Chapter 4
HARDISON
Last night after Emberlynn excused herself to go to her room, she never reemerged. I ate dinner alone, and while I didn’t mind entertaining myself, I’d wanted her there, too. I was more than a little disappointed that she’d stopped things between us before they had even begun.
Being unable to sleep made for a restless night and an early morning. I made us some breakfast. Maybe coffee would get her out of that room.
I made pancakes, bacon, and eggs, and I made a fruit bowl.
It wasn’t until the coffee was brewing, did she come out of the room.
She looked groggy and half asleep but so damn magnificent.
Emberlynn wore her hair short. It had a little bit of a spike, but I knew she gelled it down into the waves she had yesterday.
Her satin sleep set was emerald, with black lace along the edges, and she wore a black robe.
It heightened her umber skin tone, making it almost the perfect shade against her skin.
Her slippers were black slip-ins that sparkled with all the bling.
Emberlynn was a woman made to be devoured in pieces.
All those curves of hers weren’t to be played with.
I could tell from her expression that she wasn’t easy to conquer.
The other thing? She wanted me just as much as I did her.
I couldn’t help but get that from the way she watched me.
Then why had she seemed distant yesterday?
It was almost like she wanted to bury the possibilities, and I wasn’t haven’t that.
“I thought we could start over. A fresh beginning. I made coffee as our truce.” I set a mug in front of her as she sat at the table. “Cream or sugar?”
“Just cream, thank you.” She smiled as politely as she could. Her glossy lips had been the extent of her attempt with makeup this morning. Too much for me. I wanted to see her completely undone and bare.
“You’re welcome.” I placed the cream on the table and an empty plate. The spread was already on the table except for the fruit I was also carrying.
“I’m sorry about last night. I thought I was just taking a small nap. I didn’t expect to sleep until now. Not sure how much longer I would have if you hadn’t woken up my stomach.”
“I’m glad that it smelled good.” I sat across from her. “If you need water, I’ll get it.”
“No, this coffee will do just fine to get my brain moving.” She closed her eyes as she took her first sip. “God, that’s good.”
“Thank you. Eat up, though. I don’t want your food to be cold when you try it.”
Emberlynn nodded and filled her plate. Unexpectedly, she layered her eggs and bacon between her pancakes, put whipped cream on top, and then smothered it in syrup. I had to admit it looked damn good, just like her.
“How tall are you?” I asked her.
“Six feet even,” she said after swallowing. “What made you ask?”
“You’re tall. Probably the tallest woman I’ve ever dated,” I admitted. “That’s not a bad thing. Just a fact.”
“We’re not dating, though,” she corrected.
“I never agreed to that.” I slipped my forkful of pancakes through the thick syrup before eating them.
“You said deal!” She all but pouted.
“To you helping me find a therapist. Do you know how long I’ve been waiting for you?” I peered at her until she lifted those pretty browns at me. “Too long to let you go so easily.”
“Hardison, listen, there’s something—”
“I don’t want to listen to another thing about me dealing with scars. I know I have some healing to do. Doesn’t mean that I don’t want company on this journey.”
“One thing at a time, please.” Emberlynn sighed softly, and somehow, I had a feeling there was more going on here.
“Yes, we’ll focus on breakfast and go from there.” Except… “One question.”
“Anything.” She placed her hands on her lap and gave me her undivided attention.
“What do you want for Christmas?” I watched as her shoulders slumped.
“Nothing,” she mumbled.
“Well, you’ll have two weeks to think about it. But, Emberlynn…”
She raised her eyebrow slightly.
“You’ll give me an answer much before then.”
Emberlynn studied my face as if she were trying to figure out something about me. “What’s your sign?” she asked.
“Why?” I frowned at her, wondering what it had to do with anything that I’d just said.
“I want to know.” Curious eyes wouldn’t let go of her question.
“Capricorn.” I folded my arms and leaned back in my seat. “What’s that mean to you, Virgo?”
She smiled coyly, as if she knew a secret that I didn’t. “What time did you want to do your stretching session?”
“Around noon, then we can get started with our day.” I winked at her, and her cheeks blushed, reddening beneath her smooth-looking skin. “Now, what does my sign have to do with anything?”
Wiping her mouth, she stood up with her coffee. I saw the mischief in her eyes as she slowly backed away.
“It means trouble.” She spun around and hurried to her room and closed the door. I could almost see the dust from how quickly she hightailed it out of there.
Trouble, eh? Well, if that’s how she wanted to play it. I’ll show her the rules.
Emberlynn came out of her room ready to call therapists and do my exercises.
We accomplished both, and with her resources, we found someone who could come to me tomorrow.
Not to mention my body felt so much better after the stretching.
I hurt all the time, but after stretching, the ache in my leg didn’t ache as much.
It relieved pressure, allowing for more mobility.
This is why physical therapy was so important to me.
I needed that healing energy that only came from aiding the body so it could heal.
As for the head doctors, I hadn’t realized that you could contract them out directly, not going through the organizations they worked for.
That was exactly what Emberlynn had done to get someone in sooner than three months from now.
That’s what using the information that my insurance provided would get me.
And mind you, that was if I wasn’t picky about who I wanted and what they specialized in.
Emberlynn had done the reverse. She’d taken the list of psychologists who specialized in military PTSD and worked through the list. Be damned that she found a few willing to work with me and take my insurance.
There was a co-pay, but it wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle.
Lying on my back, staring at the ceiling, I relaxed and let the tightness in my muscles fade away, killing off the aches and pains.
Emberlynn had taken over and got things done.
Allowing me to just lie here to let the medication and our stretch session do their jobs.
Tomorrow I would be busy getting acclimated to the physical therapist and the psychologist. Today, I wanted to get to know Emberlynn.
Not only because I appreciated the help she’d given, but that was the sole reason that she was here.
On paper, she seemed perfect. We wanted the same things–a solid future that included children, building a home, her dream career, travel, and endless other possibilities that didn’t fit in a box.
She was tall, curvy, naturally feminine, and independent.
There was a long list of other things that she was, but the thing that the bio from Love Catered didn’t tell me was that she was reserved–hardened–probably from living life.
I couldn’t wait until she folded–softened.
It was going to be that much sweeter, that much more rewarding, and best of all, it would be for me.
I couldn’t wait to see her blossom into the woman she was supposed to be. That would be the real treat.
“I have a few things that I want to do. Are you up for going out?” I turned in her direction and waited.
“I can. Do I need to change?” She looked down at her clothes as if she were wearing the worst possible thing.
Instead, she looked good enough to eat. Her baby-blue sweater exposed her shoulders fully, scooping down in the front to reveal the tops of her breasts.
It hugged her curves down to her thighs, where her navy-blue leggings took over.
Baby-blue combat boots covered her feet and laced up to her knees.
My tags would look really nice around her neck.
The thought almost made me jump out of my skin.
“Why would you? You’ve caught my attention. What else matters?”
“I wasn’t trying…”
“Nevertheless, you managed to. Says something, doesn’t it?” Cause baby… If I knew it wouldn’t scare her, I’d show her exactly what that outfit was doing to me.
Emberlynn shifted in her seat. “Hardison, I—”
“You worry too much. Let’s focus on today and make sure that you stay out of your pretty little head. Today, your only job is to feel. To experience. No outside concerns. These are your parameters. Can you handle that, or is that too big a job?” I smirked, challenging her.
“What happens if I can’t?” Her eyes lit up when she asked. She was a brat. One I was sure as hell going to tame.
“Then you’ll pay. I’m creative, and I can think of many ways to make sure that you understand the assignment. Understood?” I raised my head, hoping she took me up on that.
Emberlynn nodded, but the light never dimmed from the mischief dancing in her eyes.
“Good. I’m going to put on real clothes. I’ll be right back.” I got up, dressed–since I had on basketball shorts and a t-shirt—and came back a few moments later.
“How’d you do that? I wish it only took me five minutes to get ready.” She sneered.
Chuckling, I grabbed the keys to my SUV and pulled on my leather jacket to keep the wind from attacking my skin.
“I was in the military. You learn quickly that you don’t have time to waste on things like getting dressed.
You’re more concerned with living.” I held my hand out for her to rise, so we could leave.
“Let me get my clutch and jacket.” Emberlynn hurried off, and a few minutes later, she resurfaced. “I’m ready.”
That dazzling smile was all I saw as excitement filled her.