Connecting Strangers (Discovering Emily)

by Rachel Carrington

  “You think it’s going to be too hard for me?” The question is more of a growl.

  I curl my fingers around his length and rub my hand over the silky skin. “It’s not too hard for me.”

  He captures my wrist to still my movements. “You’re amazing.” Though he whispers the words, they’re as loud as a gunshot.

  Resisting emotion, I lower my head to his stomach and press small, moist kisses against his skin. Adam moans and cups my head, his fingers massaging my scalp. He knows my ultimate destination, but his breath gushes out when my lips close around his hardness.

  “Emily.” Now his voice is strained, almost pleading.

  But I don’t answer. This is the first taste of him I’ve had, and I want to enjoy every second, commit it to memory, because nothing in my life is sure. And I never want to forget this moment.

  “What got you into law enforcement?” I take a generous bite of the strawberry Adam holds out for me. After four hours of napping and making love, our bodies demanded food.

  His gaze doesn’t leave my mouth. “My father was the sheriff, and his father before him. Just runs in the family, I guess.”

  Juice clings to my lips, and I lick it off. “And no girlfriends? I’d think you’d have plenty of opportunities by now.”

  “Who said I didn’t?” Adam leans in to kiss the rest of the juice away then licks his own lips.

  “Have you been married?” I dip my finger into the melted chocolate and bring it to my lips. Adam had braved the storm for a trip to the grocery store after an inspection of his refrigerator revealed two pieces of cold pizza, three beers, and a bottle of questionable looking ketchup. I’d expected groceries. He’d returned with a smorgasbord of gourmet food just right for a picnic in the bed.

  A long silence follows before he finally responds. “That was my mother’s one big disappointment. She wanted grandkids desperately, and when she found out about the cancer, I saw the dream die in her eyes.” He pushes the strawberries away. “Hardest moment next to losing them.”

  When he slides up to rest his spine against the backboard, I go with him, offering comfort with my body. “Do you believe in Heaven?”

  “Yeah, I do. I felt it the first time I touched you.”

  I roll until my naked skin comes in contact with his side. It hadn’t taken Adam long to convince me the shirt was unnecessary. “Your mom can see you. At least that’s what I believe. She’ll know when you have kids, and she’ll be just as happy for you then as she would have been here.”

  His large hand cups my cheek. “Never heard it put that way before.”

  “It helped me get through when my parents died.”

  “Tell me about your ex.”

  I’ve been expecting the request, but that doesn’t stop the sweep of panic. “What do you want to know?” In my mind, I’m piecing together a response, something that will pacify Adam so we can move onto the next topic. The less he knows about Mark, the better.

  “Anything. Something. It’s like he’s a ghost in the room wherever you are.”

  “In a way, he is. Mark used to be the high school quarterback, and he’s never forgotten the glory days. His dad owns half of Broomtown and has probably put in a bid on the other half. That pretty much gives Mark freedom to do whatever he wants to do without worrying about the fallout.” When I look at him, Adam’s jaw is clenched. I reach over and rub my hand across his chest. “And judging from the look on your face, that’s all I should tell you right now.”

  “Did he hurt you before…that?” He jerks his head toward my thigh.

  I sigh and cover the wound as though my fingers can erase the image of the brand from his gaze. “Not physically, no. With Mark, it was mostly yelling. Belittling. I gave as good as I got even while knowing what we had wasn’t a relationship.”

  He covers my hand with his. “I’m glad you left.”

  “Me, too.” Sensing the conversation is steering away from my ex, I allow myself to relax.

  “So,” Adam glances down at the bowl of strawberries, “you want to do this again tomorrow night?”

  “The fruit?” I give him a mischievous grin, relieved that he seems pacified by the information I’ve given him. My heart hasn’t felt this light in years.

  “Yeah. I’m only talking about the fruit.” With one smooth tug, he pulls me on top of him.

  As I slide over his body, I close my eyes and bask in the warmth, the overall feeling of completeness inside. “I want to do this tomorrow night.”

  “And the next?” He drags his hands up my spine and squeezes my shoulders.

  “How about we just leave out calendars open for the next few days and see how things work out?”

  “Did I tell you how amazing you are?”

  “I believe you mentioned I was amazing, but you didn’t fully develop the compliment.”

  “Oh. My mistake.” He lifts his head so he can kiss me. “I’ve always been better at showing.”

  My legs drape his hips. “I’m good with that. That makes you pretty amazing yourself, Sheriff.”

  “Well, you look a damned sight better, if I do say so myself.” Francine looks as smug as she sounds.

  I’d tried to slip into the house quietly after Adam dropped me off, but she waited up. I’m not surprised. Now sitting in the patchwork chair next to the fireplace, she’s wearing a robe and slippers but, otherwise, doesn’t look anywhere near ready for bed.

  “It’s after ten.” As though stating the time was going to nudge her toward sleep. “I thought Sundays are your busiest days.”

  Francine cackles and takes a sip of milk from a chunky Mason jar. “Did you really think you were going to get past me when you’ve spent about thirty-six hours with Adam?” She points to the sofa. “Sit. I want details.”

  I’ve never had a friend quite like Francine. I’m not sure anyone has. Heat rushes up my cheeks, and I want to dash down the hallway. But she’s looking at me expectantly, and I know she’ll follow me. So I sit and try not to squirm uncomfortably.

  “Honey, you look like you’ve just spent the day on the moon.” Francine scoots to the end of her chair. “And that’s really all I wanted to say. You look happy, and that’s exactly how a woman your age should look.”

  I lift my gaze to her face. “So you don’t want details?”

  “Hell, yes, I want details, but it ain’t any of my business. Adam’s a good man, and he’ll treat you right.”

  “I just wish I could be sure things are over between me and Mark.”

  “You got any reason to believe they ain’t?”

  “He’s not the type to let go so easily.”

  Francine snorts. “Yeah, well, your new guy carries a gun. I’d say that’ll give your ex pain in the ass some pause if he comes skulking around.” She stands, milk in hand. “I’m going to bed. Just wanted to make sure you got home safe and sound. You think you’ll be up for the early morning shift? Tomorrow’s our all you can eat pancake special. We always have a big crowd.”

  “Sure.” I get to my feet and walk toward her. “Francine, if I haven’t said it before…”

  She holds up on hand to quiet me. “You don’t need to thank me for anything. I’m only doing what I know is right. It’s how I was raised.”

  I surprise myself by hugging her. Showing affection doesn’t come easily to me, but it seems so natural with Francine. “I wish my parents could have met you. They would have liked you.”

  She leads the way down the hallway. “That’s the first you’ve spoken of them.”

  “They passed away shortly after my nineteenth birthday. Car accident.”

  “Oh, honey, I’m so sorry.” She turns to face me. “Do you have any brothers or sisters?”

  “No. It was just me. My mom didn’t think she could have kids, and she ended up getting pregnant with me when she forty. They were so happy, and they gave me a really good childhood.” I sniffle and lower my gaze. “They couldn’t stand Mark, though. When we first started dating, they thought he
hung the moon, but as time when on, they got wise to him. Mark hated that they were always trying to get me to leave him. He said they interfered too much in our lives. But I was always glad to see my dad’s sedan pull up into the driveway.” My eyes are a little wet, and I swipe at them with the back of my hand.

  Francine wraps her arm around my shoulder and leads me into the guest bedroom. “Well, don’t you worry about any of that now. You don’t need anyone to take care of you. You can do that all on your own.” She wags a finger at me. “And before you start, I ain’t taking care of you. I’m just giving you a bit of a boost. Pretty soon, you’ll be on your own two feet. You just wait and see.”

  I drop to the edge of the bed and look up at her. “I think I should have waited with Adam.” It’s the first time I say the words aloud, but I’ve been thinking them since I walked in the front door. Being with him stirred up something within me. It shouldn’t be a bad thing, but I don’t believe for a second things are over with Mark. His promise bounces around in my head. No, he won’t give up, and when he does show up, he’ll have an ace up his sleeve, just like he always does.

  Huffing, Francine folds her arms. “You mean because of Mark? Have you talked to Adam about him?”

  “He knows some.” I lay my hand atop the brand on my thigh then quickly remove it, but not before Francine sees it.

  “Did something happen? I mean, besides the obvious.”

  “Can we talk about it in the morning?” I yawn but not just for effect. I’m pleasantly tired and looking forward to crawling beneath the sheets on the comfortable old bed. I think tonight, like last, I’ll sleep without the horrible nightmares that have plagued me for years.

  She smiles at me and backs toward the door “Sure. I can imagine you’ll be having some sweet dreams tonight so there’s no need for me to even make the suggestion.”

  Once she’s gone, I take a quick shower before slipping beneath the comforter and switching out the bedside lamp.

  Hours later, I wake up screaming and covered in sweat.

  Francine didn’t push me for answers when she barged into my room last night to make sure I was okay. She just sat beside me and offered comfort until I convinced her I was okay. Truth was, I didn’t go back to sleep.

  Last night hadn’t been a typical nightmare. And I’d been too scared to even try to close my eyes.

  From the time I was a child, I’d had a sixth sense about things. My Mama had always said I had a knowing about the future. I hadn’t wanted to believe her, but then the visions started coming true. They don’t happen very often, but when they do, they’re never good news.

  Last night, I’d dreamed Mark had been standing in front of me, grinning at me while a noose was being tied around my neck. I know hanging hasn’t been used in centuries, but sometimes, my visions came as metaphors. Like maybe he was going to cause my death.

  He’d told me years ago if I ever left him he’d find me, and I wouldn’t like it when he did. Though I don’t feel like that scared girl I was, once I see Mark again, all the old fears will come rushing back.

  I shiver as I tie on my apron and get ready for the early morning shift. How many times had Mark threatened to kill me, and I’d been left wondering if he’d follow through? He’d isolated me and stripped away any lingering friendships I’d had from high school. Sure, I could have left sooner, but I had nothing, nowhere to go that was far enough to get away from him. And in all honesty, I was too weak. I can see that now, but hindsight really is 20/20.

  My hands shake as I grab the ticket pad and head out into the diner. Francine snags my arm before I can push open the door. “You okay?” She lowers her voice so it won’t drift out to the diners’ waiting ears.

  “Yeah. I’m fine.” I start to pull away then stop. “Actually, I’m not. Do you know of any place where I can take a self-defense class?”

  She beams back at me, passing along her approval. “I know just the place. You can also hone your shooting skills if you want, but I suspect that’s not something you need.”

  I tug at the collar of my soft, pink t-shirt. “I’m not proud of what I did, Francine.”

  “You should be. In a dog eat dog world, Emily, only the strongest survive. That bastard took the choice out of your hands, and you protected yourself. Ain’t nothing wrong with that.”

  Somehow, I don’t think Adam will see things the same way. He’s taken an oath to uphold the law, and there’s no way to sugarcoat what I did. I took the law into my own hands. Yeah, I’d been afraid Mark was going to hurt me, but he wouldn’t have killed me. He’s always wanted me so taking me out of the picture would never be his first choice.

  Just as Francine starts to turn away, I touch her arm. “Please don’t say anything to Adam about this.”

  Her eyebrows practically disappear into her hairline. “But you’re going to tell him, right?”

  “When it’s time.” I’m not sure that time will ever come. Shooting Mark is something I want to put behind me. It might be an impossible dream, but I don’t want to see the look on Adam’s face when I tell him the whole story.

  She studies me for a moment long enough to make me drop my gaze. “It’s your life, honey. You have to make the decisions. I won’t say a word.”

  “Thank you.” Relief pours through me.

  “That doesn’t mean he won’t guess. Adam is a smart man. He’ll only go so long without the whole story.”

  “Right now, it’s not any of his business.” I try to sound stronger but fail. I’d love to be able to tell Adam the truth, but the knot in the pit of my stomach isn’t open to honesty.

  Francine chuckles a little which surprises me. “Honey, he’s the town sheriff. I reckon having a criminal in our midst is our business.” She winks at me to show she’s teasing.

  “Yo, Franny, you gonna work today or stand around gabbing?” Art’s holler is doused with irritation.

  She waves her hand over her shoulder. “Hold your horses. I know how to feed these people.”

  “Then how come I see empty plates out there?” He’s hanging over the edge of the galley window, which gives him a bird’s eye view of the counter below. “And both Amos and Barney’s mugs are empty.”

  “And I hadn’t heard either one of them hollering. Now go slap some more pancakes on a plate and leave the waitressing to me and Emily.”

  “Yeah, well, Emily’s got a visitor.” He points out into the dining area. “Looks like your boyfriend’s taking to dining early on Sunday.”

  My heart slams against my breastbone, and the cup and saucer I’m carrying begin to rattle. I don’t wait for Francine to shoo me away before I make my exit. It seems a lot longer than last night since I’ve seen him. All of him. And my mouth goes dry with the memories.

  Adam smiles at me, and the room shrinks to just me and him. His hair is lightly tousled from the cold winter wind, and I want to use to my fingers to smooth it into place. Then I want to use them for so much more.

  My knees shake, and Francine gives me a little shove. I don’t even realize she’s exited the kitchen. “Well, stop standing there like you ain’t got no sense, and go say hello to him. I’ll take care of your other customers.”

  “Sure you will. Just like you’re taking care of your own,” Art mutters.

  My feet refuse to cooperate, and I remain rooted to the spot. Adam’s legs work just fine so he comes to me.

  “Morning.” His voice is low, meant for my ears only. He makes a good morning greeting sound sexy as hell. It sounds more like an “I want to see you naked again”.

  “Good morning.” I set the cup and saucer down then immediately regret it because I can’t find anything to do with my hands. Can he see how nervous I am? It’s ridiculous considering how intimately we know one another now.

  While he stands there still smiling at me, I finally find my voice, though what comes out isn’t what I’d planned. “You want some coffee?”

  His gaze drops to my lips. “That’ll do for now.”

 
; Oh, hell. I wish I hadn’t made the offer because my legs still aren’t responding to my brain’s commands. I take a deep breath which is a mistake because I draw the scent of his aftershave in. The spicy aroma wraps itself around me like a warm blanket, and before I can stop myself, I’m leaning toward him. Heat radiates off of him, and I’m seconds away from flinging myself into his arms when Francine comes to my rescue again.

  “Emily, why don’t you show Adam that new fryer Art just got? I’m sure he’ll be real interested in it.” She jostles me with her elbow, forcing my feet to move.

  Grateful for the interruption, I take a step backwards, silently congratulating myself on moving. “It’s back here,” I whisper then blush. Like he doesn’t know where a fryer would be located.

  Still grinning, Adam allows me to lead the way. Art looks our way when we invade his kitchen, but we don’t hang around long. Seconds out the back door, I’m in Adam’s arms, and he’s kissing me like he hasn’t seen me in a week.

  The cold air stings my cheeks, but the rest of my body is burning. He backs me against the building and drinks from my lips with long, slow kisses that threaten to buckle my knees.

  I wrap my arms around his neck and sink my fingers into his hair. He moves his mouth to my neck, and I tip my head to one side. A car horn shatters the moment, and I jerk upright. “We can’t do this here.” I push against his chest until he lifts his head. Another blast of the car horn has him growling. “Not here,” I say again with more force.

  “Right.” He straightens my uniform top I’d donned on top of my t-shirt. “Am I wearing lipstick?”

  I brush two fingers over his lips. “Not anymore.”

  “Damn. I like how it tasted.” He lowers his lips to my ear. “I like how you taste more.”

  The knot in my stomach unravels. I’m not sure I can go back to work when what I really want to do is wrap myself around him. “You can’t stay for coffee.” I need him gone if I have any hope of focusing on my job.