I WOKE that morning with my back arching off the bed and Emmett’s tongue on my clit.
“Good morning,” he murmured against my thigh after making me come. He pressed light kisses across my skin as I sunk back into the pillows, eyes closed and breathing hard.
“It sure is.” I glanced down at him with a grin. Was this real? Never in a million years would I have predicted I’d be so lucky as to wake up like this. “Thank you.”
“You are very, very welcome.” He moved to lay down beside me, propping himself up on his side, watching me with a satisfied smile on his face. He was shirtless, only wearing running shorts, and his cheeks were tinged with pink and bronze. His hair was damp with sweat.
Goddamn, he was good-looking.
I bit my lip. “If I knew you could do that with your mouth, I would have said yes to this a lot faster.”
He laughed. I loved the way the skin around his eyes crinkled when he laughed like that.
“What time is it?”
“A little after nine.” He leaned down to place a soft kiss on my arm.
“Did you go for a run already?”
He nodded.
“Early bird,” I whispered and turned on my side, facing him. My body was languid, relaxed, and worn out in the best way. My fingers brushed over his chest and shoulders, tracing the defined muscles. “Why didn’t you wake me?”
“You needed your rest after last night.” His gaze flickered with heat, and a wicked smile grew on his features.
I sighed with contentment. “Last night felt like a dream.”
His smile grew. “A good dream, I hope.”
“The best dream.”
His hand came to my arm, and he brushed his fingers across my skin. He watched his hand closely. “The wedding is tomorrow.”
I nodded. “Mhm.”
His eyes met mine, so beautiful in the morning light. “We still on, Adams?”
There was something about the way he looked at me with that soft, affectionate gaze tinged with uncertainty that made my heart expand in my chest. I was marrying this guy tomorrow, and I didn’t feel a lick of hesitation. I probably should have, because who would do what we were doing? No one. It was crazy. I knew that, and yet, lying in his bed, sated and boneless and comfortable, gazing upon his freaking gorgeous face, running my hands over his incredible body, I couldn’t think of any reasons why we shouldn’t get married tomorrow.
“I’ll be there. I’ll be the one in the white dress.”
He grinned and pulled me against him. “Come here.” His mouth covered mine.
“I have morning breath,” I protested.
“Don’t care,” he mumbled against me.
Our kisses started slow, but apparently, the sex marathon from the last twelve hours hadn’t wrung us out yet because after a few minutes, we became more frantic, and our hands explored. His length pressed against me, and I slipped my hand into his running shorts.
“Wait, I’m sweaty.”
I shook my head at him. “Don’t care.”
But he slid out from under me and jogged over to the bathroom.
“Get back here!”
“I’ll be fast, I promise.”
A second later, I heard the shower turn on. I slipped out of bed and paused at the door of the bathroom, watching my Greek god stand under the water, head tilted back to wet his hair, eyes closed. His erection jutted out and a flush of pleasure and excitement bloomed low in my belly.
“Hi,” I said, stepping into the shower.
His eyes opened and flared with heat as he pulled me closer. “Hi.”
“CAN I make you some breakfast before I leave, sweetheart?” Emmett asked downstairs as he moved around the kitchen.
I poured a coffee and shook my head. “No, thank you, darling. I’ll have something at the restaurant. I don’t like to eat right away in the mornings.”
“Noted.” He pressed a kiss against my temple, making me grin into my coffee.
Last night was… sigh. And then again last night was… sigh. And this morning? Sigh. And then again in the shower? Siiiiigh.
I took a sip of coffee, surveying him over the mug. “If this is life being married to Emmett Rhodes, I could get used to it.”
He chuckled and wrapped his arms around me from behind. I settled into his warm embrace, leaning back into him.
“Let me make you dinner tonight. We can have a quiet night before tomorrow’s chaos.”
And he even cooked. What wormhole had I tripped and fell through? “That sounds perfect.”
His mouth came to my neck, and I shivered. What was it about his touch that elicited such a reaction from me? It was like I was magnetized to him, drawn to him, and responsive to any touch or brush of his fingers. Even after two orgasms this morning, I craved his touch.
“Do we have time?” My voice was soft, my desire growing. “Don’t you have to get to work?”
“Don’t care.” His voice was low. He kissed the corner of my mouth and my eyes fell closed.
On the counter, a phone buzzed.
“Is that me or you?” I mumbled against his mouth.
“Don’t care,” he said again. He turned my chair so I faced him before gripping my hair, tilting my head back, and kissing me deep. I moaned into his mouth.
The buzzing stopped and the kitchen was quiet except for the rustle of our hands on each other’s clothing and the little gasps coming from me as Emmett ran his mouth down my neck.
The buzzing started again.
He groaned in irritation and raised his head to look over my shoulder. “It’s your phone.”
“I’ll turn it off.” I reached for it. Max’s name flashed across the screen. I frowned at Emmett. “I should get this.”
“No.” He took it from my hand and placed it on the counter before pulling me back to him.
I laughed and melted into him.
The buzzing began again, and Emmett groaned.
“Let me just see what he wants, and we can go back to fooling around like teenagers,” I told him, and he sighed, keeping his arms locked around me. I answered the call. “Hi, Max.”
“This better be good,” Emmett growled beside me, loud enough for Max to hear.
“Finally.” Max’s voice was tense and urgent. “Did you see my texts?”
“No, I’ve been away from my phone.” My gaze flicked to Emmett. He watched me with dark eyes and began to unzip my hoodie. I grinned and slapped his hand away. “What’s up?”
“Three servers are sick, the supplier’s truck was in an accident so we don’t have any eggs, a busload of hungry tourists just walked in the door, and we never have enough forks! Where do all the forks go? Are the dishwashers just throwing them in the garbage?” His voice wavered. “We can’t be the kind of place to use plastic forks, Avery. We just can’t. Why are Friday mornings always like this?”
“Okay, okay. Take a deep breath.” I adopted the voice of a calm woman, like on commercials. Emmett’s hands roamed my torso and I bit back a grin and leaned into his warmth. “Who was driving? Was it John? Is he okay?”
“Yes, and he’s fine. It was just a fender bender but I think he popped a tire.”
“I’m going to call the grocery store and call in a favor. You’ll have eggs in ten minutes. I’ll find the forks. It’s going to be okay. I’m on my way.”
Emmett’s mouth was on my ear, making me shiver. “She’s sick. She can’t work.”
“Are you sick too!?” Max squeaked.
“No, Max, I’m fine,” I laughed. “Emmett’s just joking.”
“Not joking,” Emmett murmured against the crook of my neck. “Think you have a fever.”
Max huffed a breath. “Also, I saw Chuck talking to Keiko.”
I froze. “About what?” Emmett lifted his head to listen.
“I don’t know, but she looked uncomfortable.”
I chewed my lip. “Okay. Hold down the fort until I get there. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
We hung up and Emmett and I looked at each other.
“He’s up to something.” Emmett’s hands came to my shoulders and a crease formed between his eyebrows. “I don’t like how he’s been hanging around so much lately.”
“I don’t like it either, but I can’t stop him. I’ll check in with Keiko today to make sure we’re all good.” We had a bank appointment on Tuesday to sign the paperwork and transfer the business over to me. I knew the next few days would be a blur, with the wedding and all, but four days seemed like forever.
I rose up on my toes to give Emmett a quick kiss. “I should go.”
“I’ll drive you.”
The morning flew by as Max, myself, and one other server managed to keep a full restaurant happy. The busload of tourists turned out to be in great spirits, and very understanding of our staff shortage. The dishwasher had not been tossing the forks in the garbage, but placing them in a spot four feet away from where Max thought they were, so that issue was sorted. John, the delivery driver, showed up after lunch with a new tire and all the food we had been running out of.
During the lull between lunch and dinner, Max and I stood at the bar, catching our breaths. There were a few lingering tables but the rush was over and everything was under control.
“We haven’t had a day like that in a while.” I sounded dazed.
Max leaned against the bar, staring at nothing in front of him. “I can’t feel my feet.”
“Go home.” I nudged him with my elbow. “You’ve been here since opening. I’m supposed to be the workaholic, not you.”
“I’ll wait until Rachel gets here,”
The front door opened and Rachel breezed in. “Hey,” she said with a cheerful smile.
I turned to Max. “Go home.”
Max relented and left. Two more servers arrived and we prepared for dinner service. It was Friday night so the restaurant was full of tourists, and I stepped in at the bar to help mix drinks. At one point, I went to my office and shot Emmett a quick text.
We’re slammed tonight, is it okay if I raincheck on our dinner? I’m so sorry.
He responded immediately.
Absolutely. I’ll be here when you get home.
Home. My chest felt the downward tug of disappointment, though. Did I miss Emmett? I’d only seen him that morning, but I had thought about him throughout the day, felt his fingers in my hair and his arms around me and his lips on mine. A fraction of me pulled away, telling me this was too delicious, too indulgent and it wouldn’t last. The rest of me wanted more. The rest of me wanted as much Emmett as I could get.
Come by the restaurant around eight, I texted. I hesitated but my fingers texted the words before I could hold them back. I miss you.
I miss you, too, Adams. See you around eight.
My heart swooped and dipped and I bit back a smile before slipping the phone into my pocket and opening the door to my office.
Elizabeth stood in the doorway with her hand poised, about to knock.
A big grin stretched over my face. “Hello, there.”
Her face lit up when she saw me. “Just the person I was looking for. How are you doing, honey?”
I nodded. “Good, good. Come in.” I stepped back and she followed me into my small office, taking a seat. “The chaos of this morning is over and now we’re back to regular chaotic levels around here.”
She raised an eyebrow, the same way Emmett did sometimes. “I meant about tomorrow.”
The wedding. Right. I glanced down at the sparkly ring on my finger, the one I had gotten so used to wearing I wasn’t sure how I’d ever take it off. I was getting married tomorrow. Fake married, but still, married. An image of Emmett in his suit popped into my head and a little thrill rolled through me. I took a deep breath and nodded. “I’m good.”
Elizabeth watched with a concerned expression. “It’s okay to be nervous. I was.”
I glanced up at her. “You were?”
“Oh, yes. Terrified. It’s a big day! All those people, watching, staring, waiting for me to trip on my dress or say the wrong man’s name or bolt before I got down the aisle.”
I stared at her in horror. I hadn’t been thinking about any of those things, but I sure as hell was now.
She threw her hands up. “Not that you’re going to do any of that! And if you do, everyone will just laugh it off.”
“Okay.” I felt dazed and unsure.
She put her hands over mine. “Sweetheart. It’s going to be great. I know it.”
I looked at where her hands covered mine and smiled again. “I know.” I glanced up at her. “I’m lucky to have you.”
She melted. “Honey, no. I’m the lucky one.” She sighed. “I always worried about Emmett. He’s the oldest and he’s the one who takes care of everyone else. When his brothers get into trouble or need help, it’s Emmett stepping in. He’s always at the house, doing repairs and making Sam and I dinner and buying us things. He’s so independent and I always worried he’d never have someone in his corner, taking care of him.” She swallowed. “Until you, honey. I’m so happy he has you. I can see how much he loves you.”
My heart thrashed in my chest, desperate to get out. This sweet, kind, sincere woman had been nothing but welcoming to me since the day she met me, and here I was, lying to her. My throat squeezed. I did love Emmett, though, I just couldn’t tell him. The only person I was lying to these days was him.
I nodded at her. I wanted to be that person for Emmett, the person in his corner, looking out for him.
“I love him, too,” I admitted, and the tension in my chest eased a fraction. It felt good to say out loud to someone.
Her eyes crinkled. “I know.” She gave my hand another warm squeeze, as if she could see my anguish. “Tomorrow’s going to be a great day, and we’re going to celebrate as a family.” She gave me a meaningful look. “That includes you now.”
Growing up, it was always just my mom and I. Even when my parents were still together, my dad wasn’t there. Sure, he lived in the house, but he’d be out late with friends, claiming he was networking or making business deals or whatever. I didn’t know his side of the family, and my mom was an only child, so I didn’t grow up with cousins and aunts and uncles like other kids did.
So stepping into the Rhodes family like this, with them ushering me in with a red carpet, open arms and all, it was like sinking into bed after a long day at the restaurant. It was everything I didn’t realize I wanted. Family. For now, at least.
Heart, meet wrecking ball. Prepare to get smashed into a thousand pieces when this is all over.
“Alright.” Elizabeth smiled at me a moment before standing. “I’m excited about tomorrow. It’s going to be a great day and we’re all going to have a lot of fun. Now, give me a hug.”
I stood and let her pull me into an embrace. She smelled like lavender and I mentally catalogued this moment so I’d have it forever.
After Elizabeth left, I returned to the bar to help. Dinner service flew by, and the last diners were finishing their meals when Keiko took a seat at the bar.
I greeted her with a big grin. “Well, hello, stranger. I was wondering if you’d drop by today.”
She leaned on the bar and watched as I wiped it down. “Why are you working today? You should be relaxing at home.”
“We had a couple staff call in sick. I don’t mind. I love it here.”
She smiled. “I know you do.”
“Would you like a glass of wine?”
She nodded.
“Cab sav or merlot?”
“Cab sav, please.” She shifted on her chair and watched my hands as I selected the right glass. She cleared her throat and I shot her a curious glance.
I saw Chuck talking to Keiko. Max’s words rang in my head from this morning. She looked uncomfortable.
We were so busy today that I had forgotten. I wasn’t sure how to bring that up with Keiko without sounding nosy, though. It wasn’t my business who she spoke to.
“I wanted to talk to you about something.” Her gaze flicked between the bottle I poured from and my eyes.
“Okay.” My tone was hesitant.
“It’s nothing, but I’d rather you heard it from me and not someone in town. Queen’s Cove residents love to gossip.”
I remembered how fast news of Emmett and me spread. “Do they ever.”
She toyed with the stem of her wine glass. “Chuck approached me today with an offer to buy the restaurant.”
My mouth dropped.
Keiko looked up. “I’m not going to sell to him, of course, but I wanted to keep you in the loop. This doesn’t change anything.”
My mind was going a mile a minute but no coherent thoughts formed. “How did—” I shook my head. “Why does he think—” I broke off again. My throat closed up. That fucking rat. He was always sneaking around, just waiting for me to turn my back so he could shove me out of the way. Fury rattled my rib cage. “Fuck.”
“Fuck, indeed.”
A surprised, humorless laugh fell out of my mouth. It was the first time I had heard Keiko swear. I blinked rapidly. “How much did he offer you?”
She glanced up at me, then back down at her wine. “It’s not important.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Yes, it is. How much?”
She sighed. “Ten percent more.”
“Ten percent more?” I gaped at her.
“Avery.” Her tone was stern and she pinned me with her gaze. “I am not interested in Chuck owning The Arbutus, and I told him that. My decision is final.”
I crossed my arms and leaned against the bar. I hated that Chuck put her in this position, that she was turning down more money because of me. And yet, I’d do anything to buy this place. I uncrossed my arms and twisted my ring around my finger. “Keiko, I don’t know what to say. I’m sorry this happened.”
“It’s okay.” She gave me a little smile and took a sip of wine. “Chuck won’t get in the way of your dream. Tuesday, it’s all yours.”
I pulled a deep breath into my lungs and nodded. Tuesday couldn’t come soon enough. One wrong move and Chuck was waiting in the wings, ready to scoop this place up.
The front door opened and Emmett walked into the restaurant holding a bouquet. My heart lifted. All the emotions I had been feeling today broke, leaving me exhausted and relieved to see him.
Something in my expression caused Keiko to turn around. “Ah,” she said when she saw Emmett. “Avery, go give your fiancé a proper hello. I’m going to enjoy a few moments alone.”
I nodded. “Sounds good. Enjoy.” I stepped around the bar and wandered over to him. His gaze stayed on me the entire time. “Hi.”
“Hi, sweetheart.” He dropped a kiss on my cheek. His skin was warm against mine and I felt it down to my toes.
I nodded to the flowers. “Are these for me?” Roses, a deep blood-red, moody and romantic. My heart pinged, and I couldn’t hide my smile of delight. I never bought flowers for myself because they’d just die within a few days, and it always seemed like a waste of money. These were beautiful, though. The indulgence of them, that Emmett bought them for me, made my stomach flutter.
He nodded. “They are. Is this a good time?”
“You bet. Thank you so much.” I stuck my nose into the bouquet and inhaled the fresh floral scent. “What’s the occasion?”
“My girl had the day from hell.”
My girl. If I had a diary, I’d write those words down so I’d never forget him saying them. I looked around at the restaurant, bathed in soft lighting. “You know, it started great,” I gave him a wink, and his gaze heated. “Then it went downhill,” I winced, “but it’s looking up again. This is just how the restaurant industry is. Stuff happens and we deal with it. Why don’t you take a seat, I’ll go put these in my office and we can have a drink.”
He gave me another quick kiss on my cheek and his stubble brushed my skin. “Sure.”
When I returned to the dining room, Emmett was seated at a table near the window with an uncorked bottle of wine.
I slipped into the seat across from him and gave him a soft smile as I leaned my chin on my palm. “I’m happy to see you.”
“I’m happy to see you too, Adams. Missed you today.” He reached across the table to cover my other hand with his.
I relaxed at the warmth of his hand. If he pulled me out of here right now and carried me to his bed, I wouldn’t mind one bit.
“Tired?”
I wanted to tell him about Chuck making Keiko an offer, but I remembered Elizabeth’s words from my office, about how Emmett was always taking care of others. With the campaign, Will’s family stuff, and tomorrow’s wedding, I didn’t want to add yet another problem to his plate. “I’m okay. Tired in a good way.”
“What did Chuck want from Keiko this morning?”
So much for not telling him. I guess he did overhear Max telling me that on the phone. I let a long breath out and met his gaze with hesitance. “He made her an offer on The Arbutus.”
Emmett’s gaze lost all the warmth from moments ago. “What?” His tone was low and cold.
I winced. “He made her an offer ten percent higher than mine.” When Emmett glanced over my shoulder at Keiko, I shook my head. “She turned him down. She doesn’t want him owning this place either.”
Emmett’s mouth set in a firm line and his hand made a fist on the table. “Adams, listen to me. That guy will not buy this restaurant.”
I nodded, twirling the ring on my ringer. “I know.”
“Do you?” His eyebrows went up and he watched my expression. “You’re getting your restaurant, Adams.” He slipped my left hand into his and moved my ring back and forth. We both studied it as it caught the light and glinted back at us. “We made a deal.”
His words comforted something in me, and yet it was another reminder what we were doing was just an agreement.
“I don’t want to think about this anymore.” I lifted my gaze to meet his as his fingers brushed mine. “I just want to have a nice night with you.”
He watched me and I let him. Something about his gaze made me both energized and at ease. I wanted him to look at me. I enjoyed the way his eyes moved over me, taking in my features.
He pulled his hand back and reached into his jacket pocket. “I have something for you.” There was a flare of contained excitement in his eyes.
I tilted my head. “You already gave me flowers.”
“I know. I was going to give these to you tomorrow, but you’ve had a day and I think now’s the right time.” He placed a little navy-blue velvet box on the table in front of me, and I stared at it.
This looked like the box from the engagement ring on my finger. My heart beat hard and fast in my chest. I glanced up at Emmett and he smiled, waiting and watching. His eyebrows wiggled up and down and my pulse picked up.
Was Emmett proposing…for real?
I cracked the box open.
Earrings.
I nearly laughed at myself. Of course he wasn’t proposing for real.
The earrings sparkled, two clusters of diamonds in a similar style to my ring. “Wow,” I breathed, glancing up at him.
He beamed back at me. “You like them?”
I nodded. “They’re gorgeous.”
He seemed pleased. So pleased. “Good. I had the same jeweler who made your ring whip them up.”
I snorted. “Whip them up? So casual. Do you have a jeweler on speed dial?”
He raised an eyebrow. “I do now.”
A grin grew across my face, and the most delicious warmth spread through my chest.
“You’re a good man, you know that?”
Something shuttered behind his eyes. The quickest flicker. Hesitation. It was gone before I could catch it, and he just reached for the bottle of wine to pour me another glass.
I stood. His gaze snagged on me, and he looked like he was going to ask me a question, but I walked around the table, leaned down, and kissed him.
This. It had been ten hours since I had done this last, and yet my entire body felt like I was on the down part of a roller coaster. He groaned into me, and I inhaled him and his fucking incredible scent.
Emmett. It’s Emmett, I thought to myself. I guess it had always been Emmett.
I didn’t know what I was going to do with that thought, so I left it floating in my head while I reminded Emmett of how this kissing thing worked.
“It’s not cute anymore,” the host, Rachel, called as she passed. “It’s getting gross.”
We laughed against each other, and I returned to my side of the table. A triumphant, cocky smile spread across my face when I saw Emmett looked a bit dazed. He made a satisfied hum to himself, and heat flared again in his gaze.
“I picked up the marriage certificate today.” He watched me closely.
“Okay.”
His chest rose and fell as he took a deep breath. He cleared his throat. “We’ll sign it at the ceremony, but I won’t file it at town hall. The marriage won’t be valid unless I file it.”
He watched my face as I tried to hold it neutral. Right. Our fake marriage. My heart ached once, sharp and fast, and I swallowed.
The realization hit me. I swatted it away like a wasp at a picnic, but it wouldn’t leave.
I didn’t want this to be a fake marriage.
I wanted it to be real. I wanted to file that marriage certificate with both our names on it. I wanted to wake up to his mouth on me and his arms around me and us scrambling against each other. I wanted to fall asleep in his bedroom. I wanted it to be my bedroom, too. I wanted to laugh with him at the turtle rescue as he gagged and tried to hand the turtles off. I wanted to go to Rhodes family dinners with him. I wanted more nights at Castle Beach, just the two of us eating sushi and talking.
Hesitation trickled into my mind. Marriage meant we would own everything fifty-fifty. Emmett would co-own The Arbutus.
I lifted my gaze to meet his. Emmett didn’t want a real marriage, anyway. He had told me he wasn’t a family guy, not a relationship and commitment guy. It wasn’t in the cards for him. I had known this from the beginning. We had always been on the same page. This was the deal.
I pushed the thoughts away and nodded. “Okay. We won’t file the certificate.”
This wasn’t an us problem, it was a me problem. I’d deal with it like I dealt with everything—alone. Besides, it would be easier not to feel these things after our fake marriage was over and I had moved back into my own place and we didn’t see each other every day.
I was going to enjoy it while it lasted, though, because I’d never get something like this again.
We sat there for a while, chatting about nothing, just enjoying each other’s company until the bottle was empty and Emmett reached for my hand.
“Shall we head home, Adams?” His thumb brushed the back of my hand and I shivered.
I couldn’t tell Emmett what he meant to me. I could show him, though. I could pour every ounce of what swirled around inside me, all this affection, longing, and need, into showing him what he meant to me.
Tonight, I’d let myself be a little in love with Emmett Rhodes.
