Her Way (13 page)

She jolted and turned, nearly beaning him in the head in the process.

“Will! Um, hi.” A flush stole across her face.

“Um, hi.” He bent farther and took her mouth with his. Her hands slid around his waist and settled on his lower back. She hummed when he ran his tongue along her lips, and opened for him. He cupped her face, tilted her head to deepen the kiss. The sound of a throat clearing made him move back, but did nothing to cool the heat flowing through his veins.

Emma’s eyes were still closed, and her hands tightened on the back of his shirt. She took a deep breath then lifted her lids to look at him.

“Having a good night, sweetheart?” He brushed the hair back from her face.

“Mm hmmm. How was work?”

“Long and busy. Glad to be done.” He glanced around at Hannah, Ana and Lynn. “Hello, ladies.”

“Hey, Will,” they chorused.

Hannah smiled. “Want a drink?”

“I got it.” He signaled the bartender. “The usual, Tony, and put these ladies’ drinks on my tab.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Emma protested.

“Already done, too late.” He winked.

“Is the band done for the night?” Ana asked, looking around the room.

“No, they’re just taking a break. They’ll be here until close. Do you want to get a table or stay at the bar?”

“Let’s get a table.” Lynn grabbed her drink and went in the direction of one of the few empty tables, followed by the others.

Emma scooted off the stool and Will grabbed his beer before slipping his other arm around her shoulders.

“I
am
glad you came. I didn’t think I’d see you tonight.” He kissed her temple.

She looked at him, a slight, but damned sexy, smile curving her lips. “I wasn’t sure if I should come. I didn’t want you to think…”

“Think what?”

“That I was clingy or something.” Her soft voice glided across his skin, causing his cock to harden even more.

He lowered his voice. “I’ve been thinking of you all night.”

Her smile broadened. He pulled her closer and her hip ground against his erection. She bit her lip and pushed more fully against him.

He held back a groan. “Let’s sit down or I’ll be tempted to ditch your friends.”

They walked to the table and sat. Will pulled her hand into his lap and held it. Felicia came up to them and mussed Will’s hair.

“Do you have everything you need, or can I get you something?”

“I’m fine. Everyone good?” He glanced around, his gaze landing on Emma. A slight frown turned her mouth and she stared at Felicia’s hand, which now rested on his shoulder. “Emma?”

“Huh?” She glanced at him. “Oh. I’m fine. Just fine.”

Felicia moved her hand, held it out to Emma. “You must be Emma. I’m Felicia, Will’s sister.”

“Oh,” she blinked a few times, “yeah, I’m Emma. Nice to meet you.” She shook hands before grasping Will’s again.

“I can’t wait to get a chance to talk to you more on Sunday. It’s too crazy in here to visit now.”

“Sunday?” Emma’s forehead crinkled as she frowned.

Will groaned inwardly.

“Yeah, Sunday dinner… Oh, don’t tell me he didn’t ask you, yet.” She boffed Will upside the head. “I can’t believe you.”

“I was getting to it.” He rolled his eyes.

“When? Sunday’s only two days away, doofus.”

“Felicia.”

“I’m just saying. Oh look, I have to get back to work. Nice to meet you, Emma.”

“Nice to meet you too.” Emma glanced at his sister as she walked away but trained her stare back on him. “Don’t feel obligated to ask me just because your sister brought it up. Meeting the family’s a big deal. I understand that.”

Will was aware of her friends’ stares. Damn Felicia. He
had
planned on asking Emma, just not with an audience.

“Actually I was going to ask you tomorrow when I called you. I know it’s short notice but…Sunday at noon, my parents’ house.”

Emma slid her palm up his arm, over his shoulder, to cup his cheek. “I’d love to. Should I bring something?”

Will laughed. “Nope. Mom refuses to let anyone else cook Sunday supper. Says it’s the only thing that’s still hers and hers alone.”

“Okay, cool.” She pulled her hand away and took a sip of her beer.

Will glanced at the other women. They looked between him and Emma, huge grins on their faces. What was up with them?

Emma rolled her eyes at her friends’ expressions. The “told ya so” grins. Granted they had been right—she
was
glad she’d come tonight. Glad to be next to Will. Still the fear of moving too fast, too soon lingered. She didn’t want to freak him out.

“Hey,” Will drank down the rest of his beer, “I’m going to head up, take a shower, so we can head back to your place when we’re done here, okay?”

“Why don’t we just stay at your place?” She laughed. “We’re already here.” Curiosity was getting the better of her; she had yet to see his apartment.

“Yeah, but my brother is staying with me. It’s a small place, we wouldn’t have much privacy.” He ran his hand up her thigh, pulling her skirt up, his warm fingers trailing along bare skin.

Emma closed her eyes for a moment. Heat raced through her as the pads of his fingers tickled her inner thigh, stopping short of where she really wanted him to touch. Lynn snickered and Emma felt a flush creep hotly up her neck.

Will leaned closer, his breath fanning across her cheek. “I want no interruptions tonight, Emma. Don’t want to worry about someone seeing or hearing anything. I want my focus completely on you.”

Twitch, twitch.
She shifted her hips forward, hoping for a little touch, but he moved his hand and kissed her cheek.

“Give me fifteen minutes,” he murmured as he stood. “Ladies.”

Emma watched him make his way through the crowd.

“Oh, stop gawking at his ass,” Ana teased.

“Why? It’s a damned fine one.” She continued to follow him with her gaze until he was out of sight. Then she turned to her friends, a smile on her lips.

“If I wasn’t happy for you, you’d make me sick,” Lynn quipped.

“You have only yourself to blame. I wasn’t even going to see him tonight.” Emma laughed.

“Was he whispering sweet nothings into your ear?” Ana wiggled her eyebrows.

Hannah spoke up for the first time since they sat. “From the looks of those red cheeks, he was whispering wicked nothings.”

“Oh, shut up.”

Hannah threw her head back and laughed.

“Woo! Music’s starting again. Let’s go.” Ana jumped up and pulled Emma to her feet.

“You go on. I’m going to wait here and—”

“Oh no, my friend. You are going to dance and shake
your
ass so
he’s
the one doing the gawking.”

Will strode through the bar toward the table—and saw it was empty. Huh.

“Dance floor, big brother,” Felicia said as she approached the table with a full tray.

“Thanks.”

“This one’s for you.” She handed him a cold bottle of beer.

“Thanks again.” He took a long drink as he turned. And immediately lost the ability to speak or even think of anything other than what he saw.

All the blood in his body rushed south. His cock hardened, pressing against the zipper of his jeans.

Emma danced with her friends—her hips moving back and forth, her ass just begging to be touched. She raised her arms above her head, swaying to the rhythm of the music. Her skirt slid along her smooth, creamy thighs. Will licked his lips, imagining her taste, yearning for it.

He set his beer on the table and started walking toward the dance floor, ignoring greetings from employees and patrons alike. One thing was on his mind—getting to her. As he drew closer, he saw Ana lean over and whisper in her ear. Emma looked back and spotted him. A smile curved her lips before she turned away. Will’s gaze followed the motion of her swaying hips until he was right behind her. He settled his hands on her waist and pulled her back snug against his front. Leaning down, he brought his lips next to her ear.

“Are you trying to drive every man in the place crazy?”

She continued to dance, rubbing, pressing against him. “Nope, just you.”

“Well, you’re succeeding.” He ran his hands up, grazing the sides of her breasts, then down to settle on her moving hips.

With a chuckle, she looped her arms back around his neck. The action made her lean farther back and lifted her breasts. Will groaned as her ass teased his erection and the sight of her cleavage teased his mind.

“Girls’ night officially over?” he murmured.

“Yeah.”

“And how long are you wanting to stay and dance?”
God, don’t let it be long.

“I’m ready whenever you are.” Emma tilted her head to meet his gaze.

“Sweetheart, I’m
ready
right now.” He pulled her hips even tighter against him.

“Let’s go then.” She let her arms fall to her sides and stepped away from him. With a quick wave, she bid her friends goodbye. Will groaned inwardly when they all grinned like idiots. Like they didn’t know exactly why their friend was taking off.

He grabbed Emma’s hand and led her through the crowd toward the exit. His sister waved at him and he answered with a nod and kept walking. He couldn’t get out fast enough. What the hell was wrong with him that all that mattered was being with this one woman? Christ, he couldn’t even follow that line of thought right then. Wouldn’t.

They didn’t speak as they strode to his truck. Will helped her into the passenger seat and walked around the front of the vehicle. He paused and took a deep breath before getting in.

“So,” Emma said after a few minutes of silence, “how many people are going to be at this shindig on Sunday? I know you have a big family, but is everyone going to be there?”

“Yeah, pretty much. All the sibs will be there. And if they’re seeing anyone, that’ll add to the numbers. Though I don’t remember Mom mentioning anything about anyone being serious about a boyfriend or girlfriend. And if Mom knew, she’d say.” He laughed. “Heck, she told everyone about you.”

“So you told her we were serious?” Her voice, quiet and a bit unsteady, drifted across the truck’s cab.

Will’s gut tightened. “No, I didn’t say anything—I mean, my family knows I’ve been seeing you, and—”

Emma touched his arm. “Will, it’s not a big deal. We don’t have to have this talk now. We’ve only been seeing each other for a little while. There’s no need for the how-serious-is-this talk. Really.”

He pulled into her driveway and cut the engine. After unhooking his seatbelt, he turned to her. “Emma—”

She put her fingertips to his lips, silencing him. “
Really
. Things are great the way they are, right? Let’s not screw with that right now. Besides,” she dropped her hand to his lap, caressed him through the denim, “we have other things to think about at the moment, don’t we?”

Emma felt relief sweep through her as Will leaned forward and kissed her lightly on the lips. She didn’t want to mess things up with serious relationship talk.

“Let’s go inside,” he murmured against her mouth.

“Hmmmm. Good idea.” She grinned and pulled away.

They hurried out of the vehicle and up to the front door. Will chuckled when Emma fumbled with the keys. She scowled and stuck her tongue out at him before trying the lock again.

“Tease.” He ran his tongue along the curve of her neck. She shivered under his touch.

“Impatient,” she threw back and flung the door open.

“Damn straight.”

Once inside, Emma grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the stairs.

“Nuh uh.” Will stood firm. “Dining room.”

“What? Will—”

“Dining room. Now.” He pulled his hand from hers and crossed his arms over his chest, staring at her. As if daring her to refuse.

Twitch, twitch.
She returned his look for a moment before pivoting and walking ahead of him into the room in question. She blinked when the lights came on and spun around to face him. He leaned against the wall next to the light switch, hands in his pockets, legs crossed at the ankles.

“Take your blouse off.”

Emma’s heart galloped and her breathing hitched. His tone was harsh and his gaze scorching despite his relaxed posture.

“Emma, don’t make me tell you twice.”

Oh God. Her stomach clenched and she felt heat ignite deep within her. Her fingers trembled as she undid the buttons and let the garment slide off her shoulders, her arms, to the floor. That done, she waited for his next instruction.

“The bra. Off.”

She held his gaze, and more than her fingers trembled as she reached behind her and flicked open the clasp to her bra. Once it joined the shirt on the floor, she tilted her head in question.
What next?

“Take your hair down. I like it loose when I fuck you.”