Guilt swamped me. She was right. She had opened up her heart and entrusted me with the story of her past and innermost musings. How could I be doubting her? Even for a second? Mind made up, I admitted, “Dad caught me snooping in his study.”
“Snooping?” Her hand at Storm’s neck stilled and the horse whinnied, his nose turning to nudge Emma’s shoulder. She gave the horse an affectionate pat and then looked back to me, her eyes concerned. “Why would you do something as risky as that?”
“It was an accident really. I came home yesterday and” — my cheeks flamed as I remembered the conversation I had overheard — “well, I could hear you and Dad talking in the study.”
She visibly paled, her eyes flicking back to Storm’s neck as she too must have recalled the nature of their conversation.
“I didn’t mean to eavesdrop,” I hurried out apologetically, “but ... well, Dad was so loud and I couldn’t really believe what I was hearing. That coupled with my bumping into you at Dr Tate’s and discovering how he uses him to keep tabs on all hiswomen, well, it had my hackles up and made me realize he was probably a whole lot more devious than I’d given him credit for.”
“Fair enough,” she said quietly. “But how did you get in his study, that room is always locked.”
“I don’t know,” I admitted. “I came home, heard you talking and before I knew it you were both coming out of the sitting room and I was scared I would get caught listening so I dived in the nearest open doorway which turned out to be the study. I’m guessing he hadn’t planned on being out of it for too long.”
She nodded. “So you used the opportunity to see if you could learn more about him?”
“Yes.”
“And did you?” She looked back at me now, her eyes telling me she had already figured the answer.
“Yes.”
“You can trust me, Abi,” she said earnestly, her free hand reaching out to caress my upper arm and causing my heart to skip a beat. “I’ve already decided that I need to work a way out of this relationship so you have nothing to fear from me” — our eyes connected, the sincerity written in her gaze — “I promise.”
“I know,” I said, my hand dropping from Storm to cover hers upon me. “But first I have to explain about Daniel. You see Dad came back while I was in there and when I tried to sneak away he saw me, assuming I had just come in to find him. Daniel was the first reason I could think of to be seeking him out. Plus I knew his eagerness for us to form a tie would make him less suspicious.”
I could see the light of understanding in her eyes and relief consumed me. To know that she believed me made it so much easier. Not that there was a relationship between us that prohibited me from seeing Daniel but I didn’t want her thinking I just put myself out there with all and sundry.
I also wanted her to see my feelings toward her were real — genuine and deep. If I was totally honest, I wanted to get through this crap with her by my side and come out the other end together, whole and happy.
No matter how fanciful the notion, I’d never wanted anything more.
“That makes sense,” she smiled then. “I must admit I was jealous.”
My tummy fluttered. “I did wonder.”
“The thought of anyone else touching you” — her eyes dropped to my lips — “tasting you ... it drives me crazy.”
“I know,” I breathed, the sexual current between us positively crackling once more. “I feel the same.”
She extracted her hand from beneath mine to cup my jaw, her thumb brushing delicately across my lower lip. Instinctively, my tongue flicked out to make contact with the soft pad and I saw her sharp intake of breath, felt it like it was my own.
“Not here, Emma,” I breathed. “The stable hands will be here any minute.”
She nodded but her gaze didn’t shift. “I get it ... but if we’re quick ... just one kiss.”
I went to refuse but the words wouldn’t form, instead, I found myself scanning the yard, my eyes and ears concentrating hard on the surroundings for any sign of people.
“In here,” I said, taking hold of her hand and lifting the latch on the stable door.
Pushing it open, I gently encouraged Storm to make way for us and led Emma inside. The horses up and down the enclosure snorted at our presence, their bobbing heads visible above the internal partitions. I tried to establish the corner least visible to the outside but Emma wasn’t hanging about, she tugged at my hand, pulling me up hard against the stable wall and pinning me to it.
As her mouth hungrily claimed my own, a guttural moan escaped me, the need erupting from within almost painful.
She tore away, her ragged voice whispering: “I’m sorry, I just had to...” and then she was crushing me once more, her tongue flicking languorously against my own, one hand in my hair while her other slipped beneath the fabric of my hoody.
“God, yes,” I cried, desperate for her to take control of me, to service the overwhelming need. My knees buckled beneath me and I pressed my shoulders into the wall to steady myself, my body arching into her invasive caress. As her cool fingers climbed higher I remembered my lack of bra—
“Christ!” she gasped as her hand discovered the same, the raw thrill in her voice only serving to drive my need higher. “You are so sexy.”
