The Billionaire's Secret Kink Box Set: Knox: Secret Alpha Billionaire Romance Bundle (Rosesson Brothers Book 1) (54 page)

She nodded yes.

"It's a hidden camera."

Emma's lip twisted into a snarl. "That bastard!" she choked out through gritted teeth.

Craig had already thought that exact thought several times, and he was glad Emma knew the stakes right away. He inspected the camera for any identifying marks. Finding none, he dropped it to the deck and ground it under his heel.

Emma turned on her heel and ran through the house. Craig followed, worried. She ran straight out the front door towards the blue sedan. It was no longer parked on the street. Emma whirled around, fists clenched, eyes wild and searching.

"He's gone! He knows we were on to him!"

"Could be, or could be the man in that car just was done for the night."

"Norman, I know it was Norman!"

"It didn't look like Norman to me, Emma. Could he be having anyone else watch you?"

"Of course he could! He's got a whole department to command!"

Craig slipped an arm around Emma's shoulders. Her breathing was rapid. Craig purposely took long, deep breaths, hoping to calm her. He felt her relax against him and take her own deep breaths.

"But would they do it? I can't imagine most cops being willing to watch an ex-wife's house for hours a day, even if it is for an officer in their chain of command," Craig wondered.

"True," Emma said. "I just don't know! And I don't know why he is watching me anyway!" She tore loose from his grip and took long strides down the sidewalk, away from her house.

Craig caught up, and grasped her hand, walking with her. "Could he want to get back together with you?"

Emma looked horrified at the idea. "No!" She went silent for a few moments, thinking. "I don't think so. He's never said anything."

"But he could - maybe he wants to get back together with you someday, but not now. That would also explain why he has chased off all your past dates."

Emma's face fell. "I don't want to believe it. For him to still want to get back together with me seven years later scares me."

Craig didn't say anything. There was nothing he could say. She was right.

They walked in silence for a bit. Emma fumed, but started to calm down after a few blocks. Craig, lost in his own thoughts was startled by her next question and the vehemence with which she asked it.

"I just hate it when men aren't what they seem to be! Are you what you seem to be Craig?"

Here we go.
Craig hated lying to anyone, but he especially hated lying to Emma. The thought of it pained his heart, especially since he knew there was a chance she would hate him when she found out he was lying to her about who he was. He couldn't bear the thought of it.

"What do I seem to be Emma?"

Emma chewed her lip and stopped walking, pulling him around towards her by their linked hands. "You seem to be a good guy, a nice guy, a decent man who wouldn't hurt anyone if he didn't have to."

"I try very hard, every day to be one of the good guys, Emma." He pulled her closer, noting her eyes were still sparking with anger. Craig ran a thumb over one of her eyebrows, trying to relax it.

Emma dropped his hand and snaked her fingers into his hair, bending his head down towards hers. Eyes wide open, fire filling them, she parted her lips, inviting him. He locked his eyes on her sexy mouth, and bent to her. Her clean woman scent filled his nostrils and drove his lust.

It had been a long time since he'd been with a woman. There had been a few badge bunnies after Lucy died, but nothing about casual sex was satisfying to him. He might as well masturbate. Plus, it was easier to disentangle himself after. Emma was the first woman since Lucy that he found interesting enough to date.

She broke the kiss and looked at him like he was her prey. The look in her eyes thrilled him. She grabbed his hand again and pulled him towards home.

Once on the porch, she entangled her fingers around his neck and kissed him before they went in the door. He lifted her easily and carried her onto the couch silently. Her hands and lips were everywhere as she pulled off his t-shirt and bared his chest. She stared hungrily at him, making a small mewling noise and pulling him down to her.

Emma moved under him, pushing her body up towards his. She pulled at his hair and bit at his bottom lip. Desire exploded in his mind and his body at her aggressiveness. He had time to wonder if he should pull back, if this passion was fueled by her anger at Norman, but then she put her hand down to the zipper of his jeans and the thought fled. He was hard and ready for her. She palmed him through his jeans and ran her hand down his length.

The sensation floored him. It had been so long for him. It felt so good he couldn't stand it. He groaned, unable to think. He bent to her again and kissed a trail down her neck to her chest. She let go of his erection and grasped his hips, pulling them down. Hard. He mouthed her nipples through her shirt and watched her squirm under him.

"Craig," she gasped. "I want you."

"I want you too sweetness." The words seemed inadequate. He wanted to be inside her. To own her body. To be one with her. To meld their very souls.

The thought made him go carnal. He felt like an animal. Like all thoughts were driven from his body and he was just nerve endings, calling out for release. He ground his hardness into her softest spot and she sucked in a breath. He propped himself up on his elbows and undid the buttons on her shirt, spying a lacy pink bra barely hiding unbelievably perfect and lush breasts. She pushed her chest into him, welcoming his hands. "Craig, Craig, love ..."

"Yes sweetness, yes," he whispered back. He couldn't believe his good fortune, here with one of the most beautiful and amazing women he had ever known, and she seemed to want him as much as he wanted her. For once, things were going his way. Very much his way.

As if his thoughts of how good things were caused them to go as bad as possible, Emma stopped and went rigid beneath him. Her face was unreadable, but she seemed on the verge of tears. He stroked her hair. "Em?"

Her shoulders shook. She was silently crying.

"Oh Craig, this isn't a good idea. I don't know what I was doing, I am so sorry."

He sat up and pulled her to him. "Sweetheart, don't be sorry, it's OK."

"No Craig you don't understand, it's not OK. I want to love you but I can't. I won't. I have been leading you on by going on dates with you. I should not be dating you." Anguish filled her eyes and voice.

Craig was confused by her words, but didn't want her to think that he cared if she wasn't ready for anything physical with him.

"Shhh, it's OK. I don't mind at all. I just want you to be happy, to feel comfortable," he told her, trying to hug her to him.

"You should go."

He wanted to stay and comfort her, and was surprised by this declaration.

"Really? We don't have to do anything Emma, we can just sit and talk or watch a movie. I will never pressure you. We are both adults here. I'm not expecting marriage or anything."

He wondered if she was seeing someone else and that's what this was about. It seemed pretty unlikely with everything that had happened with Norman in the past.

She crumpled forward hiding her face. Again her shoulders shook. He just wanted to cradle her in his arms and comfort her like a child. He hated seeing her like this. He thought there was much more to this woman than he could begin to know, and this part may not have anything to do with Norman.

"No, you should go Craig. Before I do something I regret. It's complicated. I don't know how to explain. I don't want to hurt you, but I shouldn't be here with you right now either."

"Ok Emma, if that's what you want." Craig, hurt, moved to the door. "Just know I am here for you any time, and if you need anything - anything at all - you call me first, OK?"

She grinned a sad grin at him. "Thank you."

Emma watched Craig drive away from her bedroom window. Only when she could no longer see the light from his car did she let out the tears. Great, wracking sobs threatened to tear her breath from her. That was the hardest thing she had ever done in her life. Way harder than divorcing Norman.

You weren't in love with Norman anymore once you asked him for a divorce,
an inner voice told her gently.

That was it. That was the reason for everything. Craig was so gentle, and so good, and she was afraid she was falling in love with him. It couldn't be. It couldn't happen. He wasn't her dream man, because he wasn't the man from the vision, so what was she doing, going and falling in love with him? This voice in her head was harsh and unstoppable.
Emma, you are a complete idiot and jerk for leading that sweet man on.

What could she say? Nothing. She was an idiot, and she was a jerk.

What was she going to do now?

Her sobbing reached a fevered pitch. Some inner critic wondered if the neighbors could hear her. Even that thought didn't quiet her.
Damn the neighbors. My life is a mess. It's my mess and I can cry if I want
.

Emma hugged the wall to her bedroom, where no one would be watching her that night. She fell on the bed with her clothes still on, and cried until she fell asleep.

***

Emma awoke at four in the morning, disoriented, wondering what she had forgotten. Work! Her eyes were grainy and swollen. She pulled herself to the bathroom. She didn't need to be at work for a few hours, but it would probably take a while to get her looking decent, so she got moving.

In the shower, she made a decision. She was calling Reece today. Maybe she hadn't given him the benefit of the doubt before. Maybe they should do something other than go to a restaurant. Maybe she should invite him over to her house, or go hiking with him. Hiking. That stung. She had been hiking with Craig yesterday and they had laughed so much, and had so much fun. Craig. She missed him already.

***

Work dragged on and on. Jerry was his usual happy self, and bugged her constantly to tell her what was wrong. She didn't say. Couldn't say. Jerry wouldn't understand. On their first call with Engine 18 Emma held her breath, hardly able to concentrate as the firefighters came up. Craig wasn't with them. Thank goodness.

When she could slip away from Jerry long enough to make a phone call she called Reece. He sounded very happy to hear from her.
Well that's good at least.
She invited him to her house, but he said why didn't she come to his place instead? Tomorrow night at 8 p.m. At the Coronado building. She hung up, glad, but with the lead weight still squeezing her heart with every breath. Hopefully by tomorrow things would look better.

***

Emma entered the elevator in the Coronado building, wearing a breezy blue skirt that swirled around her ankles as she walked. She usually felt feminine and pretty in this skirt, especially paired with a silk tank, and with her hair down and bouncy. It didn't work today. Today, her feet felt as leaden as her heart had yesterday. While she was getting ready, she kept telling herself to cancel, but then she kept telling herself not to cancel, she needed to get on with her non-Craig life.

Reece's unit was on the 14th floor. She noticed there was no 13th floor button in the elevator. That meant Reece was actually on the 13th floor.
I guess he's not superstitious.

She rang his doorbell. He was quick to open and gave her a broad smile.

"Emma, I am so perfectly thrilled to see you again," he said, grasping her hand and kissing the back of it just a little too long.

"Thank you Reece," she said softly. She didn't have the energy for much more than a whisper.

"Emma, you look sad, is there something wrong?"

Emma sighed internally and gave herself a mental slap in the face.
Wake up! Get over it!

She forced a smile, "No, sorry, I might just be a little tired."

"Well have a seat, I will get you some wine."

Emma didn't like wine too much, but right now, any liquor sounded good.

She sat down on the couch and put her clutch down on the table, then gratefully accepted her glass and took several tiny sips. This wasn't too bad.

Reece sat down on the couch next to her, a little too close. Using a remote, he turned on some music and sat back, putting an arm around her.

Emma looked around the apartment to avoid looking right at him. He was moving too fast. She felt a bit uncomfortable and thought maybe getting up would help. His apartment was large and gorgeous. Hard, dark wood covered the floors and walls and wooden shelves were built in from floor to ceiling between the kitchen and living room. Small wooden statues that looked like idols or gods from ancient times sat in each cubby of the shelves.

"Wow, you are an art lover Reece?" she asked, getting up from the couch with her drink in her hand.

Reece caught her around the waist with both hands and pulled her back to the couch, almost spilling her drink.

Emma's guard went up immediately.
What was that? What is he doing?
She scootched away from him a bit on the couch and looked at him, eyes wide.