Emerging Temptation: A BWWM Romance Limited Edition Collection

by Peyton Banks

  3

  Julian

  Strolling into the hospital more than a week later, Julian couldn’t help but smile as he made his way down the sterile hallway. Morgan was finally going home today. He’d woken up the day after Julian’s first visit, the same day he’d brought burgers and fries for Kori. When he’d walked in that day, seeing her all by herself, sitting next to her small son, it made him want to hurt the man who’d done this to their little family. No mother deserved to have their child laid up in a hospital with wires all over their body.

  From that moment forward, Julian wanted to be by her side. There wasn’t a day that passed when he hadn’t checked on them. If he was at the station and couldn’t make it in person, he called. Hearing her voice wasn’t the same as seeing her beautiful face, but he had to make it work.

  His desire to know Kori better was bordering on the unhealthy. Julian also knew he was too far gone to pull back now. He wanted to protect her, take care of her, and make sure she and Morgan were safe. His arms were big enough to hold them both comfortably, all he needed them to do was walk into his embrace.

  These past few days with Kori and Morgan had been everything he’d hoped for. He’d shared things with Kori that had been locked away inside for too long. About his career, the expectations he placed on himself, and his childhood growing up. They discussed quite a few things, all except the one part of his past he wasn’t prepared to share right now. If he opened the door to that conversation, he knew she’d have questions. Julian wasn’t ready to go down that road yet. Dealing with that discussion would have to come at a later time because he knew she’d have questions he wasn’t ready to answer.

  His family still gave him enough shit about what happened to last a lifetime. He didn’t need Kori doing the same.

  Opening the room door, he was met with smiles all around from the people lingering around the space.

  Not only were Kori and Morgan beaming at him, but so were Kori’s parents and her younger sister Janice. He’d met each of them over the past few days, getting to know each person as he tried to show Kori he was worth having around. They were all good people, especially her parents. Janice, on the other hand, well that little spitfire still had him confused. Then again, it wasn’t her that he was most concerned with.

  “Hi, Julian.” Morgan exuberantly called out as he walked through the door. “I’m going home today!”

  Julian walked up to Morgan, giving him a fist bump. “Hey, buddy. I did know that. And guess what?”

  “What?”

  He smiled at the toothless grin Morgan gave him. “I’m the one who gets to take you and your mom home.”

  “Yes,” Morgan said with glee, closing his fists and pumping his arm. “Are you ready to go, Mom?” he asked Kori. “I’m ready to go home. Oh, can we have pepperoni pizza today?”

  “We’ll see. First, we need to get your doctor in here so we can break outta this place,” she responded, pulling him in close for a hug.

  As Julian drove Kori and Morgan home, he reflected on how he was feeling. Glancing over at the woman sitting next to him, he thought about how quickly his head and heart knew she was someone he wanted to spend more time with. His gaze landed on Morgan, strapped into the large back seat of his SUV.

  “Hey, Morgan? You okay back there?”

  Morgan nodded his head in response, but Julian could see just how groggy and tired he truly was. “Yeah, I’m okay.”

  Kori turned her head to glance in the backseat at Morgan. Julian couldn’t help but notice how her face changed when she looked at her son. Already beautiful, when she got that look of love on her face, it made her look younger. More innocent. “We’ll be home soon, baby. Then you can rest a little before you eat something, okay?”

  “Okay, Momma.”

  On instinct, Julian grabbed her hand, squeezing it tightly. “He’ll be okay. He’s going home, and that’s the most important thing.”

  She nodded. “Yes, it really is.” A small grin lifted her lips. “Thank you for doing this. You didn’t have to, but I do appreciate it.”

  “You don’t have to thank me, Kori. I want to be here for you and Morgan whenever you need me. There’s no place else I’d rather be.” Julian meant every word. Nothing and no one could have stopped him from being here in this moment.

  Following the directions plugged into his GPS, he followed the guidance on his dashboard screen toward a suburban neighborhood with large homes, manicured lawns, and two-car garages. As he noticed their destination getting closer, he groaned. This is where she lived? Compared to his townhome in Springfield, this seemed like a world away. Not that he lacked for money. He was single, invested well, and learned how to manage his finances from a father who’d owned a business for more than forty years before he retired. Pulling up to the address, he sat silent for a few seconds, getting his thoughts together.

  “Everything okay?” Kori asked, her soft hand came to rest on his bare forearm.

  As he looked down at where their skin touched, he wondered what he was doing. Why was he here? Sure, he wanted to be with her, but he knew how these things worked. What could Julian offer her that she didn’t already have? He raised his gaze and looked into her brown eyes, falling into the depths of her gaze. “Yes, sweetheart. I’m all good. Are you ready to go inside? I’ll grab Morgan.”

  “Thanks,” she said, her voice low and shy.

  After exiting the car, Julian picked up Morgan and carried him into the house, stepping inside behind Kori. “Where to?”

  “This way.” She motioned to a room toward the back of the house. “Instead of putting him in his bed, I think he’ll be more comfortable in the den. At least until I’m ready to get him upstairs for bed.”

  He placed the little boy on the sectional couch and stepped back. Kori covered him up with a blanket, giving him a kiss on the forehead, and stood straight. Julian could see wetness pooling in her eyes and knew she was still worried about the injuries Morgan was dealing with. He wasn’t a mother or a father, so he couldn’t understand the hurt she felt as she looked down on her son covered in bruises and casts.

  “Do you want to go into the other room?” he questioned. He needed them to be able to talk without fear of Morgan waking up.

  “Yes. Are you hungry? My sister stopped by earlier today to make sure my fridge was stocked with all the stuff Morgan likes, and some easy meals that I could make for him.”

  Trailing behind her, he couldn’t help but take in the view of her ass covered by those tight jeans. He knew what he wanted to eat but knew it wouldn’t be the right time to make that move. Although it had been just over a week since they’d first met, the connection he felt with Kori was undeniable. He knew she felt the same way about him. That pull. That need for more.

  Once they were situated in the kitchen, he sat down at the table, his long legs spread out in front of him. He watched Kori move around the kitchen, pulling out dishes and other food items from the refrigerator. Domestic. This was nice. His ex-fiancée didn’t like to cook for him. Half the time, he’d been the one in the kitchen, making sure they had food for the night. When she could force him to comply, she’d have them going out to dinner at local restaurants at least three to four times per week. It wasn’t that he didn’t enjoy going out for a nice meal. He just didn’t see the need to do it so often.

  “Want anything to drink?”

  He paused… looking her body up and down. “Some water is fine.”

  Kori placed her hand on her hip. “Don’t be nice on my account. You can have something stronger if you want.”

  “I wouldn’t feel comfortable driving after having alcohol. Since I’ll eventually have to leave, I want to be careful.”

  Her face changed, a look of sadness coming over her. “Oh. Well, if you have someplace else to go, we’ll be fine. You don’t have to stay.”

  “Did I say I have somewhere else to be?” Julian repeated her words, giving her an intense look. He wished women wouldn’t do this shit. If sh
e wanted him to leave, she should just speak up. “I’m here because this is where you are. Not accepting a drink has nothing to do with wanting to leave or be somewhere else. I want to be here. Do you want me to leave?”

  After giving him a long look, she nodded. “No. I’d like you to stay for a while.”

  “Then this is where I’ll be,” he winked, drumming his fingers on the dining room table.

  Shaking her head at him, she grinned. “Okay, fine. I also have sweet tea. Would that work?”

  He stood and walked over to her, bringing his body within inches of hers. He could almost feel the heat between them as he looked down at her. Lips separated in shock as she gazed up at his larger form. “Sweetheart, I’m a guest in your home. Whatever you want to give me, I’ll gladly take.” Julian’s message was about more than having water or tea.

  “What if your appetite is bigger than what I have to offer?”

  He smiled at her, his arms coming up to rest on the countertop behind her. Leaning his head down, he brought his lips close to hers. “You don’t get it, baby.”

  “What’s that? What don’t I get?”

  “I’ll take whatever you’re able to give me. I don’t need it today, or even tomorrow. But from the first moment I saw you, I knew there was something special between us. My appetite is big… I’m a hungry man… and I will indulge as much as I possibly can, whenever the opportunity arises. We’ll go as slow or as fast as you want. Just don’t ask me to stop spending time with you and Morgan or push me away.”

  Kori shook her head. “No. I’m not going to push you away. But don’t you think things are moving too fast?”

  “No. Not at all. I think things are moving the way they’re supposed to. Time doesn’t matter. You can know someone for years and not know anything about them. Not know who the person really is inside because all they show you is the superficial shit they show the public. Or, you can know someone for days… a week…” he paused meaningfully, “and know, without a doubt, they are the person who makes you yearn for something more. That’s who you are to me. You make me crave a normal life. I want to be here with you as you take care of Morgan. Do I know where this is going between us?” He shook his head as he lifted a finger to trail down her soft skin. “No, I don’t. But I do know I’m not walking away from you without doing everything in my power to make you see that I’m for real.” He hadn’t meant to say all that, but the words continued to fall from his mouth. It wasn’t like him to give away so much, especially not this soon after meeting someone. But with Kori, he couldn’t help himself.

  “Julian…” She went to say, but he stopped her.

  “Kori, I can’t explain it. I just know that it’s happening. If you want me to slow down, or want me to back-off, just tell me. You should be comfortable with everything we’re doing. I’m not here to make life more difficult for you.”

  Nodding, she looked away for a second. When she brought her gaze back to his, Julian could tell she’d decided something. “I feel drawn to you, too. I didn’t want to notice you, especially when I was dealing with such a horrible situation, but I couldn’t help it. Since that day, I haven’t been able to get you out of mind. When you’re away from us, I want you to come back. The nights you had to stay away for work, I’d pray you’d be safe so you could come see us the next day. Whatever this is between us, I want more of it. I don’t want to stop.”

  A smile came over his face at her words. “That’s what I’d hoped you’d say.” Leaning down slowly, he brought his lips to hers. He wanted to give her a chance to pull back or ask him to stop. She didn’t. Pressing his lips against hers, he felt something akin to peace flow over his body. Her soft mouth met his, and his dick immediately thickened within his jeans. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he pulled her body closer as he deepened the kiss. Everything in him wanted to rip off her clothes and fuck her where she stood. Their kiss deepened, and Kori ran her fingers through his hair. The sound of her moans met his ears, and something clicked in his mind. Bending slightly, he pushed his thick cock into the vee of her legs, pressing himself fully into her sweet spot. Fuck. He wanted to be inside her.

  “Mommy.”

  They both heard the sound and pulled apart as if scalded by fire. Morgan was still lying down in the other room but had called out for Kori. Maybe it was a good thing he did. Another few seconds and Julian would have been balls deep inside Kori, fucking her to within an inch of her life. Adjusting himself, he motioned toward the room where Morgan lay. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. I’ll make lunch. You go ahead and check on the little guy.”

  “I’m sorry, Julian.”

  He could tell she was worried about his reaction to their sexual play being interrupted. Yes, he was a man, but he wasn’t an asshole. At least, most of the time. This was life when dating a single mom. He knew that. Accepted it. That just meant they’d have to be more creative when it came to their private time. He was all for that. This wasn’t a big deal. Not for him anyway. “Babe, don’t be sorry. I’m not going anywhere. Go handle your business, just come back to me when you’re finished.”

  Her eyes widened, and a broad smile came over her face. “Yeah, I think I like you.”

  “Nah, baby. You don’t think you do. You know it for a fact.” He watched her turn and walk into the other room to check on her son. After that kiss, he knew their attraction to each was real. There was no way he could walk away from her now. Hell, maybe not ever.

  4

  Julian

  The next morning, Julian was at the court playing basketball with some of his friends. They usually met up once every couple of weeks for some laughs, competition, and exercise. He’d prefer to be with Kori and Morgan right now, but the Saturday games were a standing appointment. If he missed this, it would cause more questions than he wanted to answer right now.

  Glancing over at the digital clock on the wall, he noted that it was just before noon. He’d texted Kori earlier that morning when he woke up but hadn’t yet heard from her. It wasn’t that she needed to answer his messages immediately, but it did bother him that it had been hours since his last message to her and no response.

  When he’d left Kori’s home after dinner and returned to his townhouse, sleep eluded him the entire night. His every thought was filled with Kori. If he had his wish, he’d be back at her place, in bed with her, sinking his thick cock inside her warm pussy. Thoughts ran through his mind as he questioned if they were safe and sound. He wondered if Kori was thinking of him also. Was she having a hard time alone as she took care of her son on her own? Did she miss him as much as he missed her? His dreams were filled with visions of his mouth pressed against hers as he pressed his body against her soft curves. He’d woken up with her name on his lips and a hard dick in his hand. He wanted to stop by her house this morning before he came to the gym but didn’t want to appear like a stalker. Although everything in him wanted to be by her side, he knew that would be asking too much of her. Doing the only thing he could, he kept going, and drove to the gym to meet up with his buddies.

  Back in the game, Julian can’t help but be distracted by his thoughts of Kori, and he wasn’t really paying attention to the game. When Adam threw the ball to him, expecting Julian to charge the basket, he missed the cue, and it went out of bounds. Julian was off that day. He shouldn’t even be here, because his head wasn’t in the game. Literally.

  “What the fuck, Julian?” Adam called out to him in frustration. Another teammate shook his head as he moved into position against the other team. “I’m not losing to these knuckleheads again.”

  “Whatever, man. Time!” Julian put his hands up in a “T” motion and began walking off the court. “Hey, Marcus. Can you go in for me? I’m done, man.”

  “Yeah. I got you.” Marcus was another guy from their fire station who came out to the games. He’d been doing interval drills on the side of the court but hopped up and ran over to join the game when Julian called out to him.

  Walking over to the bench
situated against the wall, Julian grabbed up his phone before sitting down. Unlocking the screen, he looked for any new messages from Kori. There weren’t any. He released a deep breath. It had only been a week and a half since he’d met her. But during that time, she’d come to mean so much to him. Hearing her voice before he went to sleep each night became a requirement. Seeing her face was the balm he needed at night to soothe his soul after a long day of accidents and emergency calls. Placing his head back against the wall, he closed his eyes and thought of Kori’s beautiful face.

  Why hadn’t she texted him back?

  After a few minutes, he could hear the guys calling for a break. Although they liked to think they were still teenagers with unlimited energy, they weren’t. Lifting his head, he opened his eyes and saw his brother Steven walking over to him. Julian released a deep sigh because he knew what was about to happen. Younger brothers were nosey as hell, especially his.

  “Hey, J.” He greeted before grabbing a bottle of water from Julian’s bag. Being the big brother and an EMT, it was just a habit for him to think of those things. He’d been looking after his little brother since the day Steven was born, when Julian was only four years old. Once a big brother, always a big brother. Just because Steven carried a gun all day didn’t mean Julian would be stopping anytime soon. In fact, Julian’s SIG Sauer P226 was bigger than Steven’s Glock 22, he just didn’t carry his weapon on his hip each day.

  He looked over at his brother and saw that probing look in his eyes. The one he got whenever he wanted to poke and prod at Julian about things Julian was sure he wouldn’t appreciate. “Don’t start, Steven.”

  Raising his hands, his younger brother smirked. “What? I’m just wondering what’s going on with you lately. I mean, you’re hardly at home anymore.” Julian was about to ask him how the hell he knew that when Steven held up his hand. “Trust me. I’ve driven by your place a few times. You’re never there, even on the nights you’re not on duty at the station.”