My cell phone was ringing for the fifteenth time of the day. I sighed as I picked it up without looking at the caller ID, waiting for my next bit of bad news of the day. This whole week had been a clusterfuck of awesomeness.

“This is Emerald.”

“Well, Emerald. I know that since I called you.”

“Taylor, hey what’s up, lady?”

“Things are good; tell me why you sound like hell.”

I huffed out a laugh. “So much. I have a spoiled little brat artist that I’m about to cut her contract. Negotiations with another client just blew up in my face. On top of that, I’m over budget on two new singles that were supposed to be done two weeks ago. Take your pick on why I sound like shit.”

“Well, would you like some good news?”

I rested the phone in the crook of my neck and glanced through the papers someone handed me while we walked to my next meeting. “Some good news would be great.”

“I need you to come to Vegas in two weeks.”

“Taylor, I really can’t—”

“Stephen and I are getting married and I want you to be my maid of honor.”

I stopped mid-step in the hallway, causing the intern following us down the hallway to run into me. “Are you kidding me?”

“No, but it’s a surprise. No one else knows that it’s our wedding. We’re just going to invite everyone out and they’re going to think we’re announcing our engagement.”

“Honey, that’s awesome. I’ll be there, just let me know when and try to make it during a long weekend.”

She laughed. “Already taken care of, Gina has all the information. I emailed it to her right before I called you.”

“Look at you being all responsible or something,” I teased.

“Or something. I have a question.”

“Shoot.”

I signed the clipboard the intern held out for my approval. “Mason is coming and he’s going to be Stephen’s best man. Are you okay with that?”

Anything, but that.

“I’ll be fine,” I lied. “I’m going to bring Adam with me though as long as he can get away from the hospital. Maybe you should warn him.”

Now I just have to convince him.

I could hear the grimace in her tone. “Yeah, I’ll have Stephen let him know.”

“Hey Taylor?”

“Yeah?”

“Congratulations. I’m happy for you, honey.”

“Thanks, Em. I’ll see you in a few weeks.”

If Taylor and Stephen were able to find their happily ever after then I could find mine. Adam and I were friends, but maybe that would evolve into more. He’d stuck around even after my idiot decision in California, so that had to mean something. Right?

 

***

 

Adam poured two glasses of wine and carried them over to where I sat on the couch. I took mine gratefully. He sat down and rested his arm over my thigh. We weren’t fully back to where we were before everything happened, but each day was a little better. He was starting to trust me again and I was opening up about my issues. It would just take time. I wasn’t sure how he would react to going to Taylor’s wedding with me, but I needed to mention it soon.

I angled my body towards him. “I have something to ask you.”

“Okay,” he said hesitantly. Something in my tone must have given away my nerves.

“It’s not bad; it’s just something that might make you uncomfortable.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Now you have to tell me.”

I took a deep breath. “Taylor called. Stephen proposed and their getting married in Vegas. They want us to come and she wants me to be her maid of honor.”

“I can see where this is going,” he said, leaning forward to put his wine on the coffee table.

“No, Adam, I want you to come with me. As my date,” I said slowly. “I know we’re still figuring all this out, but I don’t want to go without you.”

He took my glass from me and set it down. I was surprised when he cupped my face with his hands and leaned in. His kiss was soft at first, teasing and no tongue involved. My hands went to his wrists, and I leaned into him. I moaned lightly when he finally slipped his tongue inside my mouth. The kiss became deeper, more passionate. Adam rose up to his knees, pushing me back on the couch softly and pinning me down with his hips. My fingers dug into his back, urging his shirt up his shoulders and over his head.

We broke the kiss just long enough to slip off the fabric between us. He slowly unbuttoned my silk blouse and let the fabric gape open with each button. I shivered as his fingers skimmed across the lace of my bra. When his lips trailed from my mouth to the hollow of my neck my hands grasped his arms, pulling him in closer.

“Adam,” I whispered. He continued running his amazing tongue along my neck and kissing further down my collarbone.

“Adam,” I said again. He finally looked up at me, able to process my words through the lust filled haze. “Not that I’m not really enjoying this, but what are we doing?”

“Do you want me to stop?”

He kissed the hollow of my neck and leaned back on the couch. I had to tear my eyes away from his amazing abs and chest. “Not really, but we haven’t done much of this,” I said motioning between us.

“Emmy, I almost let you slip away once because I didn’t push and I was being stupid. I want to do what’s right for you, but I only have so much self control. You are an amazing, sexy, confident woman, and I don’t know how much longer I can hold out without trying to take this to the next level. And yes, I’m incredibly jealous of your ex-husband.”

I laughed. “So you’re saying you’ll go to the wedding with me?”

“Baby, I’ll go wherever you’ll let me.”

I threaded my fingers in his hair and led his mouth down to mine. Just as Adam’s hands moved to the zipper of my skirt, his work cell started ringing.

“You have got to be kidding me,” I said, dropping my head back on the couch. His head rested on my chest for a second before he dug in his pocket to pull it out and answer.

“Dr. Parker.” Long pause. “Shit. Okay, prep an OR and I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”

He hung up quickly and reached down for his shirt.

“I didn’t think you were on call.”

He sighed and looked at me with pleading eyes. “I’m not, but this is one of my high risk patients.”

I sat up slowly. “I get it. Go play God and I’ll see you tomorrow. Call me later if it’s not too late?”

He tugged his shirt over his head and adjusted himself in his pants. His hard on couldn’t be comfortable, but there wasn’t a chance to help him with it tonight.

“Yes, ma’am. I’ll call you as soon as I can.”

He kissed me goodbye, playfully nipping at my bottom lip, and was out the door before I could even sit up. Being left high and dry after getting all worked up wasn’t my idea of a good time, but Adam’s patients couldn’t control when they went into labor. Apparently my vibrator would be getting a good workout tonight. I sighed and took a long drink of my wine before turning on the TV to distract myself from my raging hormones.