No Letting Go: Man-Maid, Book 2 Page 3

  When he reentered the apartment, he opened his mouth, ready to ask Emma about her living conditions, but went silent when he noticed her lying on the bed. She lay on her side, her head propped up on her fist. God, she looked beautiful. He wished like hell he had a right to go to her and lie down by her side. But he didn’t. Christ, she didn’t even want him around. He’d have to change her mind on that score.

  Jason crossed the room and gently placed the icepack he’d wrapped in the hand towel on Emma’s swollen knee, careful not to hurt her. “How’s that?”

  She sighed. “That feels good. Thanks.”

  He looked around the room for a place to sit and thought he saw a chair. It was hard to tell because of all the clothes draped over it. She had a body made for sin, and a quick mind, but she was a lousy housekeeper. Jason shook his head as he tossed pants, shirts, and…a hot-pink bra to the floor. He imagined the pretty color against her creamy skin, and the fly of his jeans tightened. A rocking chair finally came into view. He made himself comfortable and waited. He wasn’t going anywhere, not until they had a chance to talk.

  Chapter Four

  Emma stared at Jason sitting in the chair. A sudden image of the two of them in a room filled with flowers and candlelight entered her mind. She even pictured a warm fire with a large soft white rug laid out on the floor in front of it. Emma and Jason would lie atop it. Both of them would undress, and Jason would make slow, sweet love to her. She could almost feel his hands against her warm flesh, his mouth trailing kisses down her torso to her stomach. His touch would feel so good, Emma practically floated on a sea of rapturous bliss. When she heard her name, Emma yanked her wanton mind back to reality. She blinked, bringing the room into focus, a little rattled when she heard quiet male laughter.

  “You looked pretty far away just now. Care to share your thoughts?” Jason asked as he watched her from across the room.

  Emma glared at him. “Not really”

  He rose from the chair and approached the bed. “Fine, but you and I have yet to talk.”

  He was entirely too sure of himself. It made her want to smack him, but he was so big and hard it’d be like hitting a rock wall. “Why do I get the feeling that you often get your way.” She made an effort to swing her feet to the ground, feeling at a distinct disadvantage.

  “What are you doing?” And then he was standing over her, all but holding her down.

  “Excuse me, but do you mind?”

  Jason put his hand on her shoulder and held her in place. Amusement seemed to light his eyes as Emma tried to resist him. She wasn’t any bigger than a gnat compared to him. “Actually, yes, I do mind. You can’t stand on that leg. You’ve got to give it time for the swelling to go down.”

  Her anger grew by the second. Who did he think he was to tell her what to do? “My knee is not for you to worry about. I’ve been taking care of myself for a long time. I will continue to do so.”

  “Not all that well, you haven’t. You barely have a pot to piss in, and you’re a total slob, by the way. This place is a wreck. And apparently you don’t eat, as there is no stove, and I won’t even mention the items you carry in this shop. I mean, elves, for Pete’s sake? You can’t possibly have a big demand for those.”

  “Are you quite through with you evaluation?”

  “Not even close. And how come you’re living above a shop? It’s really not what I’d call a safe place for a single woman.”

  She rolled her eyes at his tirade and readjusted her pillows, trying at the very least to sit up. Lying down made her feel defenseless. And she didn’t do real well with defenseless. “Look, it’s none of your business how I live,” she explained, her voice firm. “We’re nothing to each other, Jason, except old schoolmates.”

  “We’re more to each other than that.”

  She ignored him and swiftly continued, “I live above Your Heart’s Desire because my business is still very new. I can’t afford a bigger place right now.” When he began to protest, she shot right over him: “And I may be a slob, I may even snore, though I don’t think I do, still neither of those things has anything to do with you. I live alone. I live the way I want. Eat when and what I want. No one, least of all you, tells me what I should do and when. Got that?”

  He raised his eyebrows and crossed his arms over his chest. “Yeah, I got that.” A soft smile crossed his face. “I’m sorry if I offended you. My brother tells me all the time that my mouth will eventually get me into trouble.”

  “I’d love to meet him. He sounds like a smart guy.”

  “He’d probably have you running as far away from me as possible,” he admitted as he began to massage her leg. “I wouldn’t be pleased.”

  “Oh,” she moaned as her eyes drifted shut. “Wow, that feels good.”

  Her voice dripped warm honey. Jason watched as her neck arched backward, a little sigh escaping her throat. He was positive she wasn’t aware of the erotic picture she made. The thoughts that sprang to his mind made him go hard instantly. She had that effect on him. He wasn’t sure if he was happy or pissed about that. First things first.

  “Are you dating anyone?” he asked.

  Her eyes sprang open, and she quickly pushed his hand away. “Of course not.”

  The hurt in her eyes told him there was a story there. “But you were dating someone recently?”

  “It was months ago, and we parted on nasty terms. After he dumped me, I moved across town and opened up Your Heart’s Desire.”

  “You wanted a fresh start,” he quickly surmised.

  “Yes.” She moved to the edge of the bed. “I never managed to please him.”

  He quirked a brow. “Are you certain he was straight?”

  She chuckled. “Yes, he’s straight. In fact, he enjoyed women who clung to his every word. He liked the type who was little and cute.” She rolled her eyes. “I’m so not a size two, so you can imagine how disappointed he was in me.”

  “His loss is my gain,” Jason said as he knelt down and moved his hands beneath her slacks, then began rubbing her hurt knee again.

  He watched as Emma let out a low moan. “Um, well, I learned from a very smart lady that we have to be true to ourselves.”

  There was a faraway note in Emma’s voice. He didn’t care much for the underlying hurt he sensed in her words. Continuing to massage her leg, Jason wanted to take her beyond whatever it was that had brought sadness into her eyes. He smiled from his position at the foot of the bed, hoping to relieve the growing tension. “How about you have dinner with me. We could catch up a little more.”

  “How about you give me your number and I’ll call you,” she said, as if attempting to dodge him. Emma removed her foot from Jason’s grasp. He stood and backed up when she sent him an unwavering look. She tested her foot, putting the bulk of her weight on her good leg first.

  Jason moved quickly to her side and placed his arm around her waist. “Okay?”

  “I’m fine, truly.” She patted his arm. “But I could really use a drink. You?”

  “Lead the way.” He kept himself at the ready in case she should lose her balance, slowing his pace to match hers. She led him back to the stairwell. It seemed she wished to leave the intimate confines of her bedroom and get to more neutral territory. Had she invited any other men up to her apartment? The idea that he’d been the only man given access to her private space sent a jolt of possessiveness through him.

  When they reached the lower level, Emma limped in the direction of the kitchen. Jason was so caught by the sight of her ass that he wasn’t watching where he was going, and a few figurines crashed to the floor. “Shit, sorry about that.”

  “It’s all right,” she said, waving a hand in the air. “I’ll clean up the mess tomorrow.”

  “I seriously doubt that,” Jason mumbled and knelt down to begin picking up the shards of broken glass.

  “What di
d you say?”

  “Oh nothing.” He looked at the case he’d just about destroyed. Though a few glass fairies and elves had broken, half a dozen crystals on braided strings had survived the fall. “What exactly are these anyway?”

  “I call them sin catchers.”

  “Sin, huh?”

  “The idea is that the bearer of one will hang it in their window or around their home for protection from evil thoughts.”

  He chuckled. “You’ve got to be joking, right?”

  She placed her fists on her hips, clearly offended by his mocking tone. “I most certainly am not kidding. They have great power. Throughout the centuries, crystals have been used for many things. They have soothing properties, among other things.”

  Then she seemed to consider him for a second. Unexpectedly, she limped to his side and chose one of the more intricately designed pieces. It was shaped in the form of a dragon. Picking it up, she closed her eyes and whispered something he couldn’t quite make out. Then her eyes opened, and she handed him the crystal dragon, taking the shards of broken glass out of his hand and laying them on the shelf in its stead. “Here, this one is yours now. He belongs to you and will aid you in your quest for a restful heart.”

  Jason quickly pushed it back at her, uncomfortable with the too personal exchange. “I don’t need it. My heart’s fine, thanks.”

  She only smiled that all-knowing smile. Her voice softened, caressing his nerves like delicate fingers. “You shouldn’t return a gift. It’s yours now. You own it. Please, for me, take him. Put him in a place where you’ll be able to see him whenever you wake.”

  Somehow, he knew he wasn’t going to refuse her. Was it even possible to tell this woman no? He shook his head in annoyance. “In that case, I suppose I should thank you. What do I owe you for him?”

  She snorted. “You owe me nothing, Jason. It’s freely given without expectation of gaining something in return.” Her voice gentled. “That’s what a gift is.”

  “Emma, you can’t go around just giving things away, or you’ll find yourself on the streets.”

  “Come on.” She took his hand and led him back toward the kitchen. He liked the feel of her small fingers twined with his larger ones. She was so delicate, much like the dragon he held in his other hand. So easily shattered, yet full of secrets and powers he didn’t think he’d ever understand.

  Jason could spend hours in her company, and that was a totally new experience for him. Women were great, he loved spending time with them, but he usually didn’t sit sipping tea in a tiny trailer-size kitchen. No, usually he spent hours enjoying their bodies, figuring out all the pleasures their feminine curves could bring him. In bed, naked. Or sometimes in the shower naked. Even in the kitchen, but again, always naked. Though with Emma, he was fine with sipping tea and talking, clothed.

  Christ, he was turning into such a wuss.

  Jason walked to the nondescript round table and sat in one of the too old, too rickety chair. “Got any beer?”

  She smiled. “Sure.”

  After Emma handed him a beer, she took out a pitcher of iced tea and poured herself a glass. “Don’t drink?” Damn, he hoped like hell the chair didn’t break. That would not make a good impression.

  “Yeah, but only on rare occasions.” She sat across from him. “I’ve never mastered the art of holding my liquor.”

  That intrigued him. He leaned forward, his attention rapt, the chair forgotten. “What happens when you drink, Emma?”

  “It goes straight to my head.”

  His eyebrows shot up, and his cock came to full-alert status. “Are you a happy drunk?”

  She nodded vehemently. “Too happy, I’m afraid.”

  Ah, that sounded promising. “Just how…happy do you get?”

  “A few glasses of wine, and suddenly I’m ready for anything.”

  She was killing him. Jason winced at the picture she’d innocently brought to mind. “Most people crave that feeling.” He really hoped he didn’t sound as strained as he felt.

  “True. Still, I would rather be in control.” She took a sip of her tea and said, “I mean, seriously, if I’m in the mood for a fun time, I don’t want to drink something that’s going to cause me to forget it all.”

  “I like the way you think.” And he definitely wanted to get her to a point where she wanted to have fun…with him. Preferably soon. “So, what do you say to dinner?”

  All of a sudden, the atmosphere changed, and Emma seemed to take an emotional step back. “At one time, you didn’t have the time of day for someone as boring and plain as me. Now you’re here, asking me on a date. Why?”

  “Boring and plain? Is that what you think of yourself, Emma?”

  When she didn’t answer, only began sliding her finger along the condensation on the side of the glass, Jason moved closer and touched her forearm, absently stroking his thumb over the jumping pulse he found there. “You’re anything but boring and plain. I’ve never met anyone quite like you.”

  His fingers left her arm and moved to a long silky strand of her hair that flowed over her shoulder. He stroked the soft texture between his thumb and index finger. “You have beautiful hair. I’m no poet, so pretty words don’t come easily to me. But all this hair gives a man all sorts of ideas.” In his mind, Jason saw her nude with nothing but her hair covering her. It would sweep down her back in long dark waves, stroking her ass and making him jealous with every caress. “I’ve always had a fondness for espresso, and your hair is that same dark, rich color. Mouthwateringly perfect.”

  She looked up now. He hoped she saw the sincerity in his eyes. Saw the deep fires that burned there too. “I asked you to homecoming, and you turned me down. Do you know how hard it was for me to get up the nerve to do that?”

  He’d known that particular issue would come up. “I didn’t turn you down because I didn’t want to go with you.” He watched the pulse beating in Emma’s neck quicken. “I was already supposed to go with Patrice. Remember her?”

  Emma sat back and crossed her arms over her chest. “How could I forget,” she bit out. “Cheerleader. D cup. Perfect blonde hair.”

  He sighed. “Yeah, that’s the one. Biggest mistake of my life was dating her, but at the time, I was ruled by my hormones.”

  Emma looked away. “And she was hot. I wasn’t.”

  He tugged her chin until her gaze was once again on him. “You’re wrong. You’ve always been beautiful, but you were one of the nice girls. And believe me, I had no business touching you. Not then.”

  Her cheeks reddened when she asked, “A-and now?”

  “Now,” he murmured, “wild horses couldn’t drag me away.”

  Emma shook her head. “Look, I appreciate the help with my knee, but you should really go home. I’m sure you have better things to do.”

  His temper flared. “Why won’t you give me the time of day?”

  Emma quickly looked away.

  Jason cupped her cheek and forced her back around. He wouldn’t let her hide from him. “Tell me you feel it,” he whispered. “This…desire. I’m not the only one here.”

  On a sigh, Emma closed her eyes. “Maybe, but that doesn’t mean we should do anything about it.”

  Damn, her skin was as soft as satin. He stroked his thumb over her lower lip and found it plump, inviting. His dick hardened beneath his jeans as he imagined those full pink lips wrapped snug around his cock.

  “Why not?” he murmured. “Am I that much of an ogre?”

  She opened her eyes and stared up at him. “No, you aren’t,” she whispered, “but I’m not sure I want the complications of a relationship right now.”

  He let his hand move lower until he cupped her waist. “How about we start with a date, then?”

  She stiffened. “I don’t want to be hurt, Jason. Casual flings aren’t my thing.”

  “I don’
t just want a few hours between the sheets with a warm, willing woman. I want to get to know you. To spend time with you.”

  Emma wiped a hand over her forehead. “I can’t do this. Please.”

  “Why? It’s just a date. We can go real slow, I swear.”

  Her lips twitched. “Are you always this persistent?”

  He chuckled. “Mostly, yeah.”

  The delicate skin over her cheekbones, the same skin he wanted to press his lips against, tautened, but Jason forced those thoughts out of his mind. God, with so little effort, Emma managed to wind him up tight. As she crossed her arms over her chest, Jason’s gaze shot to her plump breasts. Damn, he loved the curvy way she was built. He nearly groaned at the knowledge that he was so damn close to her, yet he might as well be miles across town with all the back-off signals she shot his way.

  “How long was your last relationship?” she asked.

  Emma’s question pulled him out of his frustrated thoughts. “What does that matter?”

  She quirked a brow in a schoolteacher sort of way. “You strike me as the type of guy who plays it loose, that’s all I’m saying.”

  “You’re right,” he replied, wanting nothing but total honesty with her. “I do sort of enjoy being single. But maybe that’s because I haven’t met the right person.” He leaned closer. “How long was your last relationship, Emma?”

  To his surprise, she looked away. Uncomfortable with the conversation all of a sudden?

  “I’ve been busy with work lately,” she said. “Dating has been the last thing on my mind.”

  “That doesn’t answer my question. I was honest, sweetheart. Don’t you think you owe me the same courtesy?”

  “Fine. I haven’t had a serious relationship since Damian and I broke up, and we dated for nearly two years.”

  Damian? That sounded like something out of a teenage vampire movie. Jason hated the guy already. “Did you love him?”

  “I thought so at the time.” She shrugged and looked away. “The thing is, I’m not a good judge when it comes to men.”