Page 54 of Free to Believe
“Em, are you in for a treat,” Dani drawls. I see Em kick her and shoot her a death glare. I can’t help the snicker of laugh that escapes. Feral eyes turn on me. They shouldn’t turn me on, but after having her wrapped in my arms, it seems anything she does will do that. Provoking the beast I already awoke even further, I wink at her.
Jenna and Lynne are giggling in the corner. Em looks at me and mouths, “I hate you.”
My lips twitch before I turn my back to her. I lean over to Brendan and murmur a song we haven’t played in forever. He rolls his lips together tightly. “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?”
I admit, “I haven’t got a damn clue.”
He sighs. “I didn’t think so.” Walking over to the keyboard, he starts playing the opening notes to a late ’80s song that is happiness and seduction wrapped into one.
Perfect.
Even Jenna and Lynne are singing along—I guess ’80s music is popular again. Em’s eyes widen when I step up to the mic again. But it isn’t until I swing the sax up and start blowing that I watch her mouth the words “I’m fucked” to no one in particular.
It fuels me.
Em’s mouth is agape. Seeing that tears the music from my soul. Just the way any good sax playing should. The need to pick up this instrument again started when she opened her heart to my daughter with her smiles. She drove the urge higher when I heard her laughter. But the minute my lips touched hers with intent, I have to admit to myself that I was fighting a losing battle.
How can you fight this kind of insane attraction? It’d be like trying to stop a freight train with a bunny rabbit.
Instead, I’m letting it flow through me. I’m letting the music speak for me as I reach for notes I forgot I could play just to seduce her. Judging by the look on her face, it seems to be working. When I drop the sax from my lips, she exhales, as if it was my lips that captured hers during that run of notes.
And maybe it was.
I finish the song not taking my eyes from her. She’s laced her fingers tightly together—whether that’s to avoid pummeling me or not I’ll never know because she jumps up right after and announces, “That was…incredible, but I have to go.” Turning apologetically to Jenna, she explains, “I have to let Mugsy out.”
“I could—” Jenna starts to offer, but Emily cuts her off.
“There’s no need, sweetheart. I have a lot to do tomorrow on both of your dresses to get them ready for Friday.” Her smile encompasses Lynne.
“You have something for yourself to wear. Right, Emily?” I feign concern. I really just want to force her to look at me.
I can practically hear her gritting her teeth before she offers me a facsimile of a smile. “Since Dani doesn’t need a dress, I’m whipping up something for myself.”
“How…practical of you. It’s not yellow, is it? I’ve heard chickens wear that a lot,” I taunt lightly after what happened between us on the beach.
If I could die from a look alone, I have little doubt I’d be a writhing mess on the floor. “No, it’s black. As inlittle black dress.We’ll just leave it at that.” Tossing her hair over her shoulder, she quickly hugs the girls, tosses a wave at Brendan and Dani, and ignores me.
I grin. Best night I’ve had in a long time.
“Hey, Jenna, can you and Lynne go grab another round of drinks?”
“Sure, Dani. We’ll be right back.” Both girls scramble up the stairs eager to help out. I’m so distracted by thoughts of Em I don’t realize Dani’s untangled herself from the couch to come stand next to me. That is until she hauls off and pounds me in the shoulder. “Shit, what the hell was that for?” I curse her silently in my head even as I rotate my arm.
“It’s for whatever you did on the beach to put that wild-eyed look in Em’s eyes, jackass. Don’t play around with her, Jake,” Dani warns me.
I want to tell her this gravitational pull is just as frightening for me, a man who has shut himself off from all but the basest of female needs since Michelle left. I have no clue what I’m doing or what’s happening between us. But I’m intrigued. Em has shifted something deep inside of me. And I have to explore it. Instead, all I tell her is “What happens—or doesn’t happen—is between Emily and me.”
“Then you’re more of a fool than I originally thought. Everything you’re thinking of is about to have repercussions on every aspect of your life. Including Jenna.” Her words cool off my ardor like nothing else would. “Think on that before you do anything stupid like kiss her senseless in the moonlight.”
“Did she say something?” I’m in shock she opened up to say anything.
“She didn’t have to, moron. The signs were all over her face.” Dani stares at me before reaching up and wiping something near my lips. “And yours. This shade of color really isn’t good on you.”
Flushing, I realize I walked in with Emily’s lipstick all over my face. I realize I don’t give a damn. I’m not hiding from anything. Choosing to stay quiet is probably smarter, because I don’t know what Ishouldsay.
“Just…be careful. Okay? For all of your sakes.” Just that quickly, my irritation evaporates when I recognize the very real concern in her eyes.
Cupping her shoulder, I pull her as close as I can with the sax still in the way. Brushing a kiss on her temple, I murmur, “I appreciate it, Dani. But there are some things that are just inevitable.”
