“But, Wade, you and I aren’t...we’re only...”
“As of tonight, we’re lovers. And that isn’t something I take lightly these days...not since I became a father and had to start acting like an adult.”
She twisted the sheet more tightly in her fingers, not knowing quite what to say. Had Wade really begun to think of a lasting relationship, even knowing that she didn’t intend to stay? Had he really been so confident that he could change her mind?
And, if she really was so certain that leaving was the right thing to do, why was she so afraid that he might succeed?
Wade shoved a hand through his hair, and sat up. “Sometimes I’ve got really lousy timing,” he muttered. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought this up now. But I wanted you to know that tonight meant something to me, Emily. It wasn’t just sex. And it wasn’t casual. It was a hell of a lot more.”
He caught the back of her neck with one hand and pulled her toward him for a quick, firm kiss. “I’m going to leave before I risk shoving the other foot into my mouth. But think about what I said, okay?”
She nodded, knowing she would have no choice but to ponder his words...and to wonder exactly how seriously he’d meant them.
Wade didn’t linger after that. He dressed quickly, saying little more. Wrapping herself in a thick robe, Emily saw him to the door, where he paused only long enough to kiss her senseless again. And then he left her alone in the house that would soon be his.
She found herself suddenly wondering if it was too late to change her plans, even if she wanted to.
11
THOUGH HER BOSS and her aunt and uncle tried to talk her into taking the remainder of the week off, Emily went back to work Wednesday morning, still bruised and a bit sore, but desperately needing a distraction from her thoughts.
Her co-workers immediately surrounded her when she walked into the bank.
“Emily, are you all right?”
“Oh, Emily, we’re so glad you’re okay!”
“Are you sure you should be here today? Shouldn’t you be resting?”
“Is there anything we can do for you?”
Again, she was struck by the novelty of having people offer to do favors for her. It was quite a turnaround for a compulsive pleaser to have people trying to please her for a change...and she wasn’t sure how she felt about it. While it was nice, it also made her a bit uncomfortable. She simply wasn’t accustomed to it.
It seemed that every customer that came into the bank that morning wanted to talk to her. To express sympathy. To ask questions. To subtly probe for information about her relationship with the chief of police.
By midafternoon, Emily had begun to wonder wearily if she should have stayed at home, after all.
She was crossing the bank lobby, having just delivered some paperwork to the account research department, when she suddenly heard a child’s voice call her name. “Miss Emily! Miss Emily!”
She turned just in time to catch Clay as he launched himself at her.
Bending slightly to return the boy’s hug, Emily noted that Wade was close on his son’s heels. He gave her a rather sheepish smile over Clay’s head. “I just picked him up from school. He wanted to see you,” he explained.
“Is your head okay, Miss Emily?” Clay asked worriedly, studying the still vivid bruise on her forehead.
“Yes, I’m fine, sweetie,” she assured him. Her smile felt a bit strained because she was so intensely aware of the attention they were receiving from her co-workers and the few customers in the bank.
“I was worried about you,” Clay said. “My friends at school said bad guys knocked you out and took your stuff. But don’t worry. My daddy’s going to catch them and put them in jail.”
“Yes, I know he will, if he can.” Emily straightened to glance at Wade, hoping her expression wasn’t as revealing to the curious onlookers as she feared. “Hello, Wade.”
“How are you?” he asked, searching her face.
Reading many layers into the simple question, she tried to answer all of them with a firm, “I’m fine. Thank you for asking.”
Clay tugged at the hem of the navy blazer she wore. “Miss Emily?”
“Yes, Clay?”