“Evan and Cain. Wasn't hard to choose after Evan raved about the place all the time, and Cain was there. He kind of bullied me into staying with him for some time and I grew to love the place. It’s been good to me.”
Emily noticed he got that blank tone again; something he wasn't willing to share.
“Okay, so what would you sing at Karaoke night?”
“What?” Blake looked at her in puzzlement.
“Well, if we’re getting to know each other, it's an important question to ask,” Emily tried to keep her laughter in.
“Oh no, you don't. There is no way I would do Karaoke. This voice is strictly for the shower.”
“Doesn't answer my question,” Emily singsonged.
“And I don't plan to. Try another question.”
“How did you get into art?”
“The normal way.”
“Is there a normal way?”
“Yes. I had a crush on my high school art teacher. She got me interested in art and made it seem real. I liked that it made me feel. The emotion that is connected with art.”
“You slept with your teacher?” Emily decided to tease him.
“You would take that from what I said,” he glanced at her, spying the glint in her eye.
“Ohh, teasing me, are you?”
“I can image you were a sweet talker as a teenager, trying to sow your wild oats.” Emily was fascinated by the blush rushing up his face.
“Miss Wilson was a sweetheart. She showed me how to appreciate art and how to treat a lady.” He waggled a finger at her. “So, get your mind out of the gutter, Em.”
“How long have you been collecting?”
“Most of my life. But it's easier now I have the money to be able to collect what I like. It’s useful, on occasion.”
“Do you have any of my pieces?” Emily held her breath.
“Hmm... you were obviously distracted when you were in my bedroom or you would have seen.”
Emily felt her heart skip a beat as the thought of what they had done in the bedroom flashed across her brain.
“Seen what?”
“I have your statue mirror in my bedroom.”
His words sent a shock straight through her heart. He had 'Mirror,' one of her earliest pieces. She had put a lot of herself into the statue. The statue had been a love/hate project. In a fit of pip, she had sold it some years ago, but she had never intended it to be up for sale when she started it. Emily realized she was holding her breath. She let the breath out, getting air into her lungs.
“Ohh...”
“I saw 'Mirror' in the art gallery window on Queen Street in Auckland and, well, it talked to me, so I brought the statue. I've followed your career over the years. You produce expectational work, Em.”
“Thank you,” Emily knew her value as an artist. The thought of this man having a Mirror was tipping her off balancethat he had something so intimate of hersshe gained some comfort in the fact that 'Mirror' was with someone who appreciated the work.
“So, how come a successful businessmen like you is taking a week off to help Evan?”
“Even successful businessman has friends they want to help, plus it's nice to take a break to get back on the tools. I started this business on the tools and I don't forget it.”
“So, you do all your own repairs at home.”
“Yes, I'm very good on the tools. If there's something you need taken care of while I'm here, let me know.”
“I'll keep that in mind.” Emily relaxed back further on the blanket, the warmth of the sun making her feel drowsy.
“So, are you finished with the twenty questions?”
“Not even close, Blake.” Emily fell back on the blanket, genuine laughter ringing out of her at the male expression on his face.
“So, what do you do to keep fit.” Emily's eyes went to his naked chestthe muscles on his chest, gotten not by sitting at a desk all day. Wow, the man had a body on him. She licked her lips; he certainly kept his fitness up.
“The usual. I swim, run, and lift some weights when I get the time.”
Emily snorted. She was sure that, whatever he did, it was full-on, not the casual running she indulged in.
“Ever entered any competitions?”
“I've done the coast-to-coast race with Cain. You?”
“I do casual running. I'm not into the punishment of something like the coast to coast.” Emily thought about the famous multi-day race run across New Zealand's South Island once a year. You need to have peak fitness and times to qualify for the race. Blake was more than casual about his fitness, and she knew it.
“You like to keep fit then. The coast to coast is more than just some swimming and running.”
He shrugged.
“Habit, I guess, plus the stamina it gives me comes in handy.” He winked at her.
“I didn't take you for that type of male.”
“That's because I'm not. I'm teasing you, trying to get under your collar.”
“Well, it’s not working.”
“Only time will tell,” he sing songed with her.
Emily pushed him off the elbow he was lying on the blanket, breaking out in laughter with him.
7
Emily found herself in the kitchen early the next morning. Blinking the sleep out of her eyes, she managed to pull on a loose summer shift dress that morning. Putting on a bra provided impossible and the thought of Blake helping her more than she could contemplate before her first-morning coffee. She ignored the man in question sitting at the island bench in the kitchen, his clean scent brushing across her senses, heading straight to the coffee machine. Emily found herself stopping and staring at it.
“Hmm, thank you.” Emily threw over her shoulder as she pounced on the steaming brew already dripping slowly into the cup. The first sip touched her taste buds and fired her brain into gear.
Blake came up behind her, his arms sliding around her waist, gripping her wrists.
“How are your hands this morning?” She could feel his breath as he looked over her shoulder at the bandages.
“They feel a little tight,” Emily confessed. She could feel the heat from his body as he moved her away from the coffee machine and started another cup. Emily blushed as she released; she must have stolen his cup.
“Sorry, I don't function all that well until I've had my first cup.”
“No issues, I'll change your bandages after I've had a cup. I already ate breakfast, so what do you want?”
Emily found herself sitting on the stool on the kitchen island. Blake had vacated as he pottered around the room, making her breakfast like an old married couple as she sipped her coffee.
“Knock Knock, Hello, Em.” The familiar call of her closest friend Catherine came through the open French doors as she went up the side path.
“Catherine, come in.” Emily turned to greet her best friend, a smile breaking across her face.
“Em. Oh, sorry. I didn't know you had company.” Catherine's gaze on the man casually leaning across from Emily caused an expression of shock on her face.
“Let me introduce myself. I'm Blake Adams. Nice to meet you, Catherine,” Blake smiled his charming smile as he leaned forward to shake Catherine's hand.
“Why don't you come sit next to Emily? How would you like your coffee, Catherine?”
“Ahh,” Catherine looked at Emily for assistance.
“She takes tea, Blake. Catherine's not a coffee drinker, white with one sugar. You'll find some tea in the top drawer over there,” Emily pointed with her banged hands to the front of the stove.
“Oh my god, Emily, what have you done to your hands?” Catherine interrupted her, her eyebrows drawn tight over her eyes as she moved towards the island, the new male in the room forgotten.
“Oh, I had a little accident with the oven.” Emily tried to gloss over the injury.
“What she is not saying is that it was my fault she burned her hands. We were having a little lovers tiff and she lost focus; burned her
hands taking the bread out of the oven. I was about to change the bandages for her before I went over to Evan's place for the morning,” Blake spoke as he put a plate of food in front of Emily.
The chagrin rose as she saw Blake pick up a fork and knife and cut the food up into bite-sized pieces for her, all the while having a conversation with Catherine as if he had been living in the house for years and this was a typical day.
“Right, I'll get the first aid kit so I can change them,” he said over his shoulder as he went down the hallway.
“Emily, what the hell is going on? I go away for a month, and WOW, come back to you and the hunky of the century?” Catherine turned to her.
“Ahh...” It was her turn to stutter as she thought of what to say to her friend. Usually, she was one to handle her problems herself. Emily realized. She wanted to tell Catherine everything for some unexplained reason.
It was some time before Catherine and Emily were alone in the house. Blake changed her bandages, which made Catherine draw a breath when she saw the red and blistered skin. Emily realized the damage she had done to her hands as he issued instructions for the day as if he had every right to. She tried to ignore her friend's raised eyebrows. Emily feared she was nearing an emotional meltdown.
“I'm just going to say it, anytime your ready, friend, I'm listening,” Emily kept silent as Catherine poured herself another cup of tea, then she sighed.
“Where to begin....”
“How about at the beginning, i.e., Where. That. Hunk. Come. From. And where is Paul in all of this?” Catherine grinned at her while raising her eyebrows up and down like she had been all morning, drawling out her words.
“You were right about Paul,” Emily started.
Catherine stared at her while taking a sip of her tea.
“I found him in bed with a blond the morning of the exhibition party at the hotel,” Emily blustered out.
“Anyone we know?”
“His assistant!”
“What...” Catherine almost choked on the sip of tea she was drinking. “I didn't think he had it in him to be that cliché. What is she, 18 years old, if but a day. Told you he wasn't right for you.”
“Well, he did. She's 20 years old with perky tits.”
“That's what you remember from the day. I told you, you picked another one who wasn't right.”
“I was so angry, but I was expecting it as well, you know, when your gut is telling you, but you don't want to see, so I ended it with him then and there.”
“Oh Emily,” Catherine gazed at her with sympathy in her eyes.
“I didn't love him.”
“I know. Doesn't make the betrayal any less hurtful. I never liked him, but I never thought he would be stupid enough to cheat on you. Douchbag.” Catherine spat the last word out, making Emily laugh.
“So, where does tall, dark, and handsome fit into this?” Catherine nodded at the door Blake had left through.
“Well, ah, I decided to go to the party all dressed up and show myself that I…” Emily found herself unable to explain the emotions that had driven her to act the way she had at the party.
“Emily...” Catherine's tone of voice said it all.
Emily looked at her best friend, aware she got what she wasn't saying. The two of them had been friends since they were children, growing up together. Catherine’s family situation hadn't been any better than hers. She was the one person she could count on for unconditional support in this world.
“And?” Catherine reached over and placed her hand on her wrist.
“And I um... Gave in to the lust. I swear that's never happened before. He was only supposed to be a one night stand...” Emily let the thought trail off, reliving the night in her mind.
Her best friend was looking at her patiently, her head cocked to one side.
Emily blinked and inhaled deeply, “And I ran....”
“Emily,” Catherine wailed at her friend shaking her head.
“Well, at least he chased after you,” Catherine stated.
“Well, as to that, he thought I had stolen things from him,” Emily found herself biting her bottom lip.
“He tracked me down. I had taken his jacket with me because I couldn't find mine. I needed something to hide my walk of shame to the car in the morning.”
Emily was distracted by the vision of Catherine laughing down into her tea mug.
“Hey, it's not funny.” Emily waved her hands in front of her friend’s face.
“Yep it is. I would have liked to have been a fly on the wall when Miss Controlled here had to do the walk of shame. Been a while, sister. Nice to know I'm not the only one who’s done it.”
Emily broke out in a grin at her friend’s words “Well it seems his cellphone, keys, etc. were still in the jacket when I took it. He thought I had taken them to rob him blind, I guess. He made me mad.”
“Really?”
“That's when I burnt my hands. It was a silly mistake. I was distracted and I pulled the bread out of the oven without oven mitts on”
“Then, what's he doing here?” Catherine pointed out.
“He feels guilty and is helping me out anyway. He said it was convenient for him to stay here this week as he's helping Evan out replacing the roof on the old barn.
“It's not like he's made a move on me. He thinks I'm a thief. It's a one night stand. He's been a friend.”
“If you think that's the reason he is staying here, then are you sure you didn't hit your head when you burnt your hands?”
“Catherine, get that out of your head. I'm way out of Blake’s league. He feels sorry for me, and let's face it, I suck at relationships. I couldn't hold a man like Blake, and neither would I want to.” Emily shrugged her shoulders.
“He's very alpha, but I won't turn him down if he wanted to spend some time with me. And by the by, you’re not out of his league.” Catherine scolded her, a frown on her face.
Emily felt a surge of jealousy at Catherine’s words, unsure as to whether she liked the idea of Blake with another woman. The thought pulled her up.
“My words of advice, for what they’re worth, are to enjoy yourself, let your hair down. That man is going to make a move. Maybe you need to try someone who you think is not your type, cause the safe little men you do pick to live up to your expectations of letting you down. It’s time you let love into your life, Emily, find someone who challenges you.” Catherine put her empty teacup on the bench.
“Now, I know, it's hard to hear, Emily, but you are worth being loved.” Catherine jumped up and gave her a quick hug.
“Catherine, love is an illusion.” Emily was quick to dismiss the emotion. Catherine’s words had spliced into her heart. “And anyway, how can I jump from one frying pan to the fire into another, won't it be rebound?”
“No, sometimes it just is. Like you said, you didn't love Paul. I'm going, to be frank, here, you were using him for cover; he was controllable. There is nothing stopping you exploring something new, take your time. It's not like you to jump into bed with someone unless there was feeling involved. I know that you've avoided men who remind you of your Dad, but not everyone is like your Mom and Dad; maybe it's time to look at Blake through different lenses for a change. You've got nothing to lose.”
Emily looked down at her empty coffee cup. She sighed as she thought about the last words Catherine saida mirror of what had got her into this situation in the first place.
“Emily,” Catherine touched her wrist to gain her attention.
“Just promise me, you'll think about it; don't cut off your nose to spite yourself, okay? We both can't be crazy cat ladies.”
Emily laughed at the thought. “Okay, he's only been a gentleman since my injury, so I think we're only going to end up friends.” Emily didn’t mention the fact the man had given her a sponge bath without taking it further.
“Okay, if that's what you think.” Catherine gave her a skeptical stare. “But there's nothing to say, you can't make the first move.”
“How was your trip to Auckland?” Emily tried to change the subject, her emotions all over the place.
“It was good. I got most of the house packed up and ready for the move.”
“Are you going to miss Auckland?” Emily asked her friend, taking a close look at her. She was a little pale and had dark circles under her eyes. In the excitement of the last few days, she had forgotten that her friend was going through her own troubles.
Catherine had made the decision to make her main base of operations in Queenstown and move away from Auckland after the disastrous break up from her controlling ex-boyfriend. Catherine was a successful interior designer who had offices both in Queenstown and Auckland, so she had kept her mother’s house for when she visited. Emily had been so happy to have her best friend living full time , in Glen Point again that she hadn't stopped to check. She’d been alright over the last week or so.
“Not really. Glen Point is my home.” Catherine smiledthe first genuine smile she had seen from her friend in a while.
“Catherine, I've been so caught up in the fact that I got to have my friend back, full-time. I didn't think about how hard it must be for you to come home. This was always the place you wanted to escape.”
“Funny that the place I tried to escape is actually the place where I feel the happiest. I realized I was chasing a pipe dream, Emily, one that would never make me happy and wasn't what I wanted. You helped me see that with your last visit. I can't thank you enough, which is why just because I'm off men doesn't mean I can't live vicariously through my best friend. Now, what's Blake like in bed!”
“Catherine!” Emily shrieked with laughter
“I'll have to image instead, will I?” Catherine laughed alongside her friend, lightening the mood.
Emily found herself thinking about the conversation with Catherine long after she had left.
Did she choose the wrong guys? Ones that she could hide behind that she could control so they wouldn’t hurt her when it needed?
Blake had been nothing but a gentleman since she injured herself. Neither Paul, or any of her past boyfriends, would have done the things he had in looking after her.
Capture Her Heart Page 6