Tangled: Emerson Falls, Book 1

by Harlow James

  By the time I make it home, I’m exhausted. Between the emotional rollercoaster I’m on and the tiny human inside of me draining me of energy, I barely make it to the couch after changing my clothes. As soon as my head hits the cushions, I fall asleep, not even remembering when I closed my eyes.

  I dream of Kane—his touch, his kiss, the feeling of being wrapped in his arms. I think back to that first night at Tony’s, when all I saw him as was a decadent indulgence my mind and body craved. The morning he rescued me from the crickets will still remain one of my fondest memories though as I recall wanting to punch him and then climb him like a tree when his quick wit and banter made me furious and turned on at the same time. I replay the night at his house when he finally opened up to me and let me in—into his home, his mind, his body—and the victory I felt as his walls finally crumbled.

  I thought that was it. I thought that after he said those words out loud—the reason he was so scared to open his heart up again—that all the obstacles we faced were out of the way.

  Boy, was I wrong.

  Now, I’m carrying his baby and he doesn’t know. I’m completely in love with him, and he doesn’t know. And I want him until the end of forever—and he doesn’t know.

  A sound in my dreams pulls me awake, until I open my eyes and realize the knock at the door is real, even though it felt like a part of the movie playing in my head.

  Pushing myself up off the couch, I wrap my navy sweater around me and trudge to the door, yawning wide as I open it and freeze when I see who’s there.

  “Hi, beautiful,” Kane says in that deep, sultry voice that I missed more than anything.

  And I instantly cry, gut-wrenching sobs wracking my body as Kane steps inside and pulls me into his chest, wrapping his arms around me, and holding onto me with such force, it finally makes me feel like I can crumble and he’ll be there to catch me before I fall.

  “Shhhh, it’s okay. I’m here, baby,” he whispers against the shell of my ear, pulling me in close so we’re touching on every possible surface of our bodies. He shuts the door behind us and walks me slowly back over to the couch while keeping me wrapped up in him. When he motions for us to take a seat, I nervously release him as if he’ll run right back out of my apartment and I’ll lose him all over again.

  Once we sit, I crawl into his lap and he encompasses me in his chest, holding me so tight while I release all the sorrow I’ve felt over the past few days. I lose track of time and don’t dare to speak—all I want is to soak in this feeling of being back in his arms again, where everything feels right.

  “Liv,” he finally breaks the silence, rubbing his hands along my back. “We need to talk, baby, and I want to see your eyes when we do,” he softly consoles me, urging me to sit up.

  I manage to push myself upright and wipe my eyes free of the tears clouding my vision as I take him in, this handsome man who is fragile and bruised, but sturdy and brave, and back in front of me, ready to face our challenges. His beard is longer than usual, his eyes darkened by his past and lack of rest. If he’s been feeling anything like I have, I’m sure he’s been missing sleep too. His lips curl up just slightly in a smile—a small sliver of hope that the discussion we’re about to have won’t leave me breathless and broken.

  “Kane, I’m so sorry. I swear, I had no idea Trevor was your T.J.. He just showed up, and I…”

  Kane places a finger over my lips, silencing me as he shakes his head. His eyes narrow while they bounce back and forth between mine.

  “Don’t you dare apologize to me, Olivia. You did nothing wrong here. I am the wrong one. I’m the one who ran when I saw T.J. and didn’t respect you enough to talk to you about everything I was feeling. I just needed some space to gather my thoughts, but leaving you in the dark wasn’t right, and I will forever regret that.”

  “Kane, it’s okay… I just wanted to talk to you so desperately. I needed you to know that I was just as much in the dark as you were. And I had NO intention of taking him back, regardless of what he had to say. That wasn’t the reason he was here, anyway, but I promise you, Kane… you are the man I want,” I choke through my tears as Kane reaches up to brush them from my cheeks and push back my wild hair.

  “Good. Because you are the only woman I want for the rest of my life, Olivia. I love you so damn much, and it took me understanding what I was really mad about to realize that.”

  “Oh, God… I love you too, Kane,” I sigh before pressing my lips to his and kissing him for the first time in days. The feel of his mouth on mine again is like coming home, because Kane is my home now. He’s the man I want next to me through everything life has to throw at us—the good, the bad, the messy.

  I lose myself in him—the feel of his lips pressing lightly on mine, the sound of his murmurs when he changes the angle and pushes his tongue in my mouth, the urgency in the way his hands hold me, fighting to keep me close yet also make me feel safe. It’s amazing, breathtaking—the only way I ever want to feel when I’m kissed by this man for the rest of my life.

  When we part, Kane rests his forehead on mine as our breathing returns to normal. “I wanted to be strong for you before we spoke. I needed to be strong for you, Liv.”

  “You are strong, Kane,” I tease him by squeezing his biceps, desperately trying to return things back to normal with us. I love that we can be playful after shattering each other’s bodies in pleasure and love.

  He shakes his head, pulling away so we can see each other’s eyes again. “Muscles are only one part of it, baby. A man’s strength comes from his ability and desire to be there for a woman—to put her above him, to keep her from falling when she needs to jump. I needed to make sure I could put you above everything else, Olivia. I had to make sure that what I was feeling—the palpable rage and hurt—wasn’t directed at you. I was never mad at you, Olivia, please trust me on that. And it only took one smack of reality from my therapist for me to realize it.”

  “Your therapist?” I ask, shocked that he never told me this before. I know Kane’s made hints of working through his anger and anxiety, but he never mentioned seeing a professional. And though some may find that alarming, my heart beats stronger for him. It takes bravery and acceptance to ask for help, to seek out the knowledge of someone else to guide us through the challenges in our lives. Knowing that Kane had that courage—it solidifies even more that this is the man for me. This is the man I want by my side.

  “Yeah. I started seeing her right after the whole T.J. and Natasha thing. I had a lot of anger, resentment, and anxiety I was dealing with, so my parents suggested I talk to someone. It was the best decision I’ve ever made. I’ve learned to move past things, deal with my triggers, and open myself up again. If we had met before, there’s no way I would have been ready to be this man for you. But I’m ready now, baby. This is it,” he pulls on my neck so our faces are only inches away from each other again. “You and me, baby.”

  I close my eyes and sigh, breathing deeply before remembering the detail of our lives I’ve yet to tell him, the tiny, life-altering change that is quickly developing inside of me. “Well, not just you and me…”

  His eyes snap up to mine and we part while he searches my face for clarity, questioning me with those whiskey-colored eyes I hope our child inherits from him.

  “What do you mean?”

  “I’m pregnant, Kane,” I whisper as tears form again in my eyes and start to fall over.

  The shock on his face is quickly replaced with elation as his lips break out into the most glorious smile he’s ever given me, better than the one he first pulled me in with.

  “Really? How?” He asks, his voice thick with emotion.

  “I took antibiotics when I was sick a few weeks ago, and they counteract the pill. And with the way we’ve been having sex, your guess is as good as mine,” I joke, but secretly fear that anger will replace his happiness. “I’m sorry, Kane. I promise, I didn’t mean for this to happen…”

  “Holy crap, babe. This… this is incr
edible! Why are you apologizing?” he says, which makes the worry disintegrate quickly.

  “Really? You’re not mad?”

  “No, babe. Not at all. I mean, it’s fast, but I know I wanted kids with you anyway. I want everything with you, Liv,” he declares before pressing a kiss to my cheek, lingering there for a few seconds while I memorize his words.

  “I was going to tell you Saturday when you came over. That’s part of the reason why I wanted to see you,” I confess as the realization hits him.

  “But T.J. was here,” he states as more of a fact than a continuation of my story. I nod. “So you knew this entire time and I wasn’t picking up the phone?” he says angrily. “Christ, I’m such an ass. Please forgive me.”

  “It’s okay. I understand why you were upset, Kane. I do, really. But I was also so terrified you weren’t going to talk to me for weeks or possibly ever again, and I didn’t get the chance to tell you. But I’m so glad you’re here now,” I whisper, still soaking in the fact that my secret is finally free and Kane is back in my world. The fear has been lifted from my chest, my heart is beating with purpose again, and the life we’ve created can finally be celebrated.

  “I’m so sorry, Liv. But I am here now, and I promise, I’m not going anywhere.”

  I move to straddle him as his hands find my hips and I sink down in his lap, heating up my body instantly when I feel him grow hard beneath me.

  “I missed you so much, Kane,” I moan before kissing him and tracing the lines of his body through his sweater. “I love you, you beautiful, resilient man.”

  Kane breaks us apart, tosses his sweater and shirt off effortlessly, leaving him bare chested in front of me, while I catch myself drooling at the sight of him. I will never tire of this man and his sculpted body—and it’s mine forever now.

  “I missed you too, Liv. I love you so fucking much,” he growls before crushing our mouths together again, showing me with his body how much I mean to him. But it’s not just how he loves me with his body that makes me swoon—it’s how he’s opened his heart and soul to me, when he never thought he would again.

  I lose myself in the twists and turns of our tongues, the moans coming from our throats, and the intense fire burning in between my legs. I relish in the feel of his skin under my fingers, his lips all over mine, and the love I know he feels for me.

  Kane pushes my sweater off of my shoulders and down my arms, followed by my shirt up over my head, and then reaches around to unhook my bra—all with a slow and precise touch while his eyes memorize every inch of my skin.

  “God, you’re beautiful, baby,” the deep rasp of his voice ignites goosebumps on my skin as he places kisses along my collarbone and down my shoulders as my head falls to the side. His lips find my nipple next, surprising me with the feel of his tongue as he swirls it around and pulls the sensitive nub into his mouth, handling the flesh with his hand simultaneously. And boy, the sensitivity is there already—a pleasant side effect of the pregnancy.

  I start to pant, drawing quick breaths while Kane continues to lick and suck on my breasts, making wetness pool between my legs at an unprecedented rate.

  “Kane, please…”

  “What do you need, baby?” He demands while growing stronger and faster in his touches on my body. His hands are moving everywhere, gripping my hips and directing me up and over his hard cock still covered by his jeans.

  “You, Kane,” I breathe out and then quickly snap my head up and pull his face to mine. “You’re all I’ve ever needed, Kane. Make love to me, please…”

  I see the return of my love in his eyes as his hands tremble on their way up to caress my cheeks. “You’re all I need too, Olivia. I love you,” he licks his lips before kissing me deeply and then directing me to stand.

  We both discard our pants and underwear and then settle back on the couch with him hovering over me, nestled between my thighs. I can feel him nudge my opening before pushing forward and burying himself deep inside of me.

  I swallow hard and shiver at the force of his thrust, but then quickly immerse myself in every sensation his body is giving mine. Kane dives deep, again and again, extracting every tremor of pleasure from my body. I’m sensitive all over apparently, and Kane is taking full advantage.

  While leaning above me, he latches onto my nipple again while he continues to drag his cock in and out of me at a slow and even pace. It’s luxurious, tormenting, and not nearly fast enough for what I need from him.

  But my God, does it feel good. It’s a torture that I will gladly accept until I feel like I can’t take it anymore and urge him to move faster.

  “More, Kane. Please,” I plead while he continues to move at a snail’s pace. “Why are you torturing me? Oh,” I moan, throwing my head back and closing my eyes as my vision blurs and the dull vibration of my orgasm grows stronger, spiking in intensity while Kane keeps up his movements.

  “I’m making love to you tonight, baby,” he whispers in my ear, kissing down my neck and continuing to agonize me. “This is slow and sweet love… we have all the time in the world for the fast and dirty. But right now, I want you to submerge yourself in the soft feeling of our bodies connecting. I want you to feel every inch of me as I slide in and out of you. I want you to come from the sheer pleasure of our movements.”

  And with those last few words, I feel the warmth of my orgasm overtake me. The luxurious wave of ecstasy washes over me in a constant ripple, lasting so long I don’t think it will ever end. Roll and after roll of pleasure shakes my body and I come—I come so hard and long that by the time my orgasm ends, I’m completely unaware that Kane followed me to the finish line as he found his own drawn out release.

  Our breaths are ragged, our bodies are covered in a light coat of sweat, our minds so blurry that all we can do is lie there, our chests heaving together while we come down from the high.

  This man makes me feel cherished, loved, and sated. He’s everything I was looking for—and in some twisted turn of fate, we got tangled up in each other—and now I’ll never let him go.

  Chapter 41

  Kane

  Three Weeks Later

  “Do you need any more help in here?” I ask Olivia as I come up behind her in my kitchen. I place a soft kiss on her neck as my arms wrap around her waist and my hands rest on the flat part of her stomach covered in an evergreen sweater dress— hugging her curves and tight stomach, which won’t be flat for much longer.

  Olivia is having my baby, and I’d be lying if I said the thought of that isn’t the most life-changing feeling I’ve ever experienced. I’m going to be a father, and now my sole focus will be doing everything in my power to protect and cherish Olivia and our child. My heart is beating for another—two other people now—and it’s a clarity I never thought I would crave again.

  But everything is clear now. Olivia. Our child. Our life together is all I see and all I want. I found my purpose again—a feeling I lost for years, but I slowly discovered it was waiting for Olivia to resurface. I feel mentally and physically stronger than ever, solid enough to handle this, and beyond grateful that I get to experience it all with her.

  The feel of my lips on her neck spikes goosebumps all over Olivia’s skin, which makes me ravenous for her. I love knowing I have that effect on her with just a soft brush of my mouth.

  Since we reconciled a few weeks ago, we haven’t spent a day apart. Olivia is planning to move into my house over our Christmas vacation and we approached Principal North about our relationship. She was beyond supportive and elated for us. Olivia also told her about the baby to prepare for her absence at the beginning of the next school year. She’s due in July, but will probably take longer than six weeks off so she can bond with the baby.

  “Could you grab the cheese and olives from the fridge, babe?” She asks while looking over her shoulder at me and flashing me that brilliant smile that hooked me that first night at Tony’s. I owe that man more than I can every repay him for pushing me that night to talk to her.
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  “Absolutely,” I kiss her lips before retrieving the items she requested.

  “I hope there’s enough food,” she says while surveying the surface of my kitchen island, covered in snacks. A veggie tray, chips and dip, meatballs, and a charcuterie board are organized around the marble. I hand her the olives and cheese as she adds them to the wooden slab, surrounded by other morsels of food, and I laugh. There’s enough grub here to feed an army.

  “I’m sure there’s more than enough. Plus, the ham is in the oven with the potatoes, macaroni and cheese, rolls and veggies. I think everyone will take home leftovers at this point.”

  She sighs. “I know, I guess I’m just nervous.”

  “Why are you nervous?”

  “This is the first time all of our friends and family will be together under the same roof. I just want everyone to get along. I don’t want any more drama in our lives.”

  I tilt my head at her, observing the worry on her face. Ever since T.J. came back and threw us for a loop, I’ve noticed the confidence Olivia usually exudes has diminished a bit. I’ve reassured her countless times that everything between us is fine, but she’s explained she’s nervous that something else will happen. When she mentioned the idea of having a holiday party, I encouraged it, hoping that the event would help her focus her attention on something else. And I thought it would be a great way to bring everyone together to share in our excitement. Also, I may be using it to surprise Olivia with something else.

  But seeing her worry again makes my heart beat erratically, after I finally feel like things are back on track. I rest my forehead on hers. “As long as you and I are together, Liv, we can face it all. Now stop stressing, it’s bad for the baby.”