Sully visibly flinches as his face turns bright red. “Yeah, Peyton. No matter even that.”
“We’re family,” I say, nudging her. “Families fight sometimes. It’s all good, and it’s forgotten.”
Sully shoots me a grateful look. “Yes. Completely forgotten.”
Emmy hasn’t made a move in my direction yet, so I reach out and pull her into a hug. I relax a little as she buries her face in my coat and wraps her arms around me. She trembles when I pull her closer.
Damn. This moment feels way too intimate for everyone else’s eyes.
“They would have been so proud of you tonight, Mav,” she says, her voice wavering.
“I know, Sunshine.” I kiss the top of her head. “But you made it extra special. I’ll never be able to thank you enough.”
She tries to pull away, but I keep one arm firmly around her waist as she turns to face the group. I’ve missed holding her, and want to keep her at my side for as long as possible.
“We’re thinking of heading over to Grano’s Steakhouse,” Sully tells me. “Pretty sure they’re open late. We need to celebrate the win.”
“I’m in,” I reply. “Em, will you ride over with me?”
“Okay.” The look on her face is shy and a little bit nervous, which surprises me.
“We’ll meet you guys over there soon,” I tell them.
“I think Mav’s trying to get rid of us,” Axel jokes, putting a hand over his heart and making a wounded face.
I grin. “Yeah. Trying, but not succeeding.”
He laughs as Sully and Dylan shove him toward the exit. Violet and Peyton wave and follow them out.
Emmy, who I’ve still got tucked against my side, looks up at me. “I’m really happy for you.”
“You are, huh?” My voice comes out a lot huskier than I intended, and the shy, nervous look on her face returns.
“I’m sorry,” she says, glancing over at the group of fans huddled together at the exit. “I just feel very exposed here.”
“Let’s get into the truck.” I usher her over to the passenger door and help her in before jogging around to the driver’s side. After I start it up, I turn to face her.
I guess now is as good a time as any to get this off of my chest.
“Emmy, I just want you to know that I’m sorry. I’m sorry for everything. I made all of the wrong decisions for what I thought were the right reasons. I can’t apologize enough.”
“Well, I guess I didn’t handle any of it very well, either. But when I reached out to you and you were so cold…” She lifts her shoulder in a tiny shrug.
I swallow down my guilt. “Seeing you so upset in the alley behind Glyka’s…” I run a hand through my hair and blow out a breath. “I knew then that I had to try and fix everything. That’s why I went to talk to Sully that night.”
Her eyebrows shoot up. “You went to see Sully?”
“You didn’t know?”
“No, he didn’t tell me that.”
She looks up at me with those pretty eyes, and fuck, I want to kiss her so bad. But this isn’t the time. There’s still too much awkwardness, and I need to take things slow.
“Em, we have a lot we need to talk about,” I say softly. “It’s really important, and I wish we could do it now, but everyone’s waiting for us.”
She gives me a strained smile. “They’re waiting to celebrate with you. That’s important, too. Talking can wait a while longer.”
“Let’s talk after dinner,” I say urgently. “Come back to my place?”
She takes a deep breath and forces another smile. “Okay. I can do that.”
Man, I just want to end this weird vibe we have going on. But I have to focus on getting through dinner with our friends first.
I stop to sign autographs for a few fans from the driver’s side window before heading over to the restaurant. The short, ten-minute ride to Grano’s is a silent one. Emmy stares out of the passenger window while I grit my teeth and wish I could fast forward through this dinner.
Once inside Grano’s, Peyton waves us over to a table near the back of the restaurant.
“Hey guys!” she calls. “Em, I saved you a seat.”
I try to hide my disappointment as Emmy walks over and takes the empty seat next to Peyton. I wanted her by my side, even if it’s just to steal a few moments here and there during dinner. I thought it would give me a chance to try and diffuse the weirdness before we go back to my place. Dylan waves me over to sit next to him at the opposite end of the table.
My dinner—a huge steak, baked potato and assorted grilled veggies—is fantastic. Most of the next hour is spent talking with the guys about the game. They pester me about absolutely everything, firing off question after question. Sully, to my surprise, toasts me during dinner. Any apprehension about whether there would be left over, lingering weirdness between us is put to rest for good. Though I wish I could say the same about his sister.
An hour later, after they’ve exhausted me with their endless inquisition, Dylan and Axel excuse themselves to use the washroom. As the waitress clears our plates, Sully glances over at me.
“I’m just gonna man up and tell you that I’m sorry, Mav. I was a complete and total asshole about everything. And if you want a few punches, go ahead and take them. I fucking deserve it after what I did to you.”
“No man, it’s done,” I tell him, leaning back in my chair. “We’re good here, brother.”
“I apologized to Emmy, too,” he admits. “I didn’t make her life very easy during the past two months by being a stubborn asshole.”
“It’s been a rough couple of months for everyone.”
He glances over at the girls, where Emmy’s laughing at something Violet’s just said.
“Everything okay with you guys?” he asks.
“I’m not really sure,” I say, shrugging. “I can’t get a read on her right now. Things seem awkward and stilted between us. I asked her to come back to my place tonight so we can talk about everything.”
“You’ll get it all worked out, don’t worry.”
“I hope so.”
The waitress brings the check and credit card machine over to him. “This one’s on me.” He gives me a mock glare. “And thanks for ordering the most expensive steak dinner on the menu, asshole.”
I grin. “C’mon man, it’s not every day I get an assist with the Wolverines.”
“Yeah, that was fucking awesome,” he says, handing the machine back to the waitress. “I hope you get to play another game.”
“Me, too.”
He stands and pulls on his coat as Dylan and Axel come back to the table, and everyone thanks Sully for dinner.
Emmy and I say our goodbyes and walk back to my truck. The drive to my condo is almost as quiet as the ride to the restaurant was; I have to work hard for every word I pull out of her.
Jesus, I hope this gets a little easier.
She peers up at my building as I drive into the parking garage. “Wow. Fancy.”
It’s the first thing she’s said voluntarily during the entire ride.
“It’s a place to put my stuff, that’s all.”
I bought the condo last year because I couldn’t stand rambling around in my parents’ house a minute longer. I couldn’t bring myself to sell it, though. So, for now, I rent out their place and live here. Getting out of that house made it a little bit easier to move on. Not much, but at least I’m not reminded of them every time I step foot inside my condo. When I was living in their house, it was like being in a time warp.
We ride up the elevator to the 28th floor in silence. Emmy studies her phone while I try to find something to talk with her about for the millionth time.
“I’m this way,” I say, leading her down the hall to an end unit. I fish around in my jacket pocket for my keys and open the door.
“This is really gorgeous,” Emmy says, glancing around the condo.
I hired a decorator to fix up the place and ended up with a lot of gray a
nd white in the design scheme. Gray couch, white curtains, gray and white rugs. It’s pretty basic and boring, but I don’t really care about stuff like that. Like I told Emmy earlier, it’s just a place to sleep. Thankfully, the decorator hung up some large, brightly colored artwork on the walls to balance everything out, and that brightens the place up a little.
“Admit it. It’s a total bachelor pad.”
She sets her purse down and shrugs out of her coat. “It’s not too bad. And it’s way better than Sully’s place. All that black leather furniture he has and the stupid furry rugs? Yuck.”
The one thing this place has is a fantastic view of the city, thanks to the floor-to-ceiling windows. She walks over and pulls the curtains back.
“What an awesome view!”
“Yeah, it’s the main reason I bought the place. Em, I’m going to get changed out of this suit. I’ll be right back. Grab yourself a drink. I have wine and beer. And I think there’s some soda in the fridge. Make yourself at home, okay?”
Emmy glances over her shoulder at me. “Sure. Thanks.”
I hurry into the bedroom and peel off my suit as fast as I can, tossing it on the closet floor. I yank on a pair of jeans and a blue t-shirt before booking it back out into the living room.
Emmy’s at the window, holding a glass of wine. She turns, a small smile on her face. “Did you have a pit crew in there helping you? That’s the fastest I’ve ever seen anyone change their clothes.”
“Something like that,” I say, smiling.
She points to a wine glass on the coffee table. “I opened one of your bottles. Hope that’s okay.”
“Of course. It’s more than okay,” I murmur. Her cheeks are still flushed from the cold. Or maybe now from the wine. I notice half of her glass is already gone.
Suddenly, her façade crumbles.
“What is it that we’re doing?” she asks, her voice shaking. She places the wine glass down on the table. “I mean, now that Sully’s okay…” She tugs on the bottom of the jersey and looks at the floor. “You said it was just sex between us, Will.” She glances up at me and swallows. “Was that true? I have to know. I poured my heart out to you at Glyka, and now—”
I reach out with one arm and haul her against me. The light honeysuckle and violet scent of her perfume invades my senses. It wraps me in sweetness and reminds me of everything that she represents. Joy, happiness, light, and love. It calls me home, because that’s what Emmy is—she’s home to me.
“No.” I thread my fingers through her hair. “It wasn’t ever just sex to me. I’m fucking crazy about you, sweetheart. Can’t you see? I’ve wanted you forever.”
Surprise flares in her bright green eyes. “You have?”
I trace my fingers along her cheeks and cup her pretty face in my hands. “It’s always been you, Em. All I’ve ever wanted was you.”
Chapter Thirty
EMMY
I’m completely overwhelmed with emotion as I stare up into his handsome face. “Always?”
“For the past three years,” he admits.
“Oh my God.” How did he keep this to himself that entire time? “I didn’t know, Will,” I whisper. “I swear to you, I didn’t know.”
“Of course you didn’t, because that’s how it had to be. Or how I thought it had to be,” he murmurs, running his hands along my back. “I kept it buried so deep.”
Despite my joy at hearing that he feels the same way I do, I can’t help but feel sad and a little guilty.
He’d had these feelings for me for so long, yet he listened to every happy moment or complaint about my past relationships. And he’d never once backed away from any of those conversations, no matter how much pain they must have caused him.
“Em, there’s something I have to know.”
“Anything,” I say, cuddling closer to him.
“In the alley outside of Glyka, you said that you had feelings for me before anything happened between us.” He steps away to look down at me and takes my hands. “But it hasn’t been very long since you broke up with Aidan. I thought maybe he was the reason you were hell-bent on letting loose up at the cottage—so you could try to get over him. You guys were together for a while, you know?”
He pauses for a moment before continuing. “If this is headed where I think it’s headed, and we’re talking about really being together, you need to know that I can’t handle being your rebound, honey.” He takes a deep breath. “If I’m just a distraction, and you’re still struggling over that breakup—”
“I broke up with Aidan because of you,” I blurt out.
Will’s eyebrows shoot up. “What? What do you mean?”
“Things were breaking down between Aidan and me, and well… I kept comparing him to you. And honestly, he fell short in every category. I spent my days thinking about you. I looked forward to talking to you every night. I got so happy when I’d get a text from you.” I look out of the window at his incredible view before turning my gaze back to him.
“I tried to make it work with him for a while, but I realized that I shouldn’t have to try so hard. With you, everything always seemed effortless. Our joking and teasing, even our serious talks. With him, it just… wasn’t. So I ended it. I realized he couldn’t ever be like you. And you were everything that I wanted. I just never thought you saw me as anything except Sully’s sister, at least until we got to the cottage. Even then I kept wishing that things could be different between us and that I could really be with you. I fell so hard for you, Will.”
The way he’s looking at me right now—a little stunned and a whole lot sweet—completely melts my heart.
“So to answer your question, no, you’re not a rebound. All I want is to be with you. Only you,” I say softly. “I want to be your girlfriend. I mean, if that’s what you want, too.”
Will hauls me into his arms for a fierce hug. “God, that’s all I’ve ever wanted.” He pulls back and takes my face in his hands. “I’m on top of the world right now. This is the best day of my life.”
The content look on his face is one I haven’t seen since before his parents died. It’s one I thought I’d never see again, but I’m grateful it’s back.
I thread my hands through the ends of his dark blonde hair. “Really? Well, maybe it can be the best night of your life, too.”
“Oh, sweetheart, I’m counting on it,” he murmurs, bringing his mouth down on mine.
I’ve missed this so much, the feel of his lips against mine and the possessive way he claims my mouth when he kisses me. It’s primal and urgent, which makes me all dizzy and weak-kneed.
He breaks the kiss and looks down at me, his eyes hooded with desire.
“I’ve missed you so much,” I say, running my hands along his arms.
“Missed you too, Sunshine. So fucking much.” He lifts me up, and I wrap my legs around his waist as he walks down the hallway toward his bedroom. It takes us a while, because we keep stopping to kiss.
When we finally get there, he kicks open the door and carries me inside, then sets me down gently on the edge of the bed.
Oddly, some of my nervousness from earlier in the night returns. It’s silly, but the idea that we’re really doing this finally hits me. Not just the sex, but the fact we’re a couple and we don’t have to hide anymore. He doesn’t have to feel guilty, and I don’t have to wonder how he feels about me. Everything’s out in the open, and we can finally just enjoy this.
Will stares down at me, and the scorching heat in his blue eyes makes my belly flip and my panties wet.
“Take off your clothes.”
His voice is low and commanding. It’s a tone I’ve never heard him use before, but one I definitely want to hear again. Every look, every touch, and every single thing he says is making me dizzy with lust.
Peyton’s right. I’ve got it so bad for him.
I wiggle my skirt down over my hips and slide off my tights, which leaves me in nothing but his jersey and my bra and panties. I pull the jersey over my hea
d and toss it onto the bed.
“Oh, fuck yeah. Much better, baby,” he says breathlessly, running his hands down along my hips. He reaches over and tugs at the edges of my undies, but I back away and wave a finger at him.
“Ah-ah. You’ll have to wait for that, mister. I have other matters to attend to first.”
“Oh yeah?” The corner of his mouth tilts up. “Important matters?”
“Mmmhmm. Very important. But you’re not naked enough yet. Care to fix that?”
He grabs the end of his t-shirt and drags it up his body before throwing it to the floor.
Holy…
He’s perfect everywhere I look—all hard, lean lines and taut, sculpted muscles.
I brush my fingertips over the soft, dark-blonde hair on his stomach that disappears beneath his well-worn Levi’s. I’m pretty sure I’ve heard Peyton refer to this area as “the happy trail.” It’s fitting, because I know exactly where this trail ends, and it makes me very happy.
Will swallows, his eyes glittering as they meet mine in the semi-darkness.
Back at the cottage, I never got a chance to please him, but right now, it’s all I can think about. I want to touch and taste him like he did to me. It’s my turn now.
I stand and gently walk him backward until he’s directly in front of an accent chair in the corner of his bedroom. I grab the top of his jeans with one hand and undo the button with the other.
He reaches out for me, but I place my hand in the middle of his chest and stop him from moving closer.
“Want something, Mav?” I tease.
“I want everything,” he rasps as I skim my fingers along his stomach.
I rub my hand along the bulge at the front of his jeans before slowly and carefully sliding the zipper down.
I tug his pants down until his erection juts forward, and then I wrap my fingers around him. He tips his head back and shudders at the contact. He’s big and hard in my hand, and watching him stand here like this at my mercy turns me on. I give his cock a few strokes, and his mouth drops open on a gasp.
He’s so incredibly hot, and now he’s all mine.
His breath catches as I sink to my knees in front of him on the plush bedroom carpet. Slowly, I drag his jeans further down his thighs before pushing him onto the chair.
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