The Seduction Request (13 page)

Just maybe, if he could stay in Michigan… If he could put her before his career…

She shook away the thought. If she wasn't careful she would ruin what time they did have together. She was going to be thankful for their limited time. She
was going to savor each and every minute and store it in her memory.

And darn it, she thought as a wave of emotion choked her, she was
not
going to cry.

“When do I get to wash you?” Matt asked.

“Soon,” she promised, hoping her voice didn't betray her emotions. She lathered his back and rubbed herself against him, grazing his soapy skin with the hardened points of her breasts. She ran both hands down his tight, perfectly formed backside, then lower, and felt him shudder.

“Em—”

“Shh.” She slipped her hands around to his firm, flat stomach, then down into the coarse hair at his groin. She reached lower still, carefully cupping him and he groaned.

He let his head drop, his forehead resting against the wall. “You wouldn't believe how amazing that feels.”

She explored gently, purposely avoiding the one place she knew he wanted to be touched the most until finally he'd had enough. At least she assumed so when he spun around and pinned her to the adjacent wall. She gasped as her back hit the cold tile and Matt's mouth came down hard on her own. His beard was rough against her face, his mouth hot. She wrapped her arms around his neck, arched up, riding intimately against the hard length of him.

“We need a condom,” he groaned against her lips. Breaking the kiss, he grabbed one from the soap dish, tore the package open with his teeth and she watched as he rolled it on. He really was magnificent. Everything about him was so strong and male. And so
large.
He was big all over.

“I love this,” he said, reaching up to toy with her nipple ring. Then he lowered his head and took it between his teeth, tugging. Suddenly her legs didn't want to hold her up anymore, but that was okay, because Matt lifted her right up off her feet. She wrapped her legs around his waist and framed his face in her hands, locking her eyes on his as he slowly entered her. Inch by wonderful inch he filled her, the transition smooth and effortless because she was so completely ready for him. And when he'd buried himself as deeply as he could go, he stopped and for a long moment they simply held each other. She knew from the look in his eyes he was thinking the exact same thing she was—they were a perfect fit. And not just physically. Mentally, intellectually, spiritually—they were undeniably compatible. Except for the teensy problem of him being obsessed with his work and living a couple of thousand miles away.

Again she began to feel that deep sadness, that emptiness when she imagined her life without him in it. Then Matt began to move, so tenderly, his eyes still locked on hers. It was so beautiful, so magical, tears filled her eyes. She wanted to stay like this all night, Matt's hard body pressed against her, the hot water sharp on her sensitized skin. Her body was already trembling, screaming for release.

“Oh, Em.” He pressed his forehead to hers and she could feel him tensing, feel him fighting to hold back for her and that simple act of selflessness was her undoing. She shuddered in his arms, crying out as sweet ecstasy swept over her. When she thought for sure Matt was only seconds behind her, he didn't stop. He drove deep and steady inside her until she
felt the pressure begin to build once more. She hovered on the edge, not quite ready to tumble over, then Matt lowered his head, took her nipple ring in his mouth…

They shattered together, their release fierce and intense. They remained wrapped in each other's arms for several minutes afterward, until Matt's knee began to burn from the extra weight, but damn, he didn't want to let go yet. Each time he made love to Emily it was more special, more out-of-this-world fantastic.

His legs began to shake and Emily lifted her head from his shoulder.

“Your knee hurts,” she said, sliding from his arms. “Why don't we go lie down?”

“Uh-uh,” he said grabbing a bar of soap. “First I get to wash you. Turn and face the wall.”

She assumed the position, then looked back at him over her shoulder. “Are you going to do something kinky?”

“Hell, yeah.” He slid his soapy hands all over her back and across her shoulders.

She let out a long contented breath and her head dropped forward. “That's nice.”

“I'm just getting started.” He slid lower, down the sweet curve of her behind, and when she was soapy enough, he pulled her against him. She let out a little gasp of surprise when she realized he was very ready for her again. He was just as surprised. He had no idea he possessed that level of stamina anymore.

She pressed her backside erotically against the length of him. The slippery heat, the bold gesture, nearly did him in. He covered her breasts with his
soapy hands. Their soft fullness fitting perfectly in his palms. He massaged gently, squeezing her nipples as she'd done to him. She moaned and pressed herself even harder against him.

He washed lower, down her hips and stomach, then he slipped a hand between her thighs and she shuddered in his arms. He filled her with one finger and she writhed against him—one more and she moaned. She was slick and hot and so ready for him he knew he had to have her again. And as much as he wanted to make love to her right there in the shower, he knew his knee would never last under the strain.

“I was thinking it might be time to move this into the bedroom,” he said.

“Yes,” she agreed breathlessly. “Let's go.”

T
hey stepped out of the shower, grabbed the box of protection from the bathroom counter, and fell into bed soaking wet.

For a while they only kissed, which was okay with Matt because no one kissed like Emily. Then their hands began to wander, and soon their mouths joined in on the action. They touched and tasted each other in a manner that would make most women blush. But not Emily. She couldn't seem to get enough—enough of touching him or of being touched. And when just touching wasn't enough, she straddled him and drove him deep inside her body.

He lost track of exactly how many times they made love, but when they finally took a break, when he was too exhausted to do any more than lie there like a lump, she sat up, bright-eyed, her hair adorably
messy and said, “I'm starved. Want to go out and get a bite to eat?”

He looked up at her from his sprawled-out position on the rumpled sheets and thought, thank God for room service. Nothing short of a fire was going to get him out of this bed. “There's a menu by the phone. Knock yourself out.”

She ordered sandwiches and beer, then sprawled out next to him while they waited for it to arrive. They didn't talk, just lay there quietly being together. He wondered what life would be like without this, and had a disturbing thought.

If the restaurant was no longer being built, he had no reason to stay in Michigan. It would be time to go back home soon.

He thought about returning to his life in L.A., and felt sick inside. What he had there wasn't a life. He'd never felt more alive, more complete, than these last few days with Emily. Where he belonged was in Chapel with her.
This
was home.

What he hadn't recognized before was so obvious to him now. No restaurant he could build, no business deal he could close would ever fill the void. What was missing from his life, what had been missing all these years, was her.

And he loved her. Deep down, he'd always known that, and he'd run from it.

It ended here. Today he stopped running.

“Emily, I—” He was interrupted by a loud knock, and cursed whoever had the lousy timing to interrupt them at that precise moment. “It's probably our room service. I'll just be a minute.”

He rolled out of bed and tugged a pair of jeans
on. There was another loud knock and he yelled, “Hold on.”

He shut the bedroom door partway behind him and yanked the suite door open, but instead of room service, Ty strutted past him and into the suite.

“I've got it,” Ty said, waving a manila envelope.

“Got what?”

“The report from the P.I. All the dirt I need on Emily's boyfriend.”

Matt swore silently. “Maybe now's not the time—”

“He's cheating on her.” Ty pulled a stack of photos from the envelope and shoved them into Matt's hands. Then added with obvious disgust, “With a
guy.
”

Matt glanced down at the pictures in his hands and—
Whoa!
—promptly handed them back. “You can have those back now.”

“You're off the hook. You can stop trying to seduce Emily now.”

Matt cringed, praying Emily wasn't hearing every word they were saying. “Ty, it wasn't—”

“My parents and I can't thank you enough for helping us. When we show Emily these pictures, she won't have a choice but to leave the guy. I'm taking them to my parents right now.”

“You're not taking those pictures anywhere.”

They both turned to see Emily standing in the bedroom doorway, fully dressed. She had that look on her face, that barely contained fury that told him he was in worse trouble than he'd thought. Matt cursed under his breath.

Ty paled about four shades. “You might have mentioned my sister was here, Matt.”

“If you had shut up for two seconds I would have.”

“I have an idea. Why don't you both shut up.” Emily walked over to her brother and held out her hand. He actually cringed, as if he thought she might deck him. “Give me the envelope.”

“I'm so sorry, Em,” Ty said, handing her the photos. “You'll get over him. He wasn't good enough for you. You've got Matt now.”

“No, I don't,” she said, glancing at Matt, icy venom in her eyes. She dumped the contents of the envelope out on the table. She stuffed the negatives in her pocket and began tearing the photos.

“Hey!” Ty shouted.

“I can't believe you paid a private investigator to follow Alex. You've done some really stupid things in your life, but this definitely tops them all.” Emily dumped the shredded photos in a trash can. “Are these all the pictures?”

“That's all of them. But tearing them up isn't going to change the fact that he's cheating on you, Em. You have to break up with him.”

“Ty, you are such an idiot. Alex isn't my boyfriend, nor has he ever been.”

“But you said—”

“I never said anything. You guys just assumed, and I never denied it.”

“But—”

“Go home, Ty. Matt and I need to talk. Then I'm going to go explain everything to Mom and Dad. You
will not
say a word about this until I've talked to them, understand?”

Ty nodded and shrank toward the door, obviously intimidated by her threatening tone. “Okay. But
when you're done talking to Mom and Dad, you're going to explain a few things to me.”

“Go,” Emily said sternly, and her brother grudgingly left, flashing Matt a look of sympathy on his way out.

Matt shut the door and turned to Emily. Oh, man, he'd seen her mad before, but never like this. Her eyes had deepened to the steel-blue of his vintage '65 Mustang and he could swear he saw smoke coming out of her ears. “Give me a chance to explain.”

“You know what my family is like, the way they try to control my life. And you were
helping
them? Pretending to be my friend so what, you could keep tabs on me for them?” She shook with anger. “You don't have to
seduce
me anymore? What is he, your pimp?”

“It wasn't like that, Emily.” The words sounded lame, even to him. “I would have pursued you whether he put me up to it or not. I wouldn't have been able to stay away from you.”

“I'm supposed to believe that?”

“I made a mistake. But your parents and Ty were really worried about you. They asked for my help. What was I supposed to tell them?”

“You could have told them no.”

“How could I do that? If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be where I am today. I owe them so much.”

“Did it ever occur to you to
tell
me? Who were you protecting?”

“Your brother and your parents. And myself,” he admitted, because to do otherwise would be a lie. “I was afraid you would be angry with me.”

“Well, you were right, I'm angry.”

“By helping them, I thought I was helping you.”

“No, Matt, the only person you were trying to help was
you.
That's the way it's always been. I'm just sorry I didn't see it until now.”

She turned to leave. He was losing her.

“Emily, wait! I know what it is. The thing that's missing from my life. I finally figured it out.”

She stopped, her hand on the knob.

“It's
you.
You're the thing that makes me feel complete. I'm in love with you, Emily.”

She stood very still for a long moment, then she turned to him, tears rolling down her cheeks. “The really sad thing is that I love you, too, Matt.”

Then she was gone.

 

Matt stood in the empty lot next to Touchdown, watching the demolition team assemble.

“She'll cool down,” someone said and he turned to see Ty standing behind him. “So this is it? You're just going to give up?”

Matt shrugged. “Not much choice. My investors all backed out and I can't take the risk of putting the money up myself. The weird thing is, all I can feel is relieved it's over. Building a restaurant here would have been a mistake. I knew it all along. I just wouldn't let myself see it.”

“Matt, I wasn't talking about the restaurant.”

Matt shoved his hands in his pockets. “I know what you were talking about.”

“She'll come around.”

“I don't think so. And honestly, I can't blame her if she hates me forever. I've done nothing but let her down since I've been back. I've screwed everything up.”

“And every time you screw up, she forgives you. This is my fault, really. I shouldn't have stuck my nose in. I should have let nature take its course with you and Em.”

“Nature? Do you mean you knew…”

“That something was going on with you two? Who didn't? You guys were attached at the hip since you were eight years old. Do you know how jealous I used to get? It was like you two had some secret club I wasn't invited into.”

“We were just good friends,” Matt said. Until the beach, anyway.

“When you left for college she was a wreck. I knew something happened between you. You made yourself pretty scarce for a long time and she spent way too much energy trying to pretend she didn't care. I must have asked her to come to California with me a dozen times, and she always said no. Getting you two back together was damn near impossible.”

Matt could hardly believe what he was hearing. “Are you telling me you set this whole thing up?”

“More or less.”

“What about the boyfriend? Was that just part of the plan?”

“No, that part was real. I didn't know they weren't really together. I just knew something about it wasn't right. She wasn't happy.”

“And the part about him being into something illegal?” Matt asked.

Ty grinned. “Nah, I just made that up. You weren't looking like you were going to cooperate. I had to give you a good reason to want to help me.”

Matt shook his head. “I fell for it.”

“Yeah, you're pretty stupid that way. For all your success and your money, you had absolutely no direction. Those people you hang out with, the women you date—it's just not you. And Emily, man, she's just been a real pain in the rear since you left.”

“Don't tell her that.”

“Already did.”

Matt raised an inquisitive brow. “What did you say exactly?”

“Everything that I'm telling you.”

“And you walked away in one piece? How did you manage that? There's nothing she hates more than to have you and your parents messing with her life.”

“I told her I did it because I was tired of seeing you both so unhappy. And I loved you both too much not to do something about it.”

It wasn't often he and Ty displayed any kind of affection, and Matt found himself more than a little choked up. “What did Emily say?”

“She punched me in the stomach. Then she started crying and hugged me.”

In the parking lot of Touchdown Matt heard a commotion and saw that the wrecking ball was in position. “This is it,” he said.

“You're really going to let them do it? You're going to let them win?”

“It's not about winning or losing. The truth is, I don't care what anyone in this town thinks of me. I'm tired of trying to prove myself. I know what I've accomplished, and that's all that matters.”

“What are you going to do next? Build another one somewhere else?”

He shook his head. “I don't think so. I'm thinking
of selling off the Touchdown chain. I've had a couple of decent offers. I may take some time off. Decide what I want to do next. But the thought of doing it alone…” He shook his head, unable to speak for all the emotion backing up in his throat. He didn't want to do it without Emily by his side.

Ty clasped a hand on Matt's shoulder. “Give her time. She'll come around.”

The foreman called out a warning to be sure the area was secure, and Matt took one last look at the building as the wrecking ball fell.

 

“How bad is it?” Alex asked from his seat on the corner of Emily's desk.

“Bad,” Emily said. “If we stretch it, we can make it through to the end of the summer.”

Alex took a slug of his diet soda. “Bummer.”

“Bummer?”
she repeated, barely able to contain her frustration. If her hand wasn't still sore from punching her brother, she would have broken Alex's nose. “I tell you we're going to have to close our doors, putting our entire staff out of work, and all you can say is
bummer?
I've been killing myself trying to keep us in business.”

“And despite the odds you've done a valiant job. Give it up, honey.”

“I can't believe you're being so flip about this.”

“And I can't believe you still care. Your parents are selling you the property, you'll have your flower shop soon.”

“Yeah,” she said grudgingly.

“You don't sound too happy about it anymore.”

She should have been ecstatic. Her parents were putting the property in her name next week on deliv
ery of the first three-quarters of the money; the remaining amount to be paid in installments over the next two years. They were
finally
taking her seriously. The bank was considering her application, but had already said that with her impeccable credit and sound business plan they didn't think she would have any problems securing a business loan. She had everything she'd been working for, yet it held no satisfaction.

At first she'd blamed it on Conway. But after her talk with Ty this morning, she was having a really hard time holding on to her anger where he was concerned. Put in the identical position as Matt, she couldn't say she wouldn't have reacted as he had. The guy was loyal to a fault, though slightly misguided. And while she would have appreciated it if he'd told her the truth, she understood why he hadn't. She wanted to hate him for what he'd done. But all these sappy feelings of love kept mucking things up.