banter.
“Oh, yes I can. I pay good money to the chef at Kiddies Inc for a reason.”
“So there’ll be no coming home to cooked meals in my future?” He tried to infuse his words with disappointment.
“Not unless you cook or we hire someone else to do it.”
Wade stilled, his breath frozen in his lungs. Did Emily realise what she’d just revealed? He wasn’t about to draw her attention to it, so he quickly changed the subject.
“I’m having dinner with Vee and Brent tomorrow night. I’d love it if you joined us.”
“Will they be okay with that?” Her words were edged with worry.
“Doesn’t matter what they think. It’s my birthday so it’s what I want that counts.” And if they didn’t like it, they could eat elsewhere. Wade wasn’t about to give up one minute of time with Emily now that she’d agreed to see him.
Em worried her bottom lip, her teeth digging deep enough to cause a sting of pain. “Sure, I’ve got nowhere else to be.” Would his sister and best friend be happy about her joining them?
“Wow. You’re enthusiasm warms my heart.”
“It’s not that I don’t want to join you, but I don’t want to intrude.” She hadn’t meant to imply she didn’t want to go.
“Like I said, my birthday, my choice.” Wade’s arm tightened around her waist.
“Speaking of birthdays, how close now?”
Wade brought his arm up for her to see his watch.
“A little over ten minutes.” Emily leaned over and placed her glass on the floor beside them. “I’ve never seen the fireworks live before. Watching on TV doesn’t count even if it’s live to air.”
“You saw the nine o’clock ones.”
She smiled. “Only half.”
He nuzzled her ear. “Well I hate to be the one to dash your hopes, but you’ll only be watching half of these too.”
“Oh?” Em leaned her head to the side, enjoying Wade’s teasing touch.
His teeth nipped at her ear. “Yeah, I’ve got something better to show you.” He leaned forward and waggled his eyebrows at her.
Emily laughed. She loved these glimpses of Wade’s humour. He’d seemed so serious most times they’d talked. Then again, before tonight they’d only spoken about work related issues. Or she’d been shooting down his attempts to ask her out. He hadn’t let her reluctance stop him though, and for that she would be forever grateful. They never would have reached this point if it were up to her. She wasn’t the type to sleep with a man on the first date, but that last kiss had proven how volatile their attraction was. If things went further, Emily would let them – would encourage it. For the second time in her life, Em was going to take what she wanted from someone else. And what she wanted was Wade and the sublime pleasure being with him offered. This new brave Emily was something else to thank him for. He made her want to have it all and before tonight she never would have thought it possible.
“What’s with the serious thoughts?”
Emily jerked. Could he read her mind? “What makes you ask that?”
“I’m not the only one that gets creases in their forehead when they’re thinking hard.” He stroked his fingers over those very wrinkles.
“I was actually thinking about how grateful I am that you didn’t give up on me.” She tilted her head back to look at him. “Most men would have taken no for an answer the first time.”
“Good thing I’m not like most men.” Wade tilted his face closer to hers.
She smiled. “Damn good thing.”
Wade’s face lit up with a flash of colour right before a loud boom shook the world around them. He grinned down at her. “Happy New Year, Emily.”
There was no chance to answer. His lips slanted over hers, his tongue seeking entrance to her mouth. And she opened for him. Welcomed him with all the passion she felt inside.
Epilogue
New Year’s Day, Twelve Months Later
Em raised her face to the sun and savoured the salty breeze brushing across her skin. It was another glorious day
“Oh, yes I can. I pay good money to the chef at Kiddies Inc for a reason.”
“So there’ll be no coming home to cooked meals in my future?” He tried to infuse his words with disappointment.
“Not unless you cook or we hire someone else to do it.”
Wade stilled, his breath frozen in his lungs. Did Emily realise what she’d just revealed? He wasn’t about to draw her attention to it, so he quickly changed the subject.
“I’m having dinner with Vee and Brent tomorrow night. I’d love it if you joined us.”
“Will they be okay with that?” Her words were edged with worry.
“Doesn’t matter what they think. It’s my birthday so it’s what I want that counts.” And if they didn’t like it, they could eat elsewhere. Wade wasn’t about to give up one minute of time with Emily now that she’d agreed to see him.
Em worried her bottom lip, her teeth digging deep enough to cause a sting of pain. “Sure, I’ve got nowhere else to be.” Would his sister and best friend be happy about her joining them?
“Wow. You’re enthusiasm warms my heart.”
“It’s not that I don’t want to join you, but I don’t want to intrude.” She hadn’t meant to imply she didn’t want to go.
“Like I said, my birthday, my choice.” Wade’s arm tightened around her waist.
“Speaking of birthdays, how close now?”
Wade brought his arm up for her to see his watch.
“A little over ten minutes.” Emily leaned over and placed her glass on the floor beside them. “I’ve never seen the fireworks live before. Watching on TV doesn’t count even if it’s live to air.”
“You saw the nine o’clock ones.”
She smiled. “Only half.”
He nuzzled her ear. “Well I hate to be the one to dash your hopes, but you’ll only be watching half of these too.”
“Oh?” Em leaned her head to the side, enjoying Wade’s teasing touch.
His teeth nipped at her ear. “Yeah, I’ve got something better to show you.” He leaned forward and waggled his eyebrows at her.
Emily laughed. She loved these glimpses of Wade’s humour. He’d seemed so serious most times they’d talked. Then again, before tonight they’d only spoken about work related issues. Or she’d been shooting down his attempts to ask her out. He hadn’t let her reluctance stop him though, and for that she would be forever grateful. They never would have reached this point if it were up to her. She wasn’t the type to sleep with a man on the first date, but that last kiss had proven how volatile their attraction was. If things went further, Emily would let them – would encourage it. For the second time in her life, Em was going to take what she wanted from someone else. And what she wanted was Wade and the sublime pleasure being with him offered. This new brave Emily was something else to thank him for. He made her want to have it all and before tonight she never would have thought it possible.
“What’s with the serious thoughts?”
Emily jerked. Could he read her mind? “What makes you ask that?”
“I’m not the only one that gets creases in their forehead when they’re thinking hard.” He stroked his fingers over those very wrinkles.
“I was actually thinking about how grateful I am that you didn’t give up on me.” She tilted her head back to look at him. “Most men would have taken no for an answer the first time.”
“Good thing I’m not like most men.” Wade tilted his face closer to hers.
She smiled. “Damn good thing.”
Wade’s face lit up with a flash of colour right before a loud boom shook the world around them. He grinned down at her. “Happy New Year, Emily.”
There was no chance to answer. His lips slanted over hers, his tongue seeking entrance to her mouth. And she opened for him. Welcomed him with all the passion she felt inside.
Epilogue
New Year’s Day, Twelve Months Later
Em raised her face to the sun and savoured the salty breeze brushing across her skin. It was another glorious day
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