Page 47 of Emma's Element

“What did I do?”

“You know how old-fashioned Finch can be. Getting caught coming out of a woman’s hotel room probably disturbs his old-fashioned sensibilities.”

“I only tease out of love,” Emma insisted. She walked into the room, searching for the items she was missing. “I thought you two were just friends?” she teased knowingly. Everyone knew that Jolene and Finch would end up together. It had only been a matter of time.

When Jolene shrugged and dropped her gaze, Emma paused her search to look at her friend. She looked troubled. “Are you okay?”

Jolene turned to the bed where her suitcase lay open. She pulled out a pair of pants and refolded them before placing them back inside. “I’m fine.”

Emma recognized that for the lie it was. “JoJo . . .”

“I’m fine. Just tired.” Jolene pulled out a shirt and refolded that just like she had the pants. Emma’s concern for her friend increased. She’d never seen her so flustered before. Or so dispirited.

She stopped the incessant refolding of clothes by placing a hand on her arm. Jolene sighed and dropped the shirt in her hands but still didn’t say anything. “If you need to talk . . .” Emma prompted.

“I know. I promise I’m okay. Just have some stuff to work through. Nothing major.” She plastered a smile on her face that didn’t quite meet her eyes.

“Do I need to kick anybody’s dung winkler?”

That had the effect she was hoping for, a laugh burst from Jolene. “No. No dung winkler kicking needed. Nor ass kicking.”

“Okay, but if I need to whip out a can of piddle poo on somebody, you let me know.”

Jolene laughed some more and playfully pushed Emma onto the other bed. “You are certifiable. When are you going to grow up and use real curse words?”

“I like my way better.”

Jolene shook her head. “What are you looking for?”

“My jewelry bag. It has my dad’s watch in it,” she answered, opening a dresser drawer to look for it.

“Oh yeah. I found that last night. I put it in my bag to keep it safe.” She pulled out the little silk bag from her suitcase and handed it to her. Relieved, Emma opened it, then removed the watch, one of the few things of her dad’s that she had left. It had been a gift to him from her mother, a simple connection to both parents in one item. She rubbed her thumb over the large glass face as she always did, feeling the crack by the three, and fastened it on her wrist. It may look overly large on her and didn’t work anymore, but she loved it. She’d had a new band put on it to fit her so she could wear it every day.

Together, the friends left their room and rode the elevator down to breakfast. A man joined them on the next floor down, smiling in a creepy way that made her skin crawl. “Well, aren’t I the lucky one to be stuck in a tiny box with two such lovely ladies as yourselves,” he drawled. Jolene and Emma shared an epic eye roll. The man tried to chat with them about nonsensical things, mostly one-sided, the rest of the way down to the lobby. They both breathed a sigh of relief when the doors slid open, and they could finally be rid of him.

“After you,” the man indicated when the doors opened. He then placed a hand on Emma’s back to escort her off the elevator, which had Emma suppressing a shudder. What was with strange men thinking they could touch her without permission lately? She quickly moved out of his reach and made her way across the lobby to the restaurant entrance. But he followed.

She and Jolene stopped to wait for the rest of the group, and the man picked up the conversation again, completely ignoring the fact that Emma had no interest.

“Did I see you last night?” he asked her.

“Perhaps.” She delivered him the non-answer in a bored tone, hoping he’d get the hint and leave.

“Wait! I remember you! You’re that chick that was photographed with Marcus Rayne. I’m right, aren’t I?” he crooned. His gaze swept her in a disgustingly depraved once-over men think is seductive. Emma inwardly groaned, not another perv.

Emma glared at him, not willing to back down from another man who thought she’d be easy. He was shorter than her by at least an inch. He wore a baseball hat over nondescript brown hair and a football jersey stretched over his fleshy stomach. Was it because she’d been spotted with a celebrity that all these men thought she’d be easy to get in their bed no matter what they looked like? Or was there something she was putting out there that attracted the creeps?

Logan and Annika arrived just then, along with Evan and Tin Man, and quickly closed ranks around Emma. This had become almost routine for them, unfortunately. Emma had been plagued by unwanted advances since that first article had been posted online, so the Nighthawk men took it upon themselves to be her backup whenever it was needed. She was grateful they trusted her enough to deal with the pervs in her own way but felt relieved when she had them at her back. Only twice did they need to step in when the men wouldn’t take the hint and leave her alone.

The idiot who was still vainly trying to flirt with Emma was one of those, oblivious to the aversion, and the wall of men behind her was doing nothing to deter him. The wannabe jock thought he was god’s gift to women; he wasn’t about to let any other man deflect him from his goal. Just like all the others, he’d mistakenly assumed that Emma was a sure thing.

Emma had tuned him out as she glared down at him. She had no idea what words he was using to try to impress her. It didn’t matter. None would work. She wished he’d catch on and leave.

The hostess announced that their tables were ready, allowing Emma to breathe a sigh of relief. She turned away from the jock to follow her friends, but the man grabbed her arm in the same place Jim had the night before. Emma couldn’t stop the gasp of pain that escaped her lips. That slight sound alerted the guys. Evan and Tin Man each grabbed one of the jock’s arms and dragged him away backward. Emma resisted the urge to laugh. The whole scene was so ridiculous, and seeing the idiot put in his place was hysterical.

Marcus arrived just as the two Nighthawks dragged the stuttering man out into the lobby. He looked at them curiously over his shoulder. “What’s that all about?” he asked.

“Nothing,” Emma answered quickly. Jolene gave her a disapproving look out of the corner of her eye. Since the harassment had first started, Jolene had insisted that she should try to let Marcus know what was going on. But she knew Marcus had enough troubles on his plate, so not wanting to add to them, she’d refused. Emma had sworn Jolene and all the Nighthawks to secrecy, convinced everything would blow over eventually.

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