Page 58 of Worth the Wait

“For what?”

“I came to the front door.” He flashes a lightning-quick grin.

“Good boy.”

“Don’t I get a treat?” he asks with a lift of his brow and eyes that run the entire length of my body in slow appreciation before stepping past me into my living room uninvited.

And I’d be lying if I said that slight brush of his body against mine doesn’t do things to every part of me.

“Can I help you?” I manage when I notice he has an electric drill in one hand and a large bag of something in his other.

“I’m not sure if you want me to answer that,” he says, followed by a low rumbling chuckle as he sets his stuff on the coffee table and turns toward me.

Damn the man gives good face.

Our eyes hold across the small space, and every part of my body is more than aware of him, his cologne, the look in his eyes...just everything. And including how much I wish Emerson wasn’t here right now so I could scratch this itch that seems to keep coming back somehow.

You promised, Des. No more sex with him.

“Is it Pussy again? Is she wet?” he asks, a ghost of a smile turning up the corners of his mouth. I’d swear he rehearsed the timing, because just as the words are out of his mouth, Emerson enters the room, mouth wide, cheeks flushed.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize I was...I’ll just”—she looks back and forth between us then throws a thumb over her shoulder—“go back in here, and you can pretend I’m not here.”

“No. Em. You’re fine.” I glare at Reznor. “He’s talking about Logan’s cat, Pussy.” Emerson eyes me. “I’m serious. The first time we met—it was—it’s just a joke between us. Reznor Mayne, please meet my best friend, Emerson Malone. Em, this is my new, temporary neighbor, Reznor.”

“Oh my God. Yes. Grant was telling me about your Academy days last week.” She crosses the small space, tucking her strawberry-blonde hair behind her ear before reaching her hand out to shake his. “So nice to meet you.”

“Likewise.” They shake. “Is it really true you own a skydiving company?”

“That it is. At Miner’s Airfield. It’s called Wings Out.”

“I might have to take a trip out there and have a jump while I’m here.”

“Please do,” she says and just my luck the two of them would get on perfectly. They continue talking for a few minutes to the point that I’m curious if I snuck out of the room if they’d even notice.

And then, almost as if I can physically see the light bulb turn on in Emerson’s head—when it hits her that there just might be more here than meets the eye—she gasps out, “Oh. I’m sorry. I’m just...I think I hear Taylor crying. I’ll go check on her.” She hooks a thumb over her shoulder but doesn’t move, a sly, knowing smile ghosting her lips.

“It’s okay,” Reznor says. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.” He holds up the stuff in his hands. “I should’ve called, but I bought you an infrared security system. Nothing extensive, but enough to alert you if the doors or windows are opened. I can come back and install it another time.”

“No,” Emerson gasps. And that one word expresses perfectly how what he just said makes me feel. It’s a good thing she speaks, because right now I’m pretty speechless as I stare at him, dumbfounded.

He bought me an alarm system. He came to the front door. He’s trying to take away the fear.

“I can come back. I didn’t know there was a baby⁠—”

“She sleeps through anything,” Emerson says with a wave of her hand and I can already see Reznor winning her over.

“I’ll be as quiet as possible.”

“Don’t worry about it. She’ll love more time with Aunty Des. Please, do your thing...Des and I can visit out back so we’re out of your way.”

Reznor looks at me and gives me a shy smile with a lift of his eyebrows, a silent request for permission, and it takes me a second to find my voice. “Thank you.” We hold each other’s gazes for a beat longer before I look up to see Emerson fighting a smile and pointing to me that we need to talk.

Because I’ve been holding out on her.

“He bought you an alarm system.”

“So?” I play it off, although that in itself is a flutter, swoon, and sag all in one.