didn’t love Emma. Period.

  The realization blasted through him like a gust of hot air, instantly warming his body and circling his heart. Fuck, he was in love with Emma. Or maybe he’d never stopped loving her.

  Christ. The guys were never going to let him hear the end of this.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Pepper peered through her camera lens, shouting orders as she arranged the shot.

  Lynn raised her glass. “Cheers. Here’s to an increased advertising budget for DreamMakers, and all the good things that means.”

  “Like fake killer martinis?” Suz joked, leaning over to sniff the contents of the enormous glass in front of her. Her eyes widened in delight. “Jumpin’ Jehoshaphat, these babies have liquor in them.”

  “Of course they do.” Pepper grinned as she lifted her head from behind the tripod. “But let me get at least a half dozen shots before you start chugging anything, Miss ‘I can tie one on so hard I’ll lasso doggies in Wyoming’.”

  Emma took a tentative sip, humming her approval. “Wow, you guys hands-down win the prize for the best shoot I’ve ever been on.”

  The five of them were gathered in Pepper and Jack’s garage. The area had been decked out as a studio, bright lights showcasing the linen-covered table Lynn had set up as a stage. There were four chairs tucked behind the table, three occupied, one sitting empty.

  That was supposed to be her spot, but Emma had shaken off all requests to get in front of the camera today. Pepper had tried coaxing her to join the models, but she was far happier in the background watching as Suz, Lynn and Gillian got their photos taken for the new DreamMakers brochure Pepper was designing.

  Emma took another sip to steady her nerves—it wasn’t that there was a big crowd around, but these were all the women who worked with Dean, or were connected to his best buddies. None of them were deliberately doing anything to make her feel uncomfortable, but anxiety did weird things to her perspective. The foreboding sensation hanging over her head screamed if she made one wrong move, the entire house of cards would come tumbling down around her shoulders.

  Pepper took a few more shots then snapped upright, fists planted firmly on her hips. “Gillian Reyes, how many times do I have to tell you to leave your hair alone?”

  Gillian sighed as she undid the hastily formed braid hanging over one shoulder. “It feels uncomfortable leaving it down unless I’m in disguise. I don’t like it in the way.”

  “Whatever you do,” Lynn warned, “don’t you dare cut it military short. Your hair is gorgeous.”

  All of them murmured agreement, except Suz, who all of a sudden whistled innocently, her attention firmly on the ceiling. “I know someone else who thinks your hair is really pretty when it’s down.”

  Gillian stopped dead, an icy glare fixed on Suz. “Not another word, or I will hogtie you to your bed in the morning and you won’t even hear me coming.”

  Suz waved off the threat with a hand. “Honey, you need to do a little more research before trying to intimidate me. Most mornings that’s how I start my day—hogtied and having fun.” She leaned across the table, her green eyes snapping with amusement as she taunted Gillian a little harder. “I know a certain gentleman who would love for you to let your hair down.”

  “Not discussing this,” Gillian repeated in a monotone voice.

  Lynn poked her best friend, winking as Suz raised her hands in a “what?” gesture.

  “Stop teasing her,” Lynn ordered. “Although I do think it’s a hoot that one of your brothers has a strong enough death wish to fixate on our resident sniper.”

  “Hey, I call them as I see them.” Suz grinned wider. “And it does make sense, since we’re talking about Chase. Working for the SFPD was too boring for that man. He had to go sign up with some ridiculous foreign-aid security team.”

  Gillian pressed her palms to the table and turned her gaze pleadingly on Emma as she tried to change the topic. “What’s this I hear about you and a certain young man?”

  “Oh, gossip time. Let me grab snacks and then you can tell us all your dirty secrets,” Pepper said cheerfully.

  They’d zoomed past the taking-publicity-pictures portion of the evening, and Emma found herself drawn into the circle of women. She brought in a chair for Pepper before slipping into the open spot beside Lynn. Suz smiled her approval as Pepper lowered
a full pitcher of lemony goodness to the middle of the table, and a bowl of chips that Gillian nabbed possessively.

  Pepper tugged on the bowl. “Nothing doing, Reyes. I’ll share, but you can’t hog the goodies.”

  Gillian reluctantly pushed the bowl halfway between them. “Bossy chick, ain’tcha?”

  “Takes one to know one,” Pepper taunted with a wink.

  Gillian’s expression turned to amusement. “True. Very true.”

  Then Emma found herself the center of attention as Pepper’s gaze swung to focus on her. The other women followed suit, and Emma fought to keep from squirming in her seat.

  “Spill,” Pepper demanded. “Old flames reunited—it’s so romantic. Is he just like you remembered?”

  Emma’s face felt warm, but maybe that was the alcohol she’d swallowed down all too quickly. “Dean is…”

  She’d figured there would be talk tonight, but she still didn’t know exactly what to say. All the emotions she’d experienced over the past weeks swirled together, mixing with memories, both the good and the bad until it came to rest here and now, the eye of the storm.

  “He’s so sweet,” she admitted.

  Four jaws swung open.

  Suz pulled herself together first. “Dean? Our Dean? The guy who—”

  Lynn elbowed her friend again, shaking her head in disapproval. “We know the stories, or at least the ones you’re about to tell.” Lynn turned her pale blue eyes towards Emma, sincere curiosity in them. And something more—caring and concern. “What makes him sweet?”

  Emma shook her head, still confused. “That’s the thing, I’m not sure how to describe this. I mean the sex is—” She forced herself to continue. “Oh-my-God good, and dirty, and he’s got me tangled up so I don’t know if I want him to lock me in a room and keep me as a sex slave, or if we should run away and get stranded on a deserted island.”

  She stared at her drink, swirling the yellow liquid carefully, keeping it inside the upper rim of the glass. “And yet as dirty as it is, it’s like he’s always being careful. Like I’m precious and breakable…”

  When she lifted her head. Lynn and Pepper were nodding, secretive smiles curling the corners of their lips.

  “That makes sense,” Pepper said. “He’s obviously very much—”

  “—smitten with you,” Lynn interrupted.

  Suz snorted.

  This? Was what a terrible job explaining sounded like. Emma tried again. “It’s not that he’s doing anything wrong, or even that he’s doing anything out of character—not the Dean I knew. He screwed up big time, back when we were young, but he was also a very considerate boyfriend, and the gentlest lover. I mean, he put up with a huge amount of bullshit from his brothers and the guys at school because we didn’t have sex until I turned eighteen. I know that’s the kind of thing that—”

  “Wait.” Pepper’s nose twitched. “Dean’s what, a year older than you?”

  “About a year and a half.”

  Lynn dragged her finger around the rim of her glass, a smile playing about her lips. “Smitten. Absolutely smitten.”

  “You are so Sugarplum Fairy sometimes,” Suz teased.

  “Go on, you know you love me just the way I am.”

  “Who are you again? Oh right, that hussy who’s shacked up with the guy who stalked you.”

  Emma watched them torment each other good-naturedly until the conversation twisted to the staff getaway the DreamMakers crew was planning in the New Year.

  For the next hour or so, they talked and teased, and sometime during the laughter and the sharing, peace settled in. Emma felt wrapped in a warm blanket of companionship. She hadn’t thought about Enzo and the impending pain-in-the-ass discussions she’d need to have with him soon. She hadn’t worried about her designs.

  The night, and the company, had been exactly what she’d needed.

  She’d thought the discussion regarding Dean was at an end, but apparently not. Lynn and Suz left together. Pepper gave Emma a big hug and ordered her to drop in anytime she wanted.

  Gillian offered to wait outside with her until the taxi arrived, shifting her feet uneasily as if she were trying to work up the courage to say something. Her ants-in-the-pants struck Emma as out of character: fearful was not a word she’d use to describe the other woman.

  Gillian glanced around as if making sure no one could overhear, then turned back to speak softly to Emma. “You know, ever since I joined DreamMakers I’ve been around the guys in all sorts of situations. I’ve seen them raunchy and I’ve seen them smooth, and there’s something you need to know.”

  Nervous energy fluttered in her belly. Was there something dreadful about Dean that was going to rip her current happy situation apart?

  “Parker and Jack, well, they obviously talk about Lynn and Pepper. And Colby totally has the hots for Suz, even though that is going to be a long row to hoe. But Dean?” Gillian smiled and the expression lit up her face, turning her into a second-look-on-the-street kind of woman. “The only time he’s ever really talked about a woman it’s been you.”

  A small seed of warmth glowed inside, chasing away Emma’s nervousness. “Aw, that’s sweet. Thank you for telling me.”

  Gillian shook her head, her expression growing more serious. “No, you’re not getting it. I’m not talking about in the past few weeks. Since the day I met him he’s let hints slip about this one woman who affected him to his core.”

  Emma’s breath hitched. “I thought he never talked about me.”

  “I don’t think he did, not to the guys, and not straight-out to me either, but it’s pretty clear if you listen hard enough.” Gillian caught her by the arm and looked her dead in the eye. “Whatever is happening right now between you and Dean, it didn’t start last week. It didn’t even start in October, it started ages ago. And I don’t think you should let it slip away. Not if you care at all about him.”

  “Of course I care about him,” Emma whispered. “Maybe that’s the trouble. Maybe I’m afraid of caring too much.”

  Gillian released her arm, stepping away slowly. “That’s a sad way to live. To have somebody who really understands you and cares about what makes you happy, and then not let them keep making you happy.”

  “I know, but…” She bit her lip. “I also need someone I can trust. Someone I can rely on. And…well, let’s face it—when we were younger, he wasn’t there for me when I needed him. He left me.”

  But was it wrong to still be cautious because of what he’d done years before?

  Something of her thoughts must’ve shown on her face, and once again Gillian smiled. “You’re both grown-ups now, and you’ve experienced a chunk of life you hadn’t before. Maybe it’s time to take everything that was good about your past and add it to everything that’s good about now. People change, sometimes for the better.”

  They walked in silence to the taxi that had pulled up to the curb. Emma turned in the doorway, looking around for Gillian’s car. “Do you want a ride somewhere?”

  Gillian shook her head. “Nah. I parked a few blocks over. I need the exercise.”

  They took off in separate directions, Gillian jogging easily down the long sidewalk as if she hadn’t drunk her share that night. Her ponytail swung from side to side as she vanished in the distance. Emma stared out the window as the taxi returned her to the hotel, and thought about Gillian’s words.

  Did Dean truly understand her? Would he really do anything to make her happy?

  They were deep thoughts to consider as she made her way up to the suite, but somewhere in the middle of the mental conversation, she found herself smiling, thinking about how he looked at her. How attentive he was to her needs.

  How every time she turned around he was right there underfoot.

  New York beckoned, but if she was honest, there was a thread tying her to San Francisco. A thread that was growing thicker and stronger all the time…

  Chapter Fifteen

  “Will you be my girlfriend?”

&n
bsp; Dean got nothing but a whole lot of silence in return, but that was because his reflection in the mirror was incapable of answering. Only Emma could, and he was fighting a gnawing worry her response would be a big, resounding no way in hell, dude.

  Or even worse, she might laugh.

  A groan tore from his mouth as he stared at his incredibly uneasy, incredibly un-smooth expression. Goddamn it. He was Dean frickin’ Colter. He’d charmed countless women. Played the field so hard he’d worn tracks in the turf. Chicks were begging to date him, for fuck’s sake.

  “Yeah, lead with that,” he chastised his mirror image. “Hey, Em, so listen, I’ve got chicks lining up to date me, but yeah, I only want you, baby.”

  “Ahem.”

  He spun to find Parker standing by the open bathroom door, one broad shoulder leaning against the threshold.

  Damn. He hadn’t heard his friend enter the apartment. Then again, Parker’s time in the Rangers had given him the same covert skill set as Dean. AKA the ability to sneak up on people and humiliate the shit out of them.

  “Chicks are lining up to date you, huh?” Parker’s lips twitched.

  “Shut up.” He stalked out of the washroom and headed for the open-concept main room that was most of his apartment. “Eavesdropping is beneath you, bro. You couldn’t have called out yoo-hoo or some shit when you came in?”

  “And miss that pep talk you’re giving yourself?” Parker laughed. “My only regret is not pulling out my phone and recording you.”

  Dean sighed. “The Niners tickets are on the bar. Go nuts.”

  Parker headed for the wet bar across the room and swiped the white envelope Dean had left there. He peeked inside, grinning at the contents. “How the hell did you manage these seats, bro?”

  “I know people.”

  Parker snickered. “Uh-huh. Is that code for ‘I slept with someone in the 49ers organization and she’s lining up to date me, therefore she gives me whatever I want’?”

  Dean gave his friend the finger. “Don’t bite the hand that feeds you, asshole. I could’ve easily kept the tickets for myself. Actually, I could’ve taken Emma.”