Mirin, Christelle - Emma's Heart (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (9 page)

Emma laughed, deep and throaty. “If you would have waited another ten minutes, I might have been able to have my way with him, Doc.” She turned to Logan. “Logan, this is Doctor Reese.”

“Nice to meet you,” Logan said, offering his hand. He hoped his hard-on wasn’t too noticeable.

“I’m glad to see Emma bring someone along with her for once.” He looked at Emma. “Up on the table and tell me your problem.”

Emma jumped up on the exam table, and Logan took the opportunity to sit down beside the desk. He crossed his legs, fighting the urge to reach into his pocket and shift his dick.

The doctor was doing a usual check, ears, eyes, throat. Logan wished he’d get on with it. He still didn’t know why Emma wanted him along with her.

“So,” the doctor said, standing back and crossing his arms over his chest. “What has gotten you so upset, Emma?”

She placed her hands on her knees. “This cellular memory thing you told me about. Explain it.”

Logan narrowed his eyes. What was this?

“Cellular memory is a condition sometimes experienced by transplant patients. You see, every cell in a person’s body contains DNA. DNA is unique and is what makes us who we are.” He glanced over at Logan, his dark eyes sparkling with intelligence. “Do you follow me, Logan?”

Logan nodded, not quite sure where all this was leading.

The doc turned back to Emma. “Now that you have foreign DNA in your body and those cells contain the road map of who that person was, you are now intertwining your cells with those. Your mind is obviously registering both sets of DNA. So it’s not that your normal habits are changing. It’s that you now have more habits.”

“What about memories, Doc? Do I have the donor’s memories hiding inside me, too?” Emma clutched her hands together in her lap.

Ah, Logan thought, the memory question is what is bothering her.

“There are ongoing studies concerning the passing on of actual memories, but there has been no determination as yet on whether it actually happens.” The doc lifted his hands. “At this point, we just don’t know.”

Emma nodded. “Guess I’ll have to live with it, huh? Wait—what about the donor’s family? Wouldn’t they be able to tell if what I’m doing is like what the donor used to do?”

“Yes. We would have to go back and check your records to see if the donor’s family agreed to allow you to know where your heart came from. If they chose a closed donation, well then, you’re out of luck about contacting them.”

“Could you check please?” Emma held her clenched hands up as if praying.

The doctor stepped forward, wrapping his hands around hers. “You know I will, Emma. You are my favorite.”

Logan didn’t know what to think. All this was new to him. The next thing he knew, Emma was calling his name. He blinked. “What did you say?” He looked at her.

“We were talking about my sex life.” She widened her eyes at him comically then turned back to the doctor. “Since I did so well having sex last night, is it okay if I go ahead and try a ménage?”

“Emma, seriously, your heart,” Logan said. He really was concerned about her health. He loved her.

The doctor gave her a serious look. “Do you think you’re healthy enough?”

“Do
you
think I’m healthy enough?” she asked.

“I’m worried,” Logan said. “What if it gets too rough? What do I do if she passes out or has a heart attack?”

Emma held up her index finger. “I’ve got an idea. Doc, could you come over and monitor me?”

The doctor raised his eyebrows. “While you’re having sex?”

“Yes.” Emma crossed her arms.

Logan looked back and forth between the two of them. They seemed to have a close friendship outside of the doctor-patient relationship. If the doctor said yes and monitored her the first time, Logan was up for it. He loved her and wanted to help her live her life to the fullest.

“For you, Emma, I will do this,” the doctor said finally.

Emma clapped her hands. “Tonight. Logan’s apartment.” She looked at Logan. “Okay with you?”

“Yes. Sure.” What else could he say?

“One condition,” the doctor said. “If I say stop, everything stops. Agreed?”

“Agreed,” Emma said, jumping off the table. “Come on, Logan. We need to talk to someone.”

Logan left his address with the receptionist so the doctor would know where to go this evening, and they headed for his car.

“You’re really okay with this?” Emma asked from the passenger seat.

Considering the question for a moment before he answered, Logan felt a settling calm in his heart, a sense that he was exactly where he should be, with who he was supposed to be with, and doing exactly what they were meant to be doing. “Emma, I am more than okay with this.”

“Whoop!” she yelled then threw her head back and laughed.

“Who is going to be our third, if I may ask?” Logan pulled the car into the parking garage at his apartment building and shut off the engine. He didn’t know of anyone he would approach this subject with.

“I’ve got the perfect person in mind,” Emma said, exiting the car.

They entered the hall from the garage entrance, and then once they got to the first floor hall, Logan turned to the left but Emma turned to the right. He stopped. “Hey, where are you going?”

She flashed a smile over her shoulder. “I want you to meet an old friend of mine.” She turned and continued on, stopping in front of the door where she had been talking to that man last night.

Logan waited, watching.

Emma knocked on the door. When the door opened, she stepped inside.

Logan wasn’t sure how he felt. He didn’t feel the jealousy like he had felt the night before. Odd. What in the world was going on between he and Emma? It was odd and wonderful at the same time.

Emma reappeared in the hallway, almost skipping as she moved down the hall toward him. Once she got close enough, she grabbed him by the collar and pulled him into a kiss.

Immediately his body heated, his cock again thickening. She tasted of coffee and warmth. When she released him, she was smiling. “What?” he asked.

“I’m loving my life. I’m loving you.” Her face glowed with excitement.

Logan took her face in his hands and looked deep into her sparkling eyes. “Emma, I don’t know what’s happened to me, but you are amazing. I love you. I don’t know how it happened so fast, but I love you.”

She smiled. “I know.” Linking her arm in his, she pulled him down the hall toward his apartment. “Let’s get ready. We have company coming.”

Logan unlocked the door, and Emma pushed past him. She whipped her coat off and threw it on the couch. Turning to him, she smiled. “You and I have something really special going on.”

He closed the door behind him. “I know. I’m not sure what it is, but I want to pursue it.”

“I do, too. I don’t know why I went to the park when I did and I don’t know why I feel such a strong connection to you, but Logan, I truly feel like I’m in love with you.”

The look in her eyes was precious. It was so sincere and raw with emotion, there was no way he could doubt what she was saying. He moved forward, sliding his arms around her waist. “Emma, be mine.”

“I already am yours.” She rose up on her tiptoes and placed a sweet, soft kiss on his lips.

Someone knocked on the door.

She dropped back down on her heels. “That will be Clay.” She moved around him and opened the door.

The man from down the hall stepped into the room. Offering his hand, he smiled. “Emma tells me you are her new love. Glad to meet you. I’m Clay Archer, an old friend.”

Logan shook his hand. “Nice to meet you. I didn’t know Emma knew someone here in the building.”

Clay was a bit shorter than Logan and a bit older. He had dark hair with a sprinkling of gray and expressive warm, brown eyes. So different than Logan himself.

“Emma didn’t know I lived here until last night. I’ve recently moved back to the area,” Clay said.

“Well, it’s nice to know you. How long have you known Emma?” Logan was very interested to know their history together. “Come in and sit down. I’m assuming you know the reason Emma has invited you here.” Logan moved into the living room.

Clay followed, sitting on the couch. He put a small canvas bag he’d brought with him on the coffee table in front of them. “I want to let you know right from the start, Emma and I used to be lovers.” He smiled, crossing one ankle over the opposite knee. “That was long ago, and she’s told me that she’s with you now. She told me she loves you.”

Logan felt a little better at that comment. “I love her, too, and I’d do anything to help her live her life to the fullest. Including what she has in mind for tonight.”

Clay smiled and glanced up at Emma, who was standing behind the couch. “You’ve got good taste, as always, Emma.”

She smiled. “I know.” Her phone rang in the pocket of her jacket. She picked it up from the couch and retrieved it. “You two get to know each other. I’ll be right back.” She went into the kitchen to take the call.

“So, Clay, tell me about you and Emma.” Logan leaned back on the couch, watching the other man.

Clay looked very relaxed and sure of himself. He smoothed his hand down the leg of his jeans. “Emma and I were a couple about ten years ago. I helped her explore her sensuality, and then I screwed up.”

“How so?”

“I made the mistake of stepping out on her without her knowing about it. It was stupid, but there’s no undoing it.” He leaned forward. “Emma is a force of nature, a truly real person. I lost her and it’s my fault, but I’ve gotten over it. So has she. But I’m here for her, whenever she wants. That’s why I’m here now. She told me you’ve agreed to a ménage, and I’m good with that. We’re old friends, nothing more, so you don’t have to worry about me stepping in on you.”

“Good to know. I’ve agreed to her idea of a ménage, but did she also tell you that her cardiologist will be here, just to monitor her?”

Clay nodded. “She did. And of course, I’ll be careful with her.”

“Then we have an understanding. I love Emma, and I won’t give her up.”

Clay laughed. “You won’t have to. Shall we shake on it?” He offered his hand again.

Logan smiled, glad they had the situation straight. He shook Clay’s hand.

Logan looked up when Emma stepped back into the room, her phone in her hand. She had the strangest look on her face. “Everything okay?” Logan asked.

Her gaze focused on him, her eyes holding an odd look. “What was Christi’s last name?”

Chapter Nine

Emma couldn’t believe what the doc had just told her. It was uncanny. It was weird. It was totally out of this world. “What was Christi’s last name?” she asked Logan, almost afraid to breathe.

“Why?” Logan asked.

“Just tell me.” She gripped her phone tightly.

“Steward. Is there something wrong?”

Steward. Oh Jesus.
“We need to talk. Will you excuse us for a moment, Clay?” She walked straight into Logan’s bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed. How in the world was she going to tell him this?

Logan came into the room, worry creasing his forehead. “Who was that on the phone?”