27. Emerson
EMERSON
Despite having an exhausting number of orgasms between us, Garrett was still in a mood a few days later. His smile and puppy dog eyes were sad and despondent, his posture slumped as he moped around the house.
I tried everything I could think of, but my wheelhouse for being someone’s shoulder to cry on is limited to the basic support and sympathy package.
Apparently, I missed the upgrade that’s supposed to come with adulthood, so I did the next best thing and texted Roan and Colt.
EMERSON: I’m tagging you both in
ROAN: What does that mean?
EMERSON: Guys’ night. Tonight. Garrett’s house.
COLT: I don’t have a game so this works perfectly
EMERSON: I know
EMERSON: Almost like I did that intentionally…
COLT: Oh, she’s spicy
ROAN: Don’t poke the bear
EMERSON: You couldn’t think of something a little more majestic?
ROAN: I don’t know—it was the first thing that came to mind.
ROAN: I wasn’t trying to delve into the pros and cons of animal references
COLT: (gif of little boy giggling)
EMERSON: Fine. Samson, Tom, Des, and Theo are coming
COLT: Not that it’s a problem, but why?
EMERSON: Because I need a massage and asked Kat to go with me, so Tom needs something to do that’s not bothering me
EMERSON: And then we swung by Samson’s house because I had something for his girls and ended up inviting them and his mother to come
ROAN: Samson’s daughters are getting massages?
EMERSON: What? No, of course not. They’re getting manicures and pedicures
EMERSON: It’s a party
ROAN: You still have to take security
EMERSON: I’m going to take all the batteries out of your remotes and only your left shoes
COLT: very spicy
ROAN: You’re not helping
COLT: Are you saying I’m just a pretty face?
EMERSON: Can you save the bromance for later?
EMERSON: Everyone is coming to Garrett’s at six. I ordered food to be delivered but if you want something else you’re on your own
ROAN: We’re going back to the security thing
EMERSON: I’m a big girl Roan
ROAN: EMERSON
EMERSON: Do NOT take that tone with me
EMERSON: Jace is coming and Grimm and Ozzy will be around the building
COLT: Why does Jace get to be inside?
EMERSON: Because he’s the most fun and the girls know him best
EMERSON: They’ll think he’s just hanging out and not that he’s working
COLT: Roan, you were worried for nothing. Emerson has it all handled.
ROAN: I’m shaking every beer I hand to you
COLT: You say the sweetest things
EMERSON: Can you two focus please? Don’t kill each other. Make my husband happy. And someone for the love of everything get me details on Des and Theo’s date.
COLT: We’re on it
ROAN: I don’t care about their date
COLT: Shut up before she puts us in time out
ROAN: You’re a grown-ass man
COLT: And she’s scary AF
EMERSON: And that’s why you’re my favorite, Colt
“What are you smiling for?” Garrett asks, startling me as he comes into the kitchen. His hair is wet from a shower, the strands darker than normal, giving him a darker, edgier look. It’s hot.
He’s hot.
But apparently, I cannot fuck this pouting out of him like I thought I could.
“I made plans for you tonight.”
“Em, I don’t want—”
“Guys’ night here. I took care of everything.”
“Seriously, I—”
Hooking my finger in his belt loop, I tug him closer to me as I swipe a droplet of water from his forehead. He smells delicious.
Smoky.
Clean.
Spicy.
My lips twitch at the last one because Colt was right; I am feeling spicy today. I like solutions and I like answers—even complex ones.
But I can’t apply any of that to Garrett. He’s upset and he’s grieving. Darren has been an asshole since Roan got things rolling—going so far as to send me a few scathing messages on one of my social media accounts.
Des documented everything and sent it to Roan and Tom, but we all agreed Garrett didn’t need to know.
Not right now.
He’d blame himself and that’s nothing we need, especially with him trying to keep morale up for Maverick and Lachlan.
“Garrett, you’re sad, and I don’t know how to do sad. I’ve tried my best, but nurturing isn’t my strong suit.”
“You made me a milkshake yesterday.” With a wicked grin, he adds, “And then gave me a blow job. I definitely felt nurtured.”
I shake my head and smile, glad to see a little bit of the heaviness starting to lift.
“While I’m happy to do that for you, I think you need some different scenery.”
“But you said they’re coming here.”
“People scenery.” When he opens his mouth, I press my fingertips to his lips. “Just go with it.”
GARRETT
The problem with Emerson Andrews isn’t that she’s my total opposite. Or that she doesn’t fully understand my emotional attachment to the idea of Descending North.
Or even that she runs her business with an iron fist and hardly any second chances.
The problem with Emerson Andrews is that she’s so much more than she lets people see and now, I’ve fallen completely in love with her in my kitchen.
My fake wife.
The woman who loves to remind me that our marriage is temporary and that she’s no good at the feelings part of being there for someone.
But she’s wrong—so damn wrong.
Because she dropped everything when I said I needed her and she’s done everything she could to pull me out of my head. She’s been sweet and caring and sexy as hell, easily moving from one to the other depending on my mood.
And she didn’t have to.
She looks at it like she’s failed me, but I’ve been healing in those quiet moments—where she strokes my hair while my head is in her lap during a movie or when she made us one of her favorite dinners from growing up.
Or when she let me make love to her in the middle of the night when I couldn’t sleep.
“You are incredible, Miss Andrews.”
“I’m surprisingly terrible at accepting non-work compliments.”
“That’s a shame,” I tease, tracing my thumb over the pulse point in her throat all the way to her collarbone. It jumps under my touch, her breath hitching the slightest bit as she watches me.
“I love where this is going but we don’t have time.”
“You didn’t build in time for sex? That sounds nothing like you.”
“We’ll make up for it later.”
“Where are you going?”
“To the spa with Kat and Nico’s mom and daughters.” She chuckles and wraps her arms around my waist. “It’s going to be fun.”
“Are you sure? That’s a lot of socializing for you.”
“Yes, well, make sure Nico has a good time.”
“He’s coming too?” I ask, my eyebrows creeping up my forehead.
“Among others.” I’m just about to inquire about the guest list when there’s a knock on the door. “That should be Jace.”
“Jace is going?” I ask as I turn and head for the entryway.
“Because I told Tom no. Jace was a compromise.”
“Tom…” I’m still processing that as I pull the door open and find Jace on my doorstep with jeans, a T-shirt under a blazer, and dark sunglasses that he has tucked into his shirt. His smile is immediate, as he moves the gum about his mouth and holds out his hand.
“Hey man, thanks for letting me steal your wife tonight. I promise I’ll take good care of her.”
“I don’t know how I feel about that statement…”
“Oh, stop,” Emerson huffs, appearing at my side with a bag as she fists her hand in my shirt. “You’re going to have fun. I’m going to have fun, and I will see you later.”
She leans in and places a borderline indecent kiss on my lips. Jace is apparently unfazed by this and remains planted on the walkway, eyes scanning the street.
Even though this neighborhood is private.
And gated.
Now all I want to do is drag her back inside for something fast and dirty but then she’s moving around me as she steps out onto the sidewalk.
“Smile, Rockstar. It’s going to be great and you can tell me all about it when we’re naked in bed eating cheesecake.”
“Do we have cheesecake?” I ask, knowing that’s not the point, but she just looks over her shoulder.
“Jace?”
“Stop and get cheesecake on the way home. I’m on it,” he says like that’s not the strangest thing he’s had to do.
And it’s probably not.
“All right, have fun and tell the girls I said hi.”
I love you.
“I will.”
Her hips sway in black athletic pants as she follows Jace. He appears relaxed but it’s the way his head turns slightly from side to side—scanning everything around him as he goes. And I’m thankful for it.
For all his antics, I know he’s damn good at what he does.
He wouldn’t be on Tom’s team if he wasn’t.
Right?
I wait until she’s tucked into the car, the taillights illuminated as they drive over to pick up Kat, before heading back inside. My mind’s racing, the silence feeling overwhelming as I pull my phone from my pocket and pick a playlist.
One that’s devoid of my music.
One that doesn’t remind me of what I’ve lost.