Alex was tinkering around at the kitchen counter when Emma walked in. The entire space had been transformed. In the day, his apartment was bright and airy. It seemed as if the sun danced off every surface. He felt his mouth dry. Blood rushing south so fast his head swam.
Seeing her in his shirt made him want to take her back to bed. This woman had a power over him that he didn’t quite understand. Attraction and lust were familiar concepts to him. But what he felt with Emma was on an entirely different plane. It had made no sense to him last night and it still didn’t. Seeing her now, in the light of day in his apartment, and knowing that she would leave soon, made an ache grow in the depths of him.
He wanted more of her. No. Heneededmore.
Alex had always considered his home his sanctuary. Whether it was London or Melbourne. He never invited women there, choosing instead to take them to hotels or opting to go home with them. That was a reminder of how temporary their dalliance was. He had all the power over when he would leave, and there would be no reminder of them afterwards.
He was very aware that he’d broken that rule last night. Even more confusing was the fact that it didn’t bother him in the slightest.
‘I made you coffee,’ Alex said, handing a mug to her.
‘Thank you.’ Emma relished the aroma before taking a small sip. ‘Where’s yours?’
‘Right here,’ he said, holding up a teacup.
She couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped her, but it didn’t seem to bother him. He pinned his blue gaze on her as he drank, and she was putty all over again.
What the hell, Emma? Get it together!she mentally chastised herself.
To give herself somewhere else to look, she located all her missing garments.
‘You know, I actually come down to the beach here every weekend,’ she said as she picked her shoes off the floor.
‘You do?’
‘Yeah, I like taking a walk in the morning and then getting a coffee.’ Emma ran her fingers through her hair, hoping to smooth it out into something presentable.
‘I might have to join you the next time you do that.’
‘You’re welcome to.’
Her phone buzzed on the marble countertop. There were a few texts from Hannah, making sure Emma was still alive and berating her for not texting back. Emma quickly responded with an apology, telling her best friend that she was fine and asking after her cat. Lucky would be fine, if a little angry with her.
Her phone beeped in her hand. The message that came through immediately got her hackles up.
‘Breakfast?’ Alex offered.
He made it sound like something sinful, but Emma was still scowling at her phone. It was a text from Lauren, summoning her to their parents’ too large home in Toorak. It was by no means a difficulty for her to go...it was just a lot further than she was willing to go after such a spectacular night.
Picturing Lauren’s face in her mind, not to mention her father’s, she knew she would be walking into a berating because Alex had chosen her. It didn’t matter what lies Lauren had told her father—the actual reason for her fury was that. Lauren believed that she deserved every special thing. Good things weren’t meant for Emma.
Lauren’s hatred of Emma had started early. She was older and had become used to being favoured. That was until they had started school. Quiet and studious, Emma had impressed every one of her teachers. Something Lauren had not done. Emma had continued to impress everyone as they’d grown older. And so the put-downs had begun, and had followed her right into the family business where Lauren would not have Emma upstaging her in front of outsiders.
She was the eldest. She was meant to take over from their father. Unfortunately Emma was still expected to give her all to the company. It was her duty as a Brown to ensure that the company prospered even if she would never be given a fair chance there.
But today Emma was riding a wave of absolute bliss and she was just not ready to crash. And that was exactly what would happen if she left.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She felt calmer when she opened them. And then she thought, why shouldn’t she spend a little more time with Alex? Last night had been an eye-opening experience. The sex had been unreal...
Alex was watching her with curiosity. He should have been trying to get her out through the door, but if he was honest with himself he really wasn’t trying to get rid of Emma at all. If anything, he was picturing her laid out on all the various surfaces in his penthouse.
‘You know what, Alexander? I’d love breakfast.’
His smile stole her breath, and she knew she’d made the right choice.
He took her clothes from her hand and dropped them to the floor. Her shoes clattered loudly in the silent space. Was it really silent? Because Alex clearly remembered switching on music, just as he did every morning. But he didn’t hear it now. Emma was biting her lip, and that was all he could focus on.
‘I really like the way you look in my shirt, but I think I like it off you more.’