Chapter Seven
Trent stood and stretched. “I’m heading to bed. I’ll see you guys in the morning.”
Emma watched her brother walk out of the room and then stared at the TV without seeing anything. When the tension got too much, she started pulling away from him.
“I think I should go to bed, too,” she said, trying to stand.
He tightened his grip. “Don’t run from me, baby.”
Emma cleared her throat. “I’m not. I’m just tired.”
He easily lifted her until she lay across his lap. He tucked her head under his chin. “You have no idea how good this feels to me right now. Do you enjoy being close to me?”
She wanted to shout yes, but fear still held her back. “I’m scared.”
He tilted her head up so he could see her face. “Scared of what?”
“Of this. I wanted you for so many years, and when you pushed me away, I decided I’d had enough and would need to move on.”
“So, you’re saying your feelings for me disappeared?” he asked.
She shivered when his thumb caressed her cheek. “No, but I feel like I’ve made a good life for myself.” She almost snorted. She worked from home and was scared to leave her apartment. She’d gone on a few dates, but nothing ever felt right.
“I know we’d have a great life together because I’d do whatever is necessary to make you happy,” he said with conviction.
God, when he said it that way, she believed him. “Can you give me a little time?”
“How much time?” he asked.
“I don’t know.”
He sighed. “I’ll give you some time. But not a lot. We also need to talk about what’s going on in your life.”
She stiffened. “I’d rather not.”
He grunted. “Tough shit.”
She stiffened and narrowed her eyes. “You’re not the boss of me.” She almost snorted at the childish phrase.
He smirked. “We’ll see about that. Go to bed, and I’ll see you in the morning.” “Hold up. One more thing,” he said when Emma went to stand, but he yanked her back and lowered his head.
Her breath stalled in her throat when his mouth filled her with desperation, intensifying the heat and need in her already overloaded body. She groaned when he lifted his head, and she tried to pull him back to her.
Damon smoothed the hair from her face. “Do you see how good we are together?”
Emma swallowed and then nodded. She was afraid to admit it, but she’d never felt like this with anyone, and she knew Damon was her only chance at a fulfilling, happy future. She’d always known it. She just hadn’t thought it would happen.
“I’m going to let you get to bed. If you are free tomorrow, Trent and I are going to check out a house I might want to buy.”
“Really? Where?”
“Trent called it the Benson Place off County Road Fourteen,” he said.
Oh, wow. She’d always loved that old farmhouse. “Where is Mrs. Benson going?”
“Your brother told me she wants to be closer to family, and the place is too big for her to take care of.”
Emma felt the excitement build in her veins. She hadn’t been this excited since learning Damon was alive and headed home.
She nodded. “Yes, I’d like to go.”
“Good. Then we’ll go after breakfast.” He lifted her off his lap. “Now, you’d better get to bed before I pull you back onto my lap.”
She scurried to the door and turned to find his eyes on her ass. Her heartbeat doubled, and her cunt spasmed at the hungry look in his eyes.
“Someday soon, I’m going to be in that tight little body,” he growled.
Her heart felt like it would beat out of her chest, and her breathing deepened.
“This is your only chance to run, baby.”
She sucked in a startled breath. “Good night, Damon.”
“Good night, sweetheart.”
She thought it would take a few hours to fall asleep because her body was tense with desire. But the lack of sleep she’d gotten lately made it impossible to stay awake. Especially knowing she was safe. She was asleep in minutes and slept through the night for the first time in weeks.
After she had showered and dressed the next morning, she walked into the kitchen to start the coffee but found it was already made. She poured a cup, walked to the patio door, and looked at the serene view of flowers, trees, birds, and bees.
She jolted when arms came around her waist, and a mouth started kissing her neck, sending a shiver down her spine. “Good morning, baby. How did you sleep?”
She cleared her throat. “I ... good. What about you?”
“Not so much,” he said. “I couldn’t get you out of my head, so I had a hard-on for hours.”
She knew he caught the smile she tried to hide.
Damon snorted. “Oh, you like that, don’t you?”
She shrugged and then gasped when he took her cup and set it on the table before turning her in his arms.
“Answer me,” he demanded.
“Yeah, I guess. I don’t think anyone has wanted me that much before in my life.”
“They better not either,” he growled. “Now, I want my morning kiss.”
She opened her mouth to argue, and he took full advantage of it and pressed his lips to hers. This kiss wasn’t slow and easy like she expected, but hot and ravenous, and all she could do was hang on and enjoy.
She blinked a few times when he lifted his head.
“Fuck, as much as I would like to stay here and give you everything I imagined, your brother is going to meet us at the Benson place in an hour, and I’ll need more time than that when I finally get my hands on you.” He pressed a hard kiss to her already swollen lips. “Let’s get you some breakfast.”
She tried to steady herself when he took a step away from her. She was glad when he kept his hands on her for a moment because if she fell due to her shaky legs, she’d never live it down.
Emma nodded. “I just drink coffee in the morning.”
He grunted. “You’ll do better than that. Sweetheart, you’ve lost too much weight. You’ll eat at least an egg and a piece of toast. Go sit down and enjoy your coffee.”
“You don’t have to make me breakfast, Damon.”
He stared at her. “I’m going to make you hundreds of meals, so get used to it. Hell, I’m pretty good at it. Now, tell me how you like your eggs cooked.”
From the stern, dominant look on his face, she knew she wouldn’t win this one. “Over easy, please.”
“Good. How about some orange juice?” he asked, although he was already pouring the glass.
She rolled her eyes when he set the glass in front of her. “Sure,” she said sarcastically.
Within a few minutes, Damon set a plate in front of her. It had an egg, a piece of toast, and fruit on it. She knew she wouldn’t get away with missing meals again with him around. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” he said, kissing the top of her head.
She ate and watched as he cleaned the kitchen. How the hell could he make even that look sexy?
She stood when she was done and went to the sink. He took the plate from her.
“I can wash it,” she said.
“I know. I’ll do it while you get your shoes on.” One of his eyebrows rose when she stood there with a mutinous look on her face.
With a huff, she spun around and returned within a few minutes with her shoes on and her teeth brushed.
“Good, let’s go.”
She took the hand he held out and let him lead her outside and to her car.
“That’s something else I need to do sometime—buy a truck.”
She smiled as he tried to adjust the driver’s seat to fit his large body. “The dealerships around here are open today.”
“Good. We’ll do that after the house.”
As they drove out to meet Trent, she realized she felt better than she had in a long time. Emma glanced at his profile. Looking at him would never get old. His strong, masculine features would always be handsome, even in his eighties.
Her reflections halted. She was already planning on being with him for the rest of her life. Now, she had to come to terms with it. The one thing she didn’t want to do was give in too easily. He needed to learn he couldn’t always have what he wanted whenever he wanted.