Page 10 of Trussed In Hope
Emberlynn half smiled. “I want to get back to that version of myself.”
“I love that idea. We should start working on that today.” I took her hand and kissed it. “Take your time.”
Emberlynn nodded before pulling down the visor to get to the mirror. She opened her clutch and easily cleaned up the lines of tears, restored her makeup, and turned to me with a smile.
“Ready,” she admitted.
Kissing her was the only thing I wanted to do at that moment, but the timing was wrong. She’d just made herself vulnerable, and I didn’t want to make myself out to be a creep who took advantage. Instead, I got out and opened her door. The walk around the SUV had given me the space that I needed to help clear the Emberlynn-induced fog. I’d wanted to pull her into my arms and show her exactly what she deserved, but that was much too intense for a first date.
Slow, man.But I’d be lying if I didn’t say how much she drew protective energy from me.
When she slid from the seat, it was right into my arms. She looked up at me, searching for something I didn’t understand. I pulled her closer into my arms and held her in a hug to comfort the wounded woman hiding inside. For a minute, she held firm, but as we stood there, she relaxed completely into my arms to allow the warmth to go much deeper than the surface. That triumph settled in my chest, making my ego rear its ugly head. I’d made her feel safe, even if it was just for this moment. I held her for as long as she needed it, not rushing her need for comfort. Whatever she needed.
We didn’t speak. I kept my arms around her waist, and hers moved to my neck. Her head rested on my shoulder, and I gave her all the time she needed there.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“Queen, anytime.” I kissed the top of her forehead before we untangled. “Let’s go inside.”
Emberlynn was competitive, and I loved her energy. Inside the fun house, we played basketball on the huge indoor trampoline. She said she wasn’t good at it, but she made me work for every shot. We then played air hockey, which she dominated. But it was laser tag that gave me a good look at who she was.
She was strategic. Hiding in spots a woman of her height shouldn’t be able to get into. She didn’t let her size dictate what she was capable of, and when she ended up above me, shooting from a rafter I never knew was there, I was doomed. Then we played against another couple and came out victorious.
Emberlynn communicated not only with words but with her body too. Hand gestures and silent movements. And when we were hiding together, her body moved against mine to slow my heart from beating too quickly. I’d been breathing too hard, and she’d stepped in to help me calm down. The dark spaces had set off something inside me that stirred my anxiety.
Shots whizzed around me, hitting rocks, trees, and even bodies. The cries of wounded soldiers sang out in a harmonious defeat.
“Get out of there, Curie! You’re surrounded on the west. Abort the mission. Move your ass!”
I was spiraling quickly, and just when I thought I’d crash and burn, I felt her hands on my face. That was how she got me to see her instead of the terrors from prior combat missions.
Caught in the moment, I focused on her until our breathing matched.
Her hand moved up my face, touching the scars there. She traced them with her fingertips before she outlined my lips too. Trapped under her spell, I wrapped my arms around her waist, holding onto the curves at her hips. The horrors of my past disappeared, and all that was left was Emberlynn. We both wanted to go for that kiss that dangled between us and probably would have if we hadn’t heard something to our left.
I ducked inside the corner we were in, pulling her with me just as she fired toward the dark figure lurking. We heard the buzzer that registered the laser shot and ended the game.
“Yes!” she shouted as she did this wiggling dance of hers.
I threw my head back, laughing as she carried on like she’d won a million dollars. “Happy?”
“And you know it.” She grabbed my hand to pull me off the wall. “Let’s go celebrate.”
“Whatever you want, Queen.” As long as she kept touching me, she could have whatever she wanted. Emberlynn made the demons disappear, and my heart slowed down from all the rapid drumming it did. She was good for me.
“You’ve got to stop calling me that.” She tossed over her shoulder as we exited the laser room.
“Why?” I searched my mind for ways that would be offensive, and I found none.
“Because…” Emberlynn slipped on her jacket and turned toward me. “Because I like it. I can’t get used to all this niceness from you that I can’t keep.”
“Why can’t you?” I reached over and soothed the worry lines on her face.
She moved away from my touch. “Hardison, don’t…” She sighed.
I raised my hands in surrender. “I won’t.”
She turned, throwing the cutest fit as she stomped to the car. If she thought I would make this easy for her, she was wrong. If I had to work to win her over, she would have to work hard not to surrender. When she gave me her submission, it’d be even sweeter than taking it.
