18. More Behind Her Words
MORE BEHIND HER WORDS
“ I ’ve got a few surprises for you,” Emma said the minute she opened the door for him on July Fourth.
Warren wrapped a long arm around her, his mouth slanting across hers, her body all but melting against him.
“I hope it’s more than one of what I’ve got in mind,” he said, leaning down to kiss her again.
It’d been two weeks since he’d seen her. He’d like them to have more time together, but things were picking up for him.
What he wanted to do was pick her up, toss her over his shoulder, and bring her to her room.
A month ago, they’d spent three nights and four days together and barely left her house. He thought for sure they’d get on each other’s nerves but didn’t.
Two weeks ago, he’d only come over for two days and one night. She was writing her next book, and because she accepted his idea, he was thrilled to spend time discussing it with her and offering suggestions.
“Oh, we’ll get to that,” she said, wiggling her eyebrows. “Not right away. We’ve got to get to my parents for the party.”
He’d be here two nights and three days again.
He couldn’t figure out her reason for not going to see him, but since he’d offered to come here, she took him up on it.
It probably had to do with her cat, but he had a surprise for her.
“Bummer,” he said.
“Bummer?” she asked, laughing. “It’s not a word I’d thought would come out of your mouth.”
He picked her up with one arm and smacked his lips to hers. “I’ve got a lot of words I’d like to say to you when we’re naked. How is that?”
“Much better,” she said. “Leave your stuff there. I need to show you the first surprise.”
She grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the stairs of her lower level that walked out toward the beach.
He did a lot of his working out in the sand for added balance and resistance. He’d even pulled Emma out there at one point to join him.
They got to the lower level where she had a large family room with furniture now pushed against the wall. She said she never used this space other than to go to the beach.
Now it held a treadmill and a massive weight set and arsenal.
“Shit,” he said. “Did you do this for me?”
She had to have spent close to ten thousand dollars here. The treadmill was a top-of-the-line commercial one and the Force All-In-One trainer looked like a monster space capsule in the center of the room.
He’d spent two to three hours working out daily while he visited before, and breaking it up in his day since he had nothing to use in her house and had to rely on old school calisthenics.
It was better than nothing, but not something he could do long term.
Now he could get one hell of a workout and not feel as if he was falling behind in his goals.
“I did,” she said. “Well, maybe a bit for me too. Someone who is a fitness nut said I need to get off my ass and move more. I do like to walk, and when the weather is bad, I don’t get to do it much. Now I can come down here.”
“Come here,” he said. “This was really nice of you. I feel bad at the cost of it.”
She laughed. “We aren’t going there, are we?”
“No,” he said. “I’m trying to figure out how you got it on the island and then put it together in just two weeks. Don’t things take longer to come here? No way you put this together.”
She waved her hand at him. “I had it delivered to the docks, which is a normal delivery time. Then a few of Hunter’s maintenance crews went over for me to get it and I paid them to put it together.”
“I guess it pays to know people,” he said.
“You know what it’s like. Money talks on top of it, but I wanted someone I trusted in my house and assembling it.”
“Smart,” he said.
“I’m very smart. I also thought I could watch you working out and take notes,” she said.
“For a book? Are you going to kill some personal trainer or something next? Or for you to learn to use it?”
“I was thinking of both, though I don’t want to get muscles like you,” she said. She ran her hand over his bicep and for fun, he flexed. She let out a little squeal.
“You like that, don’t you?”
“It gets the juices flowing more than just seeing you again.”
She was smiling when she said it.
Warren never knew if she was being funny or if there was more behind her words.
Everything they had was laid back and fun. He’d yet to see much deeper.
Was she holding back because of who he was and his career? Their location apart from each other?
Or that she was so used to doing her own thing?
He wondered if she liked the space they had apart and it was why it worked for her so much.
The last thing he wanted to do was come off as needy.
But he always knew while he was still a professional athlete that his time would be limited with a woman. He’d need someone who understood that.
He got it. There was no doubt there.
He just wasn’t sure he liked she wasn’t close enough by for him to just grab dinner with or sneak into her bed.
Which was selfish on his part to want the best of both worlds.
It wasn’t all about him, and he had to remember that.
“I might have to put on a show for you later,” he said.
“One more surprise before we go,” she said. “It’s upstairs in my office.”
He turned to walk ahead of her and she slapped his ass. “Did that sting, because it sure the hell sounded it?”
She was shaking her hand off and hopping up and down. “I need my hands. That will teach me. Is your ass like a freaking stone or something?”
“You grab it enough in bed, you should know.”
“You’re all muscle,” she said, giggling. “I forgot.”
“I wouldn’t say all muscle,” he said. Though he tried damn hard to be that way. Less chance of injury.
“Come on,” she said. “This surprise might not be as good in your eyes, but I couldn’t resist.”
They moved to the front of the house. He’d only walked past her office and hadn’t noticed the extensive collection of books lining the shelves. He wouldn’t have seen it unless he walked in.
“What the hell?” he said. “Do you like having your books here?”
“Oh,” she said. “That’s for my store.”
“Your store?” he asked.
“Yes. I sell my self-published books through my store also. I sign them and ship them out. Some retailers also sell them, but it’s much harder to get into those retailers and often not worth the effort. I leave my publisher to tackle that with those books.”
“I had no idea,” he said. It’s not something they talked much about. “What’s that?”
“A bookmarker. I send them out with the books. Just a cute thing.”
He picked one up with her logo on it. “I haven’t held a book in my hands to read in years. It’s so easy to throw my Kindle in my bag when I’m on the road.”
“I think most readers feel the same way,” she said. “But you’d be surprised how many people want an actual book. Anyway, this is why I figured the other gift was better.”
She moved to her desk, picked up a hardcover, and held it out to him. “This is for you. You said it’s one of your favorites.”
He reached for the Steve Spencer novel that he’d read years ago. He’d reread it several times. “Thank you,” he said.
“Open it,” she said, crossing her eyes. “I wouldn’t just give you a book that you’ve already read.”
He opened the cover and saw it was signed. Not just signed, but personalized.
To Warren, I hope to see a lot of War Shows this year...in more than one way. Steve Spencer
“First, how did you get this? And second, I wonder what that means.”
“It was pretty easy,” she said. “We share the same agent.”
“You never said that,” he said. “Sweet. I’m going to leave it here for now so I don’t damage it in my bag with clothes. I’ll put it in my car when I leave in a few days. I still have no idea what the heck it means.”
“I’m sure you’ll figure it out soon enough,” she said. “Could be about putting on a show on the field and off.”
He shrugged but couldn’t figure out the smirk on her face. “Have you met him?”
“Who?” she asked.
“Steve Spencer?” he said. “There are no pictures of him anywhere. No one knows what he looks like. I’m not sure how the heck he’s so popular without anyone knowing.”
“I think it’s part of the mystery,” she said. “Are you ready to go?”
“Yeah,” he said. “It’s just your immediate family, right?”
He was thrilled she invited him to a family party. Though he was aware her family knew about their relationship, the same as his did, they hadn’t talked about meeting.
“It is,” she said. “It’s been about two months since our casino date, and though my parents know who you are, they’d like to meet you personally.”
“I’m happy to meet them,” he said. “Are you willing to meet my mother and sisters?”
He’d been trying to figure out a way to ask. She’d have to leave the island for that. It’d be crazy for his family to come here.
He knew she didn’t leave it often. Or at all, unless it was necessary.
Would she think he was necessary or worth it?
“I’d like that,” she said. “Just let me know when and I’ll figure it out. Let’s go. I don’t want to be late. I’ll drive. It’s a pain in the butt to tell you what turns to take to get there.”
“You could just give me the address to put into my phone,” he said.
“Nope, too much work. Unless you always have to be the person driving?”
He shrugged. “No. I haven’t driven with you yet. Considering you don’t leave the house much, maybe you suck and we’ll get pulled over for traffic violations.”
She laughed and stuck her tongue out. “I’m not that bad. And if I got pulled over, the chief of police is Mac Bond. Enough said.”
“That is horrible,” he said.
“Like you don’t get off when you’re pulled over. But Mac wouldn’t let me off, it’s most officers know who I am and don’t even write it. Just like with you, right?”
“I try not to do anything to get pulled over,” he said.
He worked hard to have a stellar reputation.
He felt he had to considering who his father was.
They got in her Mercedes SUV, he pushed the passenger seat back as far as it would go, and they drove the ten minutes to her parents’ house.
Yep, it was a mansion and he was coming to expect no differently.
She parked in the circle in the front and got out. There was one other luxury SUV already here. He was assuming it was her brother’s.
They went through the wide double doors, then moved to the back of the house past lots of doors and echoing noises.
“It’s almost eerie in here,” she said. “I know. Though I lived here for a few years, it was so much space. I used about four rooms in the house.”
“I feel that way about my house,” he said.
“Why get such a big one then?” she asked.
“For my family to come visit. Maybe I hoped to fill it someday if I stayed in the area.”
She turned to look at him. “Do you want a lot of kids? You never said.”
“I’d like a few,” he said. “You’ve never said either.”
“A few works for me too.”
“There is my daughter. Not late, but the last one to arrive.” An older version of Emma walked forward. She didn’t look old enough to be Emma’s mother, though he’d been told Melissa French would be sixty this year.
“I’m always the last,” she said. “Everyone, this is Warren Showers. You all know him and have most likely seen his commercials. My mother, Melissa, my father, Noah.”
Her parents came forward and shook his hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“The same,” Melissa said. “We all want to know what it’s like dating my daughter.”
“You’re going to start in already?” Emma asked. “Not fair. You’re going to scare Warren off.”
“We gave you two months for him to learn what you’re like first,” Noah said.
“I know how she is,” he said. “I’ve got no problem with it.”
“Maybe you can get her off this island a time or two. I’m Roark, and this is my wife, Chelsea.”
He shook hands with Emma’s brother and sister-in-law and noticed the baby sleeping off to the side in a portable playpen. He knew Taryn was about five months old.
“Hey,” Emma said. “I’ll go off the island when I need to or I’m asked.”
“Asked?” Warren lifted an eyebrow. “I didn’t know I needed to ask.”
She shrugged. “You keep bringing up coming here. I just figured it’s so you weren’t noticed as much. I don’t know. It’s working, isn’t it?”
He frowned. “I didn’t know if you had to work something out with Lucky?”
“What’s there to work out?” she asked. “Everything is on automatic. Even his litter box. I don’t have to do much other than fill his water and food bowl once a week. I’ve got it marked on my calendar to get a text reminder.”
“That’s horrible, Emma,” Noah said.
“What,” she said. “I think it’s practical. This way I will never forget.”
“Do you even play with your cat?” Roark asked. “I can’t believe you’ve got a pet. You can barely remember to feed yourself.”
“I guess we are going to gang up on me today. I play with Lucky. He likes to sit on my feet now when I’m writing.
He’s got toys too, but he’s not a dog and doesn’t play fetch.
We’ve got a good routine. Besides, Roark.
You’re the one who said I’d end up as the crazy cat lady.
We know I’m crazy, but I’ve only got one cat. I’m there.”
“She’s a joke a minute,” Melissa said. “How do you stand it?”
“I love her humor,” he said. “Maybe it’s to counter all the murder and seriousness of her books.”
“Ahhhh,” Emma said, moving over to slip her arm around his waist. “Warren gets me. How come none of you figured that out?”
There was silence to that statement, his own included.
It might be the first time she didn’t have a joking tone to her words, but more of a tender emotion.