Page 49 of Engulfing Emma

I run to the foyer and see the door off kilter and the door frame splintered. I groan. “Oh gosh.”

“Do you have a hammer and some nails?” he asks.

“Of course.”

“I’ll nail your frame back into place so you can lock the door. Then I’ll come by tomorrow to replace the wood, paint it, and get it back to normal.”

“You can do all that?” I ask, impressed.

“I have skills, Emma.”

“Right. Firefighter. Mechanic. And apparently, carpenter.”

“Maybe even a few more you don’t know about,” he says with a wink.

I’m blushing again—when did this become a thing with me?—and I quickly fetch the tools he wants. I don’t need to be thinking about his otherskills. I can only imagine. There’s a twinge in my belly when I turn around and he’s standing so close I almost run into him. I hold up the hammer and nails. “Here you go.”

He chuckles and works on the door. Men who candothings always impress me.

“Could you come back for the other stuff on Monday instead of tomorrow?” I ask.

“I suppose,” he says. “You don’t want me to come back tomorrow?”

Tomorrow is Saturday. I don’t want Evelyn and my mother getting the wrong idea. My mom always blows everything out of proportion. And Evelyn, well, I know how her mind works. It’s just safer if he returns when they aren’t here.

“Will the door hold until then?” I ask.

“It should, but it won’t look pretty.” He hands me the hammer. “There. Done for now.” He closes the gap between us. “Emma, why don’t you really want me to fix it tomorrow? Are you afraid your mom or daughter will get the wrong idea?”

How does he seem to know everything I’m thinking?“Of course not,” I lie. “I just don’t want to take away from your weekend. I’m sure you’d like to spend it with your son.”

“Whatever you say, Miss Lockhart.”

He inches closer and lifts a lock of my hair, rubbing it between two fingers. I swear, even though I know it’s not possible to feel his touch on the ends of my hair, I feel it all the way to my toes.

I step back. He steps forward. I take another step back. We continue this dance until my back hits the wall, and I have no place else to go.

My heart is beating wildly. My mind races back to the kiss we shared at the school. The incredible kiss that made it possible for me to be in a place that gave me one of the worst memories of my life.

His face is mere inches from mine. “What are you afraid of, Emma?”

“Everything,” I manage to get out before his lips collide with mine.

He presses me against the wall as he kisses me. His lips are strong and demanding. Mine betray me as they open for his tongue. He frames my face before moving his hands down my arms and around my waist.

I will my arms to stay at my side, feigning no interest in what’s happening. But the heat rising in me wins the battle and my arms snake around his neck. He moans into my mouth when my fingers thread through his hair.

He leans into me, and I feel his erection. My hips involuntarily press against his, increasing the friction between us.

“Jesus, Emma,” he murmurs when his lips pull away from mine to find my neck.

I stretch my head back and let him explore the area. “Oh, God,” escapes me when he sucks on a sensitive place under my ear.

I feel his smile against my skin as he doubles his efforts.

His hand finds its way under my shirt, and his strong fingers tease my side as they travel upward. He wastes no time fumbling with my bra but simply pushes it up and cups my breast in his palm. His other hand follows a similar path until he’s holding both breasts.

I remove my hands from him just long enough to hurriedly pull my shirt and bra over my head. He’s instantly back, kissing my neck and fondling my breasts and grinding his erection into me all at the same time. Just when I think I can’t take it anymore, his fingers lightly pinch my nipples and I find myself exhaling his name.

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