It was the first time she’d seen the soldier in him. And
despite years of swearing off men who preferred to run toward danger than away from it, being this up close and personal with one was more of an aphrodisiac than she’d imagined.
“You look like you want to eat him up with a spoon. Not that I blame you,” Sam said, drawing Emma’s attention back to her. Emma raised her brows.
“I’m surveying the room. It’s my job.”
Sam grinned, sleek and lovely as always in a simple black jersey dress. “You’re surveying Seth’s butt, too.”
“That’s one of my perks.” When Sam laughed, she smiled. “Everything okay? If you need to go . . .”
“No, no, I’m completely fine. Tempted to dive face-first into those little ham things, but fine. I just had to tell you that—”
She stopped in midsentence, eyes widening as she looked past Emma’s shoulder. “Oh. Uh-oh. Is that the bride-to-be?”
Emma turned, already pulling out her mental list of “common bridal problems and solutions” before she even caught sight of Elaina Morrow’s tear-streaked face. Once she did, the problem was obvious. The solution, however, might take some doing.
Zoe escorted Elaina over, hand at the small of her back, making sympathetic noises while the woman hiccuped.
“This poor thing’s future father-in-law made some modifications to her dress,” Zoe said. Emma bit her lip and surveyed the damage. The beautiful cream silk sheath was now splattered with deep red wine, some of it still dripping on the floor. It had been a direct hit and then some.
“I kn-know he didn’t mean to, but . . . he always drinks too m-much, and I don’t know why h-he couldn’t just
once
—”
Sensing a teary rant of epic proportions looming, Emma looked Elaina over, estimated a couple of things, and gave a small nod. She stepped forward, put a hand on Elaina’s arm, and used the voice she always did with clients who, for whatever reason, were on the edge of a complete breakdown. Not that it wasn’t completely justified in this case. Leo Davison was a letch and a drunk. But his son, Max, was a sweetheart, as was Leo’s wife, Lauri, and Elaina’s family members were good people. There was always at least one problem guest at a party. Part of Emma’s job was not letting that one person ruin it for everyone else. Especially not for the ones who should be celebrating the most.
“A good cleaner can probably get that out, and I’m happy to take care of that if you like. But for now, you’re going to need to change.”
Elaina’s eyes began to fill again. “But—”
“I don’t want you to have to miss a second more of this party than you have to, so here’s what I can do. You sit tight, and I’ll drive right down the street to my apartment. You’re about an eight, right?”
Elaina nodded and sniffled. “Yes.”
“Well, so am I, and since dressing up is part of my job, I think I have just the thing to go with those shoes. Can you give me ten minutes? Sam will get you a glass of champagne and set you up in Zoe’s office so you don’t have to walk around in a wet, stained dress.”
Elaina hitched in a breath and nodded vigorously. “Really? You would do that? I’m so sorry. Tonight was supposed to be wonderful, but—”
“Tonight is still going to be wonderful,” Emma said firmly, and saw the hope spark in Elaina’s eyes. She wasn’t ready to give up on her night . . . and that meant it
was going to be just fine. She exchanged a look with Sam, who nodded and quickly ushered Elaina away and taking a glass of champagne off a tray.
Emma sprang into action immediately, all smiles as she headed out the door, as if nothing were wrong in the world. Once she hit the sidewalk, though, she ran as fast as her heels would carry her. She opened the door to Zoe’s office, dress in hand, exactly ten minutes later, and helped zip Elaina into the cream chiffon cocktail dress, breathing a sigh when it fit like a glove.
Elaina actually laughed as she twirled in the full skirt. “I love this! It’s so
girly
!”
“And it looks fabulous on you,” Emma said with a smile, while Sam and Zoe gave the thumbs-up. She handed Elaina a wipe to fix her mascara, then opened the door. “Ready to go enjoy your party?”
She was, but not before throwing her arms around Emma to give her a hug and whisper, “Thank you. So, so much. I’ll make sure to stay away from Leo so I don’t need to borrow another dress!”
Emma laughed, enjoying the sounds of the guests ooh- ing and ahhing as the bride-to-be made her reappearance, then turned to find Sam and Zoe watching her with identical expressions of amazement.
“What?” she asked, and sipped at the remainder of Elaina’s champagne to celebrate her triumph.
“You,” Zoe said, “have nerves of steel.” She shook her head, then walked past her, pausing to pat her on the shoulder before heading back out into the party. “I think I need some of that champagne,” she said.
Sam remained, watching her with something like awe. Emma shifted uncomfortably. “It wasn’t that bad,” she said.
“Yes, it was. You just
acted
like it wasn’t. It was . . . You’re kind of amazing, Em. Did you know that?”
“Of course I do.” Then she laughed and shook her head. “It’s just my job, Sam. I’m only glad I was close to home, because otherwise it would have been a much bigger problem. We got lucky, that’s all.”
“There was definitely a little luck. And a lot of grace under fire.” Sam screwed up her mouth, the way she always had as a kid right before she’d confessed to doing something she shouldn’t. Emma lifted her brows.
“Sam, don’t get funny on me. It’s all okay. Crisis averted. I’m not magic—I’m just an event planner. The rest of the night should be fine.” But her sister surprised her by stepping forward, wrapping her hands loosely around her waist and resting her head on Emma’s shoulder. Emma rubbed Sam’s back lightly, confused. “Are you okay? Are you having a prebridal moment?”
Sam laughed, but she didn’t break the embrace. “No. I’m having a ‘really freaking proud of my big sister’ moment. I always thought you just, you know . . . bossed people around.”
Touched, Emma chuckled softly. “Well . . . I mean, I do.”
“You do a lot more than that. You work your ass off to make things special. And you really care. You’re like a fairy godmother.”
Emma frowned down at the top of Sam’s head. “Were you into the champagne already?”
Sam lifted her head to give her a disgruntled look. “No. I’m giving you a compliment, butthead.”
“Oh. In that case,” Emma said, giving her sister a squeeze and a kiss on the cheek, “thank you. Because it really means a lot.” And it did, to have the little sister she was so proud of acknowledge the work put into her own
dream. They might be different, but they were still, in so many ways, the only two people on earth who would ever understand each other so well.
“Now I wish I’d let you boss me around about my own wedding,” Sam said, sounding suspiciously teary.
“Believe me, I’ve been watching. If you weren’t doing a good job, I’d be chewing at you.” She paused. “I’m probably still going to be bossy that day, though.”
“It’s allowed, as long as you have fun,” Sam said, pulling back with a single, suspicious sniffle. Neither of them was big on crying, but then again, after all this time, the occasional sisterly moment seemed worth a few tears. “Come on. We should probably go back out before somebody sets something on fire.”
“Been there,” Emma said, earning her a horrified look from her sister before they both headed back into the fray. As soon as they emerged into the main room, Seth made a beeline for them. Emma heard Sam’s low, approving chuckle before she returned to the buffet table to see what Faith needed.
“By the way . . . I wanted to tell you before, but you’ve got great taste. I like him. And quit worrying. He’s crazy about you.” Sam dropped a sly wink and walked away just before Seth reached her, his brown eyes full of warmth and concern.
“There you are. Zoe told me what happened. Crisis averted?”
“Crisis averted. That one, at least. The night is young.”
Seth grinned and shook his head. “You’re really something. I had no idea these things were so much work. You would have made one hell of a general.”
“Oh yeah? I didn’t realize soldiers were prone to wine-stain crises.” She shrugged. “Maybe I’ll go sign up.”
“Nah,” Seth said. “You shouldn’t deprive the world of
the sight of you in these dresses. It would be wrong.” He looked her over with an intensity that had heat rising to her cheeks. “If I didn’t mention it already, you look beautiful tonight. And very, very hot.”
The look in his eyes, combined with the lingering adrenaline, made her feel bold. She stepped close to him, rising up on her toes to whisper in his ear. The scent of his cologne enveloped her, the pull of his warmth irresistible.
“I’m hotter out of the dress. Maybe if you’re nice, I’ll let you see.”
His laugh fanned her neck, making the skin tingle. “Baby, I’m prepared to beg if necessary.”
Emma looked up at him, letting her lips curve into a seductive smile even as her heart stumbled in her chest. She might never understand why the two of them set off sparks like this, but tonight, she saw no reason not to enjoy the fire that resulted. It might be more complicated than she would have liked . . . but then again, not
everything
about this was. She saw Faith trying to catch her attention from across the room and knew she needed to get back to work. The night was far from over . . . but for once, she knew she wouldn’t be alone at the end of it.
“You won’t have to beg,” she said, and saw the playful twinkle in his dark eyes.
“What if I want to?” he asked softly, and Emma felt her womb clench at the thought.
“Then I’m sure we could arrange . . . something,” she said. Then, before she ruined her night of triumph by spontaneously combusting, Emma turned on her heel and sashayed away.
I
t was midnight by the time she walked outside, the gallery as neat as a pin and everyone but her, Seth, and Zoe already headed home. Zoe locked up, and they all walked to their cars together, so tired that there were only a few scraps of friendly conversation before their good nights. As Zoe drove off, Emma breathed in the night air, weary down to the bone but alert in a way that told her she’d be up awhile yet. She always was after a successful event.
She would have liked to hang on to the triumphant fearlessness from earlier, but that was the one thing that seemed to have gone. In its wake, she’d been left with nothing but restless arousal and the nerves that cropped up every time she was alone with him.
What if he’s just exhausted and wants to go home? What if he’s just waiting for me to let him off the hook?
What if I’m being a complete idiot like usual?
“I realize it’s pretty late,” she began, though her train of thought crashed into a tree as soon as he turned his head to look at her. He’d ruffled his hair with his hand as they’d walked outside, and his eyes were adorably sleepy. She almost felt guilty for wanting to do so many wonderfully bad things to him. Almost.
“Did you need to go to bed?” he asked, and she thought—she hoped—that was disappointment she heard in his voice. It was all the encouragement she needed.
Emma shook her head. “I’ll be up for a while yet. I just thought . . . You were such a huge help, and you’re probably beat.”
“I’m used to being up late,” he said. “Am I still invited over?”
Emma’s mouth went dry, so she simply nodded. Her reward was a slow, suggestive smile. “Okay. I’ll meet you there.”
* * *
She managed the quick drive without crashing into a lightpost, despite the barrage of butterflies in her stomach. Even after they’d spent the evening firmly in her element, she couldn’t quite get a handle on her nerves. She knew what was coming—hell, she
wanted
what was coming—but the thought of being able to have Seth whenever she liked was still so new, she hardly believed it might be possible.
They didn’t speak on the way up the stairs to her apartment, or as she fumbled with the locks on her door. What normally took her one thoughtless attempt now took her three, plus a clumsy key drop.
Didn’t I basically seduce him the other night? Come on, Emma!
Her reaction to her inner pep talk was to open the door too quickly and stumble inside, nearly landing on her face. Boof gave her a pitying look and then immediately went into his most shameless “pet me” theatrics for her company, wrapping himself around Seth’s legs and wailing piteously before flopping over on his back. Seth chuckled and crouched down to rub Boof’s belly, and when he looked up at her, it was with such innocent
pleasure that she felt her heart constrict painfully in her chest. This wasn’t lust. It was something else entirely, already enhanced by having watched him help and mingle and generally be a good guy all evening.
When he stood, Emma pulled apart the hands she’d been wringing awkwardly and tried to play it cool. It wasn’t her forte, but she tried. “So. Um, why don’t you come on in and sit? I can get you a drink. Or something.” She gave him her most winning smile before turning to head for the couch, wondering what they were going to talk about before they got around to taking each other’s clothes off. The weather? The food at the party? It wasn’t weird at all, doing that when just a couple of hours ago she’d basically told him she’d like him on his knees.
She heard Seth mutter something behind her. Emma started to turn, but found herself pulled into his rough embrace instead. She went instantly limp, melting against him while he tangled one hand in her hair and buried his face in her neck. His breath was hot on her skin, and he felt so good in her arms that she wondered why she ever bothered to be anywhere else. She wrapped her arms around him, tipping her head to the side when he began to nuzzle kisses into her sensitive skin. The only sound in the apartment was that of their ragged breathing.
Emma cupped the back of his head, his hair soft through her fingers. Seth was wrapped around her, one hand at her shoulder, the other at her hip, and he moved his mouth to nip and then suck at her ear. The sensation nearly took her knees out from under her.
“I missed you.” She sighed, her eyes closing. It was all she could think, the only thing to say. Something had caused a seismic shift in her universe in the last two weeks, and that something was right here in her arms. Here, where he felt so exactly right that a few days apart felt like years.
Seth lifted his head and pressed his forehead to hers, rubbing his thumb across her cheekbone. He didn’t say anything, but he didn’t need to. Instead, he used his mouth to return the sentiment, claiming her mouth in a deep, drugging kiss that left her clinging to him. Emma tilted her head to change the angle of the kiss, tasting him more fully, sliding her leg up to hook over his hip and open herself to him. Seth slid his hands beneath the skirt of her dress and cupped her backside, pressing into her with a sexy little gasp. Emma answered with her own soft moan when she felt the rigid length of his cock straining against his pants. His kisses grew hotter, harder as they fumbled together. Emma couldn’t seem to stop touching him, couldn’t touch him enough. All she knew was that if they didn’t get horizontal pretty quickly, they were going to fall over. That wasn’t an awful thing, but she wanted to experience something other than the floor with him.
It took a painful amount of effort to disentangle herself, but she managed it, loving Seth’s aroused expression and hazy eyes. She’d done that. She hadn’t known she was capable, but the evidence that she was flooded her with a purely feminine sense of power. She hooked a finger into one of his belt loops and pulled him forward as she stepped backward, toward the bedroom.
Seth obliged her by following, one dark brow arched. He never took his eyes from her.
She brought him into her bedroom, which was tastefully done up in black and white and teal, neat as a pin, and realized that he was the first man to cross its borders. It was the last thing she wanted to think of, and deeply embarrassing besides. She knew it had been a while. . . . She’d simply been too caught up to remember how long until now.
“Hey, don’t get shy on me now,” Seth said, pulling her
to him again when she felt her cheeks go hot. He kissed her cheeks, her nose, her chin. “You’re supposed to make me beg, remember?”
“I just . . . remembered exactly how girly it is in here.” It was an obscure, roundabout way of putting it, but it was all she was willing to say. Seth didn’t seem to understand or particularly care. He cupped her breast, playing his fingers over fabric that covered deliciously sensitized skin.
“You’re girly. I like girly. Every time I saw you in this dress tonight, I wanted to drag you away to some dark room so I could take it off with my teeth.”
Her laugh was breathless and caught in her throat when he squeezed. “I’m glad it wasn’t just me. Sam caught me staring at your butt. Repeatedly.”
Seth grinned. “Not much to look at. I’m too skinny.”
Emma arched a brow. “Please. You have a great butt. You have a great everything.”
“Yeah, well, the feeling is mutual.” He reached around her, deftly found the eye hook above the zipper, and then unzipped the dress. A gentle tug, and it slid to the floor, leaving her in nothing but scraps of crimson silk.
Seth exhaled softly, drinking her in. “Red. Wow.”
One corner of her mouth curved. “I was hoping you’d like it.”
“You have no idea.” He lowered his head to kiss her, taking her mouth in a kiss that grew steadily deeper, more insistent as Emma fitted herself against him. It felt incredibly decadent, being wrapped in his arms nearly naked while he remained fully clothed. It was impossible to feel self-conscious now—not when Seth was telling her how much he liked her this way with his mouth, his hands. He began to move, backing her against the bed until she had to fall onto it. She went obligingly, situating
herself so she could look up at him while Seth stood at the edge and took off his shirt, then started to unbuckle his belt. He moved quickly, but not quickly enough for her. She rose to her knees to help him, though “helping” quickly turned to covering his chest with kisses. He gave a soft laugh and stopped trying to undress, letting Emma explore his heated skin with her hands, her mouth. She managed the button and zipper of his pants more deftly than she’d expected, then wrapped her hand around the hot, silken length of him.
The sound he made banished any lingering embarrassment. She stroked slowly, lifting her head to watch Seth close his eyes and start to give himself over to what she was doing to him. A tiny crease formed between his brows, and his breathing started to come in short, harsh pants as she varied the rhythm, quickening, then slowing, kissing and licking at the taut skin of his chest and stomach as moisture pooled between her thighs. Right now, his pleasure was hers. It was empowering, holding him like this, his hips moving with her every stroke . . . erotic in a way she’d never experienced.
When he began to quiver, his eyes flew open.
“Not yet,” he growled. “Not like this.” She let him strip off his shoes and pants, slipping quickly out of her bra and panties while he worked, then scooted back onto the bed as he crawled in after her. He was beautiful, she thought as she watched him. All lean, sinewy muscle, his dark eyes turned almost black by the light of her single, small lamp. He looked so confident, so dangerous, exactly the kind of man she’d once avoided. And now here he was in her bed.
Exactly where he belonged.
The way he looked at her was almost reverent, and his gaze lingered on the parts of her body that had always
irritated her—her breasts, her hips. But rather than judgment, she saw something like adoration.
“I think I told you this, but your body is incredible,” Seth said. “You should be naked all the time.”
She started to lift up her knees to cover herself a little, suddenly shy. “I’ve heard I run around that way at parties sometimes. Downtown, even.”
His smile was lazy, sensual. “If people knew what you looked like under those little suits and dresses, you’d be hearing a lot more about it. But I think I’ll just keep you to myself.”
From anyone else, those words might have rubbed her the wrong way. Apart from the standard youthful fantasies about princes, warriors, Vikings, and the occasional spandex-clad superhero, she’d never wanted to belong to anyone but herself. But she already knew Seth didn’t want to own her. She wasn’t even sure he’d take the pieces of herself she was able to give, should she decide she was ready to offer them to him.
Who do I think I’m kidding? I already want to give him more than just pieces.
“I’m all yours.” She tried to sound playful when she spoke, in case he didn’t want to hear the truth beneath the words. If he did, it didn’t bother him, because he proceeded to lavish each breast with so much attention that she soon was arching against his mouth, asking for more with each broken cry. His fingers dipped between her legs, between her slick folds to toy with the swollen nub of her sex. Emma moved with him, urging him with her hips to pick up the pace, to grant her release. But he seemed to enjoy pushing her ever so slowly to her limits, never letting her reach the place where she would come apart. She writhed beneath him, worry and doubt vanishing in the face of overwhelming need.
“Seth.” It wasn’t a request, but a demand. He pressed a long kiss to her lips, then whispered what he wanted against them.
“Ride me, Emma. I want to watch you.”
She nodded, unable to catch her breath, and Seth rolled onto his back, pulling her over him. Emma rose above him, straddling his hips and sinking down onto him slowly, prolonging the pleasure for them both. For as fearless as she’d had to be in her professional life, letting a man see her like this, both powerful and vulnerable as she took him, had always been difficult for her. With Seth, though, the experience was heady, erotic. She tightened around him, inch by inch, until he was deep inside her. Through the thick sexual haze now enveloping her, Emma realized that Seth wasn’t the only one benefiting from her position. She loved seeing him beneath her, his hands on her hips, his eyes half-closed. The way his lips parted soundlessly when she began to move, rising up only to plunge again and again.
His hands were all over her as she quickened the pace, squeezing him tight while he gripped her hips, caressed her breasts, telling her with groans and heated words exactly how much he liked it, how much he wanted it. Emma’s head fell back as she rode him hard toward the edge, everything within her coiling tighter, tighter. . . .
Emma paused at the edge, stilling so she could look at Seth spread beneath her, his every muscle tensed. His dark eyes caught her, held her, and she knew that she wasn’t the only one who’d been ensnared by what they created together. Seth rasped a single word, flooding her with a heady mix of power and desire.
“Please.”
She began to move again, crying out as her orgasm
slammed into her. She bucked against him as violent waves of pleasure crashed through her, taking her to a place she’d never known she could reach. Emma shuddered, then peaked again as Seth thrust up into her, the world dimming for a moment as he climaxed beneath her. She could feel his hands on her skin, his body joined with hers. . . . They gave her something, someone to hang on to as she came back to herself in a long, slow descent that left both of them shaken and spent. They breathed in time with each other, harsh, shallow breaths, as Emma finally slumped on top of Seth to feel his heart pounding through his chest. His arms came around her, and her first coherent thought was that she’d never felt so safe.
It shouldn’t have been like this between them so fast . . . but it was.
“Em.” His voice was harsh. “Holy shit.”
“Mmm,” was the only response she could muster. Sensing that she was the only one of them capable of it right now, she tugged weakly at her comforter until she could get it over the two of them. Seth didn’t move a muscle, but once she was comfortably snuggled against him, he began to stroke her hair, gently. Her eyes slipped shut at his touch, and she felt all the cares of the day leave her. Every care but one.