10. Emma
10
EMMA
The spring sun beats down on my face, casting a warm glow on the notepad resting on my lap. June, sprawled out on a picnic blanket beside me, is bubbling with excitement.
June and I are sitting outside on the lawn at a corner of the house, our heads bent over a wedding planner notebook.
It’s a bright and warm Saturday morning. The fresh scent of grass fills the air, and birds are chirping merrily in the trees. It’s an idyllic scene that’s perfect for wedding planning. And naturally, this scene should keep my mind focused on the task at hand. But that’s proving to be a bit challenging…because of the man squatting by my brother’s side in the garage that we have a full view of.
I should have known better than to choose a place directly opposite Damon's auto shop. My gaze has drifted toward it about a half dozen times now, drawn to the doors of the garage where I know Liam’s helping Damon fix a car.
“Are you there, Emma?”
“Yeah?” I blink quickly, dragging my eyes back to my friend before she notices my attention has been somewhere away from her.
“I was suggesting that, for the centerpieces, it’ll be nice to go for white roses with a few sprigs of baby’s breath,” June mumbles, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
I nod as I jot down her request, trying to keep my thoughts in order. “White roses, baby’s breath,” I repeat, scribbling quickly. “Got it.”
“And,” June continues, “I want the bridesmaids in light lavender dresses. Nothing too frilly. Simple and elegant.”
“Light lavender sounds good,” I echo, writing it down. My gaze flickers over to the side again. Liam and Damon are now outside the auto shop. Damon is on a mat rolled under the car while Liam is bent over the hood, his broad frame filling out the worn denim of his jeans. He raises his head and says something inaudible to Damon, who shrugs and hands him a wrench. Liam wipes his brow with his arm, and even from here, I can’t help but smile at the concentration on his face. He looks so effortlessly handsome it’s distracting.
“Emma? Did you hear what I said about the bouquets?” June’s voice pulls me back to the present.
“Sorry, what was that?” I ask, giving her an apologetic smile.
She sighs, good-naturedly rolling her eyes. “I said I want the bouquets to have a mix of wildflowers, something colorful and lively.”
“Wildflowers, colorful,” I repeat, writing it down. “Got it. That sounds beautiful.”
“Now let’s talk seat arrangements, yeah?”
I nod, and as June goes on about the seating arrangements, I can’t help but glance over at Liam again. He’s now pulling off his shirt, revealing a hard, toned torso that sends a jolt of unexpected desire through me. My breath catches in my throat. I can remember my hands running all over those tight muscles as he thrusts into me.
Heat floods my cheeks, and I quickly avert my eyes. The memory of our tryst at his house is still raw in my mind. I can still vividly recall the feeling of every touch, the way my body responded to his. Anytime I remember, it feels like a switch is flipped within me, igniting a yearning that surprises even me.
I can’t believe how much I want him again.
“Emma, you’re missing it again.” June’s voice breaks through my thoughts. She’s looking at me with a knowing smile.
“Sorry, June. I’m just a bit distracted,” I mumble, trying to sound nonchalant.
“Where’s your mind gone?”
“Nowhere in particular.” I shrug.
“Lies.” June laughs, shaking her head. “I saw you gawking at Liam. And for the record, I completely get it. The man's built like a Greek god. It’s only natural you’re not paying attention because of him.”
I feel my cheeks heat up even more. “It’s not like that.”
“Oh, please. I know that look,” June teases. “So, have you two settled things now?”
I nod, my mind whirling. The agreement Liam and I made to continue this fake relationship is still fresh in my mind. “Yeah, we’ve settled things.”
June looks at me, curiosity evident in her eyes. “How did you two meet, anyway? And how did you decide to start dating?”
I take a deep breath, trying to keep my story straight. “We met at a wedding eighteen months ago. It just kind of happened from there.”
“You didn’t know he was Damon’s friend?”
“No,” I shake my head. “And also, we didn’t know we’d both be traveling here.”
June raises an eyebrow. “Really? That’s quite the coincidence.”
“Yeah, it is,” I mumble, trying to sound casual. Lying to my best friend is hard, but this is the agreement I’ve made with Liam. We cannot let anyone find out that our relationship is actually fake. Before June can ask another question, I clear my throat. “Let’s get back to the wedding. What were you saying about the seating arrangement?”
June gives me a look that says she knows I’m changing the subject, but she goes along with it. “Right, the guest list first. I want to keep it under 150 people, just close friends and family.”
“Under 150,” I repeat, grateful for the shift back to wedding talk. “That’s manageable.”
June continues outlining her vision for the wedding, and I diligently take notes, trying to keep my focus. But my eyes keep drifting back to Liam. He is now wiping his hands with a rag, his muscles rippling with each movement. My stomach clenches, a traitorous part of me wishing I was that rag and he was running his hands over me.
“So, for the music, I’m thinking a live band for the reception,” June announces, her voice bringing me back once more.
“A live band, got it.” I nod again, writing it down. “Any particular genre or style?”
“Something fun and upbeat to keep the party lively,” she replies. “Maybe a mix of classic hits and modern songs.”
“Sounds perfect,” I say, smiling at her. “You’ve really thought this through.”
June laughs. “Of course. I can only marry my soulmate once, after all.”
We continue discussing the finer details, from the color scheme to the menu, but my mind keeps wandering back to Liam. The way he moves, the way he acts—it’s all so intoxicating. I can’t help but wonder what’s going to happen next between us.
June notices my distraction again and smirks. “You really can’t stop thinking about him, can you?”
I shake my head, laughing softly. “I guess not. He’s just…hard to ignore.”
“Well, I’m glad you two are getting along.” She grins, her tone light. “It’s nice to see you happy.”
“Thanks, June,” I say, appreciating her support. “Now, let’s talk about the cake. Have you decided on flavors?”
June’s eyes light up. “Yes! I’m thinking a three-tier cake with vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry layers.”
“Three tiers, vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry,” I jot down, feeling a bit more focused. “That sounds delicious.”
As we finalize more details, I glance over at Liam one last time. He catches my eye and gives me a small, knowing smile. My heart skips a beat, and I quickly look away, hoping June doesn’t notice.
But she does. “You’ve got it bad, Emma,” she says with a laugh.
“Maybe I do,” I admit, trying to keep the tremors of my racing heart out of my voice. I start to pack up the notes and my pen. “I think we should get inside the house.”
She throws back her head and lets out a peal of laughter. “Unfortunately, as much as I’d like to enjoy watching Emma Cole lust after a man, I think so, too. We need to get the specifics ready.”
Stepping inside, June and I collapse onto the plush sofa. We spend the next hour poring over Pinterest boards, looking through bouquets, fairy-lit backdrops, and wedding cakes and without the distraction of Liam across the lawn, I can finally focus on the wedding plans.
June and I go over the final details, and I make notes about potential vendors that can offer the services. Just as we’re wrapping up our discussion, the front door opens.
Liam and Damon walk in, their shirts streaked with grease and sweat. They’re both breathing heavily, clearly exhausted from working on the car.
Damon staggers toward a couch, and June jumps up, waving manically at him.
“Hey, don’t you dare sit on my couch like that!” She grabs the arms of both men and pushes them toward the stairs. “Grab a shower first. You’re not getting grease all over my furniture.”
Liam turns to Damon with a smile. “Looks like you’re lucky, man. You get a mom as well as a wife.”
The whole house erupts into laughter, and the men trudge upstairs to clean up. We can still hear them chuckling all the way. As soon as they’re out of sight, June turns toward me and rolls her eyes. I can’t help but laugh.
“Ethan used to track mud all over the place just the same.”
“Maybe men just come pre-programmed with a mess-making setting.”
“Tell me about it,” June shakes her head in mock despair. “Honestly, there’s not much difference between Ethan and the older ones.”
We both laugh, and June saunters over to the refrigerator, grabbing a pitcher and a handful of ice cubes. “Thirsty?” she asks, already digging through the fruit basket.
“For your fruit juice? Absolutely,” I reply with a wide grin.
“It’s just blended fruit juice, Emma. It’s nothing special.” She chuckles as she whips up a pitcher of ice-cold berry juice.
I settle back into the sofa, flipping through a bridal magazine. The sound of footsteps fills the air above us.
“Here they come,” she murmurs, giving me a pointed look as she hands a glass to me.
I smile softly and take the glass as Liam and Damon come back downstairs, now fresh and clean. They grab glasses from the coffee table, joining us on the sofa.
“What have you two been plotting?” Damon asks, his eyes twinkling with curiosity.
June takes the lead, filling him in on the latest wedding plans. “We’ve got most of the major details sorted out. Just need to finalize a few more things.”
“Tell me about them.”
June launches into an explanation. I add a couple of comments here and there, but mostly I’m focused on Liam. Our eyes keep meeting, and I can’t help but wonder what’s going on in his head.
After about fifteen minutes of discussing wedding plans, Damon breaks into my thoughts with a laugh. “I can’t believe it. Liam hasn’t had a single negative thing to say about the wedding plans. This is a first.”
Liam shrugs and glances at me. “You can thank Emma for that.”
Damon turns to me, his eyebrows raised. “What did you do to my friend to change his mind?”
Liam's lips twitch into a smirk. “Oh, she's done a lot,” he murmurs, his voice low and suggestive.
A collective snort of laughter erupts from June and Damon, but the double meaning of his words isn't lost on me. Heat floods my cheeks, and I quickly reach for my glass, taking a large gulp of the icy juice. The cold liquid does little to cool the sudden spark of desire that ignites within me.
What the hell is he doing, making an expensive joke like that? I stare at him to see his eyes glinting with a challenge.
Oh, you wanna play dirty, Liam Miller?
I say nothing else, allowing the conversation to turn to lighter topics. Damon and June talk about their honeymoon plans while Liam keeps his eyes on me. Every moment feels charged, and I can’t stop feeling like he’s testing me to see if I crack under pressure.
I’m up for it.
“So, where are you two headed for your honeymoon?” I ask, eager to shift the focus away from Liam and me.
“Hawaii,” June replies, her eyes lighting up. “We’re going to spend two weeks exploring the islands, relaxing on the beaches, and just enjoying being together.”
“That sounds amazing,” I say, genuinely happy for them. “You guys are going to have the best time.”
“We can’t wait,” Damon adds, wrapping an arm around June’s shoulders. “It’s going to be the perfect start to our married life.”
I glance at Liam again, knowing what he really thinks about all this talk of love and marriage. He catches my eye and gives me a small smile, and my belly does a little flip. Yeah, lust—that’s what he knows quite well, not love. At a point in time, I would have sworn I wasn’t the kind to be moved by the needs of my body when it didn’t involve my heart, but that Emma is long gone.
She died slowly over the last couple of years, but she was finally buried in that apartment eighteen months ago after Liam Miller treated me to bout after bout of earth-shattering orgasms.
As the afternoon wears on, we finish our drinks and continue chatting. The easy camaraderie between us feels nice, and I find myself relaxing more. Despite the complicated dynamics, there’s something comforting about being surrounded by friends and loved ones.
Later, as the sun begins to set, Liam announces that he has to leave for his shift. Damon and June also announce that they have to pick Ethan from his sleepover. All four of us walk out together before the couple climb into Damon’s truck and waves at us as they drive off.
Liam and I find ourselves alone on the porch. The sky is painted with shades of orange and pink, and the cool evening breeze feels refreshing.
“You did well today,” I start, breaking the silence. “It was nice to just hang out and not worry about you trying to sabotage their wedding for a while.”
Liam grins, leaning against the railing. “I guess this whole fake relationship thing isn’t so bad after all.”
I laugh softly. “No, it’s not.”
“Tell me about it,” he mumbles with a wry smile. “So, what do I get for being a good boy?”
I stare at him, feeling a strange mix of thick craving. I grab his shirt collar and rise on my tiptoes.
“You get this.”
I pull his lower lip into my mouth, close my eyes, and then brush my mouth all over his. Liam freezes for a split second, and then suddenly takes control. He groans against my mouth as he pushes his tongue in, flicking mine, tugging at my lips as his mouth moves back and forth in circles all over mine.
I gasp, my legs suddenly shaky. I feel one hand slide around me, holding me tight against his chest. The other cradles my head, angling my mouth for him to dip his tongue even further into my mouth. Good Lord. My memories don’t do him justice. No memory can taste this good.
My entire body reacts to the kiss. I can feel my nipples stiffen, and I know if he looks down a couple of inches, he’ll see the outline against my chest. Below full, sensitive breasts is a heart that’s racing, and right there, between my thighs, a wet heat is building rapidly.
My body is ready for him, but I suddenly push him back and stagger a few steps away.
“Emma—” There’s wild, undisguised lust burning in his eyes as he searches my face.
“You need to get back to the hospital, Liam.”
“But—”
“Keep being a good boy and you might just get to have the whole thing.”
He blinks once, twice, and then he shakes his head. “Does your brother know a bad wild girl lies behind his sister’s ‘Mother Teresa’ facade?”
I laugh. I can see that he’s barely holding himself back. It feels good having this much power over him, knowing I can push this man to the edge. Now I just have to use it to my advantage.
“You’re not gonna tell him, are you?”
With that, I turn around, sashaying as much as possible as I walk off. I can feel the heat of his gaze on my butt, and it takes all my self-control to not run back and jump into his arms and beg him to take me right here on the porch.
This whole situation is messy, but maybe, just maybe, messy is what I need right now. It’s certainly what I crave.