Unexpectedly You (17 page)

He hadn’t seen Emma since he’d stormed out of her home yesterday morning but he knew she was here and they needed to talk. Not only couldn’t he get her taste out of his mind, he was still royally pissed as hell she had so easily believed the worst in him. He was sure by now she’d figured out that he’d paid off her loan and had come through on his end of their deal. He wanted nothing more than to have her on her knees begging him for forgiveness. Or on her knees begging him for...

Next to him, David Bruin cleared his throat. Polished as a coin and decked out as a British naval officer, complete with the white wig and the air of superiority, he waved at the crowd. “You surprise me, McKenna. I didn’t think you had it in you. I assume you’re thinking by changing your plans you have my guaranteed yes vote.”

The last thing Mitch needed to do was piss off Bruin—not with his project on the line—but seeing the man’s smug face put him in a worse mood.

Mitch placed his hands on his hips to deter his urge to smash Bruin’s enameled teeth in. The man needed a solid whack to trample him off his high horse. “How about this? If I toss your sorry ass in the water, you vote yes. If you win, you vote no.”

A red flush stained Bruin’s face. “That’s absurd. And unethical. I don’t bet on Bella Del Mar business.”

“And you stonewalling my project because you want Emma for yourself isn’t unethical? Who’re you kidding?”

David snorted. “This isn’t about Emma.”

The emcee introduced Mitch, and he lifted his arm for a quick wave. The crowd, liking his underdog status compared to the returning champion, roared.

Mitch kept a smile on his face, even as he spoke under his breath. “You’re full of shit. This has everything to do with Emma, and you know it. She figured out your dog and pony show yesterday was all for your benefit to make me look like an asshole. Except what is she going to say when she hears the paper’s going to rescind the article? She’ll figure out you’re the asshole.”

Bruin snickered. “I had nothing to do with the article. It just happened to fall into my hands at an opportune time. Don’t pretend you won’t give up the property to the highest bidder if your plan isn’t approved. You can’t even keep your promise not to relocate the dog park. Emma will figure out your word’s no good.”

Mitch looked down at the fake sword around his waist, wishing it were bona fide high-grade steel. He’d love to wield it right this minute to wipe the arrogant look on Bruin’s face. “What’ll it be?”

They exchanged the obligatory handshakes.

David glared at him for a few seconds before the emcee signaled the start of the final competition. The roar from the crowd was thunderous. “You really want to risk the future of your company on this competition? You remember I’ve won the last three years, right?”

Mitch grinned. “Remind me again.” He held on to the rope the handlers tossed him and then grinned at David, who glowered in response. The bet was stupid on his part but he knew this was his competition to lose.

“You are a fool,” David said.

Mitch searched the crowd one last time as David prepared to grab the rope that would land him on the same log, but rather than finding Emma, Mitch’s gaze landed squarely on his brother, standing next to Nestor not more than a pebble’s throw away. His breath caught in his throat.
No fucking way
.

* * *

Emma saw Jack and Lorraine in the bleachers and made her way over, climbing several levels up to reach her friends.

Lorraine moved the bag of peanuts she’d placed on the seat to save Emma’s place. “You see Mitch out there? Did you know he was competing?”

Her heart thumped loudly, overpowering the band playing lively baroque music on stage. “I just found out.”

“This is going to be sweet,” Jack said. “I got my money on McKenna.”

“How much, big shot?” Lorraine asked.

“A Benjamin Franklin if you want in.”

Emma gasped. “You’re crazy.”

“I’m in. My money’s on David. I can’t imagine Mitch doing something as crazy as logrolling. David lives for this stuff. It’s his one claim to fame. He’s going to win.”

“Oh, yeah?” Jack said. “Where do you think logrolling came from? From loggers, that’s where. That’s how they got the logs to roll down the river. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I seem to recall my man McKenna there saying his father was a logger. Emma, you in or what?”

“Absolutely not.”

The announcer started with the rules of the game, and everyone hushed to listen. David was introduced as the reigning champion.

Anger still lingered in her chest at David, who had behaved uncharacteristically mean by not only dropping off that copy of
Coastal News
, but by making her feel guilty for living her life. Who was he to judge her? He’d pretended to be her friend, but friends don’t judge, and they certainly don’t manipulate. He’d have to do some serious apologizing before she’d even consider letting him back in her life.

Lorraine busted out with a whistle that pierced the noise of the crowd.

Jack winced. “This woman scares me sometimes.”

Lorraine threw an imaginary punch at Jack. “Shut up before I snuff that cigarette on your forehead.”

Emma laughed but her eyes remained focused on Mitch. She had wanted a chance to talk with him before the competition but she’d gotten there too late. She didn’t want to confront him in front of David, so she’d slipped out without being noticed. She thought back to the other night. She’d never had a one-night stand before. She’d heard Lorraine talk about her various lovers and Emma had envied her friend’s blasé attitude toward sex.

Instinctively, she knew it wasn’t in her to have that kind of relationship with anyone. And now she was sure of it. It might have been unwise to have chosen Mitch, but she didn’t regret it. He was exactly who she wanted in her life, even if he was too stubborn to admit it. He was scared, she knew. So was she. But fear would not stop her. Not anymore.

The camera crews geared to cover the first matchup. Mitch, looking menacing and sexy, wore black trousers and a billowing black shirt that opened to expose miles of chiseled muscle. He faced David, who swaggered on the platform waving to the crowd.

A guilty pang worked its way into Emma’s stomach. Though she knew it was Mitch’s choice to sponsor the event, if it hadn’t been for her deliberate actions to ruin his reputation in town, he wouldn’t have felt the need to go through extreme lengths and money fixing it. He’d have been busy building his condos. Now, David would surely embarrass him in front of the home crowd by tipping him into the murky bay water. She didn’t believe Jack for one second that Mitch would somehow know how to balance on a log just because his father was a logger. Would he?

Along with the crowd, Emma jumped to her feet when the bell rang to signal the start of the competition.

With both men on the floating dock, each took a careful step onto the log, finally letting go of the rope that kept them balanced. Mitch splayed his arms wide, his feet forward pedaling in long smooth strokes, immediately putting David on the defensive, his arms wailing as he backpedaled to keep his balance.

Jack whistled appreciatively. “I tell you, I’m going to get my money’s worth today.”

Emma and Lorraine exchanged a shocked look. “What are you not telling us?”

Jack winked. “Wait and weep.”

The tension as both Mitch and David skittered on the slippery log brought everyone to their feet.

Emma gripped Jack’s hand on one side and Lorraine’s on the other.

The roar from the crowd when Mitch pitched backward but miraculously remained upright was thunderous. David had the advantage and spun his feet adeptly like a fisherman reeling in a catch. Mitch spanned his arms wide to keep balance as he backpedaled. Trying to dislodge him, David dug his foot into the bay to splatter water on Mitch, but Mitch managed to stay afloat.

When a loud splash caused the crowd to gasp, Emma shut her eyes. Lorraine’s ear-piercing whistle snapped her eyes open. Shooting up from her seat, she cupped her hands over her mouth. Her breath hitched in her throat.

Oh my God.

Chapter Nineteen

When David dug his foot into the log and splashed him a puddle of water, Mitch felt the cold soak through his black jeans and his sneakers. But the bit of showmanship forced David to pause from spinning for a few seconds and allowed Mitch to adjust his stand.

Leaning forward slightly with his knees bent, he shuffled his feet in quick, sharp strikes and then, because he knew he only had the advantage for a minute or two, he bounced the log to create a little wave that had David swaying awkwardly.

David’s face turned a bright red as he struggled to remain standing, but Mitch, with the support of the crowd of spectators who hooted and yelled for the kill, used the grip of his sneakers to reverse the spin of the log. The sudden switch took David by surprise and he dislodged, splashing two hundred pounds into the cold, freezing water.

Mitch stepped onto the dock and raised his hands in victory. The salty sea spray stung his eyes and the cold seeped right into his skin. He gulped mouthfuls of algae-scented air to regain control of his racing pulse rate.

David, his hair plastered to his skull, his face flushed and his eyes narrowed, regarded him with unabashed admiration. “You birling bastard. How’d you learn that?”

Mitch grinned. “I’ve got hidden talents you could only dream about.”

A minute passed. Would David say something curt? Bruin didn’t like losing. But instead, the man surprised him by extending his hand in a conciliatory manner. “I’ll make sure to win it back from you next year.”

Mitch shook David’s outstretched hand. “You can try.”

The assumption and acceptance that he would be there next year made him regard David in a different light. Maybe there was a decent side to the building official he hadn’t known existed.

But hell, it felt good dunking the arrogant asshole. Mitch looked out at the crowd, his gaze searching and then connecting with Emma’s up on the bleachers. Seeing her look at him like he’d just slain the mighty dragon was worth the cost of pissing off the one man who could create trouble for him if he chose.

Mitch squeezed the bridge of his nose. It may have taken him thirty-one years to find the right woman, but he’d be damned if he’d let Emma’s stubbornness dissuade him from taking what he’d been searching for his entire life.

He glanced back to look for her in the bleachers, but she was gone.

* * *

Inside Surf’s tent, the music blared loud with an all-girl band on the stage. Mitch made his way toward the bar and grabbed a stool. He scoured the tent for Emma or Shane, but neither one was around.

Jack came over and patted him on the back. “You’re a god. I owe you a beer.”

Mitch grinned, shaking Jack’s hand. “Where is she?”

Jack pretended ignorance. “Who?”

“Just tell me, asshole, before I sic the fashion police on you.”

“You’re one to talk. David Copperfield called, he wants his outfit back.”

Mitch laughed. “She’s still here, right?” he asked before the singer’s sultry voice on stage caught his attention. Mitch arched his brow and then did a double take when he recognized Emma on stage, belting out “Love is a Battlefield.”
Holy shit.
She sounded amazing. And then he noticed her outfit.

“You want to pick up your jaw from the bar?” Jack burst out laughing as he smacked Mitch on the back. “She does this every year. It’s the one time she lets her wild child out. Isn’t she great?”

Mitch could only blink in response. She looked so beautiful and sexy up there. The way she worked the crowd into a frenzy. Her voice was deep and sultry. His heart burst with pride at the woman who never stopped surprising him. Their eyes locked and they shared a connection that cut deep in his heart. He smiled, watching her strut sexily off the stage with the crowd begging for more.

He chuckled inside. God help him. He was still smiling when out of the corner of his eye he saw his brother approach. He cringed, preparing for a confrontation.

Shane looked at the stage before shaking his head. “I can’t say I blame you. She’s something.”

Mitch expelled the breath he didn’t know he was holding. “She is that.” He waved at Jack to bring Shane a beer and then turned to his brother. “I didn’t know you were coming.”

“I figured that,” Shane said, sounding tired.

“You hear from Lansford?”

Shane rubbed what looked like a six-month-long beard project. His eyes strayed back to the stage. “Yep. She worth dunking Bruin into the water?”

“Hell, yeah.”

Shane laughed out loud. “It might drive us to the poorhouse if we don’t get that vote on Monday, but I got your back, regardless of what Lansford says. The guy’s an asshole anyway. We’ll find another investor if we need to.”

Mitch drew in a long breath and held out his hand. “Thanks, bro.”

Shane pulled him into a hug. “Never thought it would happen. I’m happy for you, little brother. You’d better go find her before someone else grabs her. She’s a keeper.”

Mitch gulped down the last of his beer before standing up. His throat suddenly felt tight and he needed fresh air. “You gonna be around tomorrow?”

Shane nodded. “I’ll be over bright and early to kick your ass.”

Mitch shut his eyes and swallowed his chuckle. “Looking forward to it.”

* * *

Emma’s heart was still racing from her performance and from having Mitch in the crowd, watching her with such a strange look in his eyes. At first she was surprised that the guy with the beard from earlier was talking to Mitch. But then she’d seen the expression in Mitch’s eyes as he watched her and she’d forgotten she was even on stage.

Emma flipped the canvas tent to exit the backstage area when she spotted Mitch. He’d changed from his pirate outfit and now wore his dark jeans with a black T-shirt under his bomber jacket. Her breath hitched at how incredibly handsome he was, especially with the way he was eyeing her like she was pirate booty.

She was thankful Sammy had left with her girlfriend a few minutes ago. She didn’t relish having an audience when she swallowed her pride and apologized to Mitch.

She clutched her raincoat tighter around her body to stave off the wind but shivered nonetheless. She walked toward him. Her pulse raced and her stomach clenched, knowing this interaction could determine her future.

The noise from the beer tent disappeared into the darkness. She drew in a long breath filled with the earthy scent of the bay and the man standing a foot away, his eyes still glued to her face.

He cocked his head to one side. “You were incredible in there. You had the crowd eating out of your hands.”

“Thank you,” she said, trembling inside. She noticed the hardness around his mouth. She’d said some awful things to him. He wasn’t going to make this easy on her. She cleared her throat. “Why didn’t you tell me about paying off my loan? Why would you do that without knowing if your project is approved?”

He crooked his brow. “You know why.”

“But I haven’t come through with my end.”

“Haven’t you?”

She blinked back more tears. “Your backup plan, would you have gone through with it?”

“You know the answer to that.”

She shook her head. “The dog park. You—”

He rubbed his jaw in frustration. “I can’t keep the dog park where it is, Emma. It wouldn’t have worked. I—”

“No, stop. It’s fine. It’s more than fine. It’s perfect. You’re perfect,” she said, her voice thick with emotion. A tear spilled down her cheek and she quickly swiped it off. She didn’t care that he didn’t want a long-term relationship. She loved him. There were no guarantees in life, even if they pledge forever. She, better than anyone, knew that to be true. She’d take each day as a gift she’d cherish. “I owe you an apology.”

“You don’t owe me anything.”

She drew her bottom lip between her teeth. “I do. I believed the worst in you and I’m sorry.”

He arched his brow in that now-familiar and endearing way that tripped up her heart. “Just how sorry are you?”

She’d heard it. The tiny bit of tenderness in his voice that she knew had to be hard for him to allow. Their gaze met and tears filled her eyes.

She couldn’t breathe from the pressure of her heart against her chest. The thumping deafened her and made her want to fling her arms around his neck yet simultaneously flee from the terror of someday losing him. “I’ve been such a coward,” she breathed.

He cupped her face and brushed his lips across her moist cheeks. “How do you think I feel? I’ve never fallen in love before. You at least have your memories of a happy marriage, a loving husband. I’ve never experienced anything like that growing up or...ever. Not until I met you.” She opened her mouth to say something, but he kissed her fully on the mouth and made her forget her words. “Let me finish, for once, will you?” His gaze heated her skin, and she would have agreed to anything he’d asked if he would only look at her like he was doing for the rest of her life.

She nodded and a tear escaped and slid down her cheek.

“You opened up to me this crazy, insane world. And you made me want to be a part of it. A part of you.” He shook his head as if he couldn’t believe the words coming out of his mouth. “It’s been a very, very long time since I’ve depended on anyone for love.” He swallowed hard and his face flushed. “You can’t take that away from me now, lady. I want you in my life. I need you in my life.” He shrugged and his eyes shimmered with unshed tears.

Her heart would surely burst with the amount of emotions she’d locked away inside, now bursting to be free. With shaky hands, she placed her hands over his, which were still on her face. “Did you just say you were in love with me?”

He shut his eyes and shook his head. “I just threw away two million dollars by dunking Bruin in the bay. What the hell do you think this is about? I’m insanely in love with you.” He drew in a ragged breath. “You’re like this beautiful, magical siren that came out of my sand bottle. I’ve been waiting for you my whole life. The thing is, I just never imagined a tattooed rocker with big hair.”

Emma wrapped her arms around his neck, and he stumbled back from the force. She choked on her laughter as he twirled her around. Tears streamed down her face. “I love you, Mitch McKenna. It took me a while to admit that after hating the very ground you stood on. But I’m telling you now, I will love you forever, even if you don’t believe in happily ever afters.”

“Is that right?”

She nodded. “I know you don’t do long-term.”

He raised his brow and his lips quirked. “Nope. Short and sweet is best.”

She lowered her lids so he wouldn’t see her disappointment. “I know—”

“You don’t know anything,” he said. He lowered his mouth to her neck and nibbled at the sensitive spot beneath her jaw. “All you need to know is that I’m in love with you and I’ve never said those words to anyone before.”

“Never?” Her voice hitched when he slid his hands beneath her raincoat to stroke her back.

He smiled and then pulled away slightly when they heard voices in the darkness. “Why did you fight me so hard?”

She answered his smile with one of her own. “I fought so hard because I was so scared. I never thought I’d be brave enough. I can’t risk losing someone I love again. It almost destroyed me the last time.”

“Don’t kill me off yet. I’m not planning on going anywhere anytime soon.”

“Stop—” she hiccupped between sniffles, “—I’m trying to be serious.” Her admonishment was lost as he lowered his head and touched his lips to hers in a gentle but possessive kiss.

“There are no guarantees in life, Emma. You and I know that. I may not even be very good at this relationship thing, but I sure as hell want to try.”

She drew in a sharp breath and her jaw dropped open. “What did you say?” Her words came out in a jagged whisper.

He curled his lips on one side, and her stomach did a somersault. “Which part?”

“Mitch!”

He inhaled deeply and kissed her hard, his tongue exploring and teasing her until she melted in his arms. She kissed him with every fiber of her soul, wanting to tell him in action what she hadn’t yet fully expressed in words.

When they finally broke off the kiss to breathe, Mitch kept his palms on her cheeks. “Emma, Emma, Emma. What if I’m not cut out for all this?”

“We’ll strike a nonnegotiable deal.”

Keeping his arms encircled around her, he nuzzled her ears. “Does the deal spell out certain rights and privileges of a steady boyfriend?”

Warmth spread though her stomach at the implication of his words and the heat of his tongue on the tips of her ears. “Are you asking me to be your girlfriend?”

He kissed her neck, which she’d angled for better access. “It depends. Does it mean I’d have to follow you around like a groupie?” When she elbowed him, he chuckled. “Okay, I am asking. What do you say?”

“Mitch’s girl. It has a magical ring to it.”

He reared back, his eyes gleaming and dangerously sexy. “It does. I agree.”

Though he tried to inject humor in his words, she could see the insecurity in his eyes. This strong, capable and beautiful man had never said those words to a woman before. She was humbled and tears of joy streamed down her face. Her throat constricted and she could barely utter a word. After what felt like an eternity but was probably just a few seconds, she placed her moist cheek against his and whispered in his ear, “Why me?”

He turned his face and caught her bottom lip between his teeth. “Why not you?”