He stroked the back of her leg, let his fingertips hover on the tender skin behind her knee. “It’s too late for that, and I’m grateful, ma’am. I am grateful.” He settled his head on her shoulder and wrapped his arms around her. She didn’t have a chance to react before he kissed her neck again and again.
Being with him made her happy, made her complete—almost. “I am seriously hot and getting hotter. I’ve got to get this bathrobe off.” With his help, she struggled out of it.
“I’ve got to say this, Emmy. I’m sorry about Sandy. It decks you when a so-called friend turns on you.”
“Mmm.”
“I guess she won’t be working with you anymore.” His teeth showed in a broad smile, and Emma tapped his naked chest.
“What?” he said. “You tryin’ to get my attention?”
“That wasn’t funny,” she told him. “Mrs. Valenti said she heard rumors Carl will run for mayor once Orville moves on. You do know he’ll move on, don’t you? He’ll find a way to come out of this smellin’ like roses.”
“No, he won’t. He can end up as president and he’ll still have lost you. Orville isn’t very smart in some ways.” Finn meant it. “His loss is my gain.”
He lifted her again, sat down and put her on his lap, where she sat up straight, her arms wrapped over his, her feet swinging.
The nightie looked white. And she looked a darker shade inside it. Very nice. Yes, that was a view he could look at just about forever. “I love you, Emmy.”
The next breath Emma took stuck halfway. She let it go and drew in air again. “Thank you. Oh, Finn…”
“What?”
“Have you ever been afraid to be happy?”
“Not tonight.”
Emma curled up against him. “You already know I love you.”
“Now you tell me, I do.” He laughed, and his chest rumbled beneath her ear. “I was pretty sure the feelin’ was mutual. Some would say I’m rushin’ things, but I’d like us to be married, if that’s okay with you. I thought we’d set a date right away. The day after you’re free?”
It was Emma’s turn to laugh. “Let me think about it. Okay. Yes, I’d like that, thank you very much.” But there was one issue they couldn’t try to ignore. “You said you regretted not having children. I don’t want you—”
He placed a finger on her lips, turned her face up to his and kissed her long and soft. Emma caught him around the neck, and the nightie hardly interfered with what he felt at all. Her nipples hardened.
“Emmy, listen to me.” He collected his thoughts. “Either we’ll have babies you give birth to or we won’t. If you don’t, it won’t be for lack of tryin’. There’s more than one way to bring children into a home.”
“I do love you,” she said. “I think I’m going to get boring real soon, but I love you so much.”
“Not as much as I love you.”
“Enough.” She cleared her throat. “I don’t want you to think I’m too practical, or that I only think about what matters to me, but what are you going to do with Oakdale?”
“I don’t know.” He tried not to chuckle but failed. “I’ll think of somethin’. A man’s got to work. At least, this one does.”
Emma raised her head to look into his face. “Why would you buy an expensive piece of property like that without knowing what you intend to do with it?”
“Ah, you’re runnin’ my life already, makin’ me accountable for my actions. It’s simple, cher. I wanted to buy Poke Around for you, but the guy wouldn’t sell it without the rest of the place.”
ISBN: 978-1-4603-0926-1
BODY OF EVIDENCE
Copyright © 2006 by Stella Cameron.
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