Short Soup (18 page)

He opted for a light-hearted attempt at conversation. ‘Chocolate’s a much nicer smell than fish and chip grease.’ The warm aroma of cocoa with a bite of ginger filled his nostrils. ‘You’re making me hungry.’

‘And you’re trying to distract me.’ An impish smile lit her face.

He grinned. ‘Maybe just a little.’

Andy signalled him, and Garth squeezed her arms. ‘Okay, Chloe. We’re at nearly fourteen thousand feet. Are you ready?’

She nodded. ‘I can do this.’ She said the words aloud, but the unfocused look in her eyes told him she was talking to herself. ‘I am brave, whatever he says. Screw you Ethan, you bastard. I can totally do this.’

So she was proving herself to a guy. Fair enough. His admiration for her grew. ‘Come on, honey.’ He pushed her to her feet and wrapped his left arm around her waist. ‘We’ll show him how much courage you have.’

Emily Warner threw another skirt back into her closet and cursed Wade Johnson. The man had her questioning every decision she’d ever made right down to the clothes in her wardrobe. Indecision was not her thing. She was a take-charge-get-it-done kind of woman. Except when it came to Wade. Her shoulders drooped and her head fell forward as all the air left her chest. How had one man managed to shake her confidence with such profound effect? If only she hadn’t needed that favour. But she couldn’t put on a Christmas concert for the children without a Santa. Refusing his offer of help to avoid a date hadn’t seemed fair.

She’d met Wade months ago, their attraction mutual and obvious, but Em had a five year plan and nowhere was there mention of a man, least of all one who made her stomach drop and her mind wander through a white picket fence and down the garden path. With her plan firmly in place, she’d rejected every advance he made in the hope he’d give up and move on to greener, more amenable pastures. She should have known better. A man like Wade couldn’t be brushed aside so easily. He was like a dog after a bone and now that he’d finally sunk his teeth into her, she doubted either of them would come out unscathed.

Cursing the man and his rotten timing – and her treacherous libido – Em dove back into her closet with the determination to wear the first thing she put her hands on. Whatever she pulled out next would be it. No more waffling. The black dress she came out with was the sexiest piece of clothing she owned. Wasn’t that just typical of her current off-the-track life plan that it would be the outfit she’d grab?

“Dammit.” Emily tossed the dress across the end of her bed and stared at it, muttering. “Dammit, dammit, dammit.”

She didn’t
have
to wear it. Except she’d made a decision and she would stick to it. She’d be damned if Wade Johnson was going to make her second guess one more thing. Head high, she spun on her heel, and stomped to the bathroom. He’d arrive in less than an hour and she needed every second of that to pull herself together. Heaven forbid he see her flustered. The man would pounce on any weakness she showed and Emily Warner never showed anything but calm, cool certainty. Her shoulders drooped slightly. Until Wade.

Steam from her shower still hovered in the bathroom and she had to swipe a towel across the mirror to clear the fog. Emily studied the face in front of her, but only saw the same woman she’d seen every day for years. Nothing had changed outwardly, but internally… Inside something was different. Cracked. It didn’t matter how much she denied it or fought it, there was no way to hide from the impact Wade had on her. He made her think of things she’d put aside years ago. Made her remember what it was to yearn for something she didn’t have and thought she didn’t want. Not yet anyway. And now he had her questioning the plan.

With a sigh, Em pulled the towel from her head and picked up her comb. Her short hair was practical for work and the natural curl gave her a feminine look, but if she were being honest she’d have to admit the style was quite boyish. The robe she wore hung off her slender shoulders, emphasising the less than curvaceous body beneath. More proof she didn’t live up to the image of most men’s fantasies. With another sigh, she began to run the wide-toothed comb through her tangled curls. It didn’t take long to remove the knots and fluff the waves into place. Reaching for her make-up bag, she pulled out her meagre supply and set to work on her face. She may lack curves in the places men lusted after, but her face was her saving grace.

She’d been called classically beautiful. What that meant Em wasn’t sure, but her deep blue eyes and long lashes were often called bedroom eyes, and drew more than a few compliments. Her full red lips had been described as kissable by a number of guys she’d dated over the years. Personally she thought they were over-large and took up too much of her face. To counteract her large mouth, Emily emphasised her eyes and down-played her lips. The one place she didn’t worry about make-up was at work; she never knew when one of the children would plaster a paint covered hand on her cheek, so it was best to not have to worry about cosmetic repairs at all.

The old cuckoo clock that had been her grandmother’s whirred to life out in the living room. With a squeak of hinges and a time-worn voice, the little cuckoo sprang from his house and chirped seven times. She was down to thirty minutes before Wade arrived. He hadn’t told her where they were going or what they were doing but considering it was New Year’s Eve and he’d asked her to dress semi-formal Em expected to be attending a party or perhaps an upscale restaurant. Her stomach fluttered at the thought of spending hours with him. From the few conversations they’d engaged in over the last few months she knew he was intelligent and didn’t doubt he’d be a charming companion for the evening. It was
how
charming he’d prove to be that had her worried.

Slicking on a coat of lip gloss she rolled her lips together to spread the layer evenly. She bypassed her foundation and blush and opted for a single swipe of mascara on her lashes. The temperature hadn’t lowered a great deal and she’d learned not to risk melted make-up disasters long ago. Sydney’s summers were best dealt with naturally and today was no exception. If the weathermen were to be believed there’d be no relief from the heat in the next few days and her car’s climate control system had registered a stifling thirty-eight degrees when she’d arrived home at five o’clock.

Emily checked her reflection one more time. Happy with both her hair and face, she made her way back to the bedroom and the black dress awaiting her. She pulled a matching bra and panties set out of her top drawer while she eyed the slinky material draped over her quilt. The fabric shimmered in the low light and Em couldn’t help but wonder what Wade would think when he saw her. A smile tugged at her lips. She’d never be a traffic stopper with her overly slender body, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t look good. Knowing how to play up her best assets had served her well in the past.

Not that she was out to impress him.

She slipped the belt of her robe free and shrugged out of the satin negligee she’d spent far too much money on last birthday. It wasn’t often Em spoiled herself, the plan didn’t allow for it for a start, but she’d never been one to indulge in frivolous things. While she hadn’t needed a new robe Em had found it impossible to pass up and consoled her practical side by saying it was a birthday gift to herself after exceeding the first year’s goal in her five year plan.

Stepping into the lace underwear Em thought about how far she’d come. From high school drop-out to business owner in less years than it took most to get their degrees. Years spent with her nose buried in books earned her not only a high school certificate, but a degree in early childhood education and a business degree with a minor in accounting: all things necessary to make her childcare centre such a success that parents put their children’s name down on the waiting list before they were born. By most people’s standards she’d already made it. But Emily wasn’t quite done yet.

Two more years and she would have achieved her goal a whole year ahead of time. Then she’d be able to step back and enjoy the results of all her hard work. Until then she couldn’t afford to be distracted by a good looking man, no matter how he made her insides churn. She’d go on this date and make it perfectly clear that she wasn’t interested in anything more. Emily chewed her bottom lip as she bent forward to fit her breasts into the cups of her bra properly. The delicate lace hugged her size-A mounds, barely covering her nipples. She didn’t normally wear such a low-cut undergarment, but the dress’s scooped neckline made the risqué underwear a necessity. And Emily excelled at doing what was necessary.

Emily reached for her dress and lowered the zipper. Carefully, she lifted the fabric over her head and shimmied until the soft material floated down her body. The silky caress of cool cloth sent a shiver down her spine. Twisting, she managed to get the zip up to her shoulders before contorting herself like a pretzel to close it the rest of the way. With another small shimmy the dress rippled and slid into place. Satisfied with her outfit if not precisely comfortable, Em searched the cupboard for her black sandals then headed for the living room.

She checked her phone in the hope of finding a message from Wade telling her he had to cancel, but there was no little envelope icon on the screen. It was probably best if she just accepted she was going on a date with Wade Johnson no matter how much she’d fought against it. Resigned to the inevitable Emily sighed and sat on the couch to wait for him to arrive.

Wade parked in front of the small clapboard house and studied it. The paint looked fresh, the garden well kept, and the car in the driveway was brand new. Those things told him a lot more about Emily than she’d told him herself. He wasn’t stupid; he knew she didn’t want to go out with him. What he couldn’t work out was why. They were attracted to each other – more than, if the sparks arcing between them were an indication. He’d taken a chance on tonight. No guy liked rejection, but in Emily’s case Wade thought the risk would be worth it.

He pulled his keys from the ignition and opened the door. Brushing his hands down his slacks, he straightened them as he walked up the front path. Two steps led to the wide porch. A swing sat to the left, its cushions plump and inviting. There wasn’t time to take in more of the cosy setting because he’d no sooner pressed the bell than the door swung open. Wade couldn’t decide if that meant Emily was keen for their date to start or keen for it to end. Probably the latter. A smile tugged at his lips, but it froze half formed and his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth as she stepped from behind the door and into view.

His gaze travelled from her dark curly hair to her strappy black shoes, taking in every sexy inch of her in between. He swallowed. Hard. Jeez, she’d be the death of him for sure. The black dress was made of material that sparkled as it shifted over her subtle curves. Emily wasn’t waif thin, although she didn’t have a spare millimetre of flesh on her either. Her breasts were on the small side, but he’d had more than one fantasy about getting his hands—and mouth—on them. With supreme effort, Wade gathered what remained of his wits and offered her a hand.

“Ready to go?”

Her shoulders pulled back and her breasts thrust forward making his mouth water and his mind splinter again.

“Yes.” She spoke in her prim school teacher voice. The one Wade imagined she used on the children she cared for every day.

He took her elbow and urged her out of the house. “Let’s go then.” Making sure the door locked behind them, Wade led her down the stairs and to his car, his mind blank of anything intelligent to say.

Opening the passenger door, he waited while Emily slid in and buckled up before he closed the door and walked around to the driver’s side. Slipping behind the wheel, he started the car and got them on their way before he dared to speak. He cleared his throat.

“I should have said this already: you look beautiful, Emily.” From the corner of his eye he saw her fidget in her seat. Was she nervous?

“Um, thank you.” She took a deep breath. “You look nice too.”

The compliment wasn’t said with the enthusiasm he would have liked, but it was a start, and, while the silence that stretched between them was slightly uncomfortable, he didn’t feel the need to fill it with inane chatter. Neither did Emily and they remained quiet while he navigated the busy streets. Wade was thankful they didn’t have far to go. In twenty minutes he was turning onto his street and hoping she wouldn’t demand he take her home when she realised where they were spending the evening.

He’d planned the night down to the last second. Nothing was left to chance for this, what he hoped would be the first of many dates with Emily. Their dinner, catered by one of the local five star restaurants, would be delivered at eight-thirty. Wade had prepared their entrées himself, and they were ready to serve the minute they took their seats out on the patio that overlooked the sparkling waters of Sydney Harbour. There was no better entertainment for New Year’s Eve in Sydney than the two spectacular fireworks displays and as far as Wade was concerned, no better place to witness them than his own backyard.

When he’d inherited the family home, Wade had thought about selling. It seemed silly to have just him wandering around the huge ten-bedroom mansion, but his sister had convinced him to keep hold of the one thing they had left of their parents. Now, as he pulled into his harbour side home, he was grateful for Vee’s guidance. Winding down his window, Wade reached out and punched in the security code that would open the front gate. As the wrought iron monstrosity parted in two wide arcs the house came into view.

“Oh, my,” Emily whispered beside him. “Are we attending a private party?”

Wade smiled. “You could say that.”

“I think I’m under-dressed.”

He glanced at her as he steered the car through the gates. “No. You’re perfect.” Returning his eyes to the driveway, Wade drove passed the garage to the front door. There was no point putting the car away when he knew he’d be driving Emily home later.