The Beastly Groom (Texas Titan Romances)

by Cami Checketts

  “Stop!” she yelled, regretting it when her head pounded in response.

  Knox’s hands stopped descending as commanded, but he didn’t move them from the bare skin of her lower back.

  Ema fumbled with her left hand for the ties that were close to his hands, pushing one side, then the other into his grasp. Knox took the ties and then took his own sweet time pulling them tight and doing a simple bow. Ema was sweating from the heat he brought to her stomach. That heat was spreading and growing with each deliberate brush of his fingers on her lower back.

  “Are your eyes still closed?” she demanded.

  He leaned in until his chest was brushing her upper back. “Yes, ma’am,” he whispered in her ear.

  Ema swiveled her head to make sure and saw his beautiful face was inches away. His eyes were shut, but his lips were parted slightly and she’d never seen anything so tempting as him leaning down closer and closer.

  “Finished?” she asked brightly, pulling back so she didn’t do something stupid like kiss him.

  “With that one,” he murmured, finally moving his hands off her lower back. “Are there any we missed?”

  “Nope, we’re good.”

  “Can I open my eyes, then?”

  Ema still had a distinctive feeling of cool air brushing her rear, even with the ties done. “Probably not.” She spun slowly to face him, pressing her backside into the bed.

  Knox rested his hands at her hips and was still leaning down close, into her space. Ema’s breath caught and she just stared at him, loving that his eyes were closed and she could have her fill of staring at his sculpted face, his perfectly formed lips. She rested her hands on his forearms and whispered, “Thanks for the help.”

  “Uh-huh. Can I open my eyes now?” His smirk said he was definitely teasing her.

  Two could play at this game. “Not quite yet.” She ignored the thumping in her head that she was most likely aggravating by all of her hormones blasting out of control. Rising up onto tiptoes, she savored the way his hands encased her hips, the heat of his palms pulsing through the thin hospital gown. She almost let herself steal one quick taste of his lips, just a kiss of gratitude for saving her life and being so tender with her, but it was too fast. Slowly, deliberately, she pressed her lips to his cheek. The short hair of his beard tickled her lips as she inhaled his cologne and savored the feel of his muscular chest pressed against her.

  Knox’s eyes flew open and she was caught in his gaze. They were frozen in time as his eyes focused on hers, then deliciously dropped to her lips. “Ema,” he whispered huskily. “What are you doing to me?”

  Ema couldn’t help but smile. “I didn’t say you could open your eyes.”

  “I’ll close them again if you aim better next time,” he said.

  Thrills rushed through her. He wanted to kiss her as much as she wanted to kiss him. What was she doing to him? What was he doing to her? She was a professional and had never, ever felt this way about one of her interviewees before. Why was she letting down her guard with a man who acted like a beast a good portion of the time and seemed to have no desire to develop a relationship with anyone outside his small circle?

  “Well, I can see this is going to be a problem,” Claire said drily from the curtained doorway.

  Ema fell back onto her heels, but Knox didn’t move away. In fact, he pulled her closer and slid his hands around her lower back, his fingers snaking through the gap in the robe to touch her flesh. Whoa. She was in serious trouble with this guy.

  “Yeah,” Knox agreed. “You need to get Ema some clothes so we can get her home.”

  “I’m on it.”

  Ema peeked out at Claire from behind Knox’s broad shoulders. “Big girl panties too, please.”

  Knox looked sharply down at Ema. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “Don’t worry about it,” Claire said with a chuckle. “There’s a Macy’s half a mile away. I’ll hurry.” She pushed around the curtain by the door, but then darted back. “You might want to hold off on the romance until you get her home. The doc’s on his way.”

  “Don’t you tell me what to do,” Knox said.

  Claire laughed and clicked her way out the door.

  Ema was left staring up at him, encircled completely with his brawny arms. “Um,” she hedged, wanting to just forget her throbbing head and her semi-open gown and the fact that this was not a man she could let herself fall for. “I need to use the restroom,” she said.

  The words had the effect she needed to stop herself from kissing him until the doc or Claire showed back up. He kept one hand on her lower back but stepped away from her and gestured toward the bathroom. Ema leaned into him and clung to his muscular arm as they walked. She was actually feeling pretty good, but she didn’t mind using this tough guy’s support and savoring the way his well-formed arm felt against her hand and waist.

  He opened the door for the bathroom, but held on to her waist. “You gonna be okay in there by yourself?”

  Ema licked her lips as his gaze warmed her through. She hadn’t known Knox was capable of a smolder, but he was rocking it right now as she stood outside a hospital bathroom in a thin gown and probably looked a complete mess. “My head’s pretty clear,” she murmured back. Definitely not the most romantic response, but all she could come up with at the moment.

  “Okay.” He released her.

  Ema stuttered a step, her ankle protesting at her full weight. She grabbed on to the bathroom door for support.

  Knox reached out and steadied her with his hand under her elbow. “I’d better come in.”

  “No!” Ema shrank away from him. “If you think I’m going to your house with you, one of the ground rules you’d better get in your head right now is I will go to the bathroom by myself.”

  Knox chuckled and took a step back, releasing her elbow. “All right, but if I hear a crash, I’m busting this door down.” He arched an eyebrow and gave her a challenging look.

  “Noted,” Ema whispered. She carefully walked into the bathroom, holding on to the hand railing to make sure there were no crashes.

  She heard the door shut behind her and smiled. This Knox wasn’t the man she’d met last Friday night. She wondered what other surprises were in store for her.

  Chapter Nine

  Knox was so happy that Ema was awake, lucid, and able to fight with and tease him, he would’ve done anything she asked—except for not bring her back to his house. He was responsible for her accident and he needed to take care of her. Claire had teased him that there was much more to it than that, but he ignored her. Claire could take a leap.

  After the doctor cleared Ema and gave Knox more instructions, Claire arrived with some fitted black leggings and a loose floral shirt and a bag of … other stuff for Ema. They made plans for Claire to go grab the hotel key from Ema’s purse that she’d left in Knox’s office and retrieve her luggage and things from the hotel.

  Ema was pleasant and kind of quiet, and for some horrible reason she didn’t seem to be affected at all by the intense moment when she’d had him tie up her hospital gown. Knox couldn’t get that intimacy out of his mind. Who knew a woman’s skin could feel like silk under his fingertips? That even after she’d been in a horrible accident, she could smell like tropical flowers and sunshine and make him want to kiss her more than he’d ever wanted to kiss anyone.

  Ema was even quieter on the drive home, alternating between staring out the window of his Hummer and closing her eyes.

  “Are you tired?” he asked at one point to break the silence. Usually silence didn’t bother him at all. What was this woman doing to him?

  “Yeah,” she’d responded, and nothing more.

  They finally pulled up to his gate and he waved to Rudy, then drove on through and up to the house. He parked in the circle drive instead of going around to the garage, jumped out, and hurried around to get her door. He’d been able to help her into the Hummer and looked forward to reversing that process. It seemed his hands we
re made to touch this woman’s curves. Yikes, that didn’t sound too good.

  Ema swung her legs around, and he wrapped his hands around her waist and lifted her out of the Hummer. She’d ridden in a wheelchair down the elevator and to the front entrance of the hospital, where he’d been able to pick her up. Would he be the biggest dork on earth if he tried to carry her into the house and up to the suite Genevieve had had the housekeepers prepare for her? She did have a sprained ankle, after all.

  He didn’t release her waist, and they stood facing each other. The bright sun seemed to sparkle off her beautiful face. “Can I carry you up the steps?” he rushed out, too hopeful and like a ten-year-old begging for his first BB gun.

  Ema smiled at him, her dark eyes soft. “I think I can walk.”

  “Oh, okay.” The disappointment was thick in his voice—he had to be completely transparent. If he didn’t rein this in, she’d think he only insisted she stay here because he was enamored by her, or maybe she’d worry he was going to take advantage of her. Sheesh, this was another reason he didn’t date. Pushing a hand through his hair, he muttered, “I’m sorry. I’m not trying to force myself on you—I mean, I wouldn’t ever force myself on you. You’re safe here, you know?”

  Ema’s put a hand on his arm. “No beast is going to come out, eh?”

  “No.” He chuckled. “I save that for the football field … and if I feel like someone is going to exploit Shelby.” Would Ema understand that was why he’d been so defensive with her at that bachelor auction and even at the concert? He was paranoid of Shelby’s darling face going out to the world and some creeper trying to hurt her, or someone trying to kidnap her again, or Paris seeing that her daughter and coming back to exploit her, or … he couldn’t even name all his fears, but Shelby’s protection was his lifelong duty. What was he going to do when Shelby fell in love with Ema and Ema left them both?

  “Or if some guy tries to hurt me.” Her smile broadened.

  He relaxed a little bit. Maybe she did understand. “I definitely will turn into the Beast if anyone tries to hurt you.” It was true. He had too many protective feelings toward this woman. Seeing her be injured and thinking she was dead when she was thrown from the horse … just the memory sent chills racing through him and made his head start to pound. He couldn’t lose someone else he cared for.

  “Thanks.” Her dark eyes sparkled mischievously. “I’ll remember to repeat the sun’s going down if you start turning green.”

  He laughed at that, grateful she could tease him and pull him out of the dark place he didn’t want to go. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he directed her toward the steps. “I’ll just help you walk if you won’t let me carry you. Since your ankle is hurt and all.”

  “I’m okay with that.”

  He wanted her in his arms again. He was pretty certain she’d been flirting with him earlier when she asked him to do up her hospital gown and had brought his hands to her bare back. But he was not any kind of expert with women. He’d have to ask Claire if she thought Ema was into him. Claire would have advice for him. She was good at telling him what to do in most circumstances. He smiled.

  “What’s that rogue grin for?” Ema asked as they slowly made their way up the concrete steps. No one was around, and it made him wonder if Shelby was asleep or how Genevieve was keeping her distracted.

  “Just thinking how Claire is always telling me what to do.”

  Ema glanced sharply at him. “Are the two of you … close?”

  Knox was startled by the question. Of course they were close, but they weren’t close close, if that was what she was implying. They were like brother and sister. Just like he was with his sister Sarah, and how he’d been with Holly before she’d been killed.

  “Daddy!” Shelby burst out the front door and danced down the stairs to them. “You brought the pretty lady back!” She flung herself into his arms. Knox caught her with one arm and kept his other arm around Ema. It wasn’t a conscious choice, but it shocked him. To be honest, it even scared him a little bit. He’d never, ever chosen anyone over Shelby. Not that he’d chosen Ema—he’d just chosen to not disengage from her, and if he did, she might fall, right? It was simple courtesy, not that he cared for her like he did for Shelby.

  Whew. This was all getting a little too heavy, as Claire would say. Shelby planted a kiss on his cheek, and as usual his girl made him smile and lit up the world around her. They walked through the door, into the foyer, and stopped next to the staircase. Knox felt like they were a family or something, standing so close in his home.

  Genevieve waited by the archway into the great room. She came forward and nodded to Ema with a smile. “Welcome back, Miss Kahue. It’s such a relief that you’re all right.”

  “Thank you. Please call me Ema.”

  “You can call me Aunt Genny.” Genevieve tilted her head to the side and focused on Knox. “I’ll let you get Ema settled. Do you want me to take Shelby?”

  “No, she’s great.”

  Genevieve nodded and slipped away.

  “I always great,” Shelby said, giving Ema her dimpled grin. “Hi, pretty lady. I Shelby.”

  Ema’s returning smile whacked the breath from Knox’s chest. “Hi, adorable girl. I Ema.”

  Knox laughed and Shelby giggled. “You so pretty. You hold me?” Shelby launched herself into Ema’s arms, and even with Knox holding on to her, Ema about went down.

  “Shelby,” Knox reprimanded, wrapping both arms around Ema and holding her up.

  “What, Daddy?” Shelby looked up all innocent and adorable. How could he possibly tell her she’d done something wrong? But then, what if she hurt Ema? There he went again, worrying about Ema as much as he did about his own daughter.

  “I’m okay,” Ema reassured him, holding his daughter in her arms.

  Knox’s heart thumped quicker. Ema was nestled against his chest and he was bent down, supporting her weight so she didn’t injure her ankle worse. Shelby was cradled against Ema and looked content and perfect. Even though Ema’s beautiful dark coloring was a strong contrast to Shelby’s blonde cuteness, it looked like Ema was her mother or something. Whoa. He should not have gone there, but even the terrifying way his thoughts were spinning didn’t make him loosen his grip on Ema’s trim waist. Cozy. That had been Claire’s word. This was cozy times a thousand.

  “I guess I’ll have to carry you both upstairs,” Knox said quietly.

  Ema’s eyebrows lifted. “You are a superhero and all.”

  Knox chuckled. He kept one hand around Ema’s lower back and waist and squatted down to slide his other arm under the back of her thighs. Gently, he lifted her into the air as she still held Shelby.

  “Whoa, Daddy, this is fun,” Shelby squealed as he carried them up the stairs.

  Knox concentrated on not tripping up the stairs with the two of them. Ema was actually heavier than he would’ve guessed, but she was a comforting weight against his chest and in his arms. He glowed with a sense of home, loving having both of his girls in his arms. Both of his girls? There he went again. Bringing Ema here might prove to be a bad decision if he couldn’t stop having all these … feelings.

  They reached the balcony. “Do you know which room is Ema’s?” he asked Shelby.

  She pointed two doors down. “Me and Aunt Genny picked the beach room ’cause she’s Miss Hawaii.”

  Knox smiled and started that direction.

  Ema glanced sharply at Shelby. “Who told you I was Miss Hawaii?”

  Knox stopped in the open doorway. “You were?” He looked over Ema’s beautiful face. Of course she was pretty enough to be Miss USA, but she didn’t seem like the pageant type.

  She wouldn’t meet his gaze. “I was.”

  “Wow. That’s impressive.”

  Ema fidgeted to be out of his arms, obviously embarrassed.

  “Wait, please.” Knox carried the two of them to the bed and set them down on top of the covers. His eyes brushed over Ema’s face, lingering on her lips. If he bent d
own to kiss her, he would never miss and hit her cheek like she had when his eyes were closed in the hospital.

  Shelby slid out of Ema’s arms and bounced on the bed. “This is so fun having Miss Hawaii here!” she yelled.

  Knox pulled his gaze from Ema’s lips and to his jumping daughter. “It is, love, but we need to be careful. Did Aunt Genny tell you Ema got hurt?”

  “Oh yeah!” Shelby plopped down next to Ema and leaned against her side. Ema automatically put her arm around the child. “Daddy, go get us my princess books, and I’ll read them to her and she can take a nap and feel better.”

  The sun was low, almost brushing the tops of the trees to the west. Shelby would be going to bed soon and he’d have Ema all to himself. The thought stirred something low in his belly. No. Ema was injured. He needed to stay in firm control of his hormones.

  Ema glanced up at him and whispered, “Sun’s getting real low.”

  Knox smiled, glad for the distraction. “How’s your head feeling?”

  “It’s okay.”

  “Do you want some ibuprofen or Tylenol?”

  “Maybe later.”

  “Books, Daddy,” Shelby demanded.

  “Okay, okay.” He straightened and put his hands up. “I’ll be right back.”

  He hurried from the room and took the stairs to the third story two at a time. Grabbing a handful of books off Shelby’s shelf, he ran back down to them. He wasn’t worried about leaving the two of them alone; he simply didn’t want to miss out on time with either of them.

  He entered the room to find Shelby was running her fingers through Ema’s hair, gently pulling out some tangles from the silky locks. Ema’s eyes were closed. She looked gorgeous, and exhausted.

  “Maybe we should let Ema rest,” he whispered.

  Ema’s eyes flew open. “What? No. I’m okay. Shelby’s making me pretty.”

  “I don’t think Shelby had any hand in how pretty you are.”

  A soft smile touched Ema’s lips. “Thank you.”

  Shelby scowled up at him. “Go get my brush, Daddy. Ema’s got ouchy hair.”