CHAPTER ELEVEN
MARCUS
The next morning, when my alarm went off, I stared at the ceiling and wondered what in the hell I had done last night. Had I agreed to take Emma's virginity? Had I really almost slept with her? My head was hurting from having too much wine and not sleeping very well. Not the best way to start a morning, but I was grateful I had a few hours to myself, although, it would be devoted mainly to work, before the kids got home from my mother's.
It was rare that they weren't home with me, and as I climbed out of bed, I caught myself still listening for their little feet in the halls and their giggles filling the house. The silence was strange, even though I had to admit that it was nice to be able to spend a few extra minutes in the shower without worrying about them making a mess or getting into some sort of mischief.
I decided to work outside again this morning. I thought a little sunshine and fresh air would help clear my head and get me thinking straight again. It was a luxury of living in Southern California; the weather was almost always perfect for being outside. I took my laptop and some coffee out back, set up shop on the picnic table I'd shared with Emma the night before, and booted everything up.
Someone was in the backyard of the Taylor home, and part of me was afraid it would be Emma. Running into her again, so soon, would be a bit awkward. Especially since I wasn't so sure what to make of the little agreement we'd made. But, it wasn't Emma, it was her dad, Dan.
“Good morning,” I said, waving at him.
He was working on the garden near our shared fence, so I was reasonably sure he'd heard me, but he didn't say anything at first. I let it go, assuming he was distracted as he pulled at the weeds, cursing under his breath.
Dan never cursed, he was always so serious, so reserved, and definitely not prone to cursing out loud. So, to hear him cussing up a storm meant something was wrong. I wondered if there had been some sort of drama in his family and decided that it wasn’t any of my business, so I focused my energy on my work. We had a proposal coming due this week and I needed to finish analyzing some of the financials, which had just made it to my inbox that morning. I wasn't the only one working on the weekend at least.
Finally, Dan stood up and wiped the sweat from his brow. His gaze was zeroed in on me, and I glanced over, smiled, and waved, only for him to scowl at me in return.
“Everything okay?” I asked him.
“Just stay away from my daughter, you hear me?” he said, the ferocity of his tone taking me by surprise. “You stay the hell away from her.”
“What?” I asked. “I don't know what – ”
“I see the way you look at her,” he said, shaking his head. “The way you stare at her. I know that look in a man's eyes. She's too young for you, Marcus. Find someone your own age and leave my daughter alone.”
“There's nothing going on between us,” I stammered. “She watches my kids, but that's it.”
“And the surfing lessons?” he added.
“I forgot about those, but yes, she's teaching them how to surf,” I said. “But it's purely professional, I promise you. I didn't even know she was going to be our instructor until we showed up the other day.”
Okay, it was purely professional except for what had happened the night before. And the agreement I'd made to take her virginity next weekend. That wasn't very professional. Not at all. I hated lying to the man, but he was my neighbor and there was no easy way to tell him I'd made an agreement to sleep with his daughter.
“Keep it that way,” he said. “I'm warning you.”
Never in all the years I lived next door had Dan Taylor been anything but pleasant toward me. I knew he was protective of his daughters, but this was a new one for me. He was downright angry with me. He went back inside and left me to my work.
But as I sat at the table, totally stunned by his behavior, all I could think about was how badly I wanted Emma.
ooo000ooo
“When do we get to surf with Emma again?” Zoey asked mid-week.
She was already counting down the days until our next lesson. Knowing her, she was probably already counting down the hours. While I, on the other hand, was actively avoiding Emma as much as possible. The closer we got the weekend, the more nervous I became. I would have to tell her the agreement was off. I couldn't sleep with her. As much as I wanted to, we couldn't be together like that. I needed to remain in good terms with my neighbors, needed to avoid as much drama and stress as possible.
Sleeping with my neighbor's daughter, somebody I considered a friend, wasn't the best way of going about doing that.
“Just a few more days, sweetheart,” I said.
“Can Emma come over and play with us tonight?”
Normally, I'd say it was up to Emma, but I froze. Zoey turned to me and repeated her question, “Can we see if Emma wants to – ”
“Emma has a job now, sweetie,” I said. “I don't want to bother her all the time.”
But as luck would have it, my rotten luck anyway, there was a knock on the door a little while later, and it was everyone's favorite babysitter.
“I made cupcakes,” she said with a sweet smile, holding out a plate with three cupcakes on it. “Thought maybe you and the kids would like some?”
“Emma!” Zoey said, running into the foyer at top speed.
She wrapped her arms around Emma's waist, nearly toppling the girl over. Emma just laughed and hugged her back, barely managing to avoid dropping the plate of cupcakes.
“I come bearing gifts,” she said, but then looked up at me. “That is, if your dad says it's okay.”
Zoey's eyed grew wide as soon as she saw the cupcakes which were chocolate with pink and blue sprinkles on top. “Please, daddy? Please?”
“Since it's after dinner, sure,” I said.
Zoey reached up and grabbed the cupcake. Zack came into the room and his eyes grew as wide as his sister's had been.
“And give one to your brother.”
Zoey did as she was told, passing off the second cupcake to Zack. I ushered the kids into the kitchen, trying to avoid crumbs from getting all over the floor, and Emma followed behind. She handed me the last cupcake once we were in the kitchen.
“And one for you, of course,” she said.
“What about you?” I asked.
“Me? I already had three,” she laughed. “It's why I needed to get them out of the house.”
“You had three?” Zoey asked incredulously, her face covered with chocolate. “I'm jealous. I wish I could have three, they're so yummy!”
“My stomach hates me right about now,” Emma said with a laugh. “So, don't be jealous.”
There was something about a girl who could eat cupcakes without guilt that was so damn attractive. I couldn't put my finger on it, but the fact that she never once mentioned needing to watch her weight, or be careful about what she ate, that I admired. She was healthy without obsessing over it or sacrificing the things she enjoyed for the sake of conforming to societal views of attractiveness.
And I loved that she could be that positive influence on my daughter.
“Thanks for the cupcake,” I said, sitting it on the counter. “I'll enjoy it later, I'm sure.”
She shot me a smile and a wink, as if she was hinting at something more. I wasn't an idiot, I knew what she was getting at and it caused me to look away, to focus on my kids instead. If I was going to refuse her, I couldn’t damn well sit there and stare into those gorgeous blue eyes of hers.
“Wipe your faces and wash your hands,” I said. Giggling like maniacs, Zoey and Zack ran down to the bathroom to clean themselves off, which meant Emma and I were alone for a second.
She slid up next to me, standing a bit too close, and whispered, “I can't wait for this weekend.”
“Yeah, about that – ” I started to say, but she kissed me really quickly, pressing her sweet lips to mine, and by the time she pulled away, my kid's footsteps were coming too close for me continue what I was saying.
“Emma, wanna play a game with us?” Zoey asked.
“Sure! I'd love to,” Emma said, smiling brightly. “What do you want to play?”
I heard the kids discussing Candy Land versus Chutes and Ladders as they walked into the living room. I stayed in the kitchen, my lips tingling from that kiss. I had to talk to Emma, to tell her we couldn't be together. There wasn't any easy way to say it and I hoped she wouldn't take it hard, but sleeping with her, taking her virginity, it just wasn't right. It had the potential to do a lot of damage to the both of us.
I had to talk to her and make her understand. I just had no idea what the fuck I was going to say.