We get all the way to my car before I find the courage to speak. “Are you hungry?”
He looks at me, his eyes curious. “Are you, after all that popcorn?”
I’m actually not, but I’m panicking. I just don’t want him to go. “I guess I’m not, really,” I say. “Maybe coffee, then?”
He pauses, looking away, like he’s thinking. “I would really love to, but I can’t. I have somewhere to be this afternoon. I’m already running late.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” I say, trying not to let my disappointment show. “I didn’t realize.”
“No, of course you didn’t,” he says. “Believe me, I’d cancel if I could. I’d love nothing more than to spend the rest of the day with you.”
His eyes don’t leave my face and my belly flip flops.
“Maybe, um…” Say something, Emma. Tell him you’ll go on a real date. A date doesn’t have to mean you’re getting serious. “Maybe we could have dinner sometime? Something a little more … like a date?”
One corner of his mouth turns up. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah,” I say. “I’m sure.”
He picks up my hand, and I shiver. “Tomorrow?”
“That would be great,” I manage to say, although I feel like my voice is giving out.
He brings my hand to his lips and kisses my fingers. My knees almost buckle. He holds my hand close to his mouth, and I can feel his breath across my fingers. “It was really good to see you, Emma.”
“You too.”
He smiles again and walks to his truck, leaving me absolutely breathless.
13
Hunter
I want to stay with Emma. She’s melting for me, faster than I thought possible. I can feel her walls breaking down. I know I still need to be careful, so it’s probably better that I have to go. But walking away from her after the movie is as hard as it was the other night.
I feel bad for not calling her back after her little tequila stunt, but like I told her, she threw me off. It wasn’t that she got smashed and suggested we have sex. That I could deal with. And fuck, it was tempting.
What killed me was the look in her eyes when she asked me why I left her. I’m still not sure what to do with that. Drunk or not, that pain was real, and I’m the one who caused it. Ten years later, she’s still hurt. The wounds I left were deep. When it comes down to it, I have no idea if we can recover from that. I hope she can bring herself to forgive me, but after seeing her face the other night, I’m not sure she can.
When she texted me earlier, I was tempted to tell her no. But the movie was my idea, and I already felt like a jackass for ignoring her for the last couple days. Besides, I wanted to see her. I’d like to think I had some gentlemanly motive for meeting her at the movies—give her a chance to clear the air after the other night—but really, it was entirely selfish. I missed her, and I couldn’t say no to the chance to be with her again.
I thought about holding her hand for the first half of the movie. Cheesy? Yeah, probably. I certainly had our first date in mind when I asked her to go to a movie. She didn’t want a date, so we went to a matinee and I didn’t buy her ticket. But as far as I was concerned, it would be a date by the time it was over. Even if all I did was hold her hand. Just like the first time.
And fuck, it felt good. It was like being a nervous kid again. I brushed my hand against hers on purpose and I almost jumped out of my seat. A burst of sensation went straight to my chest, sucking the air from my lungs. I didn’t spend the next ten minutes working my way up to actually holding her hand the way I did when we were sixteen. I moved with a little more authority this time, although I still stopped at hand-holding.
My self-control is being severely tested lately.
I take a few breaths to calm down as I drive away. If I hadn’t planned to see Isaac today, that date would not be over. But I can’t let my little buddy down.
I have a great time with Isaac, and Elaine looks better than last week, so I feel good about my decision.
And Emma agreed to a real date tomorrow. I have that to look forward to.
Sunday, I debate where I should take her, and decide on Stewart’s Seafood House. It’s a nice place with a great view, but not so fancy as to be stuffy. I dress up a bit, putting on a nice pair of slacks and a dark green sweater. On the way to pick her up, I make a quick stop at Charlie’s for flowers. If this is a date, I’m going to do it right.
She answers the door in a black dress with a low neckline. I stare at her for a moment, speechless.
“You look incredible,” I say, handing her the flowers.
She smiles. “These are beautiful. Thank you.”
I wait in the doorway while she puts the flowers in the kitchen. When she’s ready, I walk her to my truck and open the door for her. We drive to the restaurant and I hold her hand on the way inside. I try to keep my face still, but I can’t stop smiling. I feel like we’re inches from phase four.
Dinner is great, and our conversation is relaxed and easy. Natural. I can’t stop staring at her. Her hair is curled in soft waves that frame her face, and her dress shows her collarbone and the tops of her breasts. I don’t want to push her too far tonight, but my skin prickles with every breath she takes.
After dessert, I walk her back to the truck. I’m not remotely ready for this night to end, but I’m not sure I should suggest going to my place. Things still feel tenuous, and so far this has been an absolutely perfect date. I don’t want to ruin it. I open the door for her, smelling her hair as she gets in. God, she smells good.
I get in and make a snap decision. “Are you up for a drink?”
“Yeah,” she says, without hesitation. “It doesn’t have to be fancy. We could just go to Danny’s.”
“Great,” I say, hoping my brothers aren’t there. Clover texts me every other day, asking what’s going on with Emma, but so far I’ve kept my answers vague. I’m not ready to share this with anyone yet. I don’t want to jinx it.
Danny’s Tavern is pretty dead, and I’m grateful I don’t see anyone I recognize. We find a table and I go to the bar to order us drinks—a glass of Jack Daniels for me and a Cabernet for Emma. When I sit down, I find Emma staring at the bar, her face ashen.
“Ems, what’s wrong?” I ask. I glance over. There’s a guy sitting at the bar, but I don’t know who he is. “Do you know him?”
“That’s Wyatt.”
Instantly, my blood burns hot. What the fuck is her ex-husband doing here? I stand up, placing myself in between them so he can’t see her. “Let’s go.”
She swallows hard and nods. I take her hand as she gets up and keep myself positioned in Wyatt’s line of sight. I wrap a protective arm around her shoulders, not caring for a second whether I’m intruding on her personal space.
We get out the door, and she’s shaking.
“You’re okay.” I draw her in closer to me as we walk. “We’ll be out of here in ten seconds.”
Behind us, someone speaks. “Emma.”
She stops, and I keep my arm tight around her. I turn and look at Wyatt. He’s standing in the doorway to the bar, dressed in a dark shirt and jeans. I note his size and the set of his feet. He’s smaller than I am, which could mean he’s fast, but the way he’s standing tells me I’ll own him in two seconds flat if it comes down to it. I hope it doesn’t, but if he fucks with her, I’ll rip his arms off.
“Do you want to go?” I ask quietly.
“Emma, I just want to talk,” Wyatt says. “Just for a minute.”
The nerve of this guy. I want to remind this jackass that Emma fucking divorced him, but I decide to wait and see what she does.
She takes a deep breath, and when she speaks, her voice is steady. “No, it’s okay. I can talk to him. He isn’t dangerous or anything. He’s just kind of a dick.”
“Are you sure?” I ask.
“Yeah, just to get it over with,” she says. “I want to know what the fuck he’s doing here and make sure he doesn’t come back.”
/>
I smile at the moxie in her voice. That’s my girl. I step aside and let my arm drop.
“What do you want, Wyatt?” she asks.
“Just five minutes, babe,” he says.
I clench my hands into fists. If he calls her babe again, I’ll break his face.
“We’re divorced, Wyatt,” she says. “You can call me Emma. Ms. Parker, if you try calling me babe again.”
“Fine, Emma,” he says, emphasizing her name. “Can we talk? Alone?”
She gives me a nod and I wait while she walks toward a red sedan. I cross my arms and stare Wyatt down.
Please, you fucker. Give me a reason.
They stand in front of the car, facing each other. Emma keeps her distance, backing up when he takes a step toward her. I can’t hear what they’re saying, but Emma looks exasperated. She shakes her head. He raises his arms, gesturing. I stand still, my eyes locked on Wyatt. I keep my breathing even. My mind is clear, calm. I’m a spring, coiled up and ready to strike.
She crosses her arms and shakes her head again. He takes a step forward and I almost dart in. But Emma holds up a hand and I see the word No on her lips. Wyatt’s gaze darts to me. I can see his anger written across his face. She might not think he’s dangerous, but I know that look. Desperation. That will make any man dangerous, even a dicksock like Wyatt.
I see it begin as if everything is in slow motion: Emma starts to walk away, and Wyatt grabs her wrist. She tries to pull her arm back and I hear her voice, high-pitched and angry. He doesn’t let go.
In four strides, I’m there. I grab his forearm, hard. His hand opens, freeing Emma, and she steps back. I wrench his arm around his back and smash him down onto the hood of his car. I push against his arm, just enough to show I can break it if I want to.
His face contorts with pain. “What the fuck!”
I lean down and speak in a low voice. “If you touch her again, you’ll be lucky if all I break is your arm.” I increase the pressure to drive the point home, holding him there for a few more seconds. “Now, I’m going to let you up. You’re going to get in your car and go. And you are never, ever going to bother her again. Understood?”
I can feel his defiance. This guy is something else. I think of twenty more ways I can hurt him with my bare hands—and if he so much as looks at Emma again, I’m going to do at least ten of them.
“Do I have to break it to prove I’m serious?” I ask, wrenching his arm harder. He cries out in pain. I lean closer and lower my voice so Emma can’t hear. “You wouldn’t be my first kill, asshole.”
He goes limp, and I know I scared the fight out of him. I let go and he stands. I step back, crossing my arms. I’m pleased to see he doesn’t look in Emma’s direction. She moves behind me and I stay where I am, my feet planted. Wyatt gets in his car and drives away. I watch him go, my eyes on his car until he’s out of sight.
Emma has a hand over her mouth. I breathe out the last of my aggression, and pull her into my arms. She doesn’t resist. I can feel her shoulders shake.
Fuck, I probably scared her.
I hold her close, rubbing her back. Her face is buried in my chest, her hand clutching my shirt.
“Damn it, Ems, I’m sorry,” I say. “It pissed me off when he grabbed you.”
She shakes her head, but doesn’t pull away from me. “It’s okay. I’m just overwhelmed.”
“Why don’t we get out of here. I’ll get you home.”
I really don’t want to take her home, but I feel like it’s the right thing to do. She’s pretty shaken up.
We get in my truck and I head toward her place. It’s hard to keep still. The adrenaline coursing through my system has me on edge. I have to work to keep from breathing hard, and my heart thumps uncomfortably.
“I don’t want to go home,” she says, her voice quiet. “Can we go to your place?”
A jolt shoots through me and I grip the steering wheel to keep my hands from shaking. My dick gets hard, instantly. The combination of adrenaline and sudden arousal is almost more than I can handle. I don’t trust myself to talk, so I nod, and drive to my place in silence.
I park in my driveway and hesitate. Emma’s hands are clasped in her lap. I need to say something. I have to make sure this is okay.
“Are you sure you want to come in?” I ask.
“Yes.” There’s no hesitation in her voice.
She gets out before I can come around to open her door. I put my hand on her back as we head inside, even the casual touch through her clothes lighting me up. I close the door behind us, and like a rope snapping, my self-control is gone.
I turn and pin her against the door. Her purse drops. She lifts her chin and I claim her mouth. It’s mine, every bit of it. I press her against the door with my body, letting my hard cock dig into her. Her hands slide around to the back of my neck and she kisses me, her lips as hungry as mine.
She grabs my shirt, still damp with her tears, and lifts it. I pull it off, letting it fall. She runs her hands along my chest and down my abs to my pants. I wrap my arms around her, pulling her into me, and trail hard kisses down her neck.
My uninhibited need for her takes over. I find the hem of her dress and hike it up, grabbing her ass. I kiss her again, deep. Her tongue is firm against mine. I’m bursting with too much adrenaline, and I’m in danger of losing control. I grab her panties at the waistband with both hands and pull apart. The fabric rips and I let them drop. Her hands fumble with the button of my pants. She gets them undone and I slide them down, kicking them off to the side.
She plunges her hand into my underwear and wraps her fingers around my cock. A haze tinges my vision and I push one of her arms above her head, pinning it to the door. Her other hand holds my dick in a vice like grip. My mouth meets hers, our tongues lashing against each other, hard and aggressive.
I slip my other hand between her thighs and feel her wetness. The feel of her on my fingers makes me crazy with desire.
“I need to be inside you,” I say, my voice a growl. “Right fucking now.”
I grab her ass and lift her up, pushing her against the door. She wraps her legs around me and I plunge my cock inside her.
Holy fuck. I’m undone. She’s slick and hot, and the moan she lets out almost makes me come right there. She leans her head back, her eyes closed. I thrust my hips, sliding in and out of her wet pussy, and bury my face in her neck. God, she feels so good. I’ve never felt anyone like her. She clings to my back, digging her fingers into my skin, and calls out. Her voice is raw and uninhibited.
I pound her harder, holding her tight, groaning into her with every movement. My body tenses as my climax builds. I can’t think straight. Nothing else exists but my cock thrusting into Emma, hard and fast. Electricity races through me, and my blood burns in my veins.
Her pussy tightens around me. She’s getting hotter; I can feel how close she is to coming.
“Fuck, yes, Hunter, right there,” she says.
I crush my mouth against hers, sliding my tongue in. I want to taste her, feel her, smell her. I fuck her in a steady rhythm, my balls tightening.
“Come in me,” she says, her voice a whimper.
A hint of reason finds its way into my mind, and I realize I’m fucking her without a condom. It’s a little late now, but I can hold back. “Ems, we aren’t using protection.”
“It’s fine,” she says. Her arms clutch around my neck and she rocks her hips into me. “I’m on the pill. Come in me, Hunter. I want to feel you come.”
“I’m going to come in you so hard,” I say. Clarity starts to come back, and I can think. I want her to come first. I don’t want to miss her. “Come all over me, Ems. You feel so fucking good.”
“Don’t stop that,” she says. “Oh, fuck, yes.”
I slide in and out, pushing my cock deep inside her, giving her what she wants. Her heat builds and I barely hold myself in check.
She throws her head back and moans, her pussy clenching tight around me. One more thrus
t and I’m done for. I burst, filling her. My cock pulses in a mad rush, my body going stiff. I hold her ass, pushing my cock in hard as I come, relishing the feel of her tight pussy surrounding me.
We’re both breathing hard as we come down from the rush. Emma wraps her arms around my neck. I pull out and carefully lower her so her feet are on the floor. She doesn’t let go, and I hold her, sliding my arms around her back.
I don’t know what happens next, but right now, she’s mine.
14
Emma
I’m breathing hard, and not quite sure what just happened—but I think Hunter fucked me senseless against his front door.
His arms hold me so tight, and I melt into him. God, that felt good. I love how he unleashed on me. During all the time we’ve spent together, he’s been so careful. So controlled. Seeing the raw, aggressive side of him was incredible.
He pulls back and touches my face. His hand is so gentle. His lips press against mine, his tongue gently caressing my mouth. I open for him and he deepens his kiss, slow and luxurious. My mind is fuzzy, like I’ve had too much wine.
With his mouth still on mine, he leads me into his house. We get through his bedroom door and his hands slide around my back, finding the zipper on my dress. It slips to the floor and he unhooks my bra. He slides his fingers along my shoulders, pulling down the straps, and kisses along my collarbone.
I glance down and—holy shit—he’s hard again already.
He runs his fingers through my hair. “God, Emma, I’ll never get enough of you.”
We move to his bed and he lays me down on my back. His eyes are so intense, drinking me in like he’s never seen me before. Like he never expected to see me again. He moves his hand down and brushes my nipple with his fingers. I shiver at his touch, a thrill running through me.
He keeps exploring with his hands, lightly caressing my skin, planting soft kisses along the trail he follows. He lingers on my breasts, his tongue sliding along the hard nub of my nipple. I feel like I’m floating. His hand moves down to my thighs and he nudges my legs apart. My eyes roll back and I moan as he finds my clit, teasing it softly. He rubs harder, and it’s like my body moves of its own accord. My hips rock up and down with his motion, his soft touch just what I need to come alive again.
Operation Get Her Back Page 8