“Do you remember losing that bet when we played Monopoly and giving me and my girlfriends a ride to the mall?”
He doesn’t hesitate. “I remember. You talked about James Bond the whole way there, and I recall being surprised that you even knew about a movie filmed in the 1960s.”
My eyes drop to his lips. “You underestimate me and my taste in music and movies, Mr. Richards.”
Emmett pushes out a thoughtful breath as he examines my face. “That’s where you’re wrong, Miss Quinn. You’ve always fascinated me. Your quirks, big heart, and love of sports made you one of the coolest people I knew. Someone I wanted to be friends with.” He pauses, fingertips massaging behind my ears. “And today, you’ve turned into an incredible woman that I can’t get enough of. Even if I should stop indulging myself in you.”
I never want him to stop.
“We won’t fit the stroller in the DB5, but I could bring Blake’s baby sling,” I suggest, eager to spend as much time with him as possible.
“Sounds good.” He smiles, mouth hovering over mine.
I stare up into his eyes. “Where do you plan on taking us?”
He rests his forehead against mine, and my heart settles into a steady rhythm, like we have all the time to enjoy each other.
“Somewhere discreet, but equally beautiful and a place where no one can disturb us.”
We’refifteen minutes into our drive, and I’m still none the wiser as to where we’re headed. All I know is, it’s out of town, the roads growing quieter and more rural.
Emmett switched up his regular glasses for prescription sunglasses, his attention fixed solely on the road.
“I think Blake likes the luxurious car lifestyle.” I chuckle, eyeing my baby daughter in the rearview mirror.
He rests his forearm over the steering wheel, briefly turning his head to look at me. “I think she likes any life where her mommy is at the center of it.”
Warmth fills my chest as we pull up at a stoplight, the road drenched in spring sunlight.
“How many cars do you have now?”
Emmett doesn’t immediately answer, lifting the fingers planted on his steering wheel to count. “Six, if you include this one.”
I practically choke on my saliva. “So, basically, one for each day of the week?”
His smirk is panty-melting as he shifts into gear. “Almost.”
It’s another couple of minutes before we speak again. Blake’s eyes intermittently droop as she gently falls into a deep sleep.
“If Blake stays asleep in the back, it will be her first decent nap in a while,” I say, a yawn threatening to break out. “If you can’t already tell by the dark circles under my eyes, this girl right here has had less than three hours of sleep for the past four nights.”
We’re driving along a quiet road when Emmett pulls into a rest stop, keeping the engine running as he unclips my belt.
With Blake seated directly behind me, there’s enough room for him to slide his seat right back.
“Come sit in my lap, Bill.”
“I thought we weren’t going to touch each other?”
Something in what I just said urges him on, and he reaches across to interlace our fingers and pull me over the center section.
I don’t resist, burning anticipation growing strong when I plant my knees on either side of his thighs and feel how crazy our close proximity is driving him.
Pushing away a few strands of hair that have come loose from my bun, Emmett pulls off his cap and sets it on my head, admiring the way it looks on me.
“There isn’t a day, hour, or minute that passes where I’m notthinking about you and Blake. When I gear up to hit the ice, I’m wishing you were in the family box. When I’m making my morning protein shake, I’m thinking about what you’re having for breakfast and if you managed to get enough sleep that night. You’re constantly on my mind, and my obsession is only growing stronger.”
My fingers find the toggles on his blue hoodie, and my eyes drop to where I’m fidgeting with it.
