47. Emma
Chapter Forty-Seven
EMMA
E mma dozed on and off throughout the morning, rousing when she felt her hands being bound to the headboard.
“It was your idea,” Garrett reminded her, his breath against her ear.
There was plenty of slack in the ties and she was comfortable. But despite the amount of sex they’d had last night, her body warmed at the thought of fulfilling his fantasy to this extent. “It was. But where did the blindfold come from?”
A dense but airy fabric had been slipped over her eyes.
He pushed the blindfold up onto her forehead, his grin that of a man temporarily satiated after last night. But they both knew the hunger was there in the background, like a firecracker ready to be lit.
“It’s a sleep mask,” he said. “I keep enough clothing and supplies on hand in this room to pack for a weeklong business trip in case I need to go somewhere on short notice.”
“You haven’t done that since I met you,” she said, testing her bonds.
“No, I’ve cut back.”
A pang went through her. “Because of me.”
He was afraid of leaving her alone because of her health issues.
“ Hey . No need to make that face,” he said, smoothing the line between her brows with his fingers. “The kind of traveling I’m talking about is not the soothing vacation kind. They’re more like a marathon—two or three days of back-to-back meetings. The only nice thing about it was getting to try new restaurants. Or at least that’s what I would tell myself afterward, so I wouldn’t dwell on the fact I saw nothing of the cities I was in. Just the inside of various boardrooms. And trust me, after a while, all of those look distressingly the same.”
Emma tugged her hands out of the soft ropes Garrett had so diligently tied.
She grinned at the look on his face. “I don’t know where you learned to tie knots, but babe, you suck.”
He groaned and buried his face in her neck, his muffled laughter sending puffs of hot air into her hair.
She put her hands on either side of his face, nudging until he raised his head. They shifted until they were lying side by side.
“I don’t want to hold you back.”
His eyes flared and he inched closer. “That’s what you think?”
“If you need to leave town for work, you should go. I don’t want to be the reason you miss out on some big deal or negotiation.”
“I won’t because all the big negotiations are done for the time being.”
“Really?” she asked, her lower lip jutting out. The urge to bite it was irresistible so he promptly did.
“I do mean it,” he said when he’d released the luscious treat. “There’s still work to do, of course, that requires travel but nothing so sensitive that I need to handle it in person. I always planned on delegating the busy work to my employees. I’ve started doing just that.”
He shifted closer, stroking the down on the side of her cheek. “However, this does bring up a good point. How would you feel about taking trips here and there—once you’re feeling up to it? If your doctor clears it.”
“That would be nice…” She trailed off, an idea occurring to her.
He stroked her hair. “What is it?”
“I was thinking, maybe we could invite my family to join us somewhere the way you do with your aunt?” she suggested. “Not at the same time, of course.”
“No, never at the same time,” he agreed with a widening of his eyes. “But of course, we can invite them somewhere nice. Hell, they can come here. I can charter a jet for them. They could be here tomorrow.”
She hugged him. “You are the sweetest man in the world, you know that, right? But Stella’s starting kindergarten soon and probably shouldn’t skip if we can help it.”
“I had no idea she was that big.”
Garrett had caught quick glimpses of her sister a few times when he’d come into the room as she video-chatted with her baby sister, but Emma hadn’t had them speak to each other yet.
She should introduce them soon. Especially as it appeared they were going to be staying married.
“Yes, she’s growing up so fast.” Downcast, she folded her hands.
“Don’t kids usually turn five before the start of kindergarten?” he asked.
“Colorado has a later cutoff date than California—it’s October there. She’s growing up too fast for me. I’m sorry I’m missing so much of it. But coming here was a chance to start over without all the accident baggage. I felt bad leaving Stella, of course, but I could only help so much with her. If I tried to babysit and got a headache… well, I didn’t want her to take care of me, you know.”
Because that had happened more than once, and it had been awful .
“You had to focus on your health first. I’m sure your mother understands that.”
That much was true. “Mariana is the one who encouraged me to move. She wanted me to have my own life. But she does appreciate the money I’ve been sending.” She’d sent all of her wages from the part-time work and half of her weekly allowance.
“Does she know about the college fund yet?”
“What college fund?”
“I started one for your sister. Your mother doesn’t have to worry about her schooling anymore. ”
Emma’s mouth dropped open as he began to relate the particulars.
Her sister had the Rolls Royce of college funds. Stella could go to any school in the world with the account he’d set up for her.
The room was still spinning. “Mom is going to go ballistic.”
He settled against the pillow more deeply. “Won’t she be relieved knowing it’s taken care of? I am family now.”
Emma wrinkled her nose. “Uh… she still thinks ours is a marriage of convenience, that we did it for the insurance.”
A line appeared between his brows. “You haven’t told her that it’s real now?”
She sighed. “That seemed like one of those things you should do in person.”
“ Okay ,” he said slowly. “When is the next school break?”
“Thanksgiving.”
He frowned. “That’s more than two months away.”
Garrett paused and she knew what he was going to say. Because she couldn’t deal with going back to Verdant Falls. Except her mother didn’t live in Verdant Falls anymore. Mariana had moved one town over. It had been closer to the hospital where Emma had convalesced.
“Perhaps they can come sooner. Colorado isn’t far. A long weekend would be a good start.”
“If my mother’s work schedule allows.”
“Of course.” He stroked down her arms. “So… is this all right?”
“Leaving me tied up in your secret bedroom so you can come and take your pleasure between meetings? Is that what you mean?”
Garrett nodded, a very innocent expression on his face. “Yes, please.”
Emma laughed and held up her wrists. “Then you better practice those knots.”
“Googling it now,” he said, taking out his phone. “Do you need to go to the restroom first? Need some food?”
“No.” She’d used the facilities in the predawn hours while he was still sleeping. It had been easy. Because his knots did suck. “But I am starving,” she added.
“Of course you are. I’ll order us some breakfast.”
Emma turned very hot for another reason. “From De Olla ?”
“Err… yes. Unless you want something else?”
“Well, I could go for a Danish for breakfast. And the café de olla of course. It’s just funny. I feel like I’m playing hooky at work. Except I’m doing it naked, playing harem girl for the boss’ pleasure.”
Garrett leaned over her, pressing kisses down her neck. “This is usually where I vehemently deny being your boss in any way, shape, or form, but I’m half tempted to go get that De Olla apron. I’d love to fuck you in it. The apron and nothing else.”
“No,” she squealed as he reached a particularly sensitive spot. “I could never wear it at work again after. I’d have to ask Hector for another, and then he’d ask me what happened to the first one.”
She twisted her head to press her face against her arm, squirming.
“I’ll get you another one. I’ll get you ten.”
Emma giggled. “Not a De Olla one. Any other kind.” Any apron she wore would be ruined, just like the suit he had been wearing last night.
“Okay,” he agreed a little too readily. “I will have one delivered before lunch, so be ready,” he said, punctuating his words with a light spank before leaving the room to order breakfast.
She waited for the click, signaling the door had closed before scooting up on the bed, trying to strike a pose that was both comfortable and enticing.
After all, she wanted her husband to enjoy the view.