“Honey, call me Walt,” the older man said, a twinkle in his eye. “I do love having a pretty woman to dine with me. I’m tempted to throw this one out in the snow and keep you for myself, but I’m thinkin’ I’d have a fight on my hands.”

Erik nodded. “That you would.”

“I gather you’re not originally from Colorado?” Emma asked, settling in a gorgeous chair straight out of Architectural Digest.

“Heard my Georgia accent, huh?” Walt teased, before launching into the tale of a Southern boy falling in love with the mountains.

Hours later after a dinner that Emma could only describe as one of the best of her life, they retired to the great room to enjoy after-dinner drinks. After another hour of chitchat, Erik looked at Emma. “Mr. Grider—Walt—I hope you won’t mind if I steal Emma away for a moment?”

The older man stroked his mustache. “Can’t say I haven’t enjoyed the company, but I’m an old man who firmly embraces early to bed, early to rise. I’ll say good-night now.”

Emma and Erik both said their good-nights, reiterating their gratitude for his hospitality.

After Walt had left, Erik turned to her. “Have I done something wrong?”

She shook her head. “No. I suppose I’m a little freaked out by...everything.”

“Do you regret what happened?”

Emma wanted to pace. She felt so unsettled, like a caged leopard. She forced herself to sit. “I said I wouldn’t and I mean that. I’m merely having some issues reintegrating myself in reality.”

He came to her and brushed a hand across her jaw. “I don’t want you to think I’ll be any different than I was before.”

Her heart leaped at his touch and then sank at his words. His declaration was a needle popping her balloon of possibility. She’d hoped he would want to see her again. That they might not be a one-night thing. But rather something more. “I know.”

Her voice wobbled. Damn it.

“Hey,” he said, lifting her chin. “I want you to be happy.”

Unshed tears clogged her throat.

She pressed her fingernails into the palm of her hand and willed herself not to cry. This was why he’d had reservations about making love to her in the first place. He had asked if she could handle it. So no tears. No regrets.

“Me, too,” she managed to say.

“Then why do you sound not okay? I’m worried that we ruined everything.”

Emma looked up. “How is anything ruined? I know the score. I get it.”

Erik studied her. “What do you get?”

“That it’s over. I told you I could do this and I am. It’s just—” she swallowed and averted her gaze from his brilliant blue eyes “—harder than I thought.”

He tugged her to her feet. “Emma, what are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about me being an idiot. I knew the way I felt about you would make this difficult. I should have been able to sleep with you and it not be a big deal, but—”

His kiss cut her off.

And it was a sweet, sweet kiss. One hand rose to cup her face, the other gripped her waist, bringing her fully against him. After a few seconds, he drew back and studied her. “I told you that I liked dessert first, remember?”

Emma squinted at him. “Dessert?”

“What we had back at the cabin was like having dessert first, you know? But I want the main course...and the appetizer—” he dropped his head and nuzzled her neck “—and the salad.”

“You mean...you want to see me again?” she asked, hope gathering inside her.

Please say yes. Please.

He lifted his head. “Only if you want the same.”

* * *

EMMA TILTED HER face up, her lips beckoning, her green eyes shimmering with emotion. “I want that more than anything.”

He smiled and dropped another kiss on her lips.

Pulling back, she looked up at him. “But I didn’t think you wanted anything more. You were so cold this morning.”

Erik didn’t know what she was talking about. “Cold? Uh, yeah. We both were.”

“No, not physically,” she said, regarding him with a puzzled look. “Just the way you acted.”

“Like how?”

“Go wash up. Here’s the sheets. Call your insurance company.” She crossed her arms over herself. “I felt like you were a different person.”

“Well, I couldn’t stay naked, whispering sweet words in your ear, babe. There was a man holding a gun on us and I was in my underwear. Makes a man feel a bit shaky.”

Tags: Kimberly Van Meter Billionaire Romance
Source: readsnovelonline.net