Chapter 17
Thump, thump, thump.
The stack of shirts I’d been hanging up in my closet falls from my hands at the banging on my front door. I pull my phone from my back pocket, seeing it’s barely past noon. My housewarming party isn’t until six tonight, and Tracy said none of the vendors–yes, she got vendors, plural, much to my dismay–were supposed to start setting up until two.
Turns out when Tracy and I met up earlier in the week, she wasn’t exactly honest about everything she had planned for this party. While she didn’t go crazy, she definitely didn’t go modest, either. And she’s expecting over thirty people, half of whom I don’t even know.
I had texted Jeremy earlier in the week with the date and time, and I’m grateful he’ll be here. I know once things kick off, Tracy will slip into hostess mode, so I’m glad I’ll have him to latch onto. I’m aware how pathetic that sounds, but I hate being in large crowds. Especially when I’m in the spotlight. At least with Jeremy there, I can dip away and hang out with him, since he won’t know most of the people there either.
Tracy never said whether she invited Emmett, but I’m assuming she did. Whether or not he’ll show is another matter. I haven’t heard from him since that night we got interrupted at my office. I wasn’t about to be the first one to reach out, because I didn’t want him to know that I was thinking about him.
Which I have been. Nonstop.
It infuriates me how he’ll show up out of the blue, work me into a frenzy, then drop off the face of the earth. And I hate that it bothers me, because it means I care. Because it means I want more from him.
So, when I hadn’t heard from him, I did what anyone else would do. I enlisted Tracy to snoop on him.
Turns out he hasn’t been at the brokerage all week either. Something about having to run out of town for a short business trip. I doubt he’ll be here tonight. Last Tracy had heard, she didn”t know when he was getting back into town.
My stomach twists at the thought of him not being here tonight, but before I can even consider what that means, the pounding starts again at the front door.
Picking up the clothes I’d dropped, I stack them neatly onto a shelf to hang later and run down the stairs to peek out the front window. She must see me pull back the curtain, because a second later, Tracy is in front of the window, a frown on her face.
“Open this door, woman!” she pouts, her voice muffled through the glass.
I give her my best puppy dog face before unlocking the front door and letting her in. “I thought the vendors weren’t due for a few more hours?” I say, closing the door behind her. We’d planned to get ready together while the vendors set up, but I hadn’t been expecting her so soon. “Why are you out here so early?”
She ignores me, instead thrusting the bag she has into my hands. “This is for you to wear tonight.” When I grab it, she turns around, taking in the place for the first time since our home inspection. “Wow, you look mostly unpacked already. But you should really get some decor or something. The place feels… not like you.”
I laugh, carrying the clothes bag over to the staircase to hang it from the railing for easier opening. “It’s not like I had much in my apartment to begin with. I’ll decorate as I settle in.” And truthfully, I don’t have the extra cash for that right now, anyway. Which reminds me, I need to call and check on my car next week.
I unzip the bag Tracy brought and freeze. A lacy, black dress hangs inside, and I can already tell from all the details that it cost a fortune.
“Trace,” I say softly. “What is this?” God, no. She did not buy this for me. I pull the hanger out of the bag and hook it back around the railing so the bag doesn’t obscure the gown.
It’s gorgeous. Nude with black lace over the entire thing. Short, but with a plunging neckline and long sleeves. I pull a sleeve toward me, my fingers running over the fine lace. I know it’s expensive, because it’s not scratchy like the cheap lace you find on most clothing these days. The fabric feels divine.
Tracy comes over, admiring the dress alongside me. “Your closing gift and housewarming gift wrapped into one. Custom made in Italy.”
I turn and pull her into a hug, squeezing her tight. “It’s gorgeous and I love it and it’s too much.” I pull back, but hold on to her upper arms. “Seriously, Trace, I can’t accept this.”
“Too bad it’s custom fit to your size, so I can’t take it back.” She flashes me a devilish grin and I laugh before pulling her back in.
“Thank you,” I tell her, trying to put how grateful I am into those two small words and knowing it’s not sufficient. “For everything.”
“You deserve it, Riley,” she says, squeezing me back before pulling away again. “And besides, Emmett’s going to go wild seeing you in that.” I shoot her a glare, to which she just winks.
“He might not even be here,” I remind her.
“And he also might be here, so may as well try to drive him half as crazy as he drives you.”
I can’t help the snort that escapes, but maybe she’s right. My first attempt to rile Emmett up by making him jealous of Jeremy backfired spectacularly. But perhaps I’m going about it all wrong. Maybe making him jealous isn’t how to get under his skin. Maybe I just need to tease.
I grab the bag and the dress to take upstairs while Tracy retrieves her suitcase from her car. We set up in my room, and I swear she brought an entire makeup store with her when she pulls out her makeup case.
The rest of the afternoon goes by in a blur. Between the food, drinks, music, and lighting, a dozen people have been coming and going non-stop, getting ready for the party. A couple hours before guests are due to arrive, I take a quick shower, and Tracy and I get ready together, her doing my hair and makeup just like she did before our senior prom, the one and only time I went to a school dance.
When I slip into the dress she got me and pair it with some black heels, I can’t help but feel giddy as I look in the mirror. It really was custom made for me, which makes me wonder how Tracy got my size so right. The dress hugs my curves like a glove, falling mid thigh with the plunging neckline falling almost all the way to my belly button. Delicate lace frames the opening, and the bodice provides just enough support to make my boobs look amazing.
The lace down my arms is soft against my skin, the pattern intricate and feminine against my pale complexion. I was worried all the black would wash me out since my summer tan has long since faded, but it doesn’t, the lace all delicate enough for me to carry well. The nude fabric under the body of the dress is a near perfect match to my skin tone, and from a distance, it really would look like lace with nothing underneath.
Tracy styles my hair in long, loose waves, and gives me a subtle, smokey eye with vibrant, red lips. The combination of it all together has me feeling sensual, feminine. Sexy.
If Emmett shows up tonight, someone’s going to be driven crazy, and for once, it’s not going to be me.
I stare at my backyard, in awe of what Tracy pulled off. When I had first pulled on my dress, I was a little worried I’d be overdressed for a housewarming party. But then Tracy waltzed out of my bathroom in a shimmering gold cocktail dress, and I should have taken that as a clue that the backyard would be elegant.
I’ve spent the last half hour playing hostess with Tracy as guests started to arrive, so this has been my first chance to really stop and look at the event she threw together. And it’s stunning.
The yard looks like a fairy tale, all warm and whimsical. There’s string lights hung throughout, crossing back and forth between the house and the tree line, creating a soft, glowing space for everyone to congregate. Two fire pits burn, one closer to the driveway and one further back toward the rear of the house, with chairs around them and baskets nearby filled with plush blankets. It’s chilly tonight, but between the fire pits and the extra patio heaters that were brought in, everyone looks comfortable.
There’s a food table off to the side full of cutesy little hors d”oeuvres and a s”mores spread for the fire pits. A bartender mans the bar beside it, stocked with every type of liquor you could imagine. Thankfully Tracy skipped the DJ, instead opting to hire two local musicians to provide live music throughout the night. There’s a small stage erected toward the back of the gathering area, and a man with a guitar sings soft country tunes.
Extra seating is scattered throughout, comfy oversized chairs and small couches that look a lot more like living room furniture than patio furniture, and I’m just about to make my way over to one when I feel a hand at the small of my back. A second later, Jeremy steps up beside me, a glass of wine in his hand.
“Your friend really outdid herself with this,” he says by way of greeting, gesturing toward the scene in front of us where people mingle, some lounging around the fire pits, others in chairs and couches listening to the music.
He hands me the glass of wine and I happily take it, desperate for some alcohol to get me to loosen up. As much as Tracy created a wonderland of my backyard, it still doesn’t help the jitters I have. Jitters caused by me wondering if Emmett will be here. I was introduced to his friend Jax earlier, which makes me think that he will be.
“Would you believe this was her keeping it simple?” I ask, the corner of my mouth tipped up into a small smile.
His chest rumbles with laughter and I turn to really look at him for the first time this evening. He looks good, really good, in jeans and a flannel shirt. More casual than everyone else is dressed, but something about seeing him dressed down makes him look even more attractive. Almost like he’s more in his element. Casual, out in the woods. All he needs is a beard and an ax, and he’d have the whole lumberjack thing going for him.
I gesture to him. “Sorry. I didn’t know the invitations Tracy sent out said cocktail attire. Otherwise I would have told you.”
He puts his arms out and does a slow spin. “You mean to tell me you wouldn’t wear this to a cocktail party?”
I can’t help the giggle that escapes. “I mean, if Tracy wouldn’t kill me, I’d probably be wearing flannel, too.”
“Nah,” he says, looking me over head to toe. “You wouldn’t. Because you look perfect. Just like this.”
A few weeks ago, a compliment like that from him would have had me running the other direction, embarrassed and nervous. But something changed between us the last couple weeks. A mutual understanding and camaraderie.
It’s almost hard to even believe that Jeremy used to make me feel so uneasy. All those times I brushed him off when he asked me out, so scared to get close to someone, to risk letting anyone in again. Ironic how he’s become someone I feel so comfortable with now.
I fight the blush I can feel spreading up my face, and instead gesture toward one of the fire pits. “Want to join me?”
Jeremy takes my hand and leads me over to the one closest to the stage. We each settle into a chair, me grabbing one that faces directly toward the stage so I can see the singer. Jeremy sits to my left, and the warm, crackling fire in front of me combined with the soft country tunes have me relaxing back into my chair.
Only moments later, out of the corner of my eye, I see Emmett’s friend approach.
“Mind if I join?” Jax asks, beer in hand.
“Not at all, man,” Jeremy responds for me, and I give Jax a smile.
I was surprised when Jax introduced himself as Emmett’s friend and business partner earlier. They’re exact opposites. Where Emmett is intense and serious, Jax is easygoing and lighthearted. Emmett is intimidating with his dark looks and tattoos and ‘don’t fuck with me’ attitude. But Jax seems so approachable and chill. He’s got the whole hippie look going with his shoulder-length brown hair, and seems like he’d also probably be more comfortable in flannel than the slacks and dress shirt he’s wearing now.
It makes me wonder how the two of them even became business partners to begin with. They don’t seem like the type who would naturally gravitate toward each other. Then again, I don’t know who Emmett would naturally gravitate toward. Other than me, apparently. At least, when he wants to.
Jax sits back in his chair, his legs spread casually in front of him. “Congrats on the place, Riley. Hell of find with all this land.”
“Thanks,” I reply, taking a sip of wine. “It almost didn’t even happen. I had basically given up when Tracy found this place.”
Jax makes a humming sound in his throat before saying, “And I understand Emmett helped out? That’s how you met?” The amused expression on his face has me wondering what all he knows. The crinkle at the corner of his eyes makes me think a lot more than he’s letting on.
“Yeah, just with the walk-through and closing,” I explain, though I’m certain he already knows that.
“He helped us move some furniture, too,” Jeremy adds. “Is he always so… uptight?”
I shoot Jeremy a panicked look. I don’t think he realizes that Jax and Emmett are close.
Jax just laughs it off, though. “Yeah, he can be a real asshole. But it’s what makes him so good at what he does. He’s a force to be reckoned with in the boardroom.”
Jeremy regards him curiously. “He does more than real estate?”
“Oh yeah. We got our start in real estate, but now own a venture capital firm. I handle a lot of that side of the business, though we’re equal partners, and Emmett continues to build our real estate portfolio.”
Interesting. I had assumed Emmett was just a typical real estate agent. But apparently that’s a pretty small part of what he actually does. Makes a lot more sense now why he’s trying so hard to buy property from Adam.
I take the opening as an opportunity to snoop, asking Jax, “How long have you known Emmett?”
He considers me for a second before saying, “For as long as I can remember. We grew up in the same apartment building. Became close friends since both of us had less than ideal home lives. Even got our first jobs working together.”
“And what was that?” I have a hard time picturing Emmett doing any of the typical first jobs. He doesn’t strike me as the type to work at a fast-food joint or mow lawns.
“Delivery drivers of sorts,” Jax replies, and I catch just the slightest hint of something wash over his face before he hides it again, smiling at me. “We’ve come a long way since then.”
“Would seem so.” I get the feeling Jax isn’t giving me the whole story. I don’t pry though, not wanting to get off on the wrong foot, having just met him. But I do make a mental note to dig into Emmett’s past a little more. There are too many unknowns with him.
“What kind of investing do you guys do?” Jeremy asks, and I excuse myself to head to the bar for another drink.
I spot Tracy off to the side with her broker, Blake, and there’s a tension in her face that I don’t usually see. She’s gripping her drink in her hand so tightly, I can see the whites of her knuckles from here. Concerned that something is wrong, I head in her direction, but when she notices me, she flashes me a smile and shoo’s me off with a flick of her free hand.
Odd, but I decide to let it go. If something was wrong, I’m sure she’d tell me. Still, I can’t help but glance back over my shoulder at her once I reach the bar. Blake is leaning in close, his head tilted down, lips close to Tracy’s ear. She smiles as he talks, and I note the subtle shift of her body as she leans closer into him. They’re not touching, but close. So close. They look far too intimate for being just colleagues, and I get the feeling there’s more going on between them than she’s told me.
Shuffling that knowledge away to grill her later, I grab another glass of wine from the bar, then step carefully through the grass in my heels, thankful that I went with wedges. As I get closer to the fire pit, I notice all but one of the chairs are now occupied, and Emery is in the seat between Jax and Jeremy.
“Hey, girl!” she calls out when I approach between her and Jeremy’s chairs. “Did I steal your seat?”
She moves to get up, but I brush her off. “No, no, that’s okay.” I motion for her to sit. “I’ll grab the other one.” It’s on Jax’s other side.
I turn to walk behind Jax’s chair, and that’s when I see Emmett, standing with Blake and Tracy.
Blake is talking to him, and he nods along, but his eyes are on me. I can feel them roaming over every inch of my body, dancing over my skin as goosebumps rise on my flesh. And when his eyes meet mine again, they’re dark. Something dangerous lurking in them. My stomach flutters under the intense scrutiny of him.
Emmett says something to Blake, and then he’s moving, taking long strides over to me. He’s in all black tonight, his muscles shifting under his clothes with every step he takes.
He looks like sin. Like late nights and dark places. Like whispered words and sweat-kissed bodies. Like he’d drag you to the pits of Hell and worship you amongst the blaze.
My heart beats faster with every step closer he takes. He stands out in the crowd, and not just because of his height and build, but because he commands the space. He absorbs the energy of the room, replacing it with his own. An air of confidence and pride and mischief.
As he nears, it amazes me how he can be both graceful and predatory at the same time. He moves his body like he’s honed every muscle to move in sync, fluid and smooth, yet with a purpose that lets you know what it’s capable of.
I take a big sip of wine. It does nothing to ease the butterflies in my stomach.
“Miss Miles,” he purrs when he reaches me. He steps in close, his hands finding my waist as he leans into my ear. “You look beautiful tonight.”
He pulls back and I shift uncomfortably under his gaze. “I didn’t know if you were coming.”
“I wouldn’t have missed it for the world,” he says, leaning in to kiss my forehead.
The move throws me off. Emmett is a lot of things, but sweet is not one of them. In all the times we’ve been together, fooled around, he’s never once done anything I would consider affectionate. Lust driven, of course. But soft? Sensual? Sweet? Nope.
“When did you get back from New York?” Jax asks, snapping my attention back to my surroundings. I turn to see he’s twisted sideways in his chair, watching us. As are Emery and Jeremy.
“Couple hours ago,” Emmett replies, grabbing my hand and pulling me over to the empty chair next to Jax.
“Everything squared away?” I don’t miss the look Jax gives him as he asks. Like there’s another question within his actual question.
I catch the slightest nod from Emmett, like he’s acknowledging that unasked question, before he says, “Yeah, it will be.”
Emmett sits and pulls me into his lap, arms draped causally around my waist. I’m not expecting it and my body goes stiff, part of me not wanting everyone to see us like this, and the other part of me wanting to burrow into his chest and feel all that solid muscle against me.
We’ve never been together around anyone else before, and I don’t know what to make of this. Are we a thing? Is he simply sharing his chair because it’s the only one? Or maybe he’s just intentionally trying to make me squirm. It is his favorite hobby, after all.
He reaches down to grab a blanket from the basket beside him and drapes it over us, hiding our lower bodies beneath it. “Relax,” he whispers, his breath hot on my ear. “And no more wine after that one.”
I scoff, turning my face the best I can to look back at him. “Excuse me?” I hiss under my breath. “It’s my party. I think I’m entitled to drink as much as I want.”
“Hmmm.” He runs one of his hands up my thigh, pushing my dress up higher. “That may be so, but I’m going to need you sober for what I have planned for you tonight.”
My blood heats and I wiggle against him, my mind immediately remembering the way he fingered me at my office earlier this week and how hard he made me come. He keeps his hand on my upper thigh, grasping the inside of it while his thumb makes small strokes dangerously close to my pussy.
“And what exactly do you have planned?” I whisper, using all my self control to keep my voice steady as his thumb taunts me. I’m already getting wet, my thin, lacy underwear doing nothing to hide it. All he’d have to do is slide that thumb a tiny bit further and he’d find my panties damp.
He grips me with the hand still at my waist, his fingers digging in, and I arch my back, my ass grazing the hard length of him. At the contact, he moves his hand down to my other thigh, running it up the inside. When both his hands are at the apex of my legs, he grabs onto my inner thighs, spreading my legs and pulling me back into him. The hard length of him grinds against me and I wiggle again, a burning need building in my core. I damn near spill my wine on both of us in the process.
He keeps his hands there, holding my legs open as his thumbs come to rest against my pussy. But he doesn’t move them, just holds them there over the most sensitive part of me, and my clit throbs so hard I wonder if he can feel it.
“Your panties are soaked, baby,” he whispers into my ear, but still he doesn’t move his thumbs, instead taunting me with the contact and lack of motion. I fight the moan in my throat. “I think this pussy missed me while I was gone.”
“Mhmm,” I hum, not even meaning to. But as soon as it’s out, I know it’s true. I did miss him. Or at least my pussy did.
I lean back into him and feel the vibration of his chest against my back as he says, “I’m going to make you come on my tongue tonight. And only after my face is dripping in your cum will I let you have my cock. I’m going to fuck this needy cunt like she deserves. And you’re going to be a good girl and take every fucking thing I give you.”
A small whimper gets caught in my throat and I roll my hips, unable to help myself. He stiffens beneath me, his hands clamping down on my thighs.
“Unless you want me to fuck you under this blanket in front of all these people, I’d quit wiggling that ass if I were you,” he growls into my ear, and it takes everything in me not to wiggle again at his words.
I suck in a breath and make a quick glance around the firepit to see everyone else talking and listening to the music, oblivious to the filthy words coming out of Emmett’s mouth. I finish my wine, my body coiled so tight I hope it helps to ease some of the tension.
When I set my empty glass down on the arm of the chair, Emery looks over and asks, “You want another one?”
Emmett rubs his thumb over my clit just as I’m about to speak, and my responding ‘no’ comes out as a squeak. Clearing my throat, I add, “No, thanks. I’m good.” I inwardly roll my eyes at the pushover I am with Emmett. If he told me to get on my knees right now, my traitorous body probably would.
“Have you thought any more about getting chickens?” Emery asks.
It takes me a second to even comprehend what she’s asking, my mind in such a haze from Emmett’s words and his damn thumbs that he’s still holding against my pussy. “Oh, I don’t know—” I start, but Jax interrupts me.
“Emmett and I can come out and build you a coop. Wouldn’t be a bad idea to have some,” he says, looking at Emmett.
Emmett snorts. “You take one wood working class and suddenly you’re Noah?”
Everyone laughs and I turn back to look at Emmett incredulously. “Did you just make a joke?” He flicks his thumb over my clit in response, and I whip back forward toward the group, hiding the squirm of my hips.
“See, he’s not always an asshole,” Jax laughs. Then adds, “Well, actually, that was a pretty dickish thing to say, but at least it was with humor.”
“You should do it, Riley,” Jeremy says, surprising me. “I know a farmer in the area that we get eggs from for the store. I’m sure he could get you a few chickens to start out with, walk you through the basics.”
“Then it’s settled,” Emery declares. “Riley’s getting chickens, and our two master carpenters over here are building the coop.”
Jax leans forward to whisper something to Emery as Tracy and Blake join the group.
The rest of the evening is spent chatting and enjoying the music. I stay in Emmett’s lap most of the night, getting up occasionally to play hostess and later to make some s’mores. But the rest of the time he has me in his grip, legs spread, and those thumbs against my overly sensitive center. Occasionally he’ll graze a thumb along the length of me, and by the time everyone starts leaving, I’m certain there must be a puddle in his lap from how turned on I am.