Chapter Eighteen
The next morning, Emma woke up in bed, sore in places she’d never been sore in before. As the night and all her hot Vince activity rushed through her mind, she smiled and reached for him.
The bed was empty.
He was gone already?
She opened her eyes, fighting off disappointment and hurt, when the smell of bacon registered in her brain.
Her stomach rumbled. The man was the root of both of her hungers.
And her satisfactions.
Chuckling, she glanced at the clock on her nightstand and noted there was still an hour left before she had to go to work. Good. She got out of bed and made a quick stop in the bathroom before heading out to the kitchen in search of her chef extraordinaire.
She found him by her stove, barefoot, shirtless, wearing a pair of jeans he must’ve hastily pulled on, because when he turned around, she noted they were zipped but not buttoned.
“Good morning, beautiful,” he said, then his eyes widened and his mouth dropped open as he took in her naked state. “Damn…you take my breath.”
Smiling, she walked to him. “Allow me to give it back.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him just how she’d learned he liked it, slow and deep.
His firm hands cupped her backside, and she rocked into him. A tortured sound rumbled in his throat a second before he took over the kiss, zapping her brain cells left and right.
When they finally broke for air, he smiled down at her. “That’s what I call a good morning.” Then he blinked and muttered a curse. “Damn. I forgot about the eggs.” He let her go to shut off the stove. “They’re burnt. Sorry. I’ve never done that before.” He walked to the oven and removed a tray of bacon.
“It’s okay.” She followed him and lifted a hand to grasp his chin and turn his face her way. “It wasn’t eggs I was hungry for.”
Heat flashed through his eyes and his lips twitched. “Oh? Care to tell me what entrée you’d like me to prepare?”
She unzipped his jeans, then pushed them down to his ankles. Before he could respond, she dropped to her knees and helped him step out of his pants, thrilled to find him naked and ready underneath. “I think I can prepare it myself.”
“Is that right?”
With a few strokes, she watched his erection bob in affirmation. “Yep.” Grasping his hips, she leaned in to trace his sexy V with her lips before licking her way down the happy trail. “Most definitely.” Encouraged by the feel of his hands on her head, she placed kisses down his length, all the way to his tip, before taking him into her mouth.
His sharp inhale echoed through the kitchen. “Damn, that feels good.”
Happy to be on the giving side for a change, she repeated the process several times before releasing him to rise to her feet. “I have an idea.”
Grabbing his hand, she led him across the kitchen toward the bench along the wall and used her hip to shove the table aside. Adrenaline and need shook through her as she pushed him onto the bench before dropping back to her knees.
“Emma,” he said, but she reached up to place a finger over his lips.
“Just relax.” She grinned and glided both of her hands over his thighs, licking her lips as she stared at his erection jutting out thick and long and proud. “I might be a while.”
Then she showed him just how good she could be in the kitchen.
…
All day, Vince couldn’t get rid of the image of a gorgeous, naked Emma kneeling between his legs as she melted every last bone in his body. He couldn’t keep the smile from his face, either. A fact his brother noted the instant he’d walked in that morning. Thankfully, Leo had been in the kitchen, too, so it prevented his brother’s tirade.
Oh, it was coming.
As sure as Christmas.
He was certain, but he knew his brother. Dom never argued in front of people. If he had a beef with someone, he took them aside and had it out in private. Vince respected that—and his brother’s opinion—but he didn’t want to hear it right now. Especially since it wasn’t going to be favorable.
So he’d nodded to them and headed upstairs to grab a shower before taking his brother to physical therapy. As if knowing he was some sort of buffer, his buddy tagged along.
Leo was a good friend.
And Vince told him that when they sat in the hospital cafeteria drinking coffee while Dom was in therapy.
Of course, Leo shrugged it off. “Nothing you and the guys wouldn’t do for me. We have each other’s backs.”
“Always.” He nodded, noting a slight smirk to his friend’s lips.
“I take it all went well on your date?”
Leo wasn’t fishing for details. It was an unspoken rule between them. No. His buddy was more interested in his mindset. “Yeah, great.”
The woman was fun and beautiful, and she listened with interest when he talked about his work. Curiosity had filled her gaze during dinner, then later, when they’d danced, enjoyment had replaced the curiosity, and later still, a fierce hunger had deepened the hue of her baby blues. And ruled his heartbeat.
Leo’s brows rose. “That good, huh?”
He blinked and brought his mind back to their conversation. “Let’s just say, better than I even expected.”
“Bet I know why.” Leo regarded him steadily from across the table. “Because you think she’s adorable and she thinks you’re hot.”
He chuckled. “Smart-ass.”
No sooner had the words left his lips than his phone buzzed with a text. He removed it from his pocket and sighed. Another shortened therapy session. “The master beckons.”
It wasn’t until later, much later, after Vince had returned from the store with groceries for dinner—and a box of condoms—that he let his mind drift back to the reason for needing the condoms. He hid a smile as he put away the food.
An image flashed through his mind of a wet, soapy, lush Emma, suds running down her bouncing breasts as he pressed her against the shower wall and thrust inside her.
Yeah, now that he’d had a taste of her, and knew she wanted more, too, he definitely needed the condoms. They were going to enjoy the ten days he had left. He’d make sure of it. Picking up the box, he sprinted upstairs while Dom was in the living room and Leo was packing. Since his brother had an issue with him dating Emma for real, there was no need to leave ammunition lying around to set the guy off.
When Vince returned to the kitchen, he found Dom leaning against the counter, drinking a glass of water. His gaze flicked to Vince, but he didn’t say anything. Just scowled.
Whatever. It was Dom’s problem. Not his.
Leo entered the kitchen with his duffel bag slung over his shoulder. “Time I headed to the airport.” He walked over to Dom and held out his hand. “Thanks for having me.”
“No, thank you for helping me track down Amir,” his brother said, shaking his friend’s hand. “I really appreciate it.”
“Glad I could help.” Releasing Dom’s hand, Leo adjusted the strap. “Take it easy, unless you’re back in the sandbox. Then give ’em hell.”
Dom nodded. “Roger that.”
“I’ll walk you to your car.” Tired of his brother’s dark looks, Vince moved to the door.
Once outside, Leo snickered. “Man, Cord and his intensity have nothing on Dom.”
“Don’t I know it.” He smirked. “He’s stewing, and I’m pretty sure I know why.”
“Emma?”
“Yes,” he replied as they passed his rental and walked to Leo’s. “Dom’s pissed we went from fake to real. But he’ll get over it.”
Because it was only temporary.
Reaching his car, Leo opened the door to the back seat and tossed his bag inside before shutting it to face him. “Well, guess I’ll see you in a week or so.”
Vince nodded. “Dom’s had a week of therapy under his belt and regained some mobility, so I can only assume, by next week, he will have improved that much more. And if he’s still not able to drive by Friday, I’ll fly in after his therapy, then return here on Sunday.”
“Sounds feasible,” Leo said. “Although, I don’t see your brother being down that long.”
“Me, either. He’s too stubborn.” Vince pulled his buddy in for a back-slapping handshake. “Thanks for picking up my slack at work.”
“No problem,” Leo said, stepping back. “Just be careful, Vince.”
Knowing the guy was referring to Emma and not Dom, he nodded. “Always.”
A smile tugged at his friend’s lips. “Yeah? What about that time in Cairo?”
“Hey.” He sent him a mock scowl. “You can’t pin that on me. I thought she told me to dance with her cousin.”
His buddy laughed. “Man, they were fighting over you pretty good.”
“That was crazy.” He shook his head. “And a big misunderstanding. There’s nothing to misinterpret with Emma.”
“I hope not,” Leo said, getting into the car. “Just watch your six. And hers.”
“I will,” Vince said, “but she’s on the same page.” That would keep them safe.
Leo waved as he backed out of the driveway, then disappeared down the road.
Over the past two days, Vince had observed the guy in several situations and locations, and not once had his buddy shown signs of inner turmoil, depression, repression, or anger. Leo was coping and coming along well. Vince made a mental note to call Stone to tell him.
But right now, since his buffer was gone, he had to deal with Mr. Stick-up-his-ass alone.
Back inside, while waiting for his brother to say something, Vince tossed together a big dish of lasagna for dinner. Emma’s favorite. Something he’d discovered over pillow talk last night. It was also when he’d asked her to come over for supper after work today.
Not the best idea, he knew. Certainly not the smartest, but he didn’t care. They all had to eat anyway.
The whole time he worked, Dom sat at the island, grumbling under his breath while supposedly reading the paper. After the third time in forty minutes, Vince decided it was going to be up to him. Shaking his head, he shoved the tray into the oven and slammed the door.
“All right.” He twisted around and stared his brother down. “Out with it. What the hell is bothering you?”