She says it with such intensity, I almost believe her. I may have asked her for a favor, but she’s going all out.
I know I’m pressing my luck, but I dip my head and capture her lips. The kiss is just as explosive as the one this morning.
Emma pulls away when Sophia makes a disgusted sound. Sophia throws her hands up in frustration. “Well, that’s nice, but I don’t have anywhere to go.”
I’m about to tell her that she can’t stay here when Emma’s arm goes around my waist. “It’s going to be dark soon. She can stay here for tonight, can’t she, Brett?”
But I’m already shaking my head. “I don’t think that’s...”
Sophia interrupts. “Just one night, so I can make a few phone calls and get something else lined up.”
I know Emma’s heart is in the right place, but she doesn’t know Sophia. Sophia doesn’t care if I’m supposedly engaged. She’ll do whatever she has to tonight to try to get me alone with her. But that could actually help me, because I’m not going to let Emma out of my sight.
“Sure, if you’re okay with it, honey, I am too,” I tell Emma. I turn to look at Sophia. “But tomorrow, you head out.”
Chapter9
Emma
What the hell was I thinking? The whole day all I could think about was possibly staying here. I cleaned the house top to bottom, put dinner in the crockpot, and daydreamed about Brett all day long. I know he only wants a housekeeper and someone that cooks, and I can do that. I’ll do the very best at it. I’ve never felt so safe and looked out for in my life, and I don’t want to lose that feeling now. That kiss from this morning made me start to think about all the possibilities, but I shove them all aside. He’s not interested in me that way. He told me so last night. But no matter what I do, I still can’t stop that tiny bit of hope from building inside me.
And then Sophia came knocking at the front door.
Then it’s like all of a sudden, everything I dreamed about all day long was shot to hell.
I don’t have time to think about why Brett agreed to let Sophia stay. I felt bad for her in a way. She’s not very smart for doing what she did to him, and a part of me hates her for it. But she acts like she’s in pain, and I hate to see anyone in pain.
“Go unlock your car. I’ll be out there in a second to get your bag,” he tells Sophia.
As soon as she walks away, he turns to me. “Move your stuff into my room.”
I swallow. “Your room?”
“Yeah, honey. You’re going to have to stay with me tonight.” He smiles real big, and it’s then I realize why he gave in to her staying here.
“Brett Barrett, did you agree to this...”
He interrupts me. “To hold you in my arms all night? Yeah, honey. That’s the only reason I’d let that woman in my house again.”
He then smiles and kisses me before walking off.
I could watch him all day, but I turn and go quickly to grab my things. I have everything in one bag already, since I didn’t want to unpack, so moving me to his room is just me carrying my one bag in there.
I walk out of the bedroom just as they’re walking in. “Wow, something smells good,” Brett says, inhaling deeply.
I blush. “Thanks. I made chicken tacos in the crockpot.”
He rubs his belly. “You know what I like, honey.”
Sophie starts to walk to Brett’s bedroom, but he stops her. “You’re staying in the guest bedroom. That’s my and Emma’s room.”
She stumbles a little on her feet and walks into the guest bedroom.
The meal around the table is quiet, except for Brett talking about how good everything is. “I took out Raymond and Peter dinner earlier. They enjoyed it.”
Brett smiles. “Thanks, honey. I’m sure they really appreciated it.”
Sophia keeps watching Brett. The further into dinner we get, the more she flirts with him. She keeps trying to touch his arm, but when she does, he always moves it.