HAPPY FOREVER AFTER

Emma fumbled with her key, poked it into the ignition, and turned it. The engine revved and she reversed, careless of Daniel’s jump from her car’s path. She clamped a hand over her hair to keep it from flying out the open window. All she needed after a long, hard day filled with work was a sexy, possessive, chauvinistic boss who wanted her in his bed.

Gravel spun away from the rear tires as she left the lot. The man reflected in her rear view mirror stood, feet apart, hands braced on lean hips, his smug grin widening.

Emma shook. Her insides barely unknotted as she met the first curve. She took it with a squeal of tires, her knuckles white on the steering wheel. The rear end of her car fishtailed, and when she came out of the curve, a dark green sports car was closely following her. Her mirror caught the flash of white teeth and the sheen of black hair.

The image stayed in the mirror as she drove home and pulled into the driveway. The polished green metal charger slid neatly into place besides hers. The engine’s purr died .

Emma jumped out, slammed the door, went into the building and up the stairs. He followed her closely.

She pointed to Frank’s door. “As you know, Frank’s place is over there, Mr Rohan.”

Emma desperately wanted relief from too much Daniel Rohan. Coping with him today had left her emotions resembling heaps of raked grass. She inched towards her door, slid in her key, grasped the knob and turned it.

“I can hear voices from his apartment. I see he’s home. Why don’t you go talk to him?” she said, nodding towards Frank’s door.

“You are not even going to invite me in?” Daniel asked mischievously

“Not a chance in hell” she said before slipping into the air conditioned interior of her own home and closing the door firmly behind her.

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Two hours later, freshly showered and dressed in a green African print muumuu, Emma peered out the driveway. Daniel’s car was nowhere to be seen. “Good,” she said to herself. “It was just a bad dream. Daniel Rohan never existed”.

She adjusted the towel turban over her wet hair and padded into the compact kitchen. “Supper, then a movie” she said, checking the spaghetti sauce that had simmered in the slow cooker all day. Humming, she began to prepare the remainder of her meal.

She stirred spaghetti into a pot of boiling water, gathered the salad vegetables from the refrigerator, and carried them to the sink.

She heard a knock on the front door.

“Come in” she yelled, assuming it was Karen or frank. “I’m in the kitchen”

“Hello again” a voice said

Emma turned around slowly to find Daniel standing in her kitchen.

“Great… Just great” she said

The tomato she was holding squirted seeds into the sink, crushed by her fingers.

Daniel’s tall body filled the kitchen as he came closer to her. His smile was low and devastating.

“Hi lady,” he whispered softly.

Emma shivered and picked up a towel. Why hadn’t she dressed fully instead of opting for the freedom of the muumuu? Her unconfined breasts tingled beneath the cloth, feeling full and heavy. She edged away from the sink, regretting the absence of panties. Her scarlet tipped toes curled against the cool linoleum floor.

“Lady” He repeated softly, his black gaze doing the stroll over the jade-green towel turban and down the length of her body. He stepped closer, a very hungry tiger who had sighted prey.

“You are making me uncomfortable, Daniel,” Emma protested. “If you will just excuse me, I will change”

“I like you just the way you are honey. Here, let me help you”.

He took the towel from her and bent slightly, placed a steadying hand on her waist, and slowly stroked the length of her tomato dampened thigh.

Emma edged back against the counter and felt the corner bite into her hip. “What are you doing?” she gasped as he straightened and tossed the towel into the sink.

“This” his fingers circled her wrist and raised her palm to his mouth. He sucked the seeds from her fingers one by one, gently nibbling the tips, inserting the slender length into the warm moistness of his mouth. The muscles in her stomach contracted. At the same time, warmth seeped down her thighs, weakened her knees.

His other hand proved the material at her waist. “Good lord. What are you wearing beneath this thing?”

Helplessly, Emma met his stare.

He drew a deep breath, swallowed and scrutinized the gaping neckline. “Not a damn thing” he answered himself.

Emma edged away until there were inches between them. “I think I will change now. You can wait in the living room”

“How am I supposed to move?” he asked hoarsely, using her wrist to draw her against him. “I can see straight down that thing to your toes, lady. Every beautiful dip and curve”

“I…” the dryness in her throat stopped the words from reaching her tongue

The heat of his chest flattened her breasts as his arms circled her, his palms cupping her buttocks. The hair covering his chest tickled the flesh exposed by the scoop neckline.

” Beautiful lady” he murmured, his lips tracing the arched line of her eyebrow. Then they lowered to feather across her closed eyelids, and finally settled against her temple. “You are so incredibly soft” he murmured huskily.

Somewhere within her reason, a warning sign flashed : male on the prowl. Danger. But her hands had to touch him, feel the muscles running beneath the tanned skin. They rested on the upper arms and tested the strength that melded her to him.

His lips brushed down her cheek, his ragged breath moist on her skin. “You smell like a baby fresh from a bath, honey. Just as cuddly, too. Are you frightened? You are trembling.”

“I’m not frightened” Emma breathed as his lips tempted hers.

The warm palms cradling her buttocks lifted her against him. Braced against the counter, her thighs parted for the intrusion of his. Vulnerable to the masculine thrust between her legs, she whispered vaguely as his tongue feathered her bottom lip.

“Daniel… We should stop” she said weakly

One hand circled her ribs, slid to the fullness of her left breast, cupped it, then moved to lie flat against her stomach.

“You are soft, lady,” he said. “So soft… Hold me”

She tried to protest, but her arms slid around him. Her head tilted to allow his lips to feast on the tender area behind her ear.

A tremor ran through him. “Oh, baby. I need you” he whispered.

“Wow” a voice called from the doorway.

They both turned… It was Karen

“Wow” she said again smiling mischievously “I didn’t know you guys were… You know”

Daniel edged in front of Emma, shielding her flushed face from Karen’s view.

“I thought you left.. Daniel? ” Karen asked

“Yeah… I wanted to come say goodbye to Emma first” Daniel replied

“I can see that” Karen said smiling “I guess I will see you later Emma… So… I’m gonna let you both back to… Whatever it is you were doing before I came in… I’m so sorry for interrupting…. Please carry o….”

“Get out Karen” Emma said

“Owkay” Karen said as she turned around and left.

“She is not gonna let me rest after you leave” Emma said to Daniel.

Daniel smiled

“I’m so embarrassed” Emma said

“Why?” he asked… “Do you always get embarrassed this easily? There is no need to be embarrassed about what is going on between us”

“there is nothing going on between us” Emma retorted

“And we are back to that again.. Huh?

Daniel’s smoldering gaze brought a flush to Emma’s entire body.

” Stop looking at me like that, ” she said.

He smiled. The flat of his hand chafed the stubble on his jaw.

” You erupt when I touch you, Honey, ” he said simply.

Emma could not meet his stare. He dwarfed the compact kitchen.

“look at me, Emma” he said

When she did, his expression was grim. The furrow between his brows deepened into a formidable line.

“That temper of yours ignites so easily. I gotta say I kinda like it”

He followed the swaying of her breasts beneath the eroticily patterned cloth as she turned to stir the spaghetti sauce.

“You know… Now that I think about it. You didn’t even invite me to stay for dinner”

Emma stopped to stare at him.

“Is that how much you wanna get rid of me?” he asked smiling

“Kinda..” she replied. I think I have had enough of you for one day. Mr Rohan ”

“Did I ever tell you I like the way you call my name?” he said, changing the topic.” but you know what. I think I prefer just Daniel… From you”

“you can stay for dinner… Daniel”

“Now that’s better,” he said, ” but maybe some other time.”

He stepped closer and gave her a peck on her cheek. And then he was gone.