A loud laugh that sounded like a snort erupted from my chest as I sat up. I leaned forward and pressed my lips to his forehead, then his nose, slowly working my way down to his chest, painting his glistening dark brown physique with kisses as his fingertips caressed my shoulders, guiding my journey. My tongue encircled and dipped into his navel before I dragged my tongue through the dark trail of hair leading to the junction of his thighs.
“Oh my God, Emma,” he groaned when I gripped his length and slowly stroked it with my fist. “My God, that feels so…” The power of words escaped him when I took him into my mouth, tantalizing and exploring his shaft with my tongue. I dragged the tips of my fingernails along the inside of his thighs, feeling his muscles tighten in response to my touch. His hips flexed in rhythm with my bobbing head and his moans became more erratic. He was close. Theman who’d met me at one of the lowest points of my life, who’d spent the last four weeks making me feel like a queen, exploded in my mouth while I sucked him into oblivion. I swallowed and sat up to find Dan gazing at me like a long-lost treasure.
“What?” I asked, suddenly feeling a little self-conscious.
“Come here,” he whispered before reaching up and pulling the hair tie from my hair, making my damp curls cascade past my shoulders. I tried to pull and toss them into shape, but Dan grabbed my wrist and pulled me onto the mattress next to him. “You’re so beautiful.”
“You won’t say that when it dries.” I chuckled, pulled a lock of hair out of my face, and tucked it behind my ear.
“I will always think you’re beautiful.” He pulled me closer into his arms and kissed me for a very long time.
Finally, my eyes grew heavy with sleep and Dan covered us with the duvet from his bed and kissed my forehead.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Good morning, handsome.” I planted a kiss on Dan’s bare back as he stood at the bathroom sink, shaving.
“Careful, love,” he whispered. “I almost lost an ear.” He lowered his razor and turned to wrap his arms around me and kiss me.
“You’d still be handsome.”
“I’d rather be handsome with both of my ears, if it’s all the same to you,” he growled, planting kisses on my neck and tickling me. “Are you excited about your first planning meeting today?”
“Yes… no.” I bit my lip and twisted the hem of his T-shirt, which looked like less of a T-shirt and more of a dress when I wore it. “I’m kinda nervous. I mean, I’m definitely prepared.”
I’d spent hours every day poring over anything I could find about past festivals. I’d even found some pictures of my mother from her days as a teenage beauty queen. Those moments were bittersweet. A mother and daughter with a healthy relationship would relish moments like these, but we didn’t have one of those. Sometimes, inmy most desperate fantasies, I pictured my mother helping me plan the festival, but I hadn’t had a real conversation with her in at least a month. It wasn’t for a lack of trying. My conversations with Daddy had become more terse and more distant, instantly transporting me back to my childhood growing up in my parents’ house, tiptoeing around sensitive subjects, constantly feeling like my chest was being squeezed.
“All right, Emma?” Dan asked. I hadn’t realized that I’d tensed up until he placed his palms on my shoulders and they lowered a few inches as I exhaled a deep breath.
“I’m fine. It’s gonna be fine.” I exhaled another deep breath. “Everything is going to be fine.”
“Yes, it is.” He smiled and patted me on the ass as I exited his bathroom.
“Are you sure you don’t want to come to the meeting?”
“Me?” He tilted his chin up and resumed shaving his neck. “No men allowed. We just do the heavy lifting. We don’t plan.”
“That’s a little old-fashioned. Don’t you think?”
“Emma, look where you are.”
“Good point.”
“Lunch at Erica’s?”
“I wouldn’t miss it, love.” He winked at me in the bathroom mirror before I turned and skipped down the steps.
The planning committee wasn’t at all what I was expecting. To be honest—and I felt terrible for thinking this way—I was surprised how organized and sophisticated it was. It made me think back to Erica’s initial assessment of me and wonder if she was right. I’d never considered myself stuck-up or bougie, but between myupper-class upbringing, Jack and Jill, debutante balls, an undergrad degree from an elite HBCU, membership to one of the most coveted sororities, an advanced degree from an Ivy League school… Okay, I definitely wasn’t helping my case.
The committee was also bigger than I was expecting. The meeting was so large, in fact, that it had to be held in the conference room of the church. The Harvest Festival didn’t just celebrate the town, it celebrated almost the entire county. There would be performances, food stands, prestigious contests, pageants, and rides. I almost wondered why the mayor’s wife wanted me involved in the first place.
It wasn’t long before I had my answer.
“—joined by Emmaline Walters.” I snapped to attention when I heard Belinda call my name. “As you all know, she is the granddaughter of our beloved, departed George and Harriet King, and now the owner of their farm. We sincerely hope that she will continue the legacy of her grandparents, and also the good work of Dan, Ernesto, and everyone who makes that farm so special.” She gave me a warm but very pointed and not-so-subtle glance.
It had been over a month since I’d stumbled on the grow room and learned my grandparents’—and the entire town’s—dirty (pun intended) little secret. However, it never stopped striking me as odd how everyone discussed the farm. Everyone knew that I knew, but no one ever plainly discussed what the farm’s true purpose was.
“Emmaline,” Belinda continued, “is also a very gifted public relations representative and event planner in Atlanta. She’s worked with—” To my shock and awe, Belinda began to rattle off the names of some of my most high-profile clients and even name-dropped some of the bigger events I’d had a hand in coordinating. Again, Iadmonished myself for being so surprised. This town was small, but they did have Google. “—am so excited to hear all of her ideas for this year’s festival, which I’m sure will be the best one yet.” The room chorused in appreciative oohs, ahhs, murmurs, and a smattering of applause before it fell into an eerie silence. There were dozens of pairs of eyes on me when I looked around the room. Apparently, the committee was expecting me to speak.
