by C. R. Ellis
Emmett was right; I loved the thrill of controlling the yacht. I was terrified at first, but once Emmett showed me the ropes, he couldn’t pry me away from the wheel. Not that he tried. He was perfectly content to watch me work, jumping up to help only when I asked, or when he needed to adjust the speed. It went on like that until we closed in on the marina, and I reluctantly stepped away so he could bring us in.
While he navigated back to the dock, I made a beeline for the master suite where I’d left everything I’d brought along. I wanted to send Jas a quick text so she’d know I was still breathing.
JADE:Just checking in. Nothing much to report about the day.
JADE:Oh, except he’s a sex god I could worship every day. And we spent the day on a massive yacht. I even got to drive! (Steer? Direct? What’s the correct term for controlling a yacht???)
A smile crept across my lips when my phone buzzed before I set it down.
JASMINE:Don’t know which of those things I’m more intrigued by.
JASMINE:Tell me about the yacht first.
JASMINE:And by ‘yacht,’ I mean sex. Obviously.
JADE:It was the yacht of all yachts. I’m probably ruined for any other kind of motored water vessels.
JASMINE:Damn. I’m happy for ya, JP. But, just so we’re clear—I’m gonna need more details. This yacht euphemism isn’t cutting it.
I knew Jas would want more details, but she’d have to wait. Right now, I needed to figure out how the hell I was going to make it through the night without losing my heart along the way.
I was quiet most of the drive back into downtown Austin, trying to convince myself I didn’t care Emmett still hadn’t opened up in a real way about who he was or why he lived a life of solitude.
“Sinclair,” he declared, drawing my attention back to him. We’d come to a stop in a parking garage of a luxury hotel. My eyebrows quirked up, waiting for him to elaborate. “My last name.”
Emmett Sinclair.
While he inhaled a deep, steadying breath into his lungs, I felt the entire supply of oxygen get sucked from my mine. Holy shit. He was actually about to tell me about himself.
Emmett’s gaze lifted to the window, away from me. “My father is Senator William Sinclair. I grew up somewhat in the public eye; he was a high-profile, well-known defense attorney before running for the Senate. For as long as I can remember, his position as a public figure has come before his position as a father, and he’s never denied that. In fact, he made sure I knew where his priorities were from a young age. He’s power-hungry and callous and unapologetically manipulative. He stops at nothing to get what he wants and doesn’t care about consequences. I’ve never been the son he wanted me to be. Everything I am today, I am in spite of him. He’ll never stop making me pay for choosing my own desires over his, for going against him at every turn. I can’t—I won’t—give him an opportunity to cost me everything again.”
Safe to say, the Sinclairs took family drama to a whole new level, and I could tell he’d barely scratched the surface of theirs. I understood now why his aunt and uncle raised him more than his own parents. I’d been extremely lucky to have a tight-knit, loving family of my own growing up. My parents were my number one fans, and I owed all of my success to their never-ending support. My older brother, Dean, was a typical over-protective brother, but we’d always been close.
I couldn’t begin to imagine what Emmett’s life was like growing up. It made my heart hurt for him, and my fingers involuntarily search for his.
“Emmett, I don’t even know what to say,” I mumbled, shaking my head and lacing my fingers through his. I turned my body toward him and unbuckled my seat belt to lean closer. My free hand cupped his cheek and my lips followed to plant a kiss on his other cheek. “Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me.” I paused to give him a smile. “Preston, by the way. My last name.”
“Jade Preston…the girl who’s breaking all of my rules,” he murmured.
Funny, I couldn’t even remember the last rule I’d broken. I’d always been a strict rule-follower; I left all the rule-breaking to Jas. I always colored inside the lines as a child. I never broke my curfew in high school. I only ever took one sample at the grocery store (unless there’s bread involved, because resisting carbs is a superpower I do not possess). I liked organization, and rules paved the way for order and routine.
Only, Emmett made me want to throw out all the rules I’d carefully followed in the past.
“Emmett Sinclair, the boy with too many rules,” I countered. “Look, I told you I wasn’t going to press you for more than today, and I’m not. I know your stupid rules, and I understand your reasons for having them. But I won’t apologize for anything about today.”
A dimple that, no doubt, was responsible for melting the hearts of countless women appeared and struck a match of desire within my core. Jesus, he’s too much. His smile. His tousled, touchable blonde hair. Those intense blue eyes. All of his features came together to create one collective package of sheer perfection.
There are cute guys. There are hot guys. There are just plain handsome guys.
Then there’s Emmett.
The man I had yet to categorize, which undoubtedly meant he needed his own category.
In a flash, Emmett was over the center console, invading my space, his lips hovering inches above mine while his hands cupped my face. “You’re killing me, Jade,” he groaned just before his lips melted into mine. My arms unfolded and slipped around his neck to pull him closer. He straddled me while reaching down to unbuckle the seat belt and deepening the kiss until I forgot where we were. I didn’t even care there was a very real chance we were giving passersby quite the show, I was ready to reveal all to the world if it meant feeling Emmett’s skin on mine.
So much for a reality check.
Reality could wait. Having Emmett Sinclair on top of me, making me feel like this moment was the only one that mattered, couldn’t wait.
Moments like this, where time became irrelevant because I was so lost in him, in his touch, would be what haunted me most after today. Emmett’s touch jumbled my brain so much I couldn’t even bring myself to care.
The shrill ring of a cell phone from inside the center console shattered the silence.
“Do you need to check that?”
“Hell no,” he groaned against my lips. “Times like this are exactly why voicemail was invented.” Relief washed over me when his lips found mine again, the near-interruption instantly forgotten when his phone stopped ringing.
“Big fan of this dress, by the way,” he huffed, one hand slipping underneath the material and up my thigh while the other tugged a strap down my shoulder.
“Glad you approve,” I replied, letting my own hands reach for his belt.
He peppered kisses on my newly-exposed skin, and I felt my pulse spike. Emmett’s fingers blazed a trail against the thin material of my panties, and a million different nerve endings came alive. I was putty in his hands, ready to be molded into whatever shape he wanted me to be.
“I love how much you want me,” he breathed into my ear before tugging it between his teeth.
My pulse went wild and I couldn’t help the shudder following his words.
At the exact moment Emmett’s fingers finally pushed my panties aside, a sharp knock came from the drivers’ side of the Tahoe. I couldn’t tell if my gasp was a result of the knock or of the wave of pleasure his fingers elicited.
My head jerked up, but Emmett seemed content to ignore the knocker all together. “Uh, Emmett,” I rasped. The windows were tinted pretty darkly, so I wasn’t sure if the man outside could see inside very well, but I could see him, and he did not look happy. He was bald, which only highlighted how furrowed his dark eyebrows were above a pair of dark brown eyes. He wore a black suit with a plain black tie, giving off absolutely zero traces of any kind of personality. Whoever he was, I got the distinct feeling he was not someone you wanted on your bad side.
“Ignore it,” he wh
ispered, his lips brushing against my ear and his hand still up my dress. “The windows are borderline-illegal in how tinted they are, so they can’t see in.”
“I don’t think he’s going away.”
His head finally lifted from my neck and he followed my line of sight.
“Fuck,” he hissed, pulling his hand away and putting his belt back on.
“You know him?” I asked, looking from Emmett to the man and back.
“Yeah.” He turned back to me and pressed his lips to mine in a quick kiss. “Hold that thought, and don’t move, Tiny. This will only take a minute.” Adjusting himself, he moved to get out of the SUV.
“Okay.” I wanted to ask who the man was, but I hesitated and Emmett was up and out of the vehicle so quickly I wasn’t even sure he’d heard my initial reply.
As soon as Emmett stepped out, the man rounded the hood to meet him. Closer examination of the mystery man led me to believe he was probably forty-ish, and was in damn good shape. He was several inches taller than Emmett, which put him firmly in giant territory, and his arms were more like tree trunks than actual limbs. His eyebrows were so furrowed, and his scowl was so intense, I couldn’t help but wonder if he even knew how to smile.
Whoever he was, I could tell Emmett knew him well. Bypassing any kind of formal greeting, the body-builder-slash-hulk-impersonator immediately launched into whatever he needed to tell Emmett. After a few seconds, Emmett and the hulk both glanced my way. I knew they couldn’t see me through the dark windows, but I still squirmed. Whatever they were discussing couldn’t be good. The scowl on Hulk’s face was nothing compared to the look of fury on Emmett’s. He looked like he wanted to run his fist through the nearest cement wall.
Minutes ticked by, and I tried in vain not to wonder what they were discussing. When scrolling through social media feeds didn’t hold my attention, I turned my attention to the various exotic cars filling up the garage. Mentally calculating the combined value of several cars was a good distraction from wondering about Emmett’s conversation. I didn’t even notice he and Hulk were walking back toward me until they were only six feet away from the car. To my surprise, the scowl from Hulk’s face had lessened, though his jaw was clenched, along with his fists. Emmett’s eyes were narrowed and laser-focused on me.
He gestured for Hulk to stop and wait a few feet behind him before tugging open the Tahoe door and ushering me out of the seat.
“Emmett, what’s going on? Kinda freaking me out here. Who’s he?”
“Jade, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have agreed to today, to bringing you into my life.” He gently cupped my face between his hands, leaving me unable to look away from him.
I stared at him, waiting for him to elaborate.
“Something’s come up, and I have to go. This is Harrison,” he explained, tilting his head toward Hulk. “You can trust him. There’s no one else I’d trust more with my own life. He works for me, and he’s going to take you home.”
“You have a body guard? I guess that makes sense, what with how secretive you are and all. Who else do you have on your payroll? Iron Man? Captain America? Hulk? But seriously, I’m pretty sure he is all three of them combined.” I angled my head around Emmett’s frame to glance back at Harrison. “Wait. He’s taking me home? As in, my home?” I asked, panic saturating my voice.
A sad smile tugged at the corners of Emmett’s lips before he nodded. “It’s better this way, I promise.”
Vaulted, locked down Emmett was back; gone was the Emmett who’d opened up and told me real truths about himself.
I crossed my arms. “Why, Emmett? Oh, right, you probably can’t tell me. I’m not even surprised, actually. Was this your plan all along?” I asked, not even trying to hide the hurt and frustration from my voice. After a calming breath I was finally able to meet his eyes. “Emmett, I’m sorry. I ramble and lash out when I’m upset.”
“I’m getting that. And it’s okay, Jade. You have every right to be upset, and I don’t blame you for hating me after this. But I swear to God, this is the last thing I wanted.”
In my head, I knew he was telling me the truth. I only wished honesty made things easier for my heart. Tears formed behind my eyes, and I silently begged them not to fall.
I sidestepped Emmett and walked toward Hul—Harrison. Apparently I’d be getting a ride home from the man, so I figured I should probably introduce myself.
“Jade…” Emmett called, but he didn’t try to stop me.
“Hi, I’m Jade,” I offered, shaking his hand with the one I hadn’t just used to swipe away a stupid, angry tear.
He towered over me, and yet, he was infinitely more teddy-bear-like up close than he’d looked to be from inside the car. A soft smile stretched across his lips as his enormous hand engulfed mine for a moment in a cordial handshake. It felt familiar, comfortable, like I was shaking hands with my uncle.
“Pleased to meet you, Ms. Preston.”
“Just Jade. Please,” I insisted, waving off his formality.
Before Harrison could reply with anything more than a gentle smile and an oh, of course, Emmett was across the space asking him to give us a second. He nodded curtly before moving toward the SUV I’d just been inside and reaching into the backseat to get my duffel bag and purse.
I looked at Emmett expectantly, unwilling to say anything first.
“Please tell me you don’t hate me.”
“You just said you’d understand if I did.”
“I know. But I changed my mind.”
I sighed. “I don’t hate you, Emmett. I don’t understand you, and I sometimes wanna smack some sense into you, but hate? Not even close.”
That was a truth I had no choice but to own. I couldn’t understand why, but twenty-four hours of knowing Emmett forced an unfamiliar, incomprehensible feeling of comfort and trust upon me.
Emmett’s arms wrapped around me, and his chest was all I could see, all I could feel, all I could smell. The hard surface smelled like the perfect mixture of subtle, spicy cologne and the ocean, somehow. But above everything else, it felt like home. Which only brought on another wave of tears that I hated myself for allowing. What did I expect to come from this stupid charade? He wasn’t going to change his mind, and I only had myself to blame for thinking there’d be any other outcome. Sure, I’d expected to get the full twenty-four hours with him, but I was deluding myself if I somehow thought things would change between now and tomorrow morning.
“Oh yeah? And where exactly would you be smacking me?”
I couldn’t help but laugh. And then pull out of his embrace and smack his arm. Not exactly my ideal target, but I had a point to make. Which was…what, exactly? His stupid, sexy voice is annoyingly seductive. So is his face. Great.
Why did he have to make thoughts so hard to hold on to in my brain?
“You can’t say things like that, Emmett,” I groaned. “Not now.”
“I’m sorry. God, Jade, you have no fucking idea how sorry I am.” Before I could protest, he pulled me back into his arms and brought his lips down to mine in an urgent, desperation-fueled kiss. His lips were branding mine, conveying everything he wouldn’t get the chance to with words.
Harrison cleared his throat from behind us.
“Boss? We should go,” he interjected.
I had a feeling if anyone else had tried interrupting our moment, Emmett would’ve ripped them apart. But something about the way Emmett looked at Harrison told me theirs was a unique relationship, extending beyond employee-employer.
With what surely had to be super-human strength, I pulled myself free from Emmett’s embrace. Walking away from Emmett was near-impossible, but I figured he needed to know what it felt like to be walked away from, since this was his decision.
Harrison opened the door leading to the back seat of the sleek, black SUV, but I hesitated. “Is it okay if I sit up here?” I asked, stopping at the passenger side front door.
“Sure, Ms.—Jade,” he corrected as he moved to open the other
door.
I hopped into the seat without looking back at Emmett, but before I could get my seatbelt on, he was there, pulling the door open and invading my space. Half an hour ago, I would’ve welcomed this kind of invasion. In fact, half an hour ago, he’d been invading a lot more than just my space.
My head jerked up. “Emmett, what’re you—”
“I’m going to make this up to you. I don’t know how, but I swear to you I’ll explain everything. I refuse to let this be the end. Do you trust me?” His baby blues searched my face for answers I wasn’t sure I had in me to give.
I hesitated, but I knew the answer before the words were out. “Yes, but I don’t—”
He grinned; the first smile I’d seen from him since our bubble had burst.
“I’ll make this up to you. Somehow,” he called, planting a kiss on my forehead before pulling away from me just as quickly as he’d appeared.
Emmett buckled my seatbelt and closed the door in one swift motion, and I was left in a whirlwind of confusion, wondering what the hell just happened.
Aside from giving him my address, Harrison and I rode in a comfortable silence for the first five minutes. It was early evening, so the downtown streets weren’t overly crowded yet. The crowds came later, when the streets were alive, overflowing with rowdy, boisterous college students and twenty-somethings looking for a good time.
Finally, I summoned the nerve to ask Harrison a few questions about Emmett, eventually wearing him down enough to break his stony silence. I learned that he’d known Emmett for twenty years, that his job was to do whatever Emmett and John needed done (something told me not just in a general manual labor way), and that Emmett was a workaholic like he’d claimed. By the time we reached my apartment, I still had no idea what to think about Emmett’s family issues. I only knew that the thread of logic I’d held onto like a lifeline ever since Andrewgeddon – a thread that insisted I never put myself into a position to be hurt again – had quickly unraveled.