Page 60 of Owning Emma

She was running hot water over the dishes, and I used my hip to try to shoo her. She rejected my attempt, insisting that she help with dishes. I dried, enjoying the easy conversation between my new friend. Friend? Is that what this was? I went most my life with very few friendships. All my time always centered around helping my father run his bakery that I never had time for after school fun.

We killed the extra time we had by baking, something I knew so much about that I could do it with my eyes closed. Which, with all the thoughts of the two men I was lusting over running through my head, I pretty much did. We made chocolate chip cookies and fudge squares which may or may not have been Royal’s bakery favorite. I wasn’t trying to please him, I really wasn’t. But making his favorite dessert was the least I could do after everything we . . .

No.

I wouldn’t allow myself to follow him around like a puppy, trying to force him into caring for me just because we spent one night, one amazing night, together. I pulled out a pink bakery box, filling it to the brim with the freshly made treats, only leaving a small plate behind. Bianca objected, half-heartedly saying they didn’t need all these sweets, even as she shoved a cookie in her mouth and moaned.

We cleaned up the baking mess, then started to prep for the men’s lunches. She cut up the fresh fruit while I made some coleslaw, then put it in their fridge to chill while we both worked on prepping sandwiches. When the clock on the stove read noon, I sat the coleslaw on the table and sat back, a smile working its way across my lips, and I informed her, “Wait for it.”

No sooner did the words leave my lips, when the men filed into the kitchen, grabbing their plates, stacking them high with food and going to the outside table in a flurry of motion. She tilted her head a bit. “That was . . . surprisingly accurate.”

“Shaw comes with me every day to the bakery and as soon as noon hits, he becomes a whiny starving baby. It’s like he is incapable of eating at a different time.”

She laughed then we grabbed a plate, piling on our food before they came back for second rounds. We had just sat down and taken our first bite when Royal stepped into the room. He leaned his body over hers as he fisted her hair in a ponytail, forcing her to tilt her head. “Aren’t you ladies going to join us outside?”

“I-I didn’t know if we were welcome,” Bianca said breathlessly, and I could feel the heat radiating off them.

He pulled her hair allowing him to kiss her neck and I suddenly felt like maybe I should leave, but my exit would make things just as awkward. “You’re always welcome, Amore. Always.”

I watched them amused, before Bianca turned to him and asked, “Do you want us to go outside?”

He made a sound in his throat. before his words croaked out, “Of course.”

“Well, be out in a minute then.” He bit her neck, then grabbed a handful of napkins before leaving us again. She stood, waiting for me to follow. “Looks like our presence is being summoned.”

I laughed. “At least they aren’t using a bell. Plus, I think he genuinely just wants you there. No strings attached.”

Me on the other hand, I had no clue if I was wanted outside or how my presence would be perceived, but I found it rude to go against their guest and stay behind. I grabbed my plate, trying to control the shaking my nerves were causing as I followed behind her to where the three men sat under a giant umbrella.

I set my food on the table then spotted a chair. I dragged the chair a few inches forward, and just as I was about to sit down, Roman pushed the chair away, making it topple over on its side into the grass. I felt my anger rise. If he didn’t want me here, he could have said it, but the passive aggressive move in front of people was damn near mortifying.

I turned toward him, my anger no doubt showing through my eyes, but he ignored it. Choosing instead to reach forward and hook his arm around me, dragging me toward his body until I stumbled, forcing me into his lap. He sighed contently, his face buried in my hair as his arms tightened around my waist.

Royal and Bianca chatted among themselves as Shaw scooted his chair closer, pulling my feet toward him so that they rested in his lap. They ignored my questioning stare as Roman picked his plate back up, taking a big bite of his sandwich. “Breakfast and lunch are amazing, as always,” he mumbled into my hair as he buried his face again. “The other breakfast was by far my favorite meal today, though.”

My face heated and my core clenched at his reference to their tongues on my skin, licking and lapping at my center as they held my body upright in the shower. I squirmed, determined to get away from them but his arm hadn’t loosened, “.I’m not sure where you think you’re going, Emma, but I can assure you, it won’t be far.”

Shaw hummed his agreement as Roman’s arm tightened, aligning me with his body and his perfectly hard cock. My breathing was shaky, my words a near whisper as I responded, “I . . . I didn’t . . . we never talked about what happened.”

Shaw leaned in close, near enough for Roman and me to hear him, but his words were soft enough that Royal and Bianca couldn’t, “What happened, Emma, is that I finally got what I wanted, and I would be a damn fool if I let that slip away from me.”

“But . . .” I started to argue even when I wasn’t sure what I was going to argue about.

“But nothing,” Roman breathed against my neck, “You’re ours now, you became ours the moment Shaw carried you to my room and closed the door.”

Ugh, I wasn’t sure what that even meant. All I knew that if being theirs meant all the feelings their touch ignited, I could hardly fight the pull. I swallowed my fear, my voice weak as I responded with such inadequacy, “Okay.”

“Okay.” Shaw nodded as he pulled back.

“Okay,” I repeated.

I felt the rumble of silent laughter in Roman’s chest, “Okay. Now eat your damn sandwich, Emma, you’re going to need your energy for what I have planned.” He picked up his sandwich again, tearing off the corner aggressively, then chewing slowly. He watched me, daring me to argue.

---