Kaleidoscope (15 page)

As with a lot of things about her, that changed. Her makeup wasn’t heavier, as such, though there was more of it. But it was far more expertly applied, like she gave shit, not like she had to do it and get it done with.

Same with her hair, which was not only a fuck of a lot longer and had highlights, but had a healthy sheen it didn’t have before.

She also now didn’t wear a perfume that was a floral scent that was nice enough, though a little overwhelming, like she used to wear. Her old perfume was a perfume for women to like. Not one that would lure a man. The smell and the amount she used was likely another unconscious indication she wanted people to stay back.

Now her perfume was far more understated. You had to get close to smell it. It was still floral but more mellow and musky.

It was a perfume a woman might like but a man definitely would.

Until he saw her on the street just days ago, he didn’t give one fuck what it said about him that he liked his women to take care of themselves. Unshaved legs, visible roots, unkempt eyebrows and a thrown-together outfit was a massive turnoff.

The truth of the matter was, the more high maintenance, the better.

It wasn’t about perfectly toned bodies. It was a demonstration they gave a shit, not just for him, for them. They had the confidence and energy to trick themselves out and make an impression, even if it only made them feel good. No, especially if it seemed they did it for themselves, because they liked it, because they got off on it, and it wasn’t about attracting a man.

He thought that was sexy as hell.

The last few days, he’d struggled with the fact that it was not lost on him that Emme not doing this years ago meant he didn’t see deeper what she had to offer nor did he feel how they’d connected. He’d lost time, they both had, because he was young and shallow, blinded by Elsbeth having that without having what was more important.

That said, he sure as fuck wasn’t complaining that Emme now had it all.

The dryer went off and she immediately yanked out the plug, turned and dumped it into her overnight bag that was sitting on the floor behind her.

“Babe—” he started, and she whipped around, her hair flying with her and again it was a spectacular show.

“You know, I’ve had two guys before you. Just two,” she announced.

Her eyes on him were flashing fire. Her words making him war between elation that that number was so low and meant even at their ages he had a shot at giving her a lot of good shit she’d not yet had, and distress that all that was Emme was wasted so long and his girl had spent so much time alone.

She went on.

“And neither of them lasted long so I really don’t know how to do this relationship stuff. I don’t have a lot of practice since obviously neither of those went the distance or, really,
any
distance.”

“Emme—” he tried again, but she talked over him.

“But I still know you calling my father about a work issue,
my
work, is
not
okay.”

“This isn’t a work issue, this is a guy issue,” he corrected.

“Oh yes?” she asked, putting one hand on her hip and tipping her head the other way, not a stance any man wanted to see, ever, even if his woman was wearing only a jeans and bra doing it. “So, you didn’t phone my father to come up and deal with Dane’s suspension and/or termination should he show at work after his bond hearing? And you didn’t do that without telling me?”

“I did that because it’s not safe for you to be near this guy and I intended to tell you but you got pissed and disappeared, I searched for you, only found you because you were at my house, things got heated then other shit took it off my mind.”

“So you did,” she stated. “You did phone my father to deal with a work issue.”

He pushed away from the jamb, her eyes fired and she took a step back so he settled in where he was, putting his mug on the counter and crossing his arms on his chest.

“I keep tellin’ you, I know that guy and I don’t want you anywhere near that guy,” he said.

“Well, luckily, I haven’t gone temporarily and spontaneously deaf every time you’ve mentioned that so I actually
heard
you say that. But this isn’t the same.”

“He’s that guy and you dealin’ with him in person or on the phone is just not gonna happen.”

“When it comes to my work, Jacob, you don’t get to make that call,” she declared.

“When it comes to my girl bein’ at work and dealin’ with this guy, I do,” he shot back.

“So, say, you’re out crimefighting or whatever you do and I feel it necessary to make sure you’re fed properly because I feel it’s my job to see to you, it’s okay I infiltrate your secret lair without your knowledge or permission to bring you chicken noodle soup and crackers?” she asked sarcastically.

He was finding it unfortunate she was in that bra that made him want to trail the lace at her tits with this tongue, those jeans that rode low on her hips that made him want to peel them off, she was cute, funny, and smarter than any woman he’d ever met, which meant she could go head to head with him and sometimes win. And he was finding this unfortunate because he didn’t know whether to laugh, grab her and kiss her, or growl.

“I meant to tell you about the call to your dad,” he reiterated.

“How about this for an alternate scenario?” she suggested, still sarcastic. “
You
talk to
me
about such things, including and especially if it involves speaking to my dad who’s my dad but he’s also my boss. Then I decide, or if necessary, we discuss how said speaking to my dad will happen.”

“He was happy to know, Emme,” Deck informed her.

“Yeah, Jacob,” she leaned toward him, “
I know
. He is right now lamenting the fact that I didn’t run into you on the street months ago so he could invite you to our annual family trip to Breckenridge and he is currently out buying you your own personal snowmobile. Which FYI, me, all my siblings and brother and sisters-in-law all have at Dad’s place in Breck. In other words, not only is he coming up to take care of business that he pays me to do, he’s either figured out we’re together or is praying to God at the same time doing a voodoo love dance, hoping we’ll get together because he’s always liked you like I always liked you. A lot.”

“He knows we’re together,” Deck told her.

“What? Did you tell him that too?”

Deck said nothing.

She stared.

The stare turned into a glare.

Then she hissed, “I cannot
believe
you.”

“Babe—”

“Don’t
babe
me, Jacob!” she snapped, her voice rising and her hands flying out to her sides before she clamped them both on her hips. “I can’t believe you told Dad we’re together!”

“Is it a secret?” he asked.

“No! But you haven’t seen him in nine years. I have, like,
regularly
, and I’m also his daughter, the fruit of his loins, so I think I should get to share with him who I’m dating, don’t you?”

The fruit of his loins.

Fuck, he wasn’t going to be able to stop his smile.

She caught it, the vibe in the bathroom turned heavy and her voice got low. “This isn’t funny, Jacob.”

“Emme, you don’t want me to laugh, don’t rant at me saying shit like ‘fruit of his loins’ lookin’ cute and sexy in jeans and a bra.”

He knew that was the wrong thing to say when she closed her eyes, looked away, then turned back and opened her eyes again.

“You are very intelligent,” she said quietly. “But because of that, you do not know all and get to do whatever the fuck you want to do. We’re talking about my job and my father. Discussing those how we’re discussing them and why is not amusing. I don’t care if I’m wearing a clown suit.”

Yeah. It was the wrong thing to say.

But something struck him about her reaction and this entire scenario.

She was pissed but this was something important that they could work out, even if the dialogue was heated.

So she wasn’t cursing like a sailor. She wasn’t shouting. She hadn’t lost her mind.

She was holding it together, sharing what was on her mind and calling up patience in an effort to get it through to him.

And fuck, he liked that.

He uncrossed his arms from his chest, planted his hands on his hips and spoke quietly in return.

“You’re right. You’re cute, sexy and funny, even when we’re arguing, but you’re right. And, just so you know, he knows about McFarland’s issues with the law but he doesn’t know about your relationship with McFarland.”

Relief flashed in her face and Deck kept talking.

“But I don’t seem to be able to impress on you I got concerns about this guy, I don’t want you to have fuck-all to do with him no matter how that comes about, and I think the fact that I’d go to your dad to deal with him should say just how fundamental those concerns are.”

“Okay, Jacob, I hear you, but you need to understand, things that are important to me, my family, my job, my house, you don’t make unilateral decisions, act on them and inform me later… or not. You talk to me.”

“Point taken,” he conceded and she blinked.

“Pardon?” she asked.

“You’re right, baby. I acted out of concern but fucked up. It won’t happen again.”

“You… I…” she blinked again, this time she did it twice and fast, “just like that?”

“Just like what?”

“You’re agreeing with me?”

“Yeah, Emme. You’re right. I fucked up. I’m admitting it. Shit happens like this again, which I hope to Christ it won’t, I’ll discuss it with you before I carry a decision forward if that decision affects you.”

“I…” she hesitated, “don’t know what to say.”

“Nothin’ to say. We don’t have time for makeup sex, seein’ as your dad’s lookin’ forward to seein’ you, I gotta drop you at work then I gotta get to the courthouse for the bond hearings. So you need to get dressed and we need to go.”

“Can I at least kiss you?” she asked, and Deck grinned.

She was indicating the fight was over and now he could appreciate her being cute and sexy again, up close.

“Yeah,” he agreed.

She started toward him, stopped and her brows drew together.

“Why are you dropping me at work? Persephone is here. I can drive to Gnaw Bone and you can go to the courthouse.”

“Cletus is stayin’ in the garage since you’re spending the night.”

Her face softened, she liked that idea but she said, “Dad’s in town.”

Fuck.

“Your dad, your call to make, Emme. But whatever bed you’re in tonight, want you to know, my preference is that I’m in it with you.”

“I renovated the guest room so Mom and Dad would have a nice place to sleep when they came up.”

“Then it’s your place.”

She held his eyes. “Dad will love Buford.”

He grinned again. “And me in your bed.”

“Yeah,” she whispered, and he knew she liked that idea.

Seeing her room during and before his tour, not to mention seeing her sleeping naked in her bed, he did too.

“You gonna kiss me and get your ass in gear or stand there staring at me?” he asked.

She moved forward, rolled up on her toes, rounded his shoulders with her arms and she kissed him.

Deck bent into her and kissed her back.

*    *    *

Three and a half hours later…

“Hey, honey.”

That was the greeting Deck got from Emme on his phone as he was walking out of the courtroom after the hearings.

“How’s everything going?” he asked.

“Dad’s communing with the men, cracking jokes and generally being his normal awesome. He’s happy we’re in the black and how in the black we are. He’s ecstatic I have new insulation. He’s disappointed you didn’t drop me at work so he could see you. And he’s decreed I’m not cooking tonight, we’re going to dinner in town. And just so you know, when that happens, he pays and don’t even try to fight him. A couple of my sister’s boyfriends tried to do that and it got ugly. So, unfortunately, our date night is screwed but on the bright side, I get to spend time with my dad
and
you, which far from sucks.”

He was glad she was having quality time with her father even if the reason it came about was fucked.

But no one paid for his dinner and now no one paid for his girl’s. She pulled that shit last night and then distracted him before he could have it out with her.

And he didn’t give a shit if it got ugly. Barry would have to deal. And the kind of man Barry was, Deck reckoned he’d get it. But if he didn’t, they’d split the check.

“Sounds like you’re havin’ a good morning,” Deck noted as he moved to his truck.

“Yeah,” she replied. “How’s yours?”

He got close to his vehicle, bleeped his locks and answered, “Judge set bail. After that, shit can go fast, honey. And McFarland had a nice condo and a nice truck. I found a storage unit with a shitload of stolen property in it they hadn’t got ’round to fencing but Chace phoned this morning and said the inventory the boys were doin’ shows that a lot of shit that was reported stolen was not in that unit. Which means it’s already been fenced, he probably got his cut so he could have the collateral to make bond in the form of cash. And that cash won’t be in a bank account they can freeze. So you need to go talk to your dad. He’s up.”

“Okay,” she said on a sigh.

“No phones, Emme,” he warned. “Your cell only if you know who’s callin’. But other than that, your dad or someone else mans the phones. You good with that?”

“Don’t you think Dane has enough problems, imminently losing his job being another one, that he won’t be thinking about bothering me?”

She just wouldn’t get this. Then again, she’d twisted in her head that the whackjob who snatched her from a playground at school was a good, kind guy.

But he saw the photos of her with McFarland. She was affectionate and enjoyed affection. He was over the top. He gave her a stolen ring to press his suit. He’d used his one phone call to phone her, not an attorney, not a relative, not anyone who could do something for him, but Emme to talk about whatever the fuck he wanted to discuss with her, being incarcerated and knowing she knew he gave her a stolen ring.