Her Way

by Jessica Jarman

  Tom held out a ring of keys. “Emma, take the Lexus. He’s staying at the Grand downtown.”

  “Are you kid—”

  Emma stopped Matt by holding her palm up and stared at her oldest brother. “No.”

  Tom blinked rapidly. “What?”

  “No,” she repeated. “That is above and beyond, particularly for a job I’m not even getting paid for. Sorry,” she looked at her dad, “but I’m not doing that.”

  “It’s not a big thing to ask; I don’t understand what the problem is,” Mark objected.

  “If it’s not a big thing, you won’t have a problem doing it yourself. I’m not your chauffeur. I coordinated the event, which is running smoothly. In fact,” she drew in a deep breath, “in light of that, I’m done. I’m going home now. I’ll be more than happy to plan future events; however,” another courage bolstering breath, “I’ll be charging for my services.”

  Emma’s heart raced out of control as she waited for the other men’s responses. Shit, she didn’t even ease into that, did she? She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from doing what was ingrained in her to do—apologize and do whatever they wanted.

  “Good for you,” Matt praised.

  “This is outrageous,” Tom sputtered and Mark nodded wildly in agreement.

  “No more so than you expecting your paycheck. I hope you understand,” she said to her father.

  “Of course,” he said slowly. “You go on home; get some sleep.” He lifted a palm to her cheek. “You look beat. We’ll talk tomorrow?”

  “Thanks, Dad.” As she walked away, she heard her brothers’ voices rise, but she kept her pace brisk and didn’t look back.

  Once home, Emma sat on the porch swing and just swayed in the evening air, not quite sure what to do now. While the logical part of her told her to strip and crawl in bed to sleep for an untold number of hours, she was too wound up to listen. So instead she swung and thought. Thought about everything Will had said and how she’d responded. She didn’t regret what she said, exactly, but the way it had come out… That could have been handled better. Pulling her cell phone out of her purse, she wondered if Will would even come home after the way they’d left it. She wanted him to. To apologize. To talk. To just be with him.

  She flipped her phone open and frowned when she hit a button and nothing happened. Damn it. Battery was dead. With a sigh, she stood and went inside. After plugging her phone in to charge, she grabbed the house phone and dialed Will’s number. It rang once, twice, then in a panic, Emma hung it up. A glance at the clock told her he’d be at the end of the dinner rush and unlikely to answer anyway.

  Things were bad enough between them; she didn’t need to add to it by bothering him at work. Plus, she was so worked up right now, she’d probably just make a bigger mess out of it than it already was, and if she were honest with herself, she had no clue what she was going to say to him. Not a blessed clue.

  * * * *

  Will sat at his desk and stared at the computer screen. In theory, he was working on the schedule. In reality? He hadn’t made any changes to said schedule in over fifteen minutes. After working the pass for a while, he’d holed in his office. His team was probably ready to strangle him. His foul mood and terse tone weren’t making him any friends. Emma’s poor nephew… It was Scott’s first evening in the kitchen. Will was certain the kid was regretting his choice.

  He shoved a hand through his hair, and as he stretched, his gaze landed on the manila envelope that rested on the desk’s surface. Picking it up, he turned it over in his hands and thought about what Emma had said about his wanting to keep her from parts of his life.

  “Shit,” he mumbled and tore the envelope open. He began scanning the documents inside and it didn’t take long for him to realize Emma had given this more than a passing thought. This clearly wasn’t a spontaneous offer on her part. The woman was meticulous and thorough in her research and figures. She’d explored angles he hadn’t even considered.

  Vibrations in his pocket pulled him from his examination. By the time he’d pulled his phone out, it had stopped. He glanced at the screen and frowned. Emma’s home number. It was way too early for the dinner party to be over. What was going on? He debated whether to call her back. It hadn’t rung long, and no message had been left on voicemail.

  He rose and walked into the bustling kitchen. When Justin walked past him, Will grabbed his arm. “Hey, you guys all right here if I take off?”

  “Yes. Please leave.” Justin rolled his eyes. “You’re making everyone nervous, you ornery bastard, especially the new kid.”

  “Ha. Well,” he hesitated. “Call if you need something.”

  “We won’t. It’s all under control. Get out of here.” His brother shoved him roughly then headed back to man the pass.

  Will watched another minute or two, then left his kitchen and staff in peace. Ready or not, it was time to see about his girl.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Will saw Emma as soon as he parked in front of the house. She sat on the porch swing, still in her black cocktail dress with her hair swept up in a fancy twist. Her shoes were kicked off so she kept the swing in motion with her bare toes pushing against the wooden porch. She cradled a wine glass in her hand while the bottle sat near her feet.

  She watched intently as he made his way up the front walk, her fingers dancing along the stem of the glass she held. He stopped at the base of the steps and waited.

  “You’re home early,” she said, her soft voice floating on the gentle breeze.

  “So are you,” he responded and climbed the steps to her.

  When he lowered himself next to her on the swing, she held her glass out to him. Sipping, he studied her. Damn, she still looked exhausted. A good wind could probably knock her over.

  “So…” He leaned back. “You wanna talk about it?”

  She chuckled and turned her head slightly toward him. “Not much to say, really.”

  “Em.” He traced his fingers along the hem of her dress just above her knees. “Why are you home?”

  “There was no reason for me to stay; everything was running smoothly.” She pursed her lips and stared out across the yard. “Tom wanted to send me on some idiot errand that had nothing to do with what I was responsible for, and I said no.”

  “Really?” Will lifted his brows in surprise. He didn’t imagine that went over well.

  “Yeah, and I told them if I planned events in the future, I’d be charging them.” She let out a dry laugh, plucking the glass from his hand, and bent forward to pick up the wine bottle before rising to her feet. “I guess it took arguing with you to prime the pump, so I could stand up to them. So thank you. You were right; they were taking advantage.”

  She turned and strode into the house, leaving Will staring after her, mouth gaping. Well, shit. He jumped up and followed her. She was walking out of the kitchen and stopped short when she saw him.

  “Look, Will, I’m sorry.” She twisted her fingers together. “I’m just really…raw. I thought I’d have some time to decompress before I saw you. I wasn’t expecting you to come home so early. Hell, I wasn’t sure you’d be coming at all after…after we fought.”

  “Hey.” He stepped forward and with a finger under her chin, tilted her face up. “I don’t bail on the people I love because of an argument.” His chest tightened when her lips trembled. He leaned in and caught them in a quick kiss. “I’ll always come back to you, Emma. Always.”

  Eyes shining, she nodded.

  “And you know it was never about being right, don’t you?” He searched her face carefully. “I was worried about you, I won’t apologize for that, but I did a piss poor job expressing it, and a number of other things. For that, I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay,” she whispered.

  “No,” he shook his head, “it’s not.” Taking her hand, he led her into the living room and gestured for her to sit on the couch, then sat beside her. He struggled to find the right words. “It’s not okay that you th
ought I was trying to dictate what you should do with your life. And it sure as hell isn’t okay that you thought I wanted to keep you out of any part of my life.”

  Emma closed her eyes briefly and let out a shuddering breath. “It wasn’t fair of me to say that. I should—”

  “Would you let me finish?” he interjected softly. God knew words weren’t his strong point and he wanted to get this out in one shot. When she nodded, he continued, “I want you to do whatever makes you happy. I’m sure I won’t always agree, especially when it comes to your family, and I’ll probably say or do the wrong thing at some point or another. I can’t promise I won’t, but what I can promise you, is if I do, it’s because I want what’s best for you.

  “I love you, Emma, and I want you to be a part of my life—all of it.” He grasped her hand and squeezed. “We’ll talk about a partnership with the bed and breakfast, and that’s not blowing smoke up your ass. We’ll seriously talk about it, and I’ll consider what you have to say.”

  “Thank you. That means a lot.” She met his gaze and smiled. “I know it’s not easy to deal with my family, or with me when it comes to them. I’m trying, Will, I really am. It’s hard to say no to them sometimes, and… God, I sound like a wussy little girl, don’t I?”

  Will laughed. “Nah. It’s tough when it comes to family. Standing up to them isn’t easy, especially at first, but it gets easier.”

  She didn’t say anything, but stared at him silently. He narrowed his eyes. He thought the whole talking it out had been going pretty well, but now, he wondered what she was thinking with that intent look on her face.

  Before he could ask, she reached out and cupped his face, then pulled him forward. His body tightened as her mouth covered his. Well, thank God the talking portion seemed to be over. Now he could show her exactly how he felt.

  Emma slid her tongue along Will’s bottom lip and hummed happily when he deepened the kiss, moving his tongue forward to play with hers. Without breaking the kiss she moved to straddle him. His hands settled on her ass, massaging as he ground against her.

  His early words played in her head. I’ll always come back to you, Emma. Always. He couldn’t know how much those words affected her, how they comforted her.

  “I want you,” she murmured against his lips.

  Will tightened his grip on her ass and stood. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her legs around his waist as he made his way through the house, upstairs to the bedroom. She hugged him briefly before untangling her limbs from him. He set her carefully on her feet next to the bed, then reached over to switch on the bedside lamp. A soft glow filled the room and Emma’s breath caught in her throat at the intense hunger in Will’s gaze as he studied her.

  Without a word, he twirled a finger in the air, gesturing for her to turn around. When she obeyed, he came up behind her, close enough she could feel the heat radiating from his body, and slowly slid the short jacket over her shoulders and down her arms.

  Shivers raced along her spine when he laid his lips where her neck and shoulder met. He laved and nipped the sensitive skin. The rasp of the dress’s zipper seemed so loud as he lowered it, then he was dragging the thin dress straps down. The material shimmered down her body and pooled at her feet.

  He slipped his hands around to cup her breasts, thumbing her nipples through the black strapless bra. They hardened immediately, and Emma arched into the touch. Her breath hitched, and her legs trembled. Desire pooled low in her belly, spiraled between her thighs.

  Will’s breath whispered past her ear as he licked along her lobe.

  “I want you so much,” he said harshly. “More and more every day. Drives me fucking crazy.”

  Twitch, twitch. She pressed her thighs together and her eyes slid shut.

  Lowering his hands to her waist, he straightened and spun her around. Desperate to touch him, Emma worked the buttons to his jacket, then pushed it off his shoulders and down until it fell to the ground. Grasping the soft material of his t-shirt, she yanked it from the waistband of his pants. He helped her lift it up and over his head, sending it sailing behind him.

  She licked her lips then leaned forward, capturing one of his flat nipples between her teeth. Will’s breath escaped in a long hiss. With an oath, he lifted his hands and started pulling pins from her hair. His fingers shook when she rolled her tongue around the tight crown. Triumphant confidence filled her and she kissed her way to the other nipple to give it equal attention.

  All the pins removed, Will buried his hands in her tresses and held her tightly to him a moment before pulling her roughly back. Hot and firm, his lips were on hers, assailing, plundering, claiming. His tongue pushed into the depths of her mouth in a seductive dance. She slid her tongue to mate with his, to taste him. Head spinning, she couldn’t hold a single thought.

  Will lowered his hands, skimming along her back until they came to the clasp of her bra. Emma moaned into his mouth as cool air washed over her bared breasts, her nipples tightening almost painfully. Will took a step forward and lowered her onto the mattress, his mouth still fused with hers. He cupped her breasts, his fingers relentlessly teasing the tips. Each strong tug sent lances of fiery pleasure through her.

  He left her mouth, kissed his way down her neck to her breasts and pulled a nipple between his lips, sucking until she bowed off the bed and fisted her hands in his hair. God, she didn’t want him to stop. She’d never get enough of him. How could she?

  Everything else faded, only Will and the sensations he brought to life inside her existed. She inhaled shakily as he ran a palm down over her belly, moving lower and lower until he cupped her pussy.

  “Ooooh.” She moaned and tilted her hips into his touch. Ground against the heel of his hand frantically.

  “Lift your hips,” he murmured.

  She bit her lip against the protests welling up inside her when he straightened. Once he’d removed her panties, he knelt between her thighs and just looked at her.

  She squirmed slightly under his gaze but determinedly didn’t try to cover herself. His lips curved into a sexy smile, as if he knew the temptation she fought.

  “You’re beautiful.” His voice was hoarse. He ran his palms along her legs, from ankle to hip. “So fucking beautiful.”

  He shifted back slightly and bent forward. He pressed his lips to her belly, then slowly, torturously began moving downward. Emma scooted up and lifted, desperate to feel his mouth on her. He gripped her hips tightly, holding her fast.

  “Patience, baby,” he murmured.

  She fisted her hands in his hair and tried to move him. “Patience my ass.”

  He chuckled softly and looked up her body to meet her gaze. “Patience,” he repeated.

  Her head dropped back and she closed her eyes tightly. “Damn you.”

  “Oh sweet, sweet Emma.” He circled her clit with the tip of his tongue, pulling a throaty cry from deep inside her.

  “Please, Will.”

  “Please what?” Another quick flick of the tongue.

  “Stop teasing me,” she choked out, trying to squirm within his iron-tight grip.

  Then his lips surrounded her clit and he sucked hard. Every muscle in her body tightened, and when his teeth scraped gently over the sensitive bud, she exploded. A million shards of pleasure raced through her body, drowning her in ecstasy.

  She whimpered as he didn’t relent. Using his lips, his tongue and his teeth, he continued to push her higher and higher as she writhed beneath him, helpless against the myriad sensations bombarding her. But it wasn’t enough. She pulled at his hair until he lifted his head. Her breath caught in her throat as he licked her juices from his glistening lips.

  “I—” she swallowed, “I want you inside me.”

  He grinned, then shifted to stand. Quickly, he undid his pants, shucking them and his boxers. Emma took the opportunity to admire his cock, hard and jutting, as he moved onto his knees between her thighs again. He circled her throbbing clit with his index finger several times,
causing her hips to jerk into the touch. Then he covered her body with his.

  “Look at me, Emma.” When she met his gaze, he positioned himself at her entrance. “You’re mine.” He thrust into her.

  “Ohhhh.” She gasped as her body stretched, accepted him.

  His arms shook as he held himself still a moment, then burying his face in her neck, he began to move inside her. Emma rose to meet his strokes, her hands running over his back and shoulders. A low moan reverberated in Will’s throat, deep and primal. Emma shuddered, incredibly aroused by the sound.

  More. More. The word echoed in her mind. She bit her lip, and her breath came out in gasps. Will lifted his head and watched her through narrowed eyes as he continued to drive into her. She lifted her hands to his cheeks and struggled to keep her eyes open, to keep the strangely erotic connection.

  Will ran a hand down her side, hooked his arm beneath her knee and lifted, opening her farther to his movements. Emma gasped as he plunged even deeper. Her muscles spasmed around his cock and she couldn’t hold back her strangled cry.

  “Come,” he bit out, slamming into her ruthlessly.

  She spiraled out of control, into ecstasy. Even as her release overwhelmed her, she met him stroke for stroke. He grasped her hips, fingers digging into her flesh as he thrust harder, deeper. His entire body tensed and, throwing his head back, he shouted her name as he came inside her. The force of his orgasm pushed her up again. She tightened her thighs around his hips as her pussy clamped around his pulsing cock.

  His arms trembled as he held himself above her. Only the sound of their harsh breathing filled the room. She rubbed her thumb back and forth over his cheek and struggled to keep her eyes open.

  He turned his head and pressed a kiss to her palm before moving to lie beside her. She rolled onto her side, and ran her hand over his sweat-slick chest, loving the feel of his hard muscles quivering at her touch.

  “Thank you,” she whispered.

  Will propped himself up on his elbow and looked at her curiously. “For what exactly?”