“That’s very generous.”
“I wish I’d been able to be generous with my time instead. I wish I’d had the nerve to take her out for a meal or a coffee, just to talk, but I haven’t been able to face her.” He considered what Jeff said about safe places. “I thought I might be able to do it if you came with me.”
“I’d love to meet Penny with you.”
One more storm cloud floated away. “Okay. I’ll make the call.”
***
“That’s it, lady.” Michael pointed at the door, shooing Emily out of the house. “You’ve done your last renovation. Out.”
The appliances and decorative pieces were set to arrive any minute now, and Emily had received her walking orders. She’d completed her final project with the team, painting one of the upstairs storage rooms and now, as perHandymentradition, she was being sent away so the crew could prepare the property for the reveal. “Ah, come on. Just let me have one last look?”
“No way. You’ve been here all day long. You’ve had plenty of time to look.”
“You’re a tough task master, Michael. A tyrant.”
He leaned in and brushed his lips against her neck. “Don’t you forget it.” The sultry curl to his lips made Emily forget all her complaints.
“You won’t be here too long tonight, will you? Don’t forget we’re meeting Penny for coffee later.”
“I haven’t forgotten. Trust me.”
“You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to.”
“No, I want to. I have to deal with my triggers in order to take power away from them. I’m done letting this control me. Besides, it’s been so long since I’ve faced Penny. For all I know, she might not even act as a trigger.”
Emily couldn’t believe the change in Michael since he’d been seeing Jeff. They’d only had a few sessions but he came from each one looking younger. She knew they’d been dealing with difficult emotions in session, but every time he emerged from the psychologist’s office, his eyes were bright and full of hope. He spoke the lingo now, which always made her smile. Despite his initial discomfort with journaling his feelings, he now had a booklet full of inked pages.
His nightmares hadn’t disappeared and she didn’t expect they would. However, at least now she slept with him every night and could be there to remind him of his relaxation exercises and deep breathing.
Jeff had given him an exercise for flashback moments, one that had been working wonders so far. When Michael began to fade into his past darkness, he was to focus on his immediate environment, calling out objects that he’d see.
“Chair. Book. Bed. Closet. Jeans. Work boots.”
The first time Emily heard him reciting the list of items, she thought he was in the midst of a flashback, talking to himself. In actuality, calling out objects in view forced Michael to remember where he was. It reminded him he wasn’t standing on Jane Ashton’s back stairs, approaching her gun-wielding ex-husband.
“Okay,” said Emily. “But if you feel uncomfortable at any time, just give me a nod and we’ll get out of there.”
“I’ll be okay. Thanks.”
Curling one arm around her hip, he kissed her slow and deep. She sank against him as his tongue slid between her lips, hooking her fingers in his belt so she wouldn’t fall down. There was nothing better than kissing him. He was the sort of man who disliked dry pecks on the cheek. He always lingered, as if receiving life from her skin. Each kiss told her he was hungry for her. Every embrace was a new opportunity for him to tell her he thought she was beautiful.
Michael’s kisses told her, in no uncertain terms, he loved her. And she loved him.
The words hadn’t been said yet, but she felt it every morning when he reached for her. She’d been tempted to let the three syllables trip off her tongue many times but had always held back and she suspected he was doing the same. With so much happening in both their lives, it was enough knowing they supported each other. Their relationship was still a young one and she didn’t want to add any pressure.
Right now, she just wanted to enjoy him.
He gave her bottom a pat and pulled away. “It’s time for you to go. I need to finish your store. Scram.”
Laughing, Emily reached for her bag and car keys. “All right, all right. You don’t need to say another word. I know when I’m not wanted. I’ll see you later.” She headed into the hallway.
“Em? One more thing.”
“Yes, Michael?”
He grinned. “Just so you know, you are wanted.” He disappeared toward the back door.
