uncomfortably as a reel of
loving memories played like a movie in his mind. “Yeah, I was.
Well, I’m still close to my dad. But my mom….” A small smile curved
on his lips. “She was thirty-eight when I was born. I was the long
awaited son to carry on the family name, and the late-in-life
baby.”
“I bet she spoiled you rotten,” Emma
mused.
“She did. And my four sisters.” He shook his
head. “Jesus, it’s a wonder I’m not gay growing up around all that
estrogen.”
Emma laughed. “No, instead you became a
manwhore.”
“Hey now,” he replied, nudging her knee with
his.
“How about a manwhore with a heart of
gold?”
“That’s a little better.”
She smiled. “Thanks for giving me a shoulder
to cry on.”
“I’m glad I could help.”
They sat motionless for a few seconds,
staring into each other’s eyes. Finally, Emma cleared her throat
and stood up. “I guess I better head on home now.”
When she started past him, Aidan grabbed her
arm. “Why don’t you come home with me tonight?” For a moment, he
thought someone else was speaking. His voice sounded foreign to
him, not to mention what it had suggested was a completely foreign
notion to him. He rarely invited women to his home—it was always
their place or a hotel room. Only long-time sexual partners crossed
that barrier. But Emma was turning him into a total emotional pansy
and making him break all his rules. First, he’d stayed the night
with her, and now he was asking her to his house.
If he was surprised, Emma was floored.
“W-What?”
“You know, so you don’t have to be alone with
everything that’s happened today.”
“Are you sure?”
He nodded. “I could throw some steaks on the
grill, or I could make us some pasta or shrimp scampi.”
“You cook?” she asked incredulously.
“Yes, smartass, I cook.”
“I’m impressed. I had no idea you were such a
triple threat. I mean, culinary skills, being master of the
universe at work, and of course we can’t forget your bedroom
talents.”
He laughed. “I’m full of surprises,
babe.”
She nibbled on her bottom lip, and Aidan was
sure she was waging a battle with herself on whether she should
take him up on his offer. “Are you sure you wouldn’t mind?”
“I’m positive. We can just hang around and
relax.”
“That sounds heavenly.”
“Meet you outside in ten?”
Emma nodded. “Want to give me directions or
just follow you?”
“I can just take you and bring you back to
your car.”
“Oh no, that’s too much trouble.”
“Em, it’s fine. Why don’t you meet me
downstairs in fifteen minutes?”
“Okay, that sounds good.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Emma’s mind
raged war on herself the entire elevator ride back down to her
floor. You’re breaking all your rules going to his house!
Remember your ‘get in, do the deed, and get out’ mantra? Agreeing
to let him cook for you and try to console you is sure as hell not
a part of that. You’re going to regret this! She had become her
own worst enemy.
“Enough!” she shouted just as the elevator
doors opened. The two women waiting to get on gave her a strange
look. She ducked her head and then power walked to her office.
Grabbing up her purse and bag, she slammed and then locked the
door.
Once she got downstairs, she paced around the
lobby. Just when she thought about bailing on Aidan to preserve her
own sanity, he appeared before her. “Sorry I kept you waiting.”
“Um, no, it’s fine.”
She followed him out the side door to the
parking deck. When the keyless entry in his hands flashed the
lights of a coal black Mercedes convertible, she gave a low
whistle. “Nice car, Mr. Fitzgerald.”
Aidan chuckled. “Thank you, Miss
Harrison.”
“I’m impressed I get to be escorted in such
style.”
He shook his head. “There you go with that
mouth again.”
Emma tossed her bag on the floorboard and
then slid across the leather seat. Besides the fact it cost twice
as much as her Honda, it
loving memories played like a movie in his mind. “Yeah, I was.
Well, I’m still close to my dad. But my mom….” A small smile curved
on his lips. “She was thirty-eight when I was born. I was the long
awaited son to carry on the family name, and the late-in-life
baby.”
“I bet she spoiled you rotten,” Emma
mused.
“She did. And my four sisters.” He shook his
head. “Jesus, it’s a wonder I’m not gay growing up around all that
estrogen.”
Emma laughed. “No, instead you became a
manwhore.”
“Hey now,” he replied, nudging her knee with
his.
“How about a manwhore with a heart of
gold?”
“That’s a little better.”
She smiled. “Thanks for giving me a shoulder
to cry on.”
“I’m glad I could help.”
They sat motionless for a few seconds,
staring into each other’s eyes. Finally, Emma cleared her throat
and stood up. “I guess I better head on home now.”
When she started past him, Aidan grabbed her
arm. “Why don’t you come home with me tonight?” For a moment, he
thought someone else was speaking. His voice sounded foreign to
him, not to mention what it had suggested was a completely foreign
notion to him. He rarely invited women to his home—it was always
their place or a hotel room. Only long-time sexual partners crossed
that barrier. But Emma was turning him into a total emotional pansy
and making him break all his rules. First, he’d stayed the night
with her, and now he was asking her to his house.
If he was surprised, Emma was floored.
“W-What?”
“You know, so you don’t have to be alone with
everything that’s happened today.”
“Are you sure?”
He nodded. “I could throw some steaks on the
grill, or I could make us some pasta or shrimp scampi.”
“You cook?” she asked incredulously.
“Yes, smartass, I cook.”
“I’m impressed. I had no idea you were such a
triple threat. I mean, culinary skills, being master of the
universe at work, and of course we can’t forget your bedroom
talents.”
He laughed. “I’m full of surprises,
babe.”
She nibbled on her bottom lip, and Aidan was
sure she was waging a battle with herself on whether she should
take him up on his offer. “Are you sure you wouldn’t mind?”
“I’m positive. We can just hang around and
relax.”
“That sounds heavenly.”
“Meet you outside in ten?”
Emma nodded. “Want to give me directions or
just follow you?”
“I can just take you and bring you back to
your car.”
“Oh no, that’s too much trouble.”
“Em, it’s fine. Why don’t you meet me
downstairs in fifteen minutes?”
“Okay, that sounds good.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Emma’s mind
raged war on herself the entire elevator ride back down to her
floor. You’re breaking all your rules going to his house!
Remember your ‘get in, do the deed, and get out’ mantra? Agreeing
to let him cook for you and try to console you is sure as hell not
a part of that. You’re going to regret this! She had become her
own worst enemy.
“Enough!” she shouted just as the elevator
doors opened. The two women waiting to get on gave her a strange
look. She ducked her head and then power walked to her office.
Grabbing up her purse and bag, she slammed and then locked the
door.
Once she got downstairs, she paced around the
lobby. Just when she thought about bailing on Aidan to preserve her
own sanity, he appeared before her. “Sorry I kept you waiting.”
“Um, no, it’s fine.”
She followed him out the side door to the
parking deck. When the keyless entry in his hands flashed the
lights of a coal black Mercedes convertible, she gave a low
whistle. “Nice car, Mr. Fitzgerald.”
Aidan chuckled. “Thank you, Miss
Harrison.”
“I’m impressed I get to be escorted in such
style.”
He shook his head. “There you go with that
mouth again.”
Emma tossed her bag on the floorboard and
then slid across the leather seat. Besides the fact it cost twice
as much as her Honda, it
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