Chapter Ten #3
Instinct told me to trust her and I desperately wanted a confidante to share it all with, but I wasn’t so naive as to realize that my intense attraction could be clouding my judgment. It wasn’t like I had the best track record either, Dr Tate being a prime example of my misplaced trust.
“Please, Abi,” she said softly, her face so full of affection and open concern that I had to grit my teeth to stop the swell of emotion bringing tears to my eyes. “You know you can tell me anything, you’ve learned more about me in the last half hour than anyone I know.”
Guilt swamped me. She was right. She had opened up her heart and entrusted me with the story of her past and innermost musings. How could I be doubting her? Even for a second? Mind made up, I admitted, “Dad caught me snooping in his study.”
“Snooping?” Her hand at Storm’s neck stilled and the horse whinnied, his nose turning to nudge Emma’s shoulder. She gave the horse an affectionate pat and then looked back to me, her eyes concerned. “Why would you do something as risky as that?”
“It was an accident really. I came home yesterday and” — my cheeks flamed as I remembered the conversation I had overheard — “well, I could hear you and Dad talking in the study.”
She visibly paled, her eyes flicking back to Storm’s neck as she too must have recalled the nature of their conversation.
“I didn’t mean to eavesdrop,” I hurried out apologetically, “but ... well, Dad was so loud and I couldn’t really believe what I was hearing.
That coupled with my bumping into you at Dr Tate’s and discovering how he uses him to keep tabs on all his women, well, it had my hackles up and made me realize he was probably a whole lot more devious than I’d given him credit for. ”
“Fair enough,” she said quietly. “But how did you get in his study, that room is always locked.”
“I don’t know,” I admitted. “I came home, heard you talking and before I knew it you were both coming out of the sitting room and I was scared I would get caught listening so I dived in the nearest open doorway which turned out to be the study. I’m guessing he hadn’t planned on being out of it for too long. ”
She nodded. “So you used the opportunity to see if you could learn more about him?”
“Yes.”
“And did you?” She looked back at me now, her eyes telling me she had already figured the answer.
“Yes.”
“You can trust me, Abi,” she said earnestly, her free hand reaching out to caress my upper arm and causing my heart to skip a beat.
“I’ve already decided that I need to work a way out of this relationship so you have nothing to fear from me” — our eyes connected, the sincerity written in her gaze — “I promise.”
“I know,” I said, my hand dropping from Storm to cover hers upon me.
“But first I have to explain about Daniel. You see Dad came back while I was in there and when I tried to sneak away he saw me, assuming I had just come in to find him. Daniel was the first reason I could think of to be seeking him out. Plus I knew his eagerness for us to form a tie would make him less suspicious.”
I could see the light of understanding in her eyes and relief consumed me. To know that she believed me made it so much easier. Not that there was a relationship between us that prohibited me from seeing Daniel but I didn’t want her thinking I just put myself out there with all and sundry.
I also wanted her to see my feelings toward her were real — genuine and deep. If I was totally honest, I wanted to get through this crap with her by my side and come out the other end together, whole and happy.
No matter how fanciful the notion, I’d never wanted anything more.
“That makes sense,” she smiled then. “I must admit I was jealous.”
My tummy fluttered. “I did wonder.”
“The thought of anyone else touching you” — her eyes dropped to my lips — “tasting you ... it drives me crazy.”
“I know,” I breathed, the sexual current between us positively crackling once more. “I feel the same.”
She extracted her hand from beneath mine to cup my jaw, her thumb brushing delicately across my lower lip. Instinctively, my tongue flicked out to make contact with the soft pad and I saw her sharp intake of breath, felt it like it was my own.
“Not here, Emma,” I breathed. “The stable hands will be here any minute.”
She nodded but her gaze didn’t shift. “I get it ... but if we’re quick ... just one kiss.”
I went to refuse but the words wouldn’t form, instead, I found myself scanning the yard, my eyes and ears concentrating hard on the surroundings for any sign of people.
“In here,” I said, taking hold of her hand and lifting the latch on the stable door.
Pushing it open, I gently encouraged Storm to make way for us and led Emma inside.
The horses up and down the enclosure snorted at our presence, their bobbing heads visible above the internal partitions.
I tried to establish the corner least visible to the outside but Emma wasn’t hanging about, she tugged at my hand, pulling me up hard against the stable wall and pinning me to it.
As her mouth hungrily claimed my own, a guttural moan escaped me, the need erupting from within almost painful.
She tore away, her ragged voice whispering: “I’m sorry, I just had to...” and then she was crushing me once more, her tongue flicking languorously against my own, one hand in my hair while her other slipped beneath the fabric of my hoody.
“God, yes,” I cried, desperate for her to take control of me, to service the overwhelming need. My knees buckled beneath me and I pressed my shoulders into the wall to steady myself, my body arching into her invasive caress. As her cool fingers climbed higher I remembered my lack of bra—
“Christ!” she gasped as her hand discovered the same, the raw thrill in her voice only serving to drive my need higher. “You are so sexy.”
I couldn’t even respond. The dampness between my legs almost unbearable as I wanted to lose myself completely to the passion she had evoked.
“Tell me to stop, Abi,” she ground out. “If you don’t, I won’t ... I can’t...”
I silenced her with my mouth. I didn’t care.
Anyone could have found us in that moment and I wouldn’t have given a shit.
Both of her hands were in my top now, her hands groping and squeezing my tits in a desperation that mirrored my own.
Without even realizing it, I had maneuvered our legs so that our thighs pressed between the legs of one another, providing a delightful friction as our bodies rode one another, the pleasure building immeasurably.
“Don’t stop,” I said throatily, one hand moving into her hair while my other grabbed her behind to rock her lower body against my thigh, pushing her climax to come with my own.
“God Abi, I can’t ... I’m going to...” the words came rasping out of her hungry mouth as I continued to writhe against her. And then she crumpled over me and I followed suit, our orgasms sending powerful spasms racking through our bodies.
Spent and sated, she fell against me and we leaned into the wall, trying to catch our breath.
“I’m sorry,” she said eventually, “I never should have, but lately I’m finding it hard to control my instincts where you’re concerned.”
“Do you hear me complaining?” I asked, my hand combing through her hair as I lifted my other to check the time. People really would be arriving any second now. “But you should go, Emma, I don’t want to risk Dad learning that you were here, with me.”
“I know,” she said, straightening up and righting my clothing as she went. “There, you’re as good as new.”
She gave me one of her dazzling smiles and I returned it, the afterglow of our brief but crazy encounter still warming me head to toe. “Thank you.”
“If anyone sees me, I will tell them I came to request a ride, Edward can’t punish me for that,” she said, then her eyes flashed as she added, “come to think of it, that’s not really a lie either.”
“Emma!” I laughed and gave her a playful shove.
“But we still need to find time to talk,” she said, serious once more.
I nodded, I really wanted to tell her everything, to have her at least listen while I vented would make me feel so much better.
“Tell you what, Edward has a conference call scheduled for after dinner this evening. We can talk then.”
I frowned as I realized dinner would probably be the next time I saw him. We rarely saw one another during the day unless he specifically requested it. “Do you think he will want to see me before then?”
She could see the fear in me and her hand came out to give mine a gentle squeeze. “I wouldn’t have thought so, he is so wrapped up in this new business deal that so long as he believes you’re doing your all to keep Daniel sweet, he will leave you alone.”
“But what about last night? What he said? Has it changed things?” I could feel the panic rising as the questions I’d been dying to ask came rushing to the fore.
She looked away briefly, her expression pained as though remembering something but when her gaze returned she was once again smiling reassuringly. “Just try and behave normally, I think Edward was speaking in the moment, if you fulfill your end of the deal he should leave you well enough alone.”
I nodded, her words providing small comfort. “I think I’ll stay out of the house today but I’ll be back for dinner with you both.”
“Okay, just text Edward to let him know so he doesn’t think you’ve gone AWOL.”
“I will.”
“Good,” she paused, her eyes scanning my face, her body hesitant. “So ... I should go.”
“You should,” I agreed, a smile forming as I realized she really didn’t want to.
“Right now.” Yet her feet remained planted in the hay-covered floor.
“Right now,” I nodded, my smile growing.
She shook her head playfully. “Argh! You are such a distraction!”
I laughed at that. “Go then!”
“I’m gone.” She gave me a breathtaking smile, her hand reaching out to affectionately nudge my chin. “I’ll see you later.”
“You will,” I agreed, and with that she turned and walked away, leaving me to feast on the captivating sway of her behind in those indecently snug jodhpurs. I really couldn’t imagine ever having enough of that body or the wondrous personality contained within.
Storm sidled up next to me, his head nudging for attention once more. Distracted, I placed my palm on the bridge of his nose. “What say you Storm, is it foolish to set my heart on keeping that woman in my life?”
He whinnied, his head bucking playfully.
“I think so too,” I said, my gaze following her progress across the courtyard, the realization clear in my head that I would try my damnedest to do just that.
Because life without Emma suddenly didn’t feel like any life at all.