“Good luck wit’ that,” Caine said with a chuckle.
Just remember what I said about her past,” Eme reminded him.
Caine and Emelise spoke at almost the exact same time and Remy chuckled.
“Thanks. I’ll keep it in mind.” Remy nodded at them and left. Yeah, inviting her to dinner sounded like a really good idea. With that thought playing around in his mind, he headed into New Orleans to finish the designs he’d been working on so he could start in on the one for the hotel.
Kylie
Kylie lay there in bed, letting her mind wander to the erotic dreams she’d had the night before. She could hear Caine and Emelise moving around in the front of the house, but she really didn’t want to get up just yet. She was mildly embarrassed to think they would smell her arousal if she went out right now. There was only one thing to do about it. She needed some relief and she needed it now.
Closing her eyes, she pictured Remy’s face as she slid one hand down to slip beneath her pajama bottoms. She imagined what it would feel like to have his hands caressing her skin. Would they be rough or smooth? As she dipped a finger inside her, she imagined it was Remy’s finger thrusting inside her. Her thumb caressed her clit and she pictured Remy’s mouth there, his tongue teasing the sensitive nub. She muffled her noises with the palm of her free hand as she worked herself to a quick release.
After the orgasm took the edge off her need, she crawled out of bed and went to shower. For a moment she thought she heard Remy’s voice but dismissed it as her imagination when she didn’t hear it again.
“Morning, sleepy head. I figured you probably wore yourself out keeping all the kids entertained last night and we wouldn’t see you until a bit later. You don’t look like you rested very well,” Emelise said when she saw Kylie slip into the kitchen.
Kylie poured herself a cup of coffee and slid onto one of the stools at the bar, that separated the kitchen and dining room, before she responded to Emelise’s comment. “Eh, it was okay. I’m just a little out of sorts. I think I woke up too early but some coffee should wake me up. What’s the plan for today?”
“Well, I have to do inventory this afternoon but beyond that, the day is pretty open until tonight. Why?”
“I was thinking of doing a little sightseeing. I realized this morning that I really haven’t seen much of the city.”
“You should do that. Go play tourist for the day.”
“You don’t mind? Are you sure you don’t want me to help with the inventory?”
“I’m sure. Go, eat some good food, listen to some great music, and have fun.”
“All right, then. I guess I will.” She got a quick breakfast then had a thought. “Wait, how am I getting into town?”
Emelise laughed. “I’ll give you a ride since I have to go do inventory anyway.”
Hailey chose that moment to come into the kitchen, rubbing sleep from her eyes. “Can I come?”
Eme smiled warmly at her. “Sure, sweetheart. We’ll get you some things to keep you busy while I work. First, you need some breakfast in you. Would you like some chocolate chip pancakes?”
“Yes! That’s my favorite!”
Emelise smiled. “Chocolate chip pancakes coming right up.”
Kylie watched them together and felt a pang of longing. Emelise was such a good surrogate mother for Hailey, and she knew the other woman was going to be just as amazing when her twins were born. A part of her envied Emelise. She would love to be a mother one day but she didn’t see that ever happening.
An hour later they were stepping off the boat at the dock just outside of New Orleans. “I’ll see you later. Have fun you two,” Kylie said as she slung her bag over her shoulder.
“You too. Enjoy your sightseeing.” Emelise took Hailey to the car and got her settled in the backseat. “You sure you don’t want a ride to the French Quarter?”
“I’m sure. I want to just walk and enjoy the day.”
“Okay. See you tonight, then.”
Kylie watched them go before she turned her attention to wandering the streets of New Orleans. She went through the Garden District and admired the varied architecture she found there. Some of the houses were absolutely breathtaking. She imagined they were very expensive, too.
A little after noon, her stomach started protesting the fact she hadn’t eaten much at breakfast, and she was considering where she might want to go for lunch, when she stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. She felt like someone had hit her with a sledgehammer. There, not fifty feet ahead of her, was Remy. That wasn’t what made her heart feel like it was breaking though. No, it was the brunette attached to his arm that caused that feeling. The woman was gorgeous, like model-worthy gorgeous. The dress she wore clung to her body and showed off her curves. She should have known he was playing her. And why not? When he could get a woman like that, why in god’s name would he want her? A sound escaped her before she could stop it and she saw his head snap up as their eyes locked.
Remy
It had been early afternoon and he’d just sent the final designs he’d been working on off to the client when the door had opened and Estelle Beauchamp, wife of his best friend, Devon, had stepped inside.
