by Holly Jaymes
“Will you take legal action against the thief or the media?”
“I can’t speak to that right now. I leave in three days for training camp, that is my focus once I leave here.”
A wave of relief went through me. He still had his job. At least he could win his spot back.
“How’s the arm Tucker?” a man yelled out.
“I’m better than ever. You should go buy Super Bowl tickets.” He flashed them his cocky grin, and they all laughed. “Thank you for your time.” He walked away from the podium. People still yelled out questions, but he and his agent ignored them as they disappeared into what looked like the hall of a hotel.
“Where is that?” I asked Wyatt.
“He’s got a penthouse at the top of one of the downtown hotels. As you can see, he’s basically said it’s not your fault.”
“Do people here still hate me?”
He shrugged. “They haven’t switched gears yet, but they will. Eventually.”
I couldn’t count that. I turned to look out my sliding door at the lake I’d come to love so much. I would miss this. And I couldn’t help but feel like I’d let my grandmother down.
I thought back to Tucker saying there would be an investigation and possible litigation for theft of intellectual property. Maybe it was time to start fighting. I’d said I planned to hire someone to look into it, but so far, I hadn’t. I hadn’t contacted a lawyer either. No, I’d made plans to leave.
But staying wasn’t an option either. I couldn’t do art with stress and worry. So, any fighting I did, I’d do it from wherever I ended up next.
Movement out by the water, distracted my thoughts. I looked closer, wondering if my imagination and fear were playing tricks. A shadowed figure moved by the water.
“Someone’s there,” I said moving closer. The hairs on my neck stood up. I knew that form. I knew that way of moving. “Oh God. It’s Tucker.”
“I guess my work here is done,” Wyatt said. He opened the sliding door and waved.
Tucker stepped into the moonlight. “Thanks, Wyatt.”
I hurried out the door to Tucker. I skidded to a halt at the end of the deck. I wanted to jump into his arms, but just because he held that press conference and showed up in my backyard, didn’t mean he was forgiving me or wanted me back.
He continued to stand by the water, looking over at me. Tentatively, I took the steps down and walked to him.
“You’re not in trouble with your boss again, are you? For making that statement? It didn’t look like your agent was happy about it.”
His dark eyes watched me for a moment. “Willa was right. You’ve lost everything, and yet you only think of me. Why?”
“I don’t want you to lose your dream. Not because of me.”
“But it wasn’t you. You told me it wasn’t you and I didn’t listen. I remember being angry at you for not trusting me, and yet, when it was my turn, I didn’t trust you.”
I looked down. “The circumstances were different. Our jobs weren’t on the line. You didn’t love me—”
“But I did, Emma. I should have known you wouldn’t have sold those pictures. I should have known it here,” he put his hand over his chest.
I could feel the tears streaming down my cheeks as emotion and hope welled in my chest. “Do you forgive me?”
He shook his head. “You’re supposed to forgive me for not trusting you. For leaving you to fend for yourself in this town, with the media.”
I looked up at him. “But…I took those pictures. My friends saw them…I didn’t mean for them to, but they did. It’s my fault.”
“You didn’t give them away or sell them. That’s not your fault. I should have stayed and talked it out with you, come up with a plan. Instead…” He let out a sigh. “I’m so sorry about your business. I could have helped prevent you from losing that. From being vilified in the media. So, please forgive me.” He reached out with his hand, his thumb brushing a tear away.
“But you could have lost your job. If I hadn’t taken those pictures…if I hadn’t let my friend see my tablet…You have to forgive me.”
He studied me. “If I forgive you, will you forgive me?”
I nodded. “I already do.”
“I don’t feel like you have anything for me to forgive, but if it will make you happy, I will. That’s what I want, Emma. I want to make you happy.”
I couldn’t hold back any more. I launched myself into his arms. I wrapped my arms and legs around him and just held on. His arms pulled me in as his head tucked into the crook of my shoulder.
“I love you, Emma,” he whispered.
Liquid happiness flooded my body. I looked at him. “I love you too, Tucker. So much. I wish I’d told you sooner.”
“Me too, honey. Me too.” His gaze drifted to my mouth and then back up to my eyes. “Can we kiss and make up now?”
I smiled. “Now is good.”
He smiled, that cocky, sexy Tucker McLean smile and then pressed his lips to mine. I was feeling a bit desperate for his love and affection, and his kiss was like a salve soothing the pain on my bruised heart.
24
Checkers
Tucker
After Willa and Mason had left the other night, I’d been unable to sleep. My only choice was to ruminate over what had happened. By the wee hours of the morning, I’d determined a few things.
First, I’d been so focused on myself and how those photos would hurt me, I hadn’t even considered how they could impact Emma. Granted, I thought she’d sold them, but I should have considered there would be public fallout and more specifically, she’d be unable to stay in Eden Lake. It wasn’t that I wasn’t aware of this potential, but I hadn’t cared beyond my own selfish situation.
Second, I kept remembering back to when she accused me of cheating after seeing me with Lauren in Paradise Java. I’d told her she should have trusted me, then I turned around and did to her what she’d done to me, including not listening and not trusting. I’d asked her for something that I hadn’t given - trust.
As I thought back about the Emma I’d come to fall in love with, I knew, deep in my gut, in my soul, she wouldn’t have sold those pictures. I felt like a fucking asshole for not only thinking that, but going along with my agent and the team’s PR people in pushing out the story that said otherwise.
Before all this had happened, my goal had been to help her achieve her dreams of an art studio and retreat, and in the end, I’d demolished that dream.
I finally fell asleep when I’d made the decision that I had to fix things for her. I couldn’t let Emma be run out of the country. I couldn’t let her take the fall for something that I now acknowledged she hadn’t done.
I woke, tired but determined as I set about doing a press conference to clear Emma’s name. And then, I’d head out to Eden Lake to apologize and find out what else I could do to make this grievous wrong right. I had no hope that she’d forgive me, but if she did, I promised I’d do a better job at being her man than I’d done already.
When I told Lauren what I planned to do, she, of course, tried to talk me out of it.
“Wait until camp is over,” she argued. “Don’t mess up your chance with the team.”
“I can’t wait. If the team doesn’t want me because I’m doing what’s right, then fuck ‘em.” Of course, my gut twisted at the idea. But there was no way I could live my dream knowing it was achieved by killing Emma’s.
“You’re not the only person you should be thinking of,” she bit out.
“No. I’m thinking of Emma who has been sent into hiding—”
“She sold your pictures—”
“She didn’t. She’s a victim of someone else’s greed, just like me. If you’re worried about your cut from me, maybe you can try and twist this into something good, like you always do. Tucker McLean standing up for his woman, or whatever.”
She still didn’t like it, but she made the arrangements and that afternoon, I stood at a podium in a small ballroom
of the hotel that housed my penthouse, and told the world that Emma didn’t sell those pictures and that I’d hunt down whoever did. I’d already hired an investigator and talked to my attorney about finding the culprit and our options for making them pay.
The only thing left to do was to return to Eden Lake. Willa had told me Emma was coming in for the weekend to put the house on the market.
“Is there any media camped out there? Or crazed fans or something? I don’t want her to be hassled,” I’d asked Willa.
“Wyatt said he’d escort her to her place and check it out.”
Wyatt. For a moment, I wondered if maybe he wouldn’t be a better person for her. He seemed to always be there when she needed him. But I loved her, damnit. So, I called him, and let him know that I’d be coming into town, but that I’d park up at the turnout and walk down to her place to avoid being seen, on the off chance her place was being watched.
As I’d made the walk, and came around the rocks, I remembered that this spot, where I’d run into her, marked the beginning of all this. I’d hate for it to end here too.
When I came to her house, I saw her through the sliding glass door. She looked so tired. So sad. So lost. It made my heart ache.
Wyatt opened the door and waved, then left.
And now, Emma was in my arms and I felt whole for the first time since this all started.
For so long I’d loved her, but had been too chicken-shit to tell her. But when the words left my mouth this time, it was the easiest thing I’d ever done. To hear her say them back, made my heart soar. It seemed to me that was a sign that I needed this woman in my life. Somehow, I needed to keep her near me. I wasn’t sure how it would all turn out, but I was going to give it my all. Whatever it took.
When I broke the kiss, it was only to take a breath. She hugged me tighter, pressing her cheek against mine.
“Tucker.”
I loved hearing my name from her lips. I wanted to be like this forever, but there was still more work to be done.
“We need to talk,” I said.
She lifted her head and nodded. “Do you want to come in?”
I grinned. “Well, yeah, because after we talk…”
She arched a brow. “We’ll play checkers?”
I laughed. “Whatever you want, baby.”
I carried her inside, and once there, I kissed her again, and then set her down.
“Are you still not drinking? I have some wine.”
“I think I can have one glass.”
She went to the kitchen and I sat on her couch. The room was dark, lit only by the light of the moon on the lake. I was glad that she kept the lights off when she returned. I liked feeling like she and I were alone in the world. Hidden.
She handed me the glass of wine, and then sat next to me, tucking her legs under her. “So, you can still play?”
I took her free hand and brought it to my lips, so amazed that after everything she was so focused on me.
“I’m back where I was when I first came home. I have to compete to prove I’ve got what it takes to lead the team. I’m no worse off.”
“The pictures didn’t bother them?”
I sipped the wine. “They did. But…” I didn’t want to go into how the decision was made to toss her under the bus. “I told them it was for art, which wasn’t hard to convince them off. It wasn’t like they were dick pics. They wanted to see me train, and when they realized I was strong, they let it go. I still have to prove myself at camp, but I’m not worse off.” Not like she was.
She squeezed my hand. “I’m so glad.”
I turned my body slightly to better look at her. “Do you have any idea who sold those pictures?”
She looked down for a moment. “I have a suspicion, but I don’t want to blame anyone without proof.”
That sounded like my sweet Emma too. She knew firsthand how a false accusation could ruin a life.
“I was going to hire someone,” she said.
“I’ve already done that. What happens if your suspicion is right? Is this person a friend? Will this be bad for you?”
“It’s complicated. She’s young and probably didn’t realize the ramifications of her actions. I wouldn’t want to ruin her life, but I would want her to realize what she did.” Her eyes had a pleading to them. Like she didn’t want me to use my full resources to ruin the person who did this to us. It was my instinct. I wanted this person to hurt and agonize as I had, as Emma clearly had. But Emma, being a kind soul, didn’t want that. I’d respect her wishes.
“We’ll make the decision of what to do together,” I assured her.
She smiled. “Thank you.”
“The next thing is that on Monday, I have to go to training camp. I’ll be there for a couple of weeks, and then preseason starts. It means I won’t be around here as much.”
She nodded. “I understand.”
“I know your life is here—”
She shook her head. “I can’t stay. Not after—”
“You can stay, if you want. I’ll make sure of it. Mason and Willa and Wyatt will make sure of it too. But I’d like it if, after camp, you spent some time with me. I’ve got a nice place. Huge view. Lots of light. You could paint there.”
Her smile was so sweet. “I’d like that.”
“I’m not asking you to leave your life here, though.”
She leaned in and kissed me. “I love you.”
God, the happiness that filled my heart each time she said that was fucking amazing. Now I understood why a man would be with one woman forever.
“I’ve been thinking of seeing if the Minors would want a partner to fix the resort up and you could have your artist retreats here. I talked with Mason about joining in, so he and Allie could do their wellness retreats as well. It helps the Minors and lets them stay and have some security. What do you think of that idea?”
“I think you’re the most wonderful, generous, sweet man in the world.”
I grinned. “That’s it?”
“And sexy.”
I pulled her into my lap, not caring when a little bit of her wine spilled out. I set my glass down on the table and then hers so I could hold her close.
“I’ve also been looking at an old warehouse that might work for your gallery studio thing. If that was something you still wanted to do.”
“Now you’re spoiling me.”
I nodded. “I told you I want to make you happy. I want to give you your dream, like you’ve given me mine.”
“But you don’t have your job back yet.”
“Ah, baby, that’s not my dream. You are.”
Her breath hitched.
“I’m stronger and faster and better because of you. More importantly, I’m happier, because of you.”
“Tucker.” She kissed me.
“I’m going to take that as a yes, you like these ideas.”
“I do. It will give me something to occupy my time when you’re gone.”
“I want to see you as much as I can, but I will be traveling for games.”
Her eyes lit up. “We could learn how to have phone sex.”
I laughed. “Deal. But since we’re here together now, maybe, we can have in-person sex.” I slid my hand under her shirt, feeling so fucking happy that I could touch her soft skin again.
“No checkers?”
“No checkers.” I stood carrying her into her room. “I’m going to make love to you, Emma.”
Her eyes filled with love. “We’ll make love to each other.”
25
Skinny Dip
Emma
There was a part of me that wondered if I was dreaming. Tucker was telling me he loved me. He was offering me the world. He was kissing me and touching me. It was too good to be true, and yet it was true. He was really here, his hands sliding over my body as he undressed me.
I pulled his t-shirt off and inhaled his scent, as I ran my hands over his chest. He was a magnificent specimen of man. And he was mine. I leaned in, kissin
g his chest, licking his nipple.
“Jesus…I think I just came,” he said gruffly.
I kissed and sucked on his other nipple.
“Fuck. Is that how it is for you?”
“When you suck my nipples, I feel it right between my thighs,” I said.
His eyes flashed with heat. “Good to know.”
Completely naked, he moved us to the bed. We knelt on the mattress, facing each other as Tucker cradled my face in his hands and kissed me with such love it stole my breath. His lips trailed down my neck and along my collarbone, while his thumbs brushed over my nipples.
I moaned, as delicious sensations flooded my body. I reached for him, stroking his length, rubbing the pearl of wetness on his erection around his tip.
“Are you wet?” he groaned, as his finger slid between my thighs.
“Yes.” My hips rocked, seeking more contact from his fingers. “I need you, Tucker. I need you in me.” Desperation grew.
He sat back on his heels and pulled me to straddle his thighs. “Take what you need, baby.”
I positioned myself over him. “Tucker.”
He looked at me, our gazes holding. Only then did I lower down over him. His hard, long length filled me inch by inch.
“Fuck, yes…” he moaned.
I had to agree. When I finally reached the limit, I held him, trying not to cry at the well of emotion that took me by surprise.
“What’s wrong, Emma?”
“I just love you so much,” I said, not sure how else to describe what I was feeling. With him inside me, a part of me, it was like my heart was finally whole again. All the pain and broken bits were healed.
His hand slid over my backside to hold me to him, while his other hand caressed my face. “I’ve never loved before. Not like this.”
“Me neither.”
He gave me his cocky grin. “I finally changed your mind about me.”