Page 73 of Without Regret

With one last pat for my dog, she turned on her heel and went up the stairs.

I could sense Tom step closer and knew, without glancing at him, that he was staring at her ass. Hell, so was I.

“I’ll warn you, she goes through men like she does her shoes. I would’ve thought the story about her tattoo game would’ve been a good indication about the way she is.”

I found it interesting he’d concern himself with offering me unsolicited advice. “I’d take care how you speak about Emma to me, Tom. You have your opinions, and you’re certainly entitled to them, but I suggest you keep them to yourself.”

The bastard smirked. “Smitten already? In that case, I hope you can manage to put business first, and this doesn’t cause any unnecessary drama within the team. Especially if Phillip were to find out. On second thought, perhaps your father would be happy to have you back, following in the family footsteps.”

Although I was ninety-nine percent certain Rufus couldn’t comprehend what he’d said, my big dog bristled. Most likely, he could read my body language enough to know I’d love nothing more than to sink my fist into Tom’s face. But I wasn’t a violent guy. “Careful, Tom. I don’t react well to threats, especially the passive-aggressive kind. Call it a Texas quirk.”

His gaze flicked from me to Rufus, clearly getting the message. “Duly noted. Have a good night, then.”

“Yep. Good night.”

I walked Rufus around the grassy perimeter of the parking lot one last time, watching as Tom went up the stairs to his own room. After putting Rufus back in my apartment with a treat, I knocked on Emma’s door. No answer, but I could hear soft music coming from the other side. A turn of the knob revealed it was open.

Walking inside and flipping the lock, I was about to chastise her about security when she appeared, stepping out of her bedroom door. Completely naked. And not at all surprised to see me. In fact, a seductive smile painted her red lips.

“I was about to take a shower. Care to join me?”

All thoughts of Tom or the conversation quickly vanished from my thoughts. I couldn’t get across the room fast enough.

But she was quicker, running into the bathroom and turning on the water. Laughter bubbled up from her throat as I shed my clothes in about two seconds, my cock already standing at attention, and now—ahhh—in her palm.

“This is a nice surprise, but your unlocked door makes me nervous—”

She’d gone to her knees and put me between her sexy lips, using her tongue to make my brain go to complete mush. Then she took me deep, and I had to grip the counter of the bathroom vanity to keep my knees from buckling. Dear Lord, the woman knew how to suck a cock. And the thing she did with her tongue swirling over the tip was about to cause me to lose it. I wasn’t ready for that, so I hauled her up, not hesitating to kiss her.

“Hey, I wasn’t done,” she protested mildly.

I backed her into the shower, taking the brunt of the hot spray and wincing. Turning, I adjusted the temperature. “Hair wet or dry?”

She grinned. “Do you have any idea how much it warms my heart to have you care about my hair and whether it’s wash day?”

I matched her grin. “I’m happy to have any influence over your heart, sugar.”

Her lips parted, and I could practically see her brain working, so I quickly changed the subject. “Now, wet or dry?”

“Wet is fine.”

I spun her around, letting her tresses fall under the spray and finding her pussy with my fingers. “Wet it is, then.”

***

I lay there in her bed, stroking her back, both of us entwined and sated after shower sex had made its way to her bedroom.

“Did Tom ever ask you out?” I couldn’t shake this feeling. The one telling me that although the man undoubtedly didn’t care for Emma and the sentiment was quite mutual, there was something I was missing.

“What do you think?” She had tensed with the question and then mumbled the answer into my neck.

“I think if he keeps doing it, and you keep telling him no, then I’ll have a problem with it.”

She propped up on my chest, meeting my eyes, her brow arched. “He hasn’t asked me out in years, fearing the wrath. Justifiably so.”

“So instead he tries to submarine any other romantic prospects?”

Her head settled back down on my chest. “I’m around him as little as possible, so I wouldn’t know. I’m starving, so maybe we could eat.”