by Kait Nolan
“Oh my God,” Roadie moaned, his mouth full. “You need to marry her. Marry her right now so she can supply us with cookies for life.”
Caleb lifted his head and spied everybody with cookies in their hands. “Hey! Paws off my cookies.”
“Oh, come on, Grad, you got something sweeter right there,” Cue Ball said.
Emerson tucked into his side. “Grad?”
“You know like The Gr—” Fonzie’s words cut off at the quick elbow from Peach, but not before realization dawned.
“Like The Graduate,” Emerson finished. An embarrassed flush worked its way up her throat. “Jesus, I’m not that much older than him.”
“No, you’re not. Ignore them. They’re ridiculous.” Caleb pivoted to put himself between Emerson and his crew, wanting to shield her from their teasing. It was one thing for him to be a target. Ribbing was part of the teambuilding experience. But she was another thing entirely. She’d only barely managed to get over her own issues with the age gap.
“If it makes you feel any better, he was Torch for years before that,” Klunker offered.
“Because he carried one for you,” Pork Chop clarified.
Now it was Caleb’s turn to feel the creep of heat in his cheeks. He wasn’t embarrassed about his feelings for Emerson. He’d been honest about how long he’d had them. But he didn’t think she’d really believed him.
Her lips twitched as she gave him a speculative look.
“Do I even want to know what’s going through that brain of yours right now?”
“I was just wondering if that made you my own personal Johnny Storm.”
As the rest of his company whooped with laugher, he grinned. “Flame on, baby.”
Was he imagining that spark of heat in her eyes? The curl of her fingers at his waist said no. His pulse leapt. Since that first, out-of-this-world kiss, he’d slowed things way down, letting her set the pace. Going from friends to more was a big change for her, and he didn’t want to rush her. But, God, he ached with wanting her.
With one last squeeze, she stepped back. “I need to get going. I know you’re busy, and I need to drive on into Nashville to take Fiona her cookies. Oatmeal chocolate chip are her favorites.”
Fiona’s favorites.
It didn’t mean anything. Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies were awesome. They were lots of people’s favorites. And of course, if Emerson had gone to the trouble to make cookies, she was going to make enough for Fi. She’d thought of him. And she’d made the effort and come here first. Because she wanted to see him.
What the hell is wrong with you? It’s not a contest.
He’d let his idiot coworkers get to him.
“Tell her hi for me.”
“Will do. Although you’re still on her shit list for not getting her tickets to see Kyle Keenan.”
Caleb snorted. “Can’t have that. I’ll get her an autograph.”
“She’d love that. Now go rescue your cookies while there are still some left. I’ll see you when you get off?”
“Absolutely.”
He’d be counting the minutes.
Chapter 7
“I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but this latest book is absolutely amazeballs,” Paisley gushed. “I mean, it’s not like your normal work is shoddy by any stretch, but this one is just next level.”
Emerson had to admit, to herself at least, that she was right. “Glad you’re happy with it. I’ll get those corrections done tomorrow, and Troy should have the final audio files ready for you by the end of the week.”
“Fabulous. My readers are going to go nuts. I swear, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’ve suddenly started having really great sex.”
She bit her lip as her brain readily supplied a mental image of Caleb in turnout pants…and nothing else, doing a slow striptease.
Paisley didn’t miss a thing. “Emerson! Are you?”
“I’m not. But...I’m thinking about it.”
At her friend’s squeal, Mooch abandoned his impression of a throw rug and began to dance in place, certain a cookie was imminent.
“With who?”
She almost hated to admit it because she knew the explosion of squee that was coming.
“Caleb.”
“Oh my God! Tell me everything. What are you planning? Slow seduction? I’m a fan of just planting a big one on them. Saves confusion.”
Digging a dog biscuit out of the tin from the pantry, Emerson took Mooch through his paces of sit-shake-lay down. “Actually, he planted a big one on me.”
“I knew it! I knew he was into you.” Paisley did a victory boogie that sent Mooch into another fit of spins. “When?”
“A few weeks ago.”
“A few weeks? And I’m only just now hearing about it? That is a violation of the Best Friend Code! Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I felt…weird. And I wasn’t sure what I was going to do about it.”
“Do about it? Girl, you jump that. That’s what you do about it.”
“It’s not that simple. He’s one of my best friends. I don’t want to take the idea of changing that lightly.”
Paisley reined in her enthusiasm. “Okay, okay. I’ve written enough friends-to-lovers romances to understand that. How did it happen? Was it one of those situational deals where the sexual chemistry just exploded into a kiss that surprised you both?”
“I think I was the only one surprised. Apparently, he’s been wanting to date me for a while.”
“How long is a while?”
She bit her lip. “Um…years.”
Clutching her chest, Paisley feigned a swoon. “Years?”
Emerson explained why he’d waited and what she’d found out about his nicknames at the firehouse the other day.
“That is so romantic. It’s official. This man is a unicorn, and you need to marry him and have his babies.”
She narrowed her eyes. “I literally just got the first one out of the house.”
“Fine. Skip the babies. But please bang his brains out. You’re at your sexual peak. So is he. May you make beautiful orgasms together. Many, many orgasms to make up for your long dry spell.”
Emerson swallowed a snicker. “I appreciate your enthusiasm. I am, as I said, considering it. We’re taking things slow. I wouldn’t hop into bed with any guy after only dating a few weeks. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. It’s just not how I’m wired.”
“Yeah but it’s not like you’re starting from scratch here. You’ve known him for years. You know him. What’s stopping you from mapping the Abs of Glory with your tongue?”
That mental image had Emerson’s cheeks heating, even as she dropped her gaze. “I just…I guess I keep waiting for him to change his mind.”
“About what?”
“About me. What the hell is he doing with me when he could have basically any woman out there with a tighter, younger body and none of the baggage?”
When Paisley said nothing, Emerson dared a glance up.
Her friend’s scowl was ferocious. “There is so much wrong with what just came out of your mouth, I don’t even know where to start. First off, every-damn-body has baggage. That’s life. And Caleb is perfectly well aware of yours. He’s still here. Second, have you looked in a mirror? You’re gorgeous. All that running has done amazing things for your legs and ass, and I hate you a little bit for it, but not enough to start running myself. Third…you two are friends. You are not a surprise to him, and he is clearly into you, exactly as you are. Do you have any idea what a gift that is? Fourth, he is not Blaine. He’s been waiting for you for four years. No way in hell is he going to go off searching for greener pastures.”
“But what if…what if I disappoint him in bed? It’s been a really long time, and I—”
“Oh, shut up. You are certified, grade-A, whatever the top of the line thing is in organic grass for him. And it will be great between you because you’ve got that foundational emotional connection. So stop acting like you’re o
ld because you inherited a kid who is now eighteen and go jump the man. You know you want to.”
She really, really did.
The knock on the back door had Mooch abandoning his pursuit of cookie to go streaking across the kitchen. A moment later, Caleb stepped in. Everything in Emerson simultaneously relaxed and sped up at the sight of him crouching down to love on her dog—the toll Mooch dictated must be paid to get to her.
If he saw Paisley, he gave no indication. His eyes stayed fixed on her as he discharged his canine adoration duty and crossed over. He was still dressed in the HFD t-shirt and navy cargo pants that were his uniform, his hair obviously wet from a shower.
“Hey, you.”
Because the low rumble of his voice stoked the desire that had been at a steady simmer for days, Emerson rose up to her toes to kiss him. The proverbial cat was out of the bag now, so why the hell not?
He pulled her tight against his chest—Abs of Glory indeed—and his mouth took a lazy tour of hers. She could get drunk on the taste of him. That seemed like a magnificent way to spend an hour or thirty. Exploring every toned inch of him with her tongue and teeth and—
As heat pooled between her thighs, she considered maybe there was something to this whole sexual peak thing.
Caleb eased back, leaving her breathless. “Missed you.”
And those simple words turned her heart to marshmallow fluff. Not “missed this.” Missed her. He cared about her. Had talked enough about her that both of his nicknames at the firehouse stemmed from his interest. She was over here freaking out that he was going to change his mind about her and everywhere she looked was evidence of his constancy. That was next-level romance. What the hell was she waiting for?
She stroked her fingers over the fine hair at his nape. “Missed you back.”
Those double-barreled dimples popped.
“Hey, Paisley.”
“Hey, Caleb.”
At the syrupy sweet tone, Emerson looked over to find her sporting a Cheshire Cat grin and a giant two thumbs up.
“I take it you approve?” he asked.
“Oh, you have no idea.” She walked over to snatch her purse. “I should get out of your way.”
“Don’t leave on my account.”
Paisley met Emerson’s gaze and executed some kind of exaggerated morse code with her eyes that was about as subtle as a Panzer tank. “No, no. I just stopped by to talk to Em about my audio proofs. I look forward to those final files.”
“Are these the ones for There You’ll Be? Because I really need to know how you’re going to sort things with Sarah and Rhett. You dropped a really hard stinger for that in the last book, and I just don’t see how he’s going to redeem himself.”
They both stared at him, dumbfounded.
He blinked. “What?”
Emerson found her voice first. “You…read romance?”
“I’ve read all the books you’ve narrated.”
“All of them?” she squeaked. That was...hundreds.
Caleb shrugged without an ounce of self-consciousness. “I love your voice. I got a bunch of the guys at the station on them, too. If they weren’t too embarrassed to admit it, they’d thank you for upping their game with the ladies.”
He was custom-made, walking foreplay. This man really was a unicorn. It was time she stopped denying that.
“Paisley.”
“Yup. Going. Talk to you tomorrow. Or, you know, next week. Whenever.”
“Let the dog out back, will you?”
“Sure thing. Byyyyyyye!”
The door shut behind her and Mooch.
Caleb went brows up. “Well that was a quick departure. What was that about?”
“This.”
Fisting her hands in his shirt, she dragged his mouth to hers.
Caleb had spent considerable time thinking about how to seduce this woman. He’d imagined taking his time, unwrapping her literal and metaphorical layers and steeping her in pleasure, until she forgot anyone who’d come before him. But something had flipped a switch in her. The moment Emerson’s lips touched his, he understood that whatever deceleration he’d initiated was over. She was zero to ninety in less than a second, her mouth taking his in a devouring kiss that bordered on savage.
Thank Christ.
The needs he’d ruthlessly leashed for years strained against his control, begging to meet that desperation head-on. But no matter what she wanted, he wasn’t settling for hard and fast. Not this first time.
Sliding a hand into her hair, he angled her head, taking control of the kiss and diving deep. Her moan of pleasure as his tongue stroked against hers had his blood leaping from simmer to boil. Hands streaking up his chest, she locked her arms around his neck, rising up to wrap one leg around his hips, lining up her center with his straining erection. As she began to rock, taking the pleasure she wanted, he felt his grip on control slipping. Needing more, he boosted her up and backed her against the nearest wall, grinding against her.
Emerson’s head fell back on a groan. “Caleb.” His name on her lips was both prayer and plea. “I need you inside me.”
Growling, he tightened his hold, every cell wanting to claim her right here, right now. But damn it, this was Emerson. He’d been waiting so damned long for her. He wasn’t about to take her against the wall like some kind of mindless animal. All but drunk with desire, he turned and moved toward the hall. Her tongue traced the shell of his ear, and his knees wobbled. He could get them up the stairs to a bed without injury. Probably.
She bit gently at the lobe. “Too far. Sofa.”
By some divine intervention, he made it to the couch, turning at the last moment, so it was him who crashed down, taking the brunt of the impact. Emerson wasted no time, straddling his lap so his hard-on was nestled in the softness between her thighs. Purring at the contact, she arched back, stripping her shirt up and off.
Caleb thanked the gods of lingerie for this confection of peach satin and lace offering up her breasts like a gift. “Fuck, you’re beautiful.”
“Your turn.”
At her rasped order, he dragged his t-shirt off with one hand and tossed it to the floor. Then he reached for her, skimming his palms up the silk of her skin to cup her breasts, testing the weight of them in his palms. Her breath went short, her nipples pearling against the fabric as he stroked his thumbs over them. He wanted her bare for him, wanted her writhing. Beneath him. Over him. He just plain wanted her.
“Do you have any idea how long I’ve dreamed about tasting you?”
She reached back and released the clasp. The bra fell away, spilling those glorious breasts into his hands. Her eyes glimmered like blue flame. “There’s nothing stopping you.”
Needing no further permission, Caleb pulled one rosy nipple into his mouth. As he circled it with his tongue, she swiveled her hips, rocking against his erection. Every gasp and moan spurred him on. She was a fever in his arms, so responsive to every touch and taste. Hands braced on his shoulders, she bowed back, pressing more firmly into his mouth, his hands, as her hair spilled down her back and she rode him. He didn’t know what he’d expected, but her complete lack of inhibition as she chased her pleasure wasn’t it, and that was pretty much the hottest thing he’d ever seen. Watching her face as he drove her higher had his balls tightening, but he held back, focused on getting her up and over that first peak, licking and sucking until she shot over on a scream that damned near had him coming in his pants like a teenage boy.
Before she’d even begun to come down from the high, her hands were fumbling between them for his belt. “Need you inside me. Now.”
Caleb gripped her hips, starting to shift her off his lap to remove her shorts. From the coffee table the laptop began to ring. Emerson jerked in shock and toppled backward before he could catch her.
“Shit! Are you okay?”
But she wasn’t even looking at him as she scrambled up from the floor. “Oh my God, Fiona.” Grabbing up a shirt, she dragged it on. “I have to take t
his.”
Was she serious?
As she turned the laptop away and plopped herself in a chair, he realized she was.
“Just…stay over there. Okay?”
Caleb glanced down at his crotch, where his dick hadn’t gotten the message that their impulsive plans had been derailed. Yeah, no, he wasn’t hopping on this call with that flag still flying. Sinking back onto the sofa, he scrubbed both hands over his face and wondered if Emerson would make it quick so they could pick back up where they left off.
“Hey baby. How’s everything going?”
“It’s going. Sorry for the unplanned video call, but I tried your phone and you didn’t answer and I know you were probably in the booth but I thought—Is that Caleb’s shirt?”
He looked over in time to see Emerson freeze. Sure enough, it was his T-shirt she’d grabbed off the floor. She glanced down at the HFD logo, her brain obviously whirring. Caleb knew she hadn’t told Fiona about them yet. As close to the vest as she was playing it, revealing their involvement while wearing his shirt and with almost-sex hair was definitely not at the top of her list for ways to announce it.
“What? Oh, no. I picked it up at one of their fundraisers a while back.”
Like Fi didn’t realize the HFD never sold their shirts as part of a fundraiser?
“Huh. I don’t remember seeing it before.”
“It was pre-you. I’m behind on laundry, so I’m digging deep into the t-shirt drawer.”
He was pretty sure Fiona wasn’t buying any of this, but she didn’t call Emerson on it, and he figured letting his woman have her delusion was the quickest path to getting back to the naked portion of the evening.
“So, I need your help.”
Emerson straightened, Mom-mode clearly engaged. “With what?”
“I kinda left my headlights on and accidentally locked my keys in the car. Can you bring the spare set?”
