Love in Bloom

Chapter Ten

CHAPTER TEN

H ey, there,” I whispered as I snuck up behind Dan in the greenhouse. It was the middle of the day and I’d just come from lunch at Erica’s. Dan usually didn’t like to be disturbed while he was working, but it didn’t stop me from doing so almost every day. I’d also come with reinforcements, just in case. “Can I come in?”

“You’re already in, Emma,” Dan said with a chuckle but didn’t turn around.

“You know what I mean.” I took a few steps closer to see what he was working on. He had the head of a rose sliced open on his worktable, and he was looking through the lens of a microscope. “I wanted to make sure I wasn’t disturbing you.”

“You, my dear”—he rose from the microscope, picked up his pencil, and scribbled something into his notebook before he turned to face me—“are always a welcome distraction.” He snaked his arms around my waist and pulled me into him, brushing our lips together. “How was your day, beautiful?”

“So far, so good.” I smiled against his lips. “And it’s definitely improving.”

“I’m happy to hear that.” His large hand slid to the nape of my neck where he tightened his grip and deepened our kiss. Our lips parted and his tongue slid over mine while he used both hands to caress my back. My eyes fluttered closed as Dan’s kiss carried me away, making me so lost in his embrace that I dropped the bag of muffins I was holding. “Shit, let me get that.” Dan bent down and picked up the brown paper sack.

“They’re from Mavis,” I said breathlessly, pressing my fingers to my lips, which were still tender. “She was my first stop today, and she wanted to make sure that you weren’t working through the day and skipping lunch.” I raised an eyebrow at him.

“Guilty.” He chuckled and reached into the bag and pulled out a muffin. “This one’s got a bite taken out of it.”

“I had to taste it to make sure it was okay.” I shot him an innocent grin and batted my eyelashes.

“Well, that was incredibly thoughtful, Emma.” He snaked his arm around my waist and kissed me again. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” I grinned at him. “I also got you an avocado, lettuce, and tomato sandwich with french fries from Erica, and…” I made a dramatic show of pulling a thermos out of my tote bag. “I made you some tea.” The thermos full of tea I presented him was from the third batch I’d made, the one that tasted closest to the tea he made for me every day.

“Wow,” he said, eyeing the thermos like it might explode, “you made this? Without any help?”

“Yes, I did.” I narrowed my eyes at him. “I’ve been watching you carefully over the past few weeks, and I think I did a good job.” I crossed my arms and nodded with more confidence than I felt.

“I’m sure it’s lovely.” He kissed the side of my head and led me outside. He removed a folded blanket from the back of the tractor and laid it out, and we proceeded to spend a lazy afternoon kissing and eating lunch. I told Dan all about my morning with Mavis, who’d told me stories about my grandparents, while he pretended to like my tea.

“Did you know Mavis is a cancer survivor?” I stroked Dan’s beard as I reclined in his lap, watching him sip.

“I did.”

“And my grandmother took over running her bakery while she went through treatment, and never accepted a penny for it?”

“I did,” he repeated and glanced down at me, his beard twitching with a smile.

“Did you know that Mavis was the first person my grandparents convinced to try medical marijuana, and that the brownies she sells are actually my great-grandmother’s recipe?” I raised an eyebrow.

“Now, that”—he put his cup down before leaning over to kiss me—“I didn’t know.”

“They were such amazing people who did this huge thing that touched so many lives.” I sat up to look Dan in the eyes. “Sometimes I wonder…”

“Wonder what, love?”

“I wonder if I’m capable. What if they made a huge mistake leaving everything to me?”

“They didn’t.” He stroked my cheek.

“How do you know?”

“Because George and Harriet King were two of the cleverest people I’ve ever met. If they chose you, they had bloody good reason.”

I tried to smile, but I couldn’t shake my looming anxiety. Dan must have sensed it because he placed his palms on my shoulders, enveloping me in warmth.

“Plus, I’ve had the privilege of watching you make this town your home, and I know there isn’t a more perfect person to take care of this place.” I smiled as he folded me in his arms. “And I’m a very smart person.”

“And modest.”

Dan chuckled before kissing me breathless.

My impromptu day trip to Atlanta was now a week ago, and it felt like a giant weight had been lifted off my shoulders. On the drive back to the farm, I didn’t feel like I was running away from my life. I felt like I was running toward it. I wasn’t quite sure where Dan fit into that equation, but I wasn’t leaving Atlanta because of him. My answer to Teddy’s parting question was completely honest. For once in my life, I was putting myself first.

Dan and I grew closer every day. Once everything was out in the open, we fell into an easy routine. Life went back to normal on the farm for him, since he didn’t have to keep such a watchful eye on me, which meant long hours of working and no time for impromptu sleepovers. That didn’t mean we didn’t sneak kisses every chance we got, though.

While Dan was working, my days were spent in town getting to know as many people as I could and gaining a deeper understanding of what my grandparents and their farm meant to everyone. Erica even gave me a couple of shifts at the diner since I spent so much time there. In the afternoons after Dan would shoo me out of the greenhouse, I would spend long hours outside working on the small garden Dan helped me start in the front yard. My favorite plant was the small rosebush he’d given me. With my care and attention, it had bloomed after only a few weeks, which Dan told me was rare. It had given me a small burst of pride since pre-farm Emma couldn’t keep a cactus alive.

The days grew chillier as summer began to fade, and after a few weeks on the farm I finally felt like I was where I belonged. It didn’t happen all at once, and I can’t exactly explain when I knew, but one day I was sitting in my grandfather’s study, trying to take Dan’s bishop with the most impact. We’d played many games with the different chess sets around the house, and though I lost count of the number of games we’d played, I knew that Dan had only beaten me once (he’d spent the afternoon distracting me in his bed, and I’d lost focus). For reasons that were becoming more and more clear with each moment we spent together, we’d been drawing out the game we played on my grandfather’s antique set, both of us unwilling to let the game end.

I’d been daydreaming about Dan’s delicious distractions, which inspired me to do something I’d been putting off for weeks. After grabbing my phone, I dug through my purse until I found Preston Smith’s business card.

“Miss Walters,” he said with a fake chuckle that made my stomach turn, “your ears must have been ringing because I was just talking to the partners about you. Are you ready to change your life for the better?”

His question made me roll my eyes because he assumed that my life wasn’t already good and that the only thing that could make it better was selling out an entire town of people that I’d grown to care about. However, unbeknownst to Preston Smith, the answer to his question was yes. I was definitely ready to change my life.

“It’s funny you should ask because that’s the reason I’m calling.”

“Excellent. I knew you’d come around. When can I have the boys in legal draw up the paperwork? We’d love to get moving on this deal before tourist season next year.”

“Actually, there won’t be anything for the boys in legal to draw up because I decided not to sell.”

“You what?” His jovial demeanor had dissipated. “Did you get another offer? Because we’ll match it. Shit, we’ll beat it.”

“No, I’ve decided to keep the farm.”

He let out an incredulous laugh.

“Keep it and do what? Grow corn? Come on, Emma. Think about this. Think about what this money could do for you. Think about what it could do for your boyfriend’s senate run.”

I felt like I’d been slapped.

“Excuse me?”

“C’mon, Ms. Walters. You think I didn’t do my research? You’re soon to be engaged to Teddy Baker, and it’s a well-known secret that he’s planning to make a run for the senate. Senate races are expensive, and—”

“Let me cut you off there. My personal relationships are none of your business. This is my farm, and all decisions regarding its ownership are made by me. I’ve decided that I’m not selling it to anyone, and that’s final.” I huffed out a deep breath. “Goodbye, Mr. Smith.”

“Ms. Walters, listen, I can—” I ended the call.

“All right, Emma?” Dan was leaning on the doorframe to the study. I was rolling Dan’s captured bishop between my fingertips when I looked up to meet his gaze.

“I just had an infuriating call with Preston Smith.” I got up from the desk and walked toward him.

“Oh, yeah? Do you want me to kick his arse?” he joked and wrapped his arms around my waist.

“When I’m done with him.” I planted a peck on his lips.

“Well, what did he want?”

“I called him, actually,” I said. Dan’s eyebrows shot up his forehead. “I told him that I wasn’t selling the farm.”

“When did you decide this?” His expression was unreadable. I couldn’t tell if he was in disbelief or excited, or anything, really.

“I’m not sure, but I don’t think selling is the right thing to do.”

“I know this isn’t a usual occurrence, but I agree with you.” He grinned and pressed our foreheads together. “And what does that mean for you?” His expression betrayed the first signs of emotion. It looked like hope.

“I was thinking… that I’d stick around for a while.”

“How long is ‘a while’?”

“I’m not sure. As long as it feels right, I guess.” I worried my bottom lip with my teeth. “Would you be okay with that? Having a long-term roommate?”

“I think you know the answer to that, Emma Walters.” He squeezed my body into his. I placed my hand on his chest, pressing the chess piece that I was still holding into his pec.

“Is that my bishop?” He furrowed his brow in mock indignation.

“It was your bishop,” I quipped. “But now it’s my bishop.”

“His name was Thomas, and he had a pet collie named Peter. Who’s gonna take Peter for his daily walks?”

“Perhaps Thomas should have thought about Peter when he threatened my rook.” I squealed laughing when Dan hoisted me onto his shoulder. “What are you doing?”

“I’m going to take you upstairs and avenge Thomas’s death.” He took the stairs two at a time. He tossed me onto my bed and peeled off my leggings before doing something with his lips, tongue, and hands that made me sorry that he only had two bishops to capture.

Dan had taken a rare day off to watch a cricket game, and I was curled up on the couch with my feet in his lap, where he massaged them in between cheering and swearing at the screen or texting with his brother, who was watching in London.

My phone rang and I didn’t recognize the number, so I ignored it. It was a clear indication of how far I’d come since moving to the farm because three weeks ago, the idea of not answering my phone would be like asking me not to breathe. In fact, it was not answering my phone that had cost me my job.

Speaking of my job…

My phone rang again. This time, I knew the number very well.

Nina.

Nina Laramie was calling me.

It was the same Nina Laramie who’d fired me while doing an impression of Miranda Priestly from The Devil Wears Prada that was so terrifying, Meryl Streep would hand over one of her Oscars. I had no idea why I was so shocked. Max, in her infinite wisdom and despite being three martinis deep, predicted this.

“Abey Yaar!” Dan shouted and dropped my foot to shake his fist at the screen. His angry outbursts usually elicited a giggle from me. Responding to my silence, he turned from the screen to face me.

“All right, Emma?” Dan asked me after Nina’s third sequential call. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“My boss is calling me.” I held up my cell phone to show him the screen.

“The boss that sacked you for taking one bloody night for yourself?” He raised an eyebrow and I nodded. “Well, first of all, you don’t need to whisper because she can’t hear you.” I smirked at him and narrowed my eyes. “And second, you don’t have a boss, remember?” My grin grew into a smile. “Now, you either need to answer your mobile or turn it off so I can explain what a googly is for the third time, since you seem to keep forgetting.”

“Maybe I like hearing you say the word googly ”—I giggled—“and wicket .”

“Emma.” He cast a stern glance at my phone.

After heaving a deep sigh, I answered Nina’s call.

“Emma, darling,” she crooned. “It’s been ages. Have I caught you at a bad time?”

“Um, no.” I swung my feet out of Dan’s lap and stood. “I have a few minutes to talk.” I was trying to walk past the couch when he grabbed my wrist and pulled me into his lap. It took every ounce of decorum not to giggle or squeal.

“A few minutes is all I need. I’ll cut through the bullshit and small talk. Firing you was a mistake. I’m a big girl and can admit when I’m wrong. So my checkbook is open, and I need you to tell me how many zeros to put on it to get you back at your desk on Monday.”

“Nina, I’m just not interested in going back—”

“Did you get an offer from another firm? Was it Peach Blossom? If it was, I can guarantee you won’t have nearly as many options there as you would if you worked for me. I’m willing to go twenty percent above any other offer you’ve received—presented in writing—plus a promotion.”

“A promotion?” I stiffened and sat up straight.

“Yes, I should’ve promoted you a year ago. No more babysitting spoiled celebrities. You will be swimming in the big pond, darling, with the big fish. The bicoastal pond.” She paused.

“Bicoastal?”

“Yes, our client list in the entertainment industry is growing, which means Laramie needs to have a presence in Los Angeles.”

My heart raced in my chest. Nina was telling me everything that I would have wanted to hear six weeks ago. Getting fired from the Laramie Firm had felt like the end of the world. A few short weeks later, my world had completely changed. My cell phone mostly lived in my bedside drawer. The only heat my hair experienced was my morning shower, and I hadn’t worn a five-inch pair of heels since… since the day Nina fired me.

I looked at Dan for some sort of guidance. Though he’d been paying careful attention to my conversation—it was impossible not to hear Nina through the earpiece—his expression didn’t give me a clue as to his opinion on the situation. I closed my eyes and drew in a deep, calming breath.

“Nina, I am so flattered that you thought of me for this amazing opportunity—”

“Good, when can I—”

“But I’m sorry. I can’t accept it.”

“Look, Emma, I was twenty-nine once. I’m not sure what you’ve been doing with yourself for the last month or so, but you need to consider this offer very carefully because offers like this don’t come around often, if ever.”

“I understand, but—”

“I’m going to give you six weeks. We’re launching the new office in the new year, and I want you there. Six weeks. Think about it.” Nina ended the call before I could refuse her again.

A fit of hysterical laughter started in my belly until I was laughing so hard I almost dropped my phone. I was in complete shock.

I could only shake my head in response. I had just said no to the woman I’d idolized and who’d also terrified me for the last five years. If I didn’t recognize myself before, I definitely didn’t now. A heady rush of endorphins mingled with disbelief flooded my body, making me feel like I was floating.

I turned in Dan’s lap to straddle him, grabbed the sides of his confused face, and pressed our lips together.

After the game, we ended up at Erica’s for a late lunch to celebrate my continued unemployment and India’s win against New Zealand. I had just taken a too-big bite of my patty melt when we were approached by a slightly older, statuesque, and curvy woman who seemed to be a little too dressed up for the middle of the day. It reminded me of my daily uniform of sheath dresses, shaved legs, and sky-high stilettos—another reason I was glad I’d turned down Nina’s offer. This woman almost reminded me of Teddy’s mother, except she was a few shades darker and wore bright red lipstick. Mother Baker would never.

“You must be Emmaline. I’ve heard so much about you.” She stopped in front of our table just as I was grabbing my water glass so I could choke down my bite of food. She wore a warm, genuine smile—which didn’t remind me of Teddy’s mother—while she waited patiently for me to finish.

“If it was all good things, then it’s true,” I joked, causing her to chuckle and playfully slap me on the shoulder. “And I prefer—” I almost told her that I preferred to be called Emma, but I stopped myself.

“You prefer what, dear?” she questioned.

“You know what? Nothing.”

She smiled and continued speaking.

“Well, I was here picking up lunch for my husband, the mayor.” I shot Dan a look and his beard did an almost imperceptible twitch as he continued to focus his attention on the mayor’s wife. “And I saw Dan here”—she touched his shoulder—“so of course, I knew the beautiful woman he was sitting with had to be the one and only Emmaline Walters.” She paused for an awkward few seconds before she shot Dan a pointed glance.

“Ah, Emma.” He straightened up and cleared his throat. “This is Belinda Cole, our town’s first lady. Belinda, you already met Emma—um, Emmaline.” He raised an eyebrow at me.

“You two have cute little names for each other already.” She wrinkled her nose and looked between me and Dan before she sighed. “I’ve actually been meaning to reach out to you, Emmaline. The word around our little town is that you are an experienced event planner.”

“I guess you could say that…” My background wasn’t in event planning, but as a PR rep I’d worked closely with Atlanta’s top planners and had even hosted some small events. I was sure whatever Belinda was teeing up for me couldn’t be more complicated than a cocktail party.

“Wonderful!” She clapped her perfectly manicured hands together and almost squealed. “I am formally inviting you to join the planning committee for our annual Harvest Festival.”

“I’m sorry.” I’m glad I wasn’t eating anything because I would have surely choked. “Did you say festival?”

“Mm-hmm.” She nodded excitedly. “It’s the biggest event in the county, and this year I want it to be really special. Something the Kings would be really proud of.” Her expression softened and she squeezed my wrist. “We’re really glad to have you here, Emmaline. I know I haven’t had a chance to run into you until now, but I hear the stories. You’re gonna be good for this place.” She patted my wrist, and her look was so sincere that I felt my eyes prickle.

“Belinda, I would be honored to help plan the festival,” I said with a firm nod. “When is it?”

“The second week of October.”

“October?” I blinked at her and she answered me with a nod. “It’s August.”

“Yes, it is.” She smiled again. “I’ll have Erica send you all of the details.” She paused and glanced between me and Dan again before sighing. “So adorable.” Then she turned and left the diner.

“October?” I squeaked at Dan.

“October,” he repeated before dunking one of his fries in ketchup.

“Did you know there was a Harvest Festival in October?”

“Yeah,” he said around a mouthful, “there’s one every year.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

He just shrugged. “Are you worried?”

“Um, a little.” My voice was dripping with sarcasm. “I’ve never planned a festival before.”

“You’ll be fine, love.” He reached across the table and grabbed my hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “First of all, you’re brilliant. I don’t think there’s anything you couldn’t do if you put your mind to it—besides make a decent pot of tea.” He smirked and I threw a french fry at him. “And second of all—and I might have to tell you this twice—you won’t be doing it by yourself. You will have help, which I know is a foreign concept for you, but that is the meaning of the word committee .”

“Good point.” I popped a fry in my mouth.

“It’s also a great opportunity for everyone in town to learn about you what I already know.”

“That I can’t cook?”

“That you’re amazing.”

Three days later, Erica dropped off a stack of photo albums and records from the last forty years of the Harvest Festival, and I was cramming for the first committee meeting. My heart clenched every time I found a picture of my grandparents.

“I want it to be really special. Something the Kings would be really proud of.”

Belinda’s words echoed in my head, and I forced myself to keep reading. I’d just scribbled the words deep-fried Oreos in my notebook when Dan came tearing into the kitchen. He was still wearing his running clothes and was clearly very excited about something.

“Dan, what the he—” I stood as he approached the kitchen, and he grabbed me and kissed me. “Um, hi?” I said with a giggle.

“I did it.”

“You broke the eight-minute mile?”

“No, not that.” He shook his head. “Well, maybe, racing to get back here, but no, the roses. The roses.”

“The roses?”

“I think I’ve created a new rose hybrid that can withstand harsh weather and even the most novice gardener!”

“That’s amazing! When will you know for sure?”

“Well, soon, I’m hoping.” He chuckled and ran his hands through his hair. “I’ll have to run a few more tests before I’d feel comfortable submitting them for peer review, but yeah. I’m pretty sure I’ve done it. I know I have.”

“That’s amazing! You’re a genius!” I squealed.

“I don’t know about that, but I am pretty proud of myself.” He smiled down at me and wrapped his hands around my waist.

“I’m pretty proud of you, too.” I stood on tiptoe and kissed him. “We should celebrate.”

“Are you done studying?” He tilted his head at the stack of papers and books covering the kitchen table.

“For tonight.” I rubbed my nose over his. “Erica dropped off dinner, so you don’t have to cook. We could go to your place, eat dinner, and then spend the rest of the night… celebrating.” I raised an eyebrow.

“I like the sound of that,” Dan whispered before kissing me again.

“After you shower…” He smelled exactly like a man who’d had an epiphany halfway through his nightly jog and ran home at top speed to tell his girlfriend about it.

Wait. Did I just call myself his girlfriend? We’d never officially had the talk. We were living together, making out like teenagers, not seeing other people, and this man had given me the most intense orgasm ever—more than once. What the fuck? Was I in a relationship?

“Right.” Dan took a step back and tossed me over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry. “I want you waiting for me when I get out.” He started to leave the kitchen.

“Wait,” I squealed from over his shoulder. “Don’t forget the food.” He turned around, grabbed the large paper bag off the counter, and climbed the stairs.

“So what are you learning about the festival?” Dan called to me over the hiss of the jets from his shower. This was the third time he’d repeated that question and the first time I could understand him. I rose from the couch, peeled off my T-shirt, and stepped out of my leggings. The bathroom was already bathed in steam when I unsnapped my bra and wiggled out of my panties.

“Hi,” I whispered when Dan turned around to face me, shielding me from the spray of the showerhead.

“What are you doing, Emma Walters?” he asked, brushing his lips over mine.

“I couldn’t understand a word you were saying, so”—I rubbed the backs of my fingertips over one of his pecs—“I decided to get closer.” He curled a finger under my chin and tipped my face up to meet his lips. We kissed for a long time until Dan separated our lips with a small popping sound. “Now, what did you want to ask me again?” I raised an eyebrow and tucked my bottom lip between my teeth.

“I have no fucking idea.” Dan scooped me up under the thighs and pressed me into the corner of the shower, joining our mouths and taking frequent breaks to nibble on my chin, neck, and earlobes. “Fuck, Emma. I need you.”

“You have me,” I answered, kissing him back.

“Do I?” He lowered me to my feet and took a step back.

“Dan.” I let out a nervous chuckle. “I’m naked in your shower. I think it’s pretty obvious what I want.” I grabbed the back of his head and pulled our faces together. “Now, go get a condom and I’ll show you.”

“Emma”—Dan sighed and ran his fingers through his wet hair—“I don’t have any condoms.”

“What?” I spluttered. “You still don’t have—wait, can we switch for a little bit? I’m getting cold.” I shivered as the first blast of hot water hit my back, then almost immediately soothed the chill. “You still don’t have condoms? I thought after that night—”

“I can’t buy condoms, Emma—” he began before I cut him off.

“What? Why not?”

“ Here , Emma. I can’t buy condoms here.”

“I’m still confused.”

“This is an incredibly small town. Everyone knows everything about everybody. You saw how Belinda reacted when she saw us at the diner. If I bought a pack of condoms at the store, everyone would make assumptions.”

“They would be right.” I raised an eyebrow.

“I just didn’t want to start any unnecessary gossip, and I definitely didn’t want to do anything to make you uncomfortable. I see how hard you’re working to make a good impression on everyone, and—”

“Dan, were you trying to protect my reputation?” I let out an incredulous chuckle.

He rolled his eyes and nodded. “It’s not as antiquated as you’re making it sound, but yes, I was.”

“That is one of the sweetest things I’ve ever heard, and it really makes me wish that we had some condoms.”

Dan pressed our foreheads together and chuckled.

“Why didn’t you just order some online?” I asked. He stiffened, blinked a few times, and picked his head up, staring at something on the shower wall behind me.

“What?”

“Nothing, love. I just feel like a git. I’ve never bought anything online since I’ve always made it a point to only shop locally. I’m more than a little embarrassed that the idea of ordering them online never occurred to me.”

I burst out laughing as Dan glowered at me, narrowing his eyes.

“Is that funny, Emma?”

“It’s hilarious,” I squealed, still unable to get my laughter under control.

“How funny is this?” He grabbed my hips and swiveled my body away from the showerhead, plunging me into the chill of the back of the shower.

“Hey!” I slapped him on the bicep, and he pulled my body into his and held me close.

“Seriously, Emma,” he whispered in my ear as his arms tightened around my back, “it’s no secret how much I care about you. I honestly didn’t know how I was going to continue here without George and Harriet until you came into my life. Not only are you beautiful and incredibly sexy”—one of his hands migrated to the curve of my ass and squeezed gently—“but you’re also intelligent, funny, strong, and generous to a fault. You are tenacious and stubborn.” I smiled against his chest, and he rewarded me with a kiss. “You make me feel things that I thought had died years ago.”

I picked my head up to meet his eyes and found that mine were filled with tears. “How long have you felt this way?” I asked.

“Longer than I’d care to admit,” he said with a mirthless smirk.

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“Because, Emma”—he let out a sigh—“you’d just lost your grandparents, your job, and your… relationship. I didn’t want to pressure you into something you weren’t ready for.”

“But I told you how I felt in the greenhouse, the night we kissed.”

“Yeah, but you didn’t know everything then. I wasn’t sure if you would still feel the same way about me once you knew the truth.”

“But I know now.” I tightened my arms around his back.

“Yes, you do.” He nodded. “And”—he sighed—“I was scared.”

“Scared?”

“Emma, I care about you so much, it scares me sometimes. I never thought I’d come close to feeling this way about someone again. I think about you all the time, when I’m awake, when I’m asleep… I’ve even told my parents about you.”

“You told your parents about me?” I asked, and he nodded.

“I didn’t tell them that I’m falling in love with you, but I told them about you living on the farm, teaching you how to make a curry—Mum loved that—and the—”

“Wait.” I reached around Dan’s body and turned off the shower, plunging the bathroom into an eerie silence. “Did you say you’re falling in love with me?”

“Yes, I am,” he said with a sigh. “And I know it’s possible that you don’t feel the same way. I kind of feel like a shit for telling you this way, but it’s been a bit hard to keep to myself.” He huffed out a small chuckle.

“You did say that I’m impossible not to like.”

He smiled at me.

“I’m pretty sure I’m falling in love with you, too.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. And to tell you the truth, I’m a little scared, too. I’m not used to love feeling like this. It feels too easy, too natural. I don’t feel pressure to perform or be perfect. I feel like I can be myself around you, even if sometimes I don’t know who exactly she is.”

“Emma, you’re already perfect.” He tilted my chin up and pressed our lips together.

“Get me out of this shower, Dan Pednekar,” I crooned in a sultry whisper.

“Yes, ma’am.”

All of my hair stuff was in my bathroom downstairs, so I used one of Dan’s brushes to gather my wet hair into a topknot until I could deal with it later. Dan stretched me out on his bed and moisturized my body from head to toe with oil. When he reached my feet, he finished his full-body massage by pressing a kiss to each one of my toes before climbing onto the mattress beside me. I snuggled into his arms and laid my head on his chest. He surprised me by pulling out his phone.

“Are you calling someone?” I asked.

“No,” he answered, not meeting my eye, his thumb flying across his screen. “I’m maxing out my credit card ordering condoms.”

A loud laugh that sounded like a snort erupted from my chest as I sat up. I leaned forward and pressed my lips to his forehead, then his nose, slowly working my way down to his chest, painting his glistening dark brown physique with kisses as his fingertips caressed my shoulders, guiding my journey. My tongue encircled and dipped into his navel before I dragged my tongue through the dark trail of hair leading to the junction of his thighs.

“Oh my God, Emma,” he groaned when I gripped his length and slowly stroked it with my fist. “My God, that feels so…” The power of words escaped him when I took him into my mouth, tantalizing and exploring his shaft with my tongue. I dragged the tips of my fingernails along the inside of his thighs, feeling his muscles tighten in response to my touch. His hips flexed in rhythm with my bobbing head and his moans became more erratic. He was close. The man who’d met me at one of the lowest points of my life, who’d spent the last four weeks making me feel like a queen, exploded in my mouth while I sucked him into oblivion. I swallowed and sat up to find Dan gazing at me like a long-lost treasure.

“What?” I asked, suddenly feeling a little self-conscious.

“Come here,” he whispered before reaching up and pulling the hair tie from my hair, making my damp curls cascade past my shoulders. I tried to pull and toss them into shape, but Dan grabbed my wrist and pulled me onto the mattress next to him. “You’re so beautiful.”

“You won’t say that when it dries.” I chuckled, pulled a lock of hair out of my face, and tucked it behind my ear.

“I will always think you’re beautiful.” He pulled me closer into his arms and kissed me for a very long time.

Finally, my eyes grew heavy with sleep and Dan covered us with the duvet from his bed and kissed my forehead.