Page 119 of Engulfing Emma

I press my palm against the window. Then I see why he wanted me to do it. He presses his palm against his window. We may be fifty feet away, but I swear I can feel him.

We gaze at each other for a long time. I feel a sense of loss when he takes his hand away.

Brett: Goodnight, Emma.

Me: Goodnight.

We put our phones down, but neither of us walks away. Not until my eyelids grow so heavy, I have to sit down or risk falling. I’ve never wanted to stay awake more than I do right now. I touch the window one last time, then wave at him.

He blows me a kiss.

I’ve done nothing today but think about his kisses. His touches. His dirty talk.

I go to bed knowing this is going to be a long couple of days.

~ ~ ~

I stare at his front door. I don’t know why I’m so nervous. I’m meeting a two-year-old, not the Pope.

Brett warned me Leo takes to men much easier than women. I don’t want to think about how it will affect our relationship if his son hates me. It’s been so long since I’ve had a toddler that I can’t remember how to act around them.

Brett opens the door before I can ring the bell. His scent is the first thing I notice. For an entire week, I was surrounded by the heavenly smell that was a combination of rainforest and cinnamon. Oh, how I’ve missed that smell these past few days. It faded from my pillows even before I laundered them. And I realize just how long it’s been since we’ve been together in my bed.

I take him in, perusing his crisp clean button-down shirt and gray linen pants. I tingle in anticipation of what will happen later tonight.

He chuckles at my obvious ogling. “Hello to you, too Miss Lockhart.” He hugs me and whispers, “Just so you know, I’m going to spend the next few hours teasing you. By the time I get you into my bed, you’ll be so wet, you’ll be begging me to make you come.”

Heat floods through me. I’m tempted to skip dinner and go straight for dessert. We part, and I look past him into the townhouse.

He must see my hesitation. “It’ll be fine,” he says. He takes my hand and leads me inside. “Come in.”

“I hope he likes what I brought him,” I say, second-guessing my choice. “It’s actually pretty stupid.”

Brett glances at the bag in my hand. “That’s for Leo? I thought maybe you broughtmea toy. You know, for later,” he says with a wink.

“Stop it, Lieutenant.” I elbow him in the ribs.

He laughs. “But it’s so much fun teasing you. And if you keep calling me Lieutenant, we just might have to skip dinner and go straight for dessert.”

I smile at his words that mimicked my exact thoughts.

The back door opens and someone small runs toward us. Leo stops in his tracks when he sees me. The smile on his face fades and he scurries behind Brett, holding onto his leg as he hides from me.

Leo is gorgeous. He has messy dark blond hair that he obviously got from his mother, but the rest of his features are all Brett: his adorable nose that turns up slightly at the tip, his large green eyes, his strong jaw. This one is going to be a lady killer—I look up at Brett—just like his father.

“It’s okay, buddy,” Brett tells him. “This is my friend, Emma.”

Leo buries his head in Brett’s pant leg.

A woman enters the room. She walks right over to me and I extend my hand. She ignores it and hugs me.

“It’s wonderful to meet you, Emma,” she says, squeezing me tightly.

“You too, Bonnie. I’ve heard great things about you. Brett says you’re amazing with Leo.”

Leo hears his name and peeks at me from behind Brett.

“They are the amazing ones. I don’t know what I’d do without my two boys.” She pulls back. “Can I get you anything? A bottle of water or a glass of wine?”

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