Propriety might dictate he sleep on the couch, but the idea held absolutely no appeal. Instead, he pulled up a sheet to cover the sleeping woman, then lay on top of it next to her, tugging up the blanket and quilt to cover them both. He resisted the temptation to curl into her, and instead stretched out on his back. The sound of her quiet breathing soothed him and in minutes he was fast asleep.
Emma awoke slowly, relishing the smoothness under her cheek and the warm hand on her lower back. Realization hit and her eyes popped open. In the shadowed darkness she could make out Brad’s features. The sheet lay tangled around her legs but other than that she was pretty much plastered against him. She shifted to pull back but his hand tightened possessively.
“No.” His voice sounded muffled, sleepy. He pulled her closer and turned his head so his lips brushed her hair. “Stay. This is nice.”
“Brad, I—”
“Shh.”
Emma gave in and relaxed against him. His breathing deepened once again as he drifted back to sleep. In the dim glow of the nightlight she studied his shadowed face, dark lashes fanned against strong cheekbones. God, he was gorgeous. And she was definitely a goner. She closed her eyes and nestling into him, allowed herself to savor the comforting feeling of rightness.
When she awoke again the sun had lightened the room enough for her to see dark green eyes open and focused intently on her. She gazed back, senses heightened by awareness. The tingling pull of sexual heat had her releasing a shaky breath. At the question in his expression she buried her face into his neck and breathed in his scent while pressing openmouthed kisses into smooth skin. He reacted instantly and slipped warm hands under her T-shirt to stroke up her back. She stretched languorously, then shifted onto his chest. He seared her mouth in a kiss that spread the tingling sensation all the way to her toes.
Strong hands slid, cupped, stroked. She loved his hands. Those wide palms and long fingers had her opening like a flower reaching for the sun. Eyes heavy-lidded with desire, he grazed up her rib cage to caress her breasts until he dipped his head to find them with his lips. The sensations were almost too much, jumbled together, crowding on top of each other. For so long she had ignored or denied any sexual pulls, but Brad made her feel safe, desired, and she couldn’t hold back. She let out a low moan and arched her back. He moved from one breast to the other, the abrasion from his beard adding to the sensation.
She ran her fingers along his chin, enjoying the rough feel of his morning beard. His lips explored lazily along her collarbone to her throat. She ran her fingers through the thick hair lying across his forehead and he paused to rest his head against his pillow, dark eyes seeking hers in the dim light.
“You’re beautiful.”
She smiled at his serious expression. “So are you.”
“Yeah, right.” He let his hands travel down to cup her ass, to bring her more securely against the heavy heat of him. “Guys aren’t beautiful. Ruggedly handsome, maybe, but not beautiful.”
“Okay, then ruggedly handsome. Hot. Studly.”
He grinned and she nuzzled her face into the dark hair curled across his chest. She turned to the hollow between neck and shoulder and gave a soft bite.
Brad jerked, a low groan vibrating from deep in his throat. “You’re killing me here, sweetheart.”
She lifted her head and gave him a wicked smile. “Really? Then you’ll love this.” She adjusted her position to press more firmly against him, nestling his erection into the moist heat at her core.
Brad sucked in a deep breath and he surged against her. “God, Emmaline.”
The kaleidoscope of emotion swelled and she gave herself to the moment. This was beyond anything she had ever experienced, the sensations intensified by love. Feelings for Brad overwhelmed her and making love with him only enhanced the euphoria.
He took her mouth in a long kiss, his tongue sliding along hers. In a movement that brought him more forcefully against her, he gripped her hips firmly and rolled her onto her back, careful to keep his weight off her bandaged thigh. When he pushed back to tug her T-shirt over her head, Emma groaned at the delicious pressure the movement created.
With a hungry expression, Brad pulled back to remove the last of their clothing. He lay over her and she marveled at how perfectly they fit together. She rubbed her hands in long strokes down his back and over firm buttocks, the sensuous feel of skin on skin intoxicating.
His eyes, dark and purposeful, questioned hers. “Are you sure?”
She raised her head to press a kiss against his chin. “Yes.” He reached out a long arm for the drawer in his nightstand but she stopped him. “I’m on the pill, Brad.”
“Thank God.” With his attention returned to her, he began to make love with intense focus. She was pleased to find he was very, very thorough. He began slowly, eyes intent, taking in every nuance of her expression. He thrust deep, building a steady rhythm. Feelings accumulated, swelled until almost too huge to bear. He picked up the pace, each strong thrust pushed her nearer, bringing her that much closer to the peak. She felt their strength and passion fuse until together they sprang out over the edge and took the exhilarating plunge together.
Long moments later, head still spinning mindlessly, she lay beneath him, delighted in his heavy weight. She’d slayed him as surely as he’d conquered her. She trailed a lazy hand across his firm backside.
He shifted and pulled her with him to roll onto his side. He wrapped his arms around her securely, and she cuddled into his delicious warmth, savoring the afterglow of incredible sex. She’d nearly dozed off when the loud buzz of his cell phone intruded.
“Damn.” Under her cheek muscles stretched when he reached for the phone. “Gallagher.” He paused to listen, then said, “Don’t let the lawyer in to see him until I get there. It’ll be an hour.”
He set the phone down again then turned back to her. His fingers threaded through the hair at her temple. His intense expression had nerves fluttering in her belly.
“Brad.”
“Emmaline.” His touch traveled across her cheekbones, down her nose, along her lips.
She reached up a hand to lace her fingers through his. They lay for several long moments, enjoying the closeness, until he dipped his head to kiss the tip of her nose.
“Do you think you could stay right here until I get back? Naked and everything?” With his lazy grin he looked spectacularly pleased with himself.
She laughed. “You do have an interesting imagination, Chief Gallagher. And while this has been quite enjoyable, I think we both have things to attend to.”
He groaned. “I thought you might say something like that.”
She saw his eyes light with an idea. In seconds he was out of bed and had her scooped into his arms. He strode into the bathroom and with her holding tight to his shoulders, reached into the shower to turn on the water. While he waited for the water to run hot he distracted himself, first with a kiss to the bruise on her temple, then with her breasts, tongue and lips attending to one, then the other. She moaned, restless in his arms. “Brad, I can’t stand it. Let me—”
He quieted her with a firm kiss, adjusted the taps, and then stepped into the shower. He set her on her feet and, using his body to shield her from the spray, gently worked the bandage off her leg. He got rid of the used dressing, then picked up the bar of soap. His eyes lost their playful look when he used strong, sure strokes to work up a lather. Steam billowed and slick hands smoothed over back, buttocks, hips, until she felt hot and needy.
“God, Brad, this is insane.” She didn’t know how she could be so ready so soon, and his need clearly matched hers. She took the soap from him, lathered her hands, and slid them over the heavy muscles of his torso, savoring the contours of chest and abdomen. He ground his teeth when she reached lower. He let her fondle and stroke until he grew rigid, until he reached the end of his endurance. Suddenly she found herself being hoisted, then supported against the shower wall until he lowered her onto him. Hot water pounded
as they joined, caught in an age-old rhythm.
Minutes later, spent, she leaned limply against the wall, legs wrapped around his waist. Brad leaned over her, hands supporting her, eyes closed as a last shudder wracked his body. When he opened them, the intensity hadn’t waned. “You have to know what we have is extraordinary, Emmaline.” He gently lowered her legs, holding her until she was steady.
She nodded mutely, too shaken by the power of their lovemaking to say a word.
He bent forward to give her a firm kiss before reaching for the shampoo.
Chapter Thirteen
Brad took Emma to the cabins still dressed in his sweats. He assured himself nothing was amiss, and, following a toe-curling kiss, left her with the understanding she would drive to the police station in her own car after she’d dressed. She stood on the porch and watched him drive away. Things had changed between them. He hadn’t repeated his earlier declaration of love, but she thought maybe he was trying not to pressure her. She wondered what held her back, why she hadn’t told him she loved him. Could what he’d said last night be right? Perhaps her sneaky subconscious was waiting for him to let her down.
With unsettling thoughts bouncing around her head, Emma changed into loose-fitting pants and a cotton shirt. The scrape on her leg really didn’t hurt but loose pants wouldn’t pull on the new bandage Brad had insisted he apply before they’d left his house. She tidied her cabin, washed a few dishes, but then caught herself simply staring out the window. Did love turn you into an idle dreamer? She didn’t want to overanalyze what had happened that morning. Brad hadn’t said anything about their relationship since he’d said he loved her. And that had been two days ago. Maybe it was up to her now. With a mental shake, she told herself to get her act together.
Her laptop case slung over her shoulder, Emma grabbed her purse and keys and went out to her car. She arrived at the police station a few minutes later to see Maddy and Dory across the parking lot. Emma smiled and waved a greeting. They stopped when they saw her and waited until she’d parked and walked over to meet them.
“Oh, Emma, that bruise!” Dory looked stricken.
Maddy took Emma’s chin to turn her face toward the sun so she could get a better look at her temple. “That’s a nice purple color. You could probably match it with a blouse or something.”
“How can you say such a thing!” Dory exclaimed, indignant.
Emma hadn’t tried to hide the bruise with makeup. She hadn’t thought it would work but now she wished she’d made the effort if for no other reason than to ease Dory’s mind.
“Dory, really, it’s fine. I’m fine. It doesn’t hurt unless I touch it, so I don’t touch it.” She smiled reassuringly. “Don’t take this on as your responsibility. Rodrigo did this, not you. You can take that guilty look off your face.”
“It is too my fault. I should have known he wouldn’t accept being served the divorce papers without flipping out. I should have been on the lookout for him and I wasn’t.”
“I keep telling her but she won’t listen to me,” Maddy said to Emma. She put an arm around Dory’s shoulder. “You should let responsibility lie where it belongs, and it belongs solely on Rodrigo.”
Dory nodded but Emma was sure it would be some time before she was able to put what had happened into perspective.
Maddy looked at Emma. “I’m glad we caught you. We’re going to get some breakfast at the café. Why don’t you join us when you’re done here?”
She nodded, grinning at her friends. “Sounds good. I hope this doesn’t take too long.”
When Emma moved to pass them Maddy stopped her, her hand raised like a traffic cop’s. “Hold on.”
Emma lifted her brows at Maddy who narrowed her eyes to study Emma with intense scrutiny. “Something’s going on. I’ve never seen so many smiles from you in such a short period of time. And Brad is in there just about as cheerful and relaxed as I’ve ever seen him.” She sucked in a breath, eyes taking on a wicked sparkle. “You two have done it. You’ve had wild jungle sex and you weren’t even going to mention it.” She waved an accusatory finger.
Emma felt a blush spread from her neck to her cheeks. “Jeez, Maddy! Why don’t you take an ad out in the paper?” She glanced around the parking lot, glad to see they were alone.
“This is a small town; everyone will know anyway.” Maddy grinned broadly, her blond cap of hair shining in the sun. “But because you’re shy about it and because he’s my brother and I really don’t want to know, I’ll let you keep the details to yourself.”
“Thanks,” Emma responded drily.
Dory reached out to give her an impulsive hug. “I’m so happy for you. Brad’s always been one of my favorite people and I’m glad you two are together.” She pulled back, but must have caught Emma’s hesitation, because she frowned. “You are together, aren’t you?”
“I think so, we just haven’t made anything official yet. There’s been a lot going on.”
After getting assurances from both women, they parted. Emma was struck at how hopeful Dory felt about relationships despite how horribly her own had turned out. It was a lesson in resiliency she could learn from.
An hour later Emma pulled into the small lot next to the Hangman’s Best Café and Bakery. At the police station she’d gone over the events of the night before with two uniformed officers and answered all their questions. On her walk toward the exit Brad had opened his office door and pulled her inside. He’d slammed the door shut and then gathered her in his arms before proceeding to kiss her brainless. Emma’s insides had slid into meltdown as the heat had threatened to blow the top off her head. When she’d left him ten minutes later she’d had to stop in the women’s restroom to run cold water on her wrists and splash her face in an attempt to cool down.
With her laptop in its case, Emma stepped into the café. Spotting Maddy and Dory she crossed the room and slipped into their booth.
Maddy rose to her feet. “What do you want to eat? I’ll get it while you relax.”
“A cinnamon-raisin bagel with cream cheese and a coffee.” She pulled her wallet from her purse but Maddy waved her off.
“It’s my treat today. You two wounded warriors deserve a little something after what happened last night.”
When Maddy returned with her bagel and a muffin for Dory, Emma booted up her laptop. She turned it so the other women could see the screen, she said, “Here it is, ladies. The Hangman’s Loss Resort website is operational and ready to accept reservations.”
“Cool!” exclaimed Maddy. She and Dory spent several minutes checking out the website, browsing through the pages and testing links. Emma jotted a few of their suggestions onto a notepad as they assessed the ease of navigation and general accessibility of the site. The bell over the door jingled and she lifted her gaze to see Frank Singleton enter the café. He hesitated when he spotted her before ambling over to their booth. He stopped next to Emma and peered at the bruise on her forehead.
“Well, now, Ms. Kincaid. Seems you got yourself into a little scuffle.” He paused, expression shrewd. “Can’t be too safe these days.”
“Hard to argue with that, Singleton,” Emma said shortly. Despite assurances he hadn’t been behind the vandalism to her property, she sensed he used false affability to mask a ruthless side. She certainly didn’t trust him.
With Dory and Maddy shooting him unfriendly looks, Singleton shrugged. “I don’t want to interrupt your breakfast, but I’ll want to talk with you again soon, Ms. Kincaid. I think you’ll want to hear what I have to say.” He nodded to the other women, then turned to make his way to the order counter.
“I don’t like him.” Dory’s statement was matter of fact. “Despite what he said I think he’s the one who took a hatchet to your office.”
“He sure is creepy,” Maddy added.
“I think he’s desperate to get me to sell. I wonder why.” Emma looked thoughtful. “But Brad questioned him and says he has an alibi. He was out of town on Saturday.” She narrowed he
r eyes. “He could have paid someone to do it, though.” Then she shrugged and shook her head. She really had no idea who was behind the vandalism.
Emma swallowed the last of her bagel and finished her coffee, listening to her friends chat. The café was getting busier so Maddy stood, giving the other two quick hugs before hurrying off.
Dory sat for a moment, a worried expression on her face. “I wonder if Rodrigo could have done it.”
Emma raised a questioning brow.
“Hacked up your cabin,” Dory went on. “He doesn’t like strong women. He could have gone after you because you helped me out. I wouldn’t put it past him.”
Emma shook her head. “I don’t think it was him. Brad dusted for prints and he would have said if he’d found Rodrigo’s. Besides that, why just go after me? Your parents have helped you out, so has Brad.”
“Yeah, but he’s known them all his life. You are a stranger here. He has anger issues and maybe you’re an easier target for that anger. And he could get at me through you.” Dory shrugged. “It’s possible.”
“Brad will figure it out. And Dory? If it turns out to be Rodrigo, it’s still not your fault.”
“It means I brought it on you after you were kind enough to give me a job and a place to live.” She lifted her shoulders again. “But he’s behind bars now and my divorce is started. At least for the time being he can’t hurt any of us.” She rose from the table and Emma could sense the weight she carried. Dory paused. “I have a meeting with my lawyer this afternoon, and then I’ll pick up Adrian from my parents. I probably won’t be back at the cabins until this evening. See you later.”
Emma sat for a few minutes after her friend had gone and drank the last of her coffee. Out the window she watched the townspeople of Hangman’s Loss, a mom in sneakers holding the hand of a redheaded toddler, and an older couple peering in shop windows as they strolled down the boardwalk. These were her people now. She had yearned her entire life for a place to belong and now she did. She belonged to a town that had community picnics and where people helped each other when there was trouble. She had friends like she’d never had before. And, outshining all the rest, she had Bradley Gallagher as a friend and lover. Her life had taken a wonderful curve and she felt like holding tight. Despite the unknown danger stalking her she felt wonderfully optimistic about the future.
A Need to Protect Page 16