“I would never hurt you like that.” He threw his head back with insult. “I will never step out on you. Ever.”
Distantly, she knew that was probably true, given the betrayal he’d suffered at the hands of his ex, but all she could say was a tormented, “Why the hell would I give you the chance to say anything? You can’t even—”
“I trust you, Emma! Damn it. I do” he cut in, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I came all this way to tell you that. To make you believe it.” he said
“And started by asking why I was talking to another man? Samson was asking about the baby and you. He wanted to know if I was leaving with you. Okay? You said so without even talking to me about it. Still being controlling as always. That’s what we were talking about.” She looked blindly toward the blackened windows.
After a pulse of silence, he said, “I was talking to Isabel about getting you a ring.”
“You were talking about getti
She tentatively set her trembling fingers on his open palms. Swallowed the thickness in her throat..“I know you have every reason to hate me—” he said.“I don’t hate you, Daniel. I don't—”“Shh. Let me say this. I shouldn’t have made presumptions that day when my brother said those things about you. I shouldn't have said what I said. I should have protected you. But instead I made everything worse. I’m so ashamed of the way I acted. You were hurt and worried and I should have taken that burden from you. It was wrong and I won’t let anything like that happen again, no matter where in the world you live.”“I’ll live with you.” Emma said. She bit her lips to keep them from quivering. “If that’s what you want, I will come home with you.”“Because you want to believe in m
Emma rolled her eyes. “I think I’m capable of leaving the house alone.”“I know you are,” he said quietly. “I just worry and I’d prefer to be with you.”There wasn’t much she could say to that, so she nodded. “I’ll see you at lunch.” she said.He lifted his hand in a wave and then walked away. For a moment she stared after him and then she closed the door, leaning against it.One week of attempting to forget the past and forge ahead.“How’s that working out for you?” she muttered as she traipsed into the bathroom.She wanted a long, hot bath, then she would go sit in the balcony and get some work done on her laptop.After drawing a tub full of steaming water, she sank up to her ears and sighed in complete bliss. She hadn’t made the water too hot, and she wouldn’t stay long.After twenty minutes, regretfully, she toed the lever for the drain and then hauled her
As they looked over their menus, Daniel stole a glance at Emma. Seeming to sense his perusal, she looked up and offered a tentative smile. He smiled back, captivated by the sparkle in her dark eyes.She was…beautiful. And this time when she looked at him, he didn’t see the dark anger that had sparked so often the past weeks. That made him happy.----------------------------Emma stared out the window as she munched on one of the tasty little confections whose name escaped her. It had cheese and shrimp. She wasn’t sure of the other ingredients, but it was good and she was starving.The sky had started to soften. Wispy pastel tendrils flirted across the horizon as the sun sank lower. She closed her eyes and allowed the soft breeze to soothe her fried nerves.She’d expended more emotional energy over the past months than she had in a lifetime. She wanted to exist free of distress. Just for a little whi
Her eyelids grew heavy as he slowly, ever so slowly, lowered his head until their mouths were so close but not yet touching. The moment stretched on, their breaths mingling, their gazes never breaking apart.His head moved closer but he didn’t touch her. Instead, his mouth hovered tantalisingly close to hers, the expression in his eyes knowing and wickedly sexy as he prolonged the torture for both of them.Her stomach tumbled and her senses hummed and when finally he brushed his lips over hers. His lips were cool and the tip of his tongue gently caressed her lower lip.He kissed her fully then.It was the most romantic, exquisite kiss she’d ever been given. It was a kiss that told her more than words ever could that this man cherished her. He wanted her. He would have her.Heat exploded inside her and she made a soft sound in her throat and leaned against him, seeking more. Her eyes closed, but still she saw stars as everything inside her erupted with excitement.His fingers closed har
Daniel lay beside her, his hand around her, her back pressed against him and waited, waited until her breath grew slow and steady and the tension fled her muscles. He knew she asleep.And then he moved and rolled her over, easing her into his arms again. Her hand slipped across his chest, settling close to his heart, and her head nestled into the crook of his shoulder. She curled up against as though she'd done it a thousand times before, one leg the top his, the soft probing of her knee giving him fits.He gritted his teeth, determined to endure.But the final victory, the one that gave him peace enough to rest, came with the sleepy kiss she pressed against his jaw and the murmured words he shouldn't want to hear.Only then did he allow sleep to claim him too.Emma woke up the next morning, feeling relaxed and happy. Daniel had held her throughout the night. Every time she awakened, he had been right there, h
He cupped his hand just above her pelvis and caressed the round, firm bulge of her abdomen.“Our baby,” he said hoarsely.Then he hovered over her and lowered his head so that his mouth pressed to the center of her belly in a tender kiss. The gesture brought tears to her eyes, stinging the lids, and she swallowed against the quick knot that formed in her throat.“Beautiful,” he murmured. “I know things sucked between us, but it's been amazing watching him grow in you, watching you expand and watching your shape change. You’re so unbelievably sexy.”“Him? You think it’s a boy?” she asked.Daniel smiled down at her. “I don't know... I guess.... I really don’t care if it’s a girl or boy. I just want you both to be okay.” he said.Emma felt a little light headed, as if she had an alcohol buzz without the alcohol. He trailed his fingers lower, to her pelvis and through her damp, slick fo
It was easy to forget all that had happened between them now. It was easy to forget the weeks of pain and loneliness. It was easy to imagine that they’d never been apart and that they had always been together, home in bed, just waking in Daniel's place—their home.This was the healing they needed. Emma smiled into his neck.------------------------------Daniel lay there, Emma in his arms, thinking about what had just happened. On the surface it had been a very quick, very hot sexual interlude. One of the best he’d ever had.But it went deeper. It wasn’t just sex. It wasn't like all the other times they had been together. If it was just sex, his heart wouldn’t feel as though it was going to burst out of his chest. He wouldn’t be so overwhelmed that he had no idea how to process what he felt.It was… It was more intense than sex had ever been between them. They had been a study in hot, flirty, fun in
His breath escaped in a long hiss and then she slid down, resheathing him all over again.“You drive me crazy,” he muttered.She smiled, clearly satisfied with his admission.He savored the feel of her much smaller hands engulfed by his. They held on tightly as she began a slow, rhythmic ride. Their gazes locked. They never looked away, never broke eye contact as she made love to him, driving him closer and closer to ultimate release.Emma expelled a pent up breath as he stretched her, as the sweet burning of her body molding to him became the single thought on her mind.He reached for her breasts and she covered his hands with hers as he massaged her breasts, and she continued rocking her hips in a steady rhythm, tossing her hair over one shoulder, it became a curtain over their hands, over her breast.He loved her hair, she knew that, and he still did, because he took a chunk of it and roped
Emma stood in front of the bathroom mirror and looked at her reflection.She had a towel around her. After she had breastfed and put Jack to sleep, she and Daniel had returned to their bedroom. And right now, Emma couldn't remember if she had ever been this happy in her life.... She couldn't believe how amazing everything had turned out.When she opened the door and stepped into the bedroom, Daniel was on the bed, his chest bare, reading something on his phone... Which he dropped when she came out of the bathroom.Damn, he thought. She'd never stop being sexy to him. She always and would always have that effect on him.Emma blushed at his reaction, then she went to get dressed. She put on the sexy nightie Karen had given her as a gift for her wedding night.When she turned, Daniel was still watching her. Not bothering to hide the desire in his eyes."Come here" he said. Tapping the
The door opened and Jared walked into the room. They hadn't really talked since he arrived but he had been nicer, smiled more and very warm towards her... And especially to little Jack.He wasn't so so terribly intimidating anymore. He had turned out to be surprisingly charming. And he loved Jack. His new nephew. He’d perch Jack on his big, broad chest while he read, informing the baby of any interesting movement on the share market.“This boy is a Rohan indeed,” he’d declared one day. "Can’t start learning too soon.”But right now, as he walked into the room and asked Karen and Monica to excuse them so they could talk in private, Emma wasn't sure of what he had to say. After they left, he turned to her and Emma waited for him to speak."You look very beautiful, Emma" Jared said. "My brother is very lucky to have you"Emma smiled sweetly at him
"So I know this probably isn't what I should be talking about right now... But how about we push the wedding forward and get married in three weeks? If you agree of course" Daniel asked.Emma stared up at him."Yeah" Daniel continued. "All three of us are family already. Why wait any longer? There's no reason to. Your mom is going to be here to see the baby, why not invite our families to come see the baby and attend our wedding at once"Emma smiled at him. "Yes. Let's do it" she said. "I gotta say, I like this loving, caring, soft side of you"Daniel simply grinned and leaned down to kiss her again. As he did, the door opened and Karen, Frank, Tom and Monica came into the room."Hey, Daniel" Karen said playfully as they moved closer. "Let my girl rest a bit before you get her pregnant again"Everyone laughed at Karen's joke...including Daniel. "Oh, he's so cute" Karen murmured as t
Dr Davis also treated him with considerable deference as he monitored Emma's labour, assuring them both that everything was proceeding normally.The contractions were coming fast. She barely had time to catch her breath in between the waves of pain. Daniel sat beside her, watching anxiously, giving her his hand to grip, repeating what the doctor said—head engaged, won’t be long, bearing down soon—as though she couldn’t hear for herself, or he needed to assure himself that this agony had a short time limit.Emma didn’t try to speak. Wanting to remember everything about having this baby. Her entire concentration was focussed on willing her baby to make a safe journey from her womb, imagining every pain as a positive step forward. The urge to push came suddenly and was almost uncontrollable.“Not too hard, Emma,” the doctor instructed. "Slow it down if you can, a nice, gentle passage, no tearing. Yes, that’s good…coming now…head in my
"Are you going to the office?" Emma asked as she walked into Daniel's room the next day.Daniel turned to look at her as he unbuttoned his shirt. "No I'm not. I can't leave you here alone. I have a meeting though. But I will be doing it via video call" he replied."You can leave if you have to" Emma said. "Apparently, this baby isn't ready to be born yet"Daniel smiled at her. I'm sorry that you're uncomfortable, baby." He said. " But when the baby comes, you will be so happy that all of this won't matter. You are going to have someone you are gonna love more than anything on the world. Infact I gotta say, I'm little jealous of all the love our baby is going to be getting. I'm so used to having you all to myself now"Emma laughed and her body shook. "Relax" she said. "I'm going to love the heck out of the both of you. Infact i—"She stopped suddenly in her attempt to walk towards him. Pain... Anguis
"Oh my God" Emma said to Karen and Monica as she returned to the living room from the bathroom. "That must have been the tenth time I've been to the bathroom in the last two hours""It's also been the tenth time since you have told us" Karen said sarcastically and Monica giggled. They had come to visit Emma at Daniel's house.Emma rolled her eyes. "Yeah, it must be really hard for you to hear" she said.Daniel was in the room too. He sat at another table working on his laptop. But he was clearly listening to them because he giggled at Karen's comment.Emma turned to him and rolled her eyes, which made him laugh."Hey honey" he said to Emma, while smiling. "Is there anything you need me to do for you?""Yeah right. Like you haven't done enough" Emma said, jokingly pointing at her stomach. Daniel simply exchanged glances with Monica and Karen and they laughed again. Emma smiled too.
“How about breakfast in bed?” Daniel asked.“Mmm, that sounds nice. I don’t think I can move and I’m suddenly feeling lazy.” Emma replied.He smiled because he couldn’t imagine anything better than the two of them sharing an intimate meal in bed. Hell, if he had his way they wouldn’t leave the bedroom for the rest of the day.“Let me go fix something up for the both of us " He said. "You stay here and get comfortable. I’ll be right back.”He kissed her nose and then carefully disentangled himself from the warm clasp of her body. He eased her onto her side, pulled the rumpled sheet over her and rolled toward the nightstand, sitting up and putting his legs over the edge of the bed.He glanced back to see that she’d immediately commandeered his pillow, which made him chuckle, because it was exactly what she’d done in the past."What?" Emma asked as she watched him. "Why are you smiling
His breath escaped in a long hiss and then she slid down, resheathing him all over again.“You drive me crazy,” he muttered.She smiled, clearly satisfied with his admission.He savored the feel of her much smaller hands engulfed by his. They held on tightly as she began a slow, rhythmic ride. Their gazes locked. They never looked away, never broke eye contact as she made love to him, driving him closer and closer to ultimate release.Emma expelled a pent up breath as he stretched her, as the sweet burning of her body molding to him became the single thought on her mind.He reached for her breasts and she covered his hands with hers as he massaged her breasts, and she continued rocking her hips in a steady rhythm, tossing her hair over one shoulder, it became a curtain over their hands, over her breast.He loved her hair, she knew that, and he still did, because he took a chunk of it and roped
It was easy to forget all that had happened between them now. It was easy to forget the weeks of pain and loneliness. It was easy to imagine that they’d never been apart and that they had always been together, home in bed, just waking in Daniel's place—their home.This was the healing they needed. Emma smiled into his neck.------------------------------Daniel lay there, Emma in his arms, thinking about what had just happened. On the surface it had been a very quick, very hot sexual interlude. One of the best he’d ever had.But it went deeper. It wasn’t just sex. It wasn't like all the other times they had been together. If it was just sex, his heart wouldn’t feel as though it was going to burst out of his chest. He wouldn’t be so overwhelmed that he had no idea how to process what he felt.It was… It was more intense than sex had ever been between them. They had been a study in hot, flirty, fun in