Needing Him

by Kennedy Fox

  Shaking her head, she smiles. “Do I even want to know what you’re up to?”

  “I wouldn’t tell you even if you asked.” I wink.

  “Fine.” Emily playfully rolls her eyes and heads to her bedroom. As she walks past me, I can’t keep my eyes off her. When she disappears, I look around her place, and the photographs on a decorative table catch my eyes. There are photos of her on vacation, a picture of her and an older man, probably her father, then a photo of whom I assume are her with her brother and sister dressed up for Halloween in matching Three Musketeer costumes. They all look exactly the same; there’s no doubt they’re related. There’s one photo when Emily is a child with her parents, but it looks over twenty years old. Other than what I’ve read on paper, I barely know anything about her personal life, and I’m determined to change that tonight. I’m surprised when I don’t see her mother in any of the recent family photos. I’m so focused on her pictures that I don’t notice her return until I feel her body standing next to mine.

  “This is my dad,” she says, picking up the first photo I saw and looks at it for a moment. “The only man who I’m trying to prove anything to.” She sets the picture down and smiles.

  Her words become a little too real, and at that moment, I understand so much more about her than before. She’s grown up watching her father, knowing he’s one of the best in the country, and has siblings who have followed in his footsteps as well. I’m sure it always feels like a competition—always something to prove while standing in the shadows.

  I feel regret remembering the words I said to her about her father that first day at the hospital. I insinuated she hadn’t worked for her accomplishments, and I know that’s not true. Emily’s one of the hardest working doctors I’ve ever met, but not only that, she’s also compassionate and driven. She’s trying to prove to her father the same way I’m trying to prove to mine that being a doctor isn’t just a career, it’s a life calling. That’s something we’ll always have in common.

  “I’m sure he’s very proud of you.”

  “Yeah.” She looks up at me, and I tuck loose hair behind her ear. Tonight will be a lot harder than I thought, but I promised myself this wouldn’t end in sex. However, when she’s standing in front of me, looking too fucking irresistible, I’m not so sure I’ll be able to keep that promise.

  “We should get going. We’ve got reservations.” I look at my watch, then back at her.

  “And I know how punctual you are.” She smirks and grabs her duffel bag before we head toward the door.

  After she locks up, we turn, and I place my hand on the small of her back as we walk to my truck. Opening her door, she glances up at me, and our eyes meet. It feels as if the air stills around us before she gets inside. “Thank you.”

  I shut the door behind her and get ahold of myself before walking around the truck and climb in. We drive across town, and the awkwardness returns. What the hell do we talk about? Work?

  “So,” she says at the same time as I do, the nervous tension filling the truck. We both laugh.

  “Are you going to tell me where we’re going and what we’re doing tonight?” she asks.

  “No, ma’am. No can do,” I tell her and she glares. “Don’t you like surprises?”

  “Not particularly. Too much of a control freak,” she admits.

  I chuckle. “Well, you don’t get to be in control tonight. But remember, darlin’, you ultimately chose this.” We drive through Old Town San Angelo and park in front of Da Nonna, an old Italian restaurant that’s been around for as long as I can remember, but it also requires a reservation.

  “Da Nonna? What kind of name is that?” Emily asks.

  “It means Grandma’s Place in Italian, apparently. It’s the best we’ve got in this little town, but I’m willing to bet it’s better than any fancy schmancy place in Houston.”

  She snorts. “Houston doesn’t have it all. I can’t say I’ve actually been to an authentic Italian restaurant unless you count Olive Garden.”

  I playfully roll my eyes before I get out of the truck and open the door for her. She loops her arm in mine as we walk inside. The lights are already lowered in the restaurant and candles flicker on each table.

  “It smells amazing,” she whispers, as I tell the host the name for the reservation.

  “Dr. Bishop.” The woman smiles. “So good to see you again.” The woman comes around to give me a side hug.

  “How’s everything going?” I ask. A few months ago, she was admitted for pneumonia and had it pretty bad.

  “Better, thanks to you.” She winks, studying me from head to toe.

  “Glad to hear it.” I give her a smile, and she glances at Emily, then looks back at me. “Guess I should get you two seated.”

  We follow her across the restaurant to a secluded corner of the room and take our seats. We’re handed menus shortly before the waiter arrives and tells us the food and wine specials for the day. I order a bottle of Merlot. When he walks away, Emily chuckles.

  “What?” I ask.

  “The hostess wants you so bad,” she tells me over the menu.

  “Okay, sure she does.” The sarcasm isn’t lost on her.

  “She does. Are you always this oblivious when it comes to women?” She sets the menu down and closes it. The smirk on her face may be permanent.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” The waiter thankfully walks up with the bottle of wine and pours it into our glasses. After we give our order, Emily sips her wine and continues the conversation.

  “I know a lot about you, Evan Bishop. Probably things you wished I didn’t know.”

  “Oh yeah? Kiera must be getting the scoop from Jackson then.” I narrow my eyes at her, then laugh. “I’m not dumb, you know. I know where you’re getting your info, and honestly, I wouldn’t trust anything he says. Unless it’s good things, of course.” I throw a wink at her, and she tries to hold back a smile but fails miserably.

  “Well, I know that no one in your family wanted you to go to med school or become a doctor. That ranching is in your blood, but you were the only one to break away from it. When you aren’t working your ass off at the hospital, you work at the ranch because you still give a shit about your family and their business. You’re known as a hardass to everyone who knows you, but you have a soft side when it comes to children or animals or helping others. You also put up a front to scare people away, but that’s not who you really are. Also…” She leans in. “You should know you don’t intimidate me. At all.”

  “Damn. Hit the nail on the head. Sounds like I have a stalker,” I tease, lifting an eyebrow at her. “But it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure those things out. Where’re the deep, dark secrets? The juicy stuff that no one ever wants anyone else to know?”

  She looks at me, and I see the color in her face slightly drain, and it confuses me. I furrow my brows. “What?”

  “Nothing,” she says. “Just forget about it.”

  “No seriously, what is it?” The mood shifts, and my curiosity has the best of me.

  “We can talk about it later.” She smiles. I decide to drop it, especially if she doesn’t want to talk about it, whatever it is.

  We chat about work and med school, and I find myself noticing the little things about her again. The way she smiles, laughs, and randomly licks her bottom lip or nibbles on the corner. She’s gorgeous, but she’s also so much more—intelligent, funny, and easy to talk to. Had our circumstances been different from the start, I would’ve asked for her number the morning after our one-night stand and taken her out on a proper date.

  Before long, our plates of pasta are being placed in front of us. Emily eats with proper etiquette, and I almost laugh.

  “What?” she questions as she cuts her pasta, rolls it with her fork on her spoon before placing the small bites in her mouth.

  “I’ve never in my life seen someone eat pasta the proper way,” I admit.

  “You remember who my father is, right? M
y childhood wasn’t normal between the nannies and housekeepers raising us. I’m actually jealous of you in that regard. I’m sure you just got to be a normal kid living on the ranch.”

  I nod. “I did, but I worked my ass off too. I learned there was no play without work at a real early age, shoveling horseshit and doing yard work in scorching temps. I did a lot of stupid chores until I was old enough to really help on the ranch. Then once my brothers got older, I made them do all the stupid shit for me instead.” I laugh, remembering when I finally had my license and would dump their asses out into the pastures and drive away. “But I had fun and loved what I did. I think that’s why everyone was so shocked when I chose this path.”

  “I envy you. I really do. I went to private school for as long as I can remember. The nanny was more of my mother than my own. At age five, I had to learn proper etiquette so I could impress my father’s social class in public situations such as charity events and fundraisers. Sure, I traveled around the world when I was a teen for medical conferences, but my views were from a hotel window. I may have gotten luxury cars and expensive things, but it just proved to me that money doesn’t buy love, and I started to resent it all. I didn’t get to choose my friends or boyfriends until I went to college, and even then, I didn’t feel like I had complete control of my life. But I was able to discover who I was without being my parents’ perfect little puppet 24/7. Being medical royalty, as they all called me in medical school, fucking sucked. Everyone either expects greatness or wants to be chummy to get on my father’s good side. As sick as it makes me to admit, I’m pretty sure every guy I dated was more in love with my dad than me, and my friends just wanted to be in my family’s social circle. That’s why I really like living here, and why Kiera and I have stayed such good friends. She never gave a shit about any of that, and it’s been freeing. For the first time in a while, I feel like my true self.”

  “I had no idea.” I try to process it all. I can’t imagine living that life. The more she tells me about herself, the more I want to know.

  She chuckles. “It’s just not as great as it seems. But it has some perks. I could’ve gone to any medical school I wanted, and I had people begging me to work for them. But after my residency, I put my foot down and chose to do what I wanted for once. But the stigma of being Dr. Bell’s daughter doesn’t go away regardless of where I work, apparently. You even proved that one.”

  “I’m sorry for that,” I tell her. “Really. You’re nothing like I thought you’d be.”

  “In a good way, I hope.” She lifts an eyebrow and takes a sip of wine.

  “In the best way possible.”

  We continue eating, and the way she moans as she takes small bites makes me think she might actually be having a foodgasm.

  My voice drops low enough for only her to hear as I lean across the table. “If you don’t stop moaning like that, we’ll be leaving this restaurant and going straight back to your condo.”

  “It’s just so good. You were right; this is the best I’ve ever had.” After she takes another sip of wine, she sucks on her bottom lip, and it drives me fucking crazy.

  “Fuck,” I whisper as I watch her, and she lifts an eyebrow, knowing exactly what she’s doing to me. Before I can say another word, the waiter returns and hands me the check. She hurries and grabs it.

  “No, ma’am. You’re not paying for this,” I tell her with my hand out.

  “Yes, I am. The only reason you’re here is because I paid for you to be, so the least I can do is treat you,” she says with a smirk. The waiter walks away with a smile as we continue to argue about it.

  “You’re being stubborn.” I give her a pointed look.

  “Dr. Bishop, you should already know stubborn is my middle name.” She pulls out a credit card from her clutch.

  “Emily Stubborn Bell. It does have a ring to it,” I joke, before standing and taking the ticket from her hand and sitting back down.

  She rolls her eyes at me. “Not fair. I wasn’t expecting you to do that.”

  “A true gentleman never allows a woman to pay for a meal.”

  Smiling, she places her hand over her heart. “I guess I’ll oblige, sir.”

  “Shut the hell up,” I say with a laugh as I hand the waiter my card and the check. After I sign the receipt, I stand, and we walk to the door. As she walks in front of me, shaking her ass in the short dress, I lean over and whisper in her ear. “You keep teasing me like that, and you will be paying tonight.”

  She looks over her shoulder at me and licks her lips. “You know how I love a good dare.”

  Of course, that’d be her response.

  Chapter Eighteen

  EMILY

  As Evan leads us out of the restaurant, his words repeat in my head. You keep teasing me like that, and you will be paying tonight. Teasing him? He hasn’t seen anything yet.

  While we walk to his truck, our arms brush, and it causes goose bumps. My heart flips, and I can’t recall the last time I’ve felt this way. Having any sort of emotion toward him only complicates things because he’s my co-worker, and I swore I’d never do that again. Plus, he acts like an asshole toward me any chance he gets. But tonight he’s pulled out all the stops—roses, a great restaurant, dressing up for me. His shirt and pants hug him in all the right places, and he smells so damn good. I don’t know what I expected tonight, but it certainly wasn’t this. Although he’s only here because he’s obligated to fulfill his commitment, it feels all too real.

  While we head to wherever the hell we’re going, I decide that for the rest of the night, I’m going to pretend we’re just two regular people on a date. By the way he looks at me before he buckles his seat belt, I don’t think he minds too much.

  The sun has already set, and the city lights flood the streets. We drive across town until everything is behind us. “So where are we going?” I look over at him.

  He just laughs. “You’ll see.”

  Thirty minutes later, we’re pulling up to the ranch, and my mouth falls open.

  “Remember when I told you to grab that extra pair of clothes? This is why.” He smiles and continues down the rocky road that leads directly to the B&B. All the feelings I had the first time I saw this place come flooding back in, and I can’t stop thinking about the first night we spent together as Evan parks his truck. The bliss of that night then the panic of the next morning—it was a whirlwind.

  “Ready?” He smiles, reaching into the back seat, grabs a backpack, then hands me my duffel bag.

  “As ready as I’ll ever be,” I tell him, taking the bag. I get out of the truck, and we walk inside. The lights are low, and I suspect most of the guests are already in their rooms for the night. As I glance around, I see John tidying up around the main room, and when he looks up and sees us, he flashes a knowing smile.

  “There’s a bathroom right over there to change.” Evan points at a door on the other side and goes to meet his brother.

  My heart flutters as he watches me walk away. It’s as if he can see me, the real me, the me that not many people know. Being in this part of Texas, away from the hustle and bustle of Houston and my family, actually thrills me. This part of Texas is a little sliver of heaven on earth. I slip out of my dress and put on a pair of jeans, a T-shirt, and tennis shoes. When I walk back out, I see Evan’s changed into a pair of boots instead of his fancy Oxfords. That must’ve been what was in the backpack. “It’s gonna get cold out there, so don’t forget your jacket.”

  I glance over at John. “Do you know what he’s up to?” I ask, digging for my fleece jacket and pulling it over my head.

  “No, ma’am. And I don’t ask.” He chuckles. “You’ll have a good time, though, guaranteed.”

  I look at Evan. “If I don’t, I’m asking for a refund,” I quip, zipping my bag. John holds his hand out for the bag, and I gladly let him take it for me.

  “I already told you what will happen to me if Mama finds out you’re not fully satisfied,” Evan says, grabbing my hand and
pulling me toward the back door with his bag in his other hand. I laugh at his eagerness. As I cross the threshold, I stumble, and he catches me. I fall into his chest, and when I look up at him, the air stills around us.

  “I’ve got you,” he whispers, and my breath hitches. I’m at a loss for words as I stare up into his bright blue eyes.

  We’re lost in a trance until John opens the door and pulls us back to reality. He hands Evan his cell phone. “Almost forgot this. Left it on the table while you were changing shoes.”

  Evan clears his throat and releases me. “Thanks.”

  John gives us a sly look and smiles before turning and shutting the door behind him.

  “Let’s get going.” He holds out his hand. Without hesitation, I take it as he guides me down the steps. It’s so dark outside that I can barely see in front of us.

  “I can’t see anything,” I admit, holding him tighter hoping I don’t stumble again.

  “Do you trust me?” he asks as we continue walking.

  “No,” I deadpan, but a laugh slips through my lips. “Yes, of course I do,” I answer truthfully. Evan has a no-bullshit attitude and a what-you-see-is-what-you-get kind of demeanor. It’d be impossible not to trust a guy like him.

  “In a few minutes, your eyes will adjust to the darkness, and you’ll be able to see better.” His grip tightens as he guides me past the barn and down a trail. The crickets are so loud out here. I can’t recall ever hearing them in the city. After a few minutes, just as he promised, my eyes begin to adjust, and I can make out the path in front of me. Eventually, the trail ends and opens onto a large, open field. As a light breeze brushes across my face, I almost close my eyes to take it all in. I can’t even hold back a smile at his thoughtfulness for this date. He really put in the effort to do this for me, which gives me butterflies just thinking about it.

  Evan stops and unzips the backpack, then pulls out a pair of binoculars and a blanket. I look up at the sky for the first time tonight, and my mouth falls open. There are so many stars visible, and they shine like bright diamonds.