by Sarah Silver
He couldn’t believe what he was saying. After all, he had just met Emily. Who was he to assume that he would really go on to develop stronger feelings for her? What if he changed his mind? Worse yet- what if Emily changed her mind? He knew from the past that relationships were unpredictable, and that anything could change overnight. But he wanted to forge ahead with a newfound trust in the world, and in their blossoming relationship.
Emily was quiet for a minute and then she smiled. “You know, I have an idea.” She flicked a long tress of hair over her shoulder and then got up from her chair. “Why don’t we play a little game tonight? For every question that you answer completely, I’ll let you have one part of my body all to yourself.” Emily knew it sounded kind of silly, but she figured that maybe by enticing him and making the heavy matters feel less dominating, she could start to understand more of what was happening at 3532 Running River Road.
Dylan smiled and then nodded his head. “Okay.” He gave Emily a mischievous grin and then leaned in across the table. “I’m ready to play your game.” He reached for her hand and then kissed her on the cheek, feeling as ready as ever to lay it all on the line.
Chapter 9
Emily went into her room and pulled out her suitcase. Her unfinished letter to Leila sat folded in the pocket. She took it out and unfolded it, then sat down on her bed. She thought about all that had happened in the short time that she had been in Texas. She tried to think about what to say to Leila, but she couldn’t find the words to write. Feeling somewhat homesick and confused, Emily folded the letter back up for the third time and placed it back inside the pocket in her suitcase.
“Miss Emily, we’re ready for our book now!” Anna called out to Emily from her room at the end of the hall. Emily smiled and then got up, happy to feel like she was wanted. She walked down the hall and then into Anna’s room which was decorated in pink and purple.
“What book will it be tonight?” Emily scooted next to Anna and Eisley climbed in next to her. The three buried themselves under the covers and Emily waited while they tried to come to an agreement on a book. When Eisley finally decided that they read a book of fairytales, Emily dove in with enthusiasm. Some of the places in the tales reminded her of home, with their mystical stone walls and their vast, enchanted forests. She thought again about Leila, and wondered what she was doing.
“Good night, girls.” When Emily had finished reading them their stories, she tucked them in and kissed them both on the forehead. Then she flicked off the lights and tiptoed down the hall. Dylan was up reading a book when she peeked in. “They’re already asleep.” She grinned and then walked inside his room, quietly locking the door behind her.
Dylan patted the bed in a gesture for her to come forward. She climbed atop the king sized mattress and then gave Dylan a kiss on the cheek. “It’s game time.” She winked and then smiled. There was something about Dylan that she was deeply attracted to, and she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. Aside from his outward appearance, he had a quality of lightness to him that made her feel at ease.
“Okay. Fire away.” Dylan sat up and then looked at Emily as she got ready to ask her first question.
“My first question is about Felix Rose. I found a bunch of bills from him inside the kitchen cabinet the other day.” Emily felt much better telling him the truth than she did keeping it inside. “I only found them because they fell on my head when I opened the cabinet looking for trash bags. I swear.” Emily still felt very much like a guest in his home, and she didn’t want him to think that she was snooping around.
Dylan nodded his head and then playfully kissed Emily on the head. “So I guess your question is: Who is Felix Rose and what does he want from me?” Dylan chuckled and then stretched out on the bed. Emily could see the bulge in his biceps from underneath his t-shirt, and she could make out the notches in his stomach where his muscles announced themselves.
“Yes.” Emily nodded her head with an emphatic yes and Dylan drew in a deep breath.
“Felix Rose is the man who I signed a lease with, back when I was first married to Ginger. He used to collect the rent from me, but we worked out an arrangement where I was going to lease to own. The long story short is that I had fallen behind on my regular rent right around the time that the girls came here to live. It was no time to be out of a home, but my work as executive at the bank downtown was going really slow. I eventually got laid off, and was collecting unemployment with the hopes of being promoted to manager when they called me back.” Dylan looked straight ahead as he spoke and Emily watched on in silence.
“So let me guess.” Emily moved a little closer and ran a hand across his stomach. “The bank never called you back.” She could tell where the story was leading. Dylan nodded his head.
“Bingo. The bank never called me back, and I therefore never got promoted. So, time goes on and I get deeper into the hole with my bills and with my rent. Felix Rose and I have a nice chat and work out a deal where my payments each month will be lowered, with the expectation that I pay off the house in five years, and make myself the owner. As you can tell from the other day’s meeting- that never happened.” Dylan shook his head and then leaned closer to Emily. “I think that since I just told you half my life story I get to have the body part that I desire. That was the name of the game, right?” He smiled and Emily gazed into his blue eyes, once more unable to resist.
She closed her eyes and they met for a kiss. “What body part do you want?” Emily continued to kiss him as she asked.
“Well first I want to start with that nice flat belly of yours. Let me have at it.” He dove down and nuzzled his face against Emily’s stomach and she giggled with enjoyment. Then he took his hands and ran them across her thighs, squeezing them with his hands as he made his way down. “I love every part of your body, Emily.” Dylan smiled and then kissed her on the top of her knees.
“I think we both could use a little stress relief tonight.” Emily smiled and then arched her back on the bed, revealing her taut firm breasts. Dylan moved up and then caressed them in his hands. He loved how her body was proportioned and how her slender frame still carried enough curves to keep him satisfied.
“Let me feel you inside me again.” Dylan wanted to know her better, especially since she was now his wife. To him, the legality was of less importance than the insinuation. He wanted to know that he could trust her, that he could rely on her when he needed someone. He wanted her to be his other half.
“I’m ready for you.” Emily pulled him close, yearning for his touch. He pressed his body against hers and then positioned himself so that he could get as near to her as possible. He felt around for her sacred walls and then, with a subtle yet prominent movement, thrust himself deep inside her. Emily let out a moan that echoed against the walls of Dylan’s room. Again, he thrust himself inside her, and she responded with the ecstatic cries of desire.
“I want to feel all of you, Emily.” Dylan whispered in her ear and she cried out with pleasure. It was like she had been transported to another time and space, and she couldn’t quite tell if what was happening were real. In fact, at one point she actually pinched herself to see that life was truly in the real.
Dylan and Emily moved in unison, both of them falling into a sort of lover’s rhythm that usually only comes after years of being with the same partner. Emily, although she couldn’t quite believe it yet, felt as if she might actually be falling in love with Dylan McBride. She ran her hands over his back and drew him even closer to her than before. He pleasured her until she finally let out a resounding cry, reaching her climax just as the stars poked their way through the cloudy sky.
When the sun rose the next morning, both Dylan and Emily bounded out of bed with the youthful energy of children. They made their way downstairs after getting dressed, and then they each found their places in the kitchen. Dylan made the coffee and Emily prepared breakfast for the girls. Dylan set up the sink for dishes, and Emily washed them when they were all done eating. To
Dylan and to Emily, it already felt as if they were one big happy family, until Ginger came knocking at the door.
“One second.” Dylan and Emily had just wiped the last crumb off the counter and sent the girls off to school when there was a loud knock at the door. Emily walked behind Dylan to see who it was, and Dylan opened it, expecting to see the mailman or possible a debt collector. Instead, it was a tall, thin, attractive woman with auburn hair and seductive green eyes.
“Ginger?” Dylan looked as if he’d just seen a ghost. The woman batted her lashes at him and then smoothed her hair which hung in long, thick waves beyond her shoulders. Dylan froze in his tracks.
“How are you, Dylan. It’s been awhile.” Ginger smiled and then tried to see beyond Dylan’s shoulders to where Emily was standing. “Do you have a few minutes?” She smiled and Emily could see that she had perfect teeth. In fact, she looked to Emily a bit like a movie star that she’d seen once on television.
“Well, I’m kind of in the middle of something, but…” Dylan’s face reddened as Emily inched closer to the door. Ginger smiled and then stepped inside the house after Dylan stopped talking.
“I came by to tell you that I’m sorry.” Ginger cut to the chase and Emily nearly buckled at the knees. How could this be happening? Why? Emily felt stunned, like the wind had just been knocked out of her sails. She walked out of the living room and then ran up the steps into her room. She flung herself on the bed, pounded the sheets with her fist, and then cried.
“I cannot believe this.” Emily talked to herself as she stood in the bedroom. “His ex-wife? Coming to apologize? What if they get back together? That woman is gorgeous.” Emily shook her head, unable to decide if she should cry or scream. After a few minutes of deliberation, she decided to go back downstairs and at least make her presence known. Ginger was now sitting on the couch and Dylan was sitting in a chair across from her.
“Emily, why don’t you come sit down?” Dylan acknowledged her as soon as she stepped into the room. It took all of her class and character to force out a polite smile.
“I’m actually going to work on making a treat for the girls to eat when they get home from school.” Emily thought it would be the perfect way to both remove herself from being in the same room as Ginger, and to allow herself to hear what was being said during their conversation. This time, she told herself, she didn’t care how much eavesdropping took place.
“It’s taken me a long time to realize that I was wrong back when the girls first came to live with us, you know?” Ginger leaned forward in her seat, her mysterious green eyes fixed on Dylan’s face. Emily could smell Ginger’s perfume all the way out in the kitchen. She wanted to march out there and tell Dylan that his ex-wife smelled like a cheap whore, but she kept her composure and pulled out the rolled oats and brown sugar, instead.
“I appreciate your telling me all this, Ginger, but I’m not sure what your intentions are.” Dylan at back, his arms folded across his chest. The dogs had started barking about something outside, so Emily stepped out back to shush them. Once there, she took a deep breath. What was she getting so worked up, anyway? She had just met Dylan, and even though she was now his wife, he was a man with a past. What could she really do to change that? What point was there in getting mad?
She walked into the backyard for a few minutes in an attempt to clear her mind. She tried to imagine what Leila would tell her, and she decided that as always, Leila would recommend something prudent and wise. Emily imagined that Leila would tell her to go for a walk and calm down, or to go sit down and have a beer to see if that soothed her nerves at all. The sun was bright and in the distance, a herd of cows grazed beyond Dylan’s fence line. She wondered if she’d be on this property long enough to see them live out their lives.
After a few long, deep breaths, Emily turned around to go back inside. When she did, Dylan was standing at the door to meet her. “I thought you might have disappeared.” He took her by the arm as soon as she got to the top of the steps. Emily gave him a wry smile and then walked into the kitchen, back to her oats and brown sugar.
“How did your talk go?” Emily tucked one of her long strands of hair behind her ear and then pulled out some measuring cups from the cabinet. She thought back to when she was a little girl and her mother used to make her oatmeal raisin cookies as an afternoon treat. It was peculiar how some memories had such a powerful sticking power.
“The talk went fine. I didn’t see that one coming, though.” Dylan shook his head and then chuckled. “Leave it to Ginger to show up at the least opportune moment.” He looked at Emily and could tell that she was bothered. He wanted to tell her that Ginger’s visit was inconsequential, that she had no hold on him any longer, but he knew Emily wouldn’t believe him. He realized that only time would prove where his commitments stood, and how he truly felt about Emily.
“I’m popping these cookies in the oven. Can you pull them out in ten minutes?” Emily untied the apron she was wearing and then tried to make a graceful exit from the kitchen. Dylan grabbed her gently by the arm.
“Hey. I can tell that you’re upset. Emily, you have to believe me when I tell you that Ginger is not going to disrupt what we have going on here. Please.” He stammered and then ran his hands through his thick, dark hair. “I know that there’s nothing I can say to convince you, but I will tell you that my word is golden. I love you.” Dylan let go of her arm and she took off down the hall, not sure of where she was going, or what she was going to do next.
Chapter 10
She stormed up the steps and then opened the door to her room. What was she doing? Why was she acting like a child? She tried to remind herself that only a month ago, she was worried about ending up homeless on the street. She needed to get her thought sin perspective and be thankful that she now had a job- and not just any job, but a relationship that brought her purpose and fulfillment.
She stepped off the bed and reached for her suitcase. Then she chuckled. She knew that as soon as she pulled Leila’s letter out of her suitcase she’d be interrupted, either by Eisely, Anna, Dylan, or the dogs. It made her smile, but it also made her frustrated. She really wanted to get her message out to Leila. She needed to know if she was okay, and how her job at the bakery was going.
She reached inside the pocket and pulled out the letter, then unfolded it and set it down on the bed. She lifted up her pen and started to write a letter, just as Dylan called to her from down the hallway. “Emily. I need to see you.” He came to the door and she attempted to stuff the letter back into her suitcase. “What are you doing?” He gave her a quizzical expression.
“I’m trying to write my cousin a letter, but so far, I’ve been interrupted consistently every time I lift up a pen.” Emily gave Dylan a playful look, but there was an underlying honesty to her frustration. Dylan frowned.
“I’m sorry. Want me to leave you alone?” He started to walk out of the room but Emily grabbed him by the shirt-tail.
“No. I don’t want you to leave me alone. I want you to tell me that you’ll always be here for me, and that we’ll be able to get through this confusing and tumultuous time in your life. We have so much more to talk about, Dylan. I mean, I still don’t even know what that meeting with Felix Rose resulted in. Are you going to lose this place? Are the girls going to have their livelihood threatened? We need to talk about this.” Emily felt a tear come to her eye.
“I know we have a lot to talk about. It will happen. And to answer your question about the house… I really don’t know what will happen. I have a few leads for banking positions outside of Laredo, but it’s all speculation right now.” Dylan didn’t want Emily to know that he was scared of losing everything. He really didn’t know what was going to happen, and there was nothing he could do to make the uncertainty go away. So, he decided he’d just have to embrace it.
“You know, I’m not sure what you think about this, and I know I’ve only been here for a short time, but my cousin, Leila, is a great person. She bakes, she
cooks, she sews and she gardens.” Emily wasn’t sure where she was going with her information, but she was counting on Dylan to fill in the blanks. “Maybe she could help out somehow. Maybe if she came out here, we could all pool our resources and make something great happen.” Emily shrugged. It was the optimist in her coming out again.
Dylan liked the sounds of it, even though he had no idea what Leila was like. “Let’s invite her to come visit. Why not?” He smiled and then took Emily by the arm. “In the mean time, let me make love to you. Right here.Right now.” He grinned and started to lift Emily’s sweater over her head. She couldn’t resist him, as usual, so she helped him get it off, and then she unzipped her pants and let them drop to the floor.
Dylan unzipped his jeans and shook then to his ankles. Then he lifted off his own shirt and clasped his arms around Emily’s waist. He drew her close to his body and breathed in all of her womanly scents and energies. She unfastened her bra and let it fall to the floor, and then she pressed her breasts against his strong, muscular chest and shuddered as her nipples grew hard against his body.
Dylan ran his hands over her shoulders, down her arms, and around her waist. He kissed her neck and her breasts, then eased his mouth down her body until it landed on her sweet, feminine bounty. He kissed her womanly mound with his lips and then knelt down on the floor, eager to take in more of her delicate charms. Emily moaned with ecstasy.
He guided her gently to the floor, and they embraced on the rug that lied at the foot of her bed. With his strong and measured hands, he felt the gentle slope of her hips, the tight formation of her thighs. Then he allowed his fingers to travel along her hairy treasure, until they found their way inside. Once there, he played with her until she cried out with intense pleasure. Then he climbed on top of her, as he’d done before, but this time with more conviction and dominance.