30. Emerson #2
“Things have—” I pause to look down at the sweet soul lying peacefully on my lap. “A lot has changed over these past months.”
The side of his mouth quirks up as his gaze hovers over his sister. “So, what are you going to do?”
“I don’t want to let her go, Ryleigh. Not this time. I know that may be hard to hear, but I think I’m in—” I swallow deeply, the truth sitting right on the tip of my tongue. “I can see a future with her.”
As I wait for Ryleigh to respond, my rib cage feels like it’s about to cave in. I take a few deep belly breaths, just like my therapist taught me last week, and it helps keep the anxiety from pushing me over the edge.
“Again, I’m asking you what you are going to do about it.”
“She could move with me to Texas?”
Ryleigh sighs and shakes his head. “You really think whisking her away right now, while she’s still trying to figure everything out, is a good idea?”
“You’re right, that was a purely selfish idea.” Smoothing my palm over my face, I curse myself for even thinking that would be an option. “She needs you all right now, and I don’t want to take her away from that. She still has some healing to do herself.”
Ryleigh nods.
“She’s doing such a great job working at the ranch and with Harper. Dad’s over the moon, and we even got to talking the other day about her coming to work on the ranch permanently. I thought she might enjoy taking the job of head catering chef and event planner for us.”
His eyes widen, and I know I’ve finally said something right.
“Dad agreed, and he’s planning on telling her after the wedding’s over. We just didn’t want to make her nervous before.”
“I think she would love that, Em.”
“You think?”
“Absolutely.”
“I’m worried about leaving to go race. I know we can make it work, but I think in her eyes she’s still afraid that once I leave to go back to work, that will be it for us.”
“So prove it isn’t. Show her how much you love her. Tell her that no matter where you both are, your love will be unbreakable. Show her that you are all in. Say those three little words that she’s been waiting to hear for a long time, Em.”
“I will.”
“Good man.” He smiles as he takes another sip. “Because if you break her heart again, I’ll kill you myself. There are several spots on this land that would be perfect for burying a body.”
His eyes lock with mine as I try to rein in my chuckle and not wake the girls.
“I wouldn’t expect anything less.” I grin.
Ryleigh raises his bottle toward me and nods in approval. “Glad we have an understanding.”
Lyla whines softly in her sleep, and Ryleigh stands and walks over to us. He lifts her gently in his arms. “Promise me you’ll do right by her.” His eyes are pinned on mine as my gaze falls on Henley.
“Promise.”
A soft smile lifts his lips as he carries Lyla upstairs to her bed. Carefully, I try to rouse the sleeping beauty in my lap. Henley is out cold and doesn’t even flinch. Somehow, I manage to lift her in my arms and carry her out to the truck.
By the time we make it back to the cabins, her body has sprawled across my lap once more. For a moment, I contemplate just staying and sleeping beside her in the truck. But I know in the morning both of our bodies would revolt against us. We aren’t as young as we used to be.
Gently leaning her against my shoulder, I dig through her purse until I find her keys.
Once inside, I lay her gently on the bed.
While I begin to tuck her in, I realize she’s still wearing her jeans.
She must realize it, too, because she grumbles something incoherent while trying to shove them down unsuccessfully.
A frustrated whimper slips from her lips.
Back and forth I rock on my heels, contemplating whether I should or not.
“Help me, Em?”
I let out the air I’ve been holding and decide to answer her plea.
My hands tremble like a damn teenager as I unbuckle the button of her pants and slide down the zipper. As gently as I can, I lift her hips and slide the rough fabric down.
Fuck me.
Of course she’d be wearing a thong.
And not just any thong. It’s the tiniest scrap of black lace I’ve ever seen, barely held together by even thinner straps.
It takes all my resolve to peel away the rest of her pants. By the time I pull the sheets over her body, I can feel the sweat dripping down my forehead. Scrambling to the door as fast as I can, a small whimper halts me in my tracks.
“Em?”
I stay silent. I’ll just wait a few more minutes, and she’ll fall back into her deep sleep.
“Stay,” she whispers.
My body freezes. Did she just say what I think she said?
“Please?”
I toss my head back, groaning internally. If I stay, will she not remember in the morning and freak out finding me in bed beside her? Or what if she’s fully awake and knows exactly what she’s doing? If I leave now, what signal would that send to her?
With a deep breath, I stroll back over to the bed. What am I doing?
Stripping down to my boxers, I ease myself into the bed beside her. She mumbles something unintelligible while I try to figure out what she’s doing underneath the blankets.
When a black polka-dot bra flies to the floor, my curiosity is answered. And I’m suddenly aware how much more trouble I just got myself into.
Adrenaline rushes through me as I lie on my back trying not to think about the fact that Hen is currently lying beside me in only a thin thong and a T-shirt. Just as I take a deep breath and attempt to calm my nerves, heat envelops my body.
To make matters even more complicated, her head snuggles into my chest. Her soft sigh cascades over me as her legs intertwine with mine.
“Mmm,” she hums. Her voice is husky and thick with sleep. “So warm.”
My cock stirs beneath my boxers as I curse it silently to settle down.
Seconds turn to minutes. Minutes to an hour.
Hen’s heavy breaths turn into light snores, and I’m finally able to relax my muscles. My fingers itch to touch her skin, but instead I opt for the safer route—her hair. Soft waves weave between my fingers, and I carefully comb through it.
I have dreamt about this moment for so long, and it feels exactly how I’d envisioned it. Henley fits perfectly beside me. Like the missing piece to my puzzle that’s been incomplete for years.
With a heavy sigh, my hand falls from her hair and wraps around her waist. Her body stirs, and she starts to roll backward, but I hold her tighter. Determined to keep her planted on my chest.
Ryleigh’s right. I need to tell her how I feel.
Somewhere between listening to Hen’s soft snores and planning exactly when and how I’m going to talk to Henley about our future, I fall asleep.