Emma's Story Chapters 1-3
Liz's Progressive NovelYeah, I don't like that name either so you need to help me think of another one.
Hey everyone!
I can't tell you how happy I am that I woke up this morning to emails wanting to know where chapter 3 was! It made my heart happy that you are loving our story as much as I do.
Thank you so much for your wonderful suggestions for Chapter 3. I hope you will be pleased.
PLEASE keep the comments coming. Chapter 4 needs some of your marvelous input.
As always, let me put a disclaimer in here.
1. I have no idea if this is going to work.
2. This will be raw and unedited. You will see all my ticks and flaws that drive my editors crazy!
3. See #2. This can't be stressed enough.
4. I reserve the right to re-write any previous parts if needed.
Copyright 2015All rights reservedThis is a work of fiction. Names, characters, business, places, events and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, currently known or future inventions except as may be expressly permitted in writing from lizabeth@LizabethScottBooks.com
Leo knew he would have to do some fast talking tomorrow if he wasn’t there to pick Vargas up tonight. He’d just tell him he lost track of time in the arms of a blonde and the bottom of a bottle. That, Vargas would understand. After pulling away from the side of road Leo didn’t give Vargas another thought.“So, what happened, if you don’t mind me asking?” Leo was curious about her reason for being at the police station. He tried to keep his eyes on the road and away from her amazingly toned and tanned long legs which were only a few inches from his hand.“No, I don’t mind. Some of it you might even sympathize with. I have a very overbearing, yet well-meaning mother.” Emma couldn’t explain it. From the moment she got into his car she had never felt safer in her life. Why was she not leery of this sinister looking man?“Say no more, I totally understand. She’s trying to marry you off?” Leo shifted gears at a stop light and glanced her way. She was so beautiful she took his breath away. Leo had learned long ago to be cautious of beautiful women. They were usually way too high maintenance for him. But, Emma wasn’t giving off that type of vibe.“Exactly! You feel my pain, right?” Emma pulled her hair over her right shoulder and readjusted in the leather seat, “Once a month I have to show up at my parents’ house and be paraded in front of their latest bachelor of the month. Mother always has a car sent for me so I can spend time getting to know him when he takes me home. This month’s bachelor offering was a little too handsy for me so I told the driver to pull over and got out of the limousine.”“He left you? Alone, at night?” Leo wanted to find the creep and do bodily harm to any man that would leave a woman alone like that.“Yeah, with a squeal of tires and my bag. I had no identification on me so when the police saw a woman walking down the street…well, you can imagine what they assumed.” Emma tried to keep her eyes off of his thigh and hand as he changed gears. But each time he pushed the clutch in the muscles in his leg tensed and stretched the ripped denim of his jeans. Her mouth became dry at the same time her body overheated. Leo chuckled, “Yeah, I can imagine.” His eyes left the road for an instant as he glanced her way. The flush of her face puzzled him. “It was relatively easy to sort out at the station. They were only doing their job.” Emma looked out the window at the passing scenery which she was in no way paying attention to. “So if you have no bag I am guessing you have no keys either.” Leo asked.“Oh dear, I hadn’t thought of that. There’s a coffee shop near my house, I will wait there till morning. My neighbor has a spare key. I don’t want to bother her this late at night.”Leo didn’t wait for her to finish speaking before he had his phone out. “Nash. Contact limo services for Ocean Island. A mister…” Leo looked to Emma and waited.“Stewart Rawleigh.” Emma was puzzled, the Leo that was talking on the phone was another total contradiction to the Leo she met on the street, straight and to the point as if he was used to taking charge…as if he was used to being in charge.“Stewart Rawleigh hired a limo tonight. His guest left her bag. Have it delivered to…” He looked at Emma once again.“1447 East Ocean Drive,” Emma gave him her address. She had no idea what was going on.“1447 East Ocean Drive. Our ETA is forty minutes.” Leo disconnected and tossed his phone on the console between them.“What was all that about?” Emma asked.“Your keys will be waiting on us.” Leo glanced her way and smiled.“How did you do that?” She shook her head in disbelief. “I know people.” Leo gave her his best smile and winked.Emma sucked in her breath, his smile should be illegal, it was totally overpowering to her female bits. She was afraid to ask what kind of people. “So, what type of work do you do?” Perhaps she shouldn’t have asked him that. With the way he looked, and he was waiting outside a police station, did she really want to know. “I’m in…security.” Leo stumbled over, he couldn’t blow his cover, at least not yet.“Oh, like a bodyguard?” She could believe that. He would have no problem with intimidation. “Something like that. What about you?” It would be safer for her to not know what he was really doing in town.“I work with Oceanic Research.” Emma vaguely answered.“Oh really, what do you do?”“I work with really big fish.” Emma was used to people’s reactions when she said she worked with sharks. She rarely gave the full details of her job. You were either a shark fan, or you weren’t. Most she was sad to say, weren’t.“So what, you spend your work day out on the ocean fishing?” Leo laughed and shifted down to make a turn.“Technically that is a correct assumption.” She tilted her head and tapped her index finger against her lips.Leo laughed, “ya know sometimes you say things that are totally geeky.”Emma laughed, that was a comment she was used to, “That’s me Nerdy Girl.”She was so cute and so innocent. He needed to drop her off and forget about her. He glanced her way again and this time caught her looking at his legs. His reaction to the look on her face was instant and strong. He might be able to drop her off, but he surely wouldn’t forget about her anytime soon.“So, what is this about Sunday dinner with your mom?”That certainly deflated his mood quickly, “You know how your mom pushes you to find your one true love, settle down and then start shooting out babies? Well, that’s my mom as well. She called earlier today and threatened to get the neighborhood matchmaker involved if I didn’t hurry things along. I may have told her I was already seeing someone, and now after talking to you, she thinks my someone’s name, is Emma.” All the names in his contact list, and she had to call his mamma. Emma laughed at his predicament. “Wow, you really are in trouble.”“Tell me about it. I’ve already been thinking of borrowing my best friend’s wife to pose as my girlfriend for the day.”Emma laughed again. She hadn’t had this much fun on a date in a long time. Whoa, date? This wasn’t a date. Did she want to date him? He wasn’t anything like the guys she usually dated. He wasn’t even in the same area code as the men she usually dated. She sneaked another glance at his rugged and dangerous good looks from under her lashes and almost swooned. Yes, swooned. Now she finally knew what that word meant.Leo was especially nothing like Marcus. Marcus had been one of her mother’s finds. Marcus was from the right family according to her mother with loads of family money behind him. They had dated for a year before he proposed. At her mother’s urging Emma had accepted. She didn’t have any valid reason for saying no, and she was getting older. They got along alright, he was thoughtful and considerate, but they had no chemistry. Two months before the wedding Emma logged on to his computer to look through their gift registry, and that was when she found pictures of Marcus, and several women, naked, and enjoying themselves on what was supposed to have been a business trip.Emma chanced another glance at Leo. Nope, Leo was nothing like Marcus. “Leo, if you want. I mean I hope this isn’t too forward of me. But I would be happy to be your fake girlfriend for a day, if it would help you out. I mean, you have been so nice to make me feel comfortable, and then to drive so far out of your way to bring me home. Not to mention getting my bag from Pawsy’s car.”“Pawsy?” Leo stopped her for clarification.“You know, he wouldn’t keep his paws off me.” Emma explained.Leo growled deep in his throat. The thought of Emma warding off unwanted hands wasn’t a pleasant thought. Maybe he would look Mr. Rawleigh up before he went home. “Anyway, if you want, I would be happy to fill in for you.”Here was the answer to his prayers. But she was too nice a girl to put her through his family. “Emma…” he paused trying to come up with an explanation.Emma knew that look, and she couldn’t really blame him, “It’s okay Leo. I understand. You had someone a little less geeky in mind. I get it. Really I do. Don’t think another thing about it. I don’t know what I was thinking. I mean why would you want to go out with me.”“Emma stop. Please just stop. You misunderstand. Of course I would want to go out with you. You’re beautiful. I just can’t put you through meeting my family. I appreciate the offer I really do, and I would love to take you up on it, but I just couldn’t do that to you. You’re such a little thing you wouldn’t even make it to the dinner table.”Emma giggled and then began to laugh out loud. “Oh Leo, you have no idea. I can assure you, your family is no worse than mine.”“Well then Emma, I am truly sorry about that.” He loved the way her eyes danced with laughter. Their hazel color was neither blue or green, but somewhere in the middle.His comment set her giggles off again. “How did we get so lucky?” She was finally able to get out once the giggles subsided. When he didn’t respond Emma glanced towards him. Leo wasn’t laughing or even smiling. But he was looking at her with such raw emotion she couldn’t breathe for a moment. Intense desire blinded her and she intuitively leaned towards Leo.“Emma, I want to kiss you.” His eyes focused on her pink tongue peeking from her slightly parted lips.“I…I wish you would.” Emma leaned closer lost in his eyes.“I really shouldn’t.” Leo willed his body to obey what his mind was screaming, “stop!” Instead he brushed a stray strand of her sun streaked hair behind her ear and leaned closer still. “But you will, right?” Emma asked breathlessly as she tilted her head and closed her eyes waiting for his kiss.In answer Leo closed the remaining few inches between them and ran his tongue over her bottom lip, tasting her. She tasted of champagne and strawberries. He felt the breath of her sigh, and moved the kiss deeper, claiming her lips. The floral scent she wore wove its way around him, through him, into his lungs, and straight to his core. He breathed her in as he parted her lips with his tongue. Never had he been so captivated by a simple kiss.A car passing broke the spell and brought them both back to reality. Emma looked into Leo’s eyes and smiled. He felt it too…it was there in his eyes. For once in her life Emma knew what it meant to be devoured by someone’s eyes. Because that was exactly the way Leo was looking at her. That thought only excited her more. She was confused. Yes, she had been kissed plenty of times, but no one had ever kissed her like Leo. Was that the spark everyone always talked about? She shook her head to try and clear her thoughts and looked around clueless as to where they were. When had Leo pulled over? She glanced out the window and finally noticed they were parked in her driveway. When had that happened?She glanced back at Leo and he looked just as muddled as she felt. “Emma…”“Leo…”They spoke at the same time, shared a smile, and Leo tucked the same errant strand of hair behind her ear. “Emma, I really want to see you again.”Emma fell into the deep dark puddle of his brown eyes and shivered. Leo radiated strength and power. By all outward appearances she should be running for her life. Yet, here she sat, unable to leave his side and walk into her house without some hope of seeing him again. “I would like that Leo.” Was she crazy to even contemplate seeing him again? Nothing could ever come of it. Her parents would have her committed if she ever brought Leo home for dinner. After they hid the silver. But in the darkness of the car with only the street lights for illumination she saw more clearly than she could on even a sunny day. She really wanted to see him again.“Can I get your number?” Leo asked nervously. Emma thought his uncertainty was sweet, she held her hand out for his phone. After entering her number she handed it back. What had she done? They both got out of the car and walked towards the house. Leo reached for her hand and Emma felt a warm rush as her hand fit perfectly into his.“Can I call you tomorrow?” He asked hopefully.“Yeah, I’ll be out at sea most of the day, reception is sporadic at best, but we’ll be back by five, five-thirty at the latest.”“What, it depends on if the fish are biting?” Leo joked.“Yeah, something like that.” Emma smiled, he had no idea how accurate his statement actually was.Leo opened her screen door, and bent to pick up her bag, “your purse ma’am.” He made a grand show of handing it to her.Emma giggled. When had she turned into a giggling girl? “You know some mighty find friends sir.” She routed around inside her bag, and finally found her door key. Leo took the key and opened the door, and flipped the light switch. “You know, this lock is not very safe. You don’t even have a dead-bolt. Anyone could kick it in with very little effort.” He would have to see about getting her something safer. Emma took her key back and walked through the door and tossed her bag on the table behind the couch. It was really sweet that he was concerned about her safety. “I’ve lived here for years this lock has been perfectly fine.” She felt extremely small standing beside him. In the car they had been sitting down and the difference hadn’t been as noticeable. Her feet were killing her in her silly heels and she wanted more than anything to kick them off but they did offer her at least four inches of much needed height around Leo. She still had to tilt her head back to look up at him.Leo walked in behind her not waiting for an invitation. If her front door was this bad he had to check out the backdoor. “I would say you’ve been lucky, not fine. Your backdoor is probably the same.”“Well, no.” Emma hesitated to say, “The back door is a sliding glass door and I have a very…unique way of locking it.” He would really go crazy when he saw the broken broomstick in the track she used as a lock.“What?” He didn’t wait for an answer, “I have to see it.” he mumbled as he walked through her house. “Wait, Leo.” Emma called out. When she reached him he was already holding her “lock” in his hands and didn’t look very happy. She should feel intimidated by his look, but…nope, she didn’t. Not even a little bit.“A piece of wood?” Leo couldn’t believe she depended on a broken piece of wood to keep anyone out of her house. “Well the lock broke.” Emma tried to explain. She had intended to have it fixed several years ago but something always seemed to come up. “And why didn’t you have it repaired? This is not safe Emma.” He pinched the bridge of his nose and counted to ten. Emma didn’t like the tone of his voice. She wasn’t a little girl to be scolded and that was precisely the way he sounded. “Well it’s worked perfectly fine.” “Tomorrow, I will send someone over to outfit you with locks that are safe. His name in Tiny, but that name is deceiving. He is anything but. What time do you leave for work?” Leo was already texting Tiny.“No, Leo.” Emma said sternly, or at least what she thought was sternly, it had no effect on him whatsoever. “I can have my own locks fixed or not fixed. That is…” “What time do you leave for work Emma,” Leo interrupted her. “Please.” He added.Emma crossed her arms and told him, “Five thirty.” He gave her a look, like he didn’t believe her, “What? It’s when the fish are biting.” She explained.Leo grinned, she was so feisty when she got her feathers up. “Fine, Tiny will be here before you leave. I give you my word it is safe to leave him in your home.”“Leo, no.” Emma had to make him listen to reason. There was no way she would allow a man she had only known for a few hours to railroad over her like this. She would simply put her foot down. No, there was no way he was doing this. “Emma, please understand.” He pleaded with her, his brown eyes going dark and doing that puddling thing to her insides again. “Security is my business. I couldn’t leave anyone I care about without adequate security measures. That is just not the way I am.”“You care about me?” Emma asked breathlessly. “You just met me?”“Yeah,” Leo had to stop and run that over in his head. He had only met her a few hours ago but yes, he did care about her. He cared about her safety, which was as much of an admission as he could or would make. “I guess I do. I care about your safety Emma. Like I said, it’s my job.” “Okay Leo.” She finally relented. It seemed important to Leo and she did need a new lock. It was nice of him to offer. “Two locks. And have Tiny leave me a bill on the table.”He gave her brilliant smile and decided to leave quickly before she changed her mind. “I’ll call you tomorrow. Good night Emma.” He stopped just before opening her door. “Night Leo. Thank you again for everything you did for me tonight.”With a soft kiss of promise Leo closed her front door. Emma watched as he got into his car, and she even watched until his taillights were no longer visible.Emma leaned back against the wooden door with stars in her eyes. “Oh my gosh, he is so hot.” She admitted out loud, right before she hung her head. What had she done?
Hey everyone!
I can't tell you how happy I am that I woke up this morning to emails wanting to know where chapter 3 was! It made my heart happy that you are loving our story as much as I do.
Thank you so much for your wonderful suggestions for Chapter 3. I hope you will be pleased.
PLEASE keep the comments coming. Chapter 4 needs some of your marvelous input.
As always, let me put a disclaimer in here.
1. I have no idea if this is going to work.
2. This will be raw and unedited. You will see all my ticks and flaws that drive my editors crazy!
3. See #2. This can't be stressed enough.
4. I reserve the right to re-write any previous parts if needed.
Copyright 2015All rights reservedThis is a work of fiction. Names, characters, business, places, events and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, currently known or future inventions except as may be expressly permitted in writing from lizabeth@LizabethScottBooks.com
Leo knew he would have to do some fast talking tomorrow if he wasn’t there to pick Vargas up tonight. He’d just tell him he lost track of time in the arms of a blonde and the bottom of a bottle. That, Vargas would understand. After pulling away from the side of road Leo didn’t give Vargas another thought.“So, what happened, if you don’t mind me asking?” Leo was curious about her reason for being at the police station. He tried to keep his eyes on the road and away from her amazingly toned and tanned long legs which were only a few inches from his hand.“No, I don’t mind. Some of it you might even sympathize with. I have a very overbearing, yet well-meaning mother.” Emma couldn’t explain it. From the moment she got into his car she had never felt safer in her life. Why was she not leery of this sinister looking man?“Say no more, I totally understand. She’s trying to marry you off?” Leo shifted gears at a stop light and glanced her way. She was so beautiful she took his breath away. Leo had learned long ago to be cautious of beautiful women. They were usually way too high maintenance for him. But, Emma wasn’t giving off that type of vibe.“Exactly! You feel my pain, right?” Emma pulled her hair over her right shoulder and readjusted in the leather seat, “Once a month I have to show up at my parents’ house and be paraded in front of their latest bachelor of the month. Mother always has a car sent for me so I can spend time getting to know him when he takes me home. This month’s bachelor offering was a little too handsy for me so I told the driver to pull over and got out of the limousine.”“He left you? Alone, at night?” Leo wanted to find the creep and do bodily harm to any man that would leave a woman alone like that.“Yeah, with a squeal of tires and my bag. I had no identification on me so when the police saw a woman walking down the street…well, you can imagine what they assumed.” Emma tried to keep her eyes off of his thigh and hand as he changed gears. But each time he pushed the clutch in the muscles in his leg tensed and stretched the ripped denim of his jeans. Her mouth became dry at the same time her body overheated. Leo chuckled, “Yeah, I can imagine.” His eyes left the road for an instant as he glanced her way. The flush of her face puzzled him. “It was relatively easy to sort out at the station. They were only doing their job.” Emma looked out the window at the passing scenery which she was in no way paying attention to. “So if you have no bag I am guessing you have no keys either.” Leo asked.“Oh dear, I hadn’t thought of that. There’s a coffee shop near my house, I will wait there till morning. My neighbor has a spare key. I don’t want to bother her this late at night.”Leo didn’t wait for her to finish speaking before he had his phone out. “Nash. Contact limo services for Ocean Island. A mister…” Leo looked to Emma and waited.“Stewart Rawleigh.” Emma was puzzled, the Leo that was talking on the phone was another total contradiction to the Leo she met on the street, straight and to the point as if he was used to taking charge…as if he was used to being in charge.“Stewart Rawleigh hired a limo tonight. His guest left her bag. Have it delivered to…” He looked at Emma once again.“1447 East Ocean Drive,” Emma gave him her address. She had no idea what was going on.“1447 East Ocean Drive. Our ETA is forty minutes.” Leo disconnected and tossed his phone on the console between them.“What was all that about?” Emma asked.“Your keys will be waiting on us.” Leo glanced her way and smiled.“How did you do that?” She shook her head in disbelief. “I know people.” Leo gave her his best smile and winked.Emma sucked in her breath, his smile should be illegal, it was totally overpowering to her female bits. She was afraid to ask what kind of people. “So, what type of work do you do?” Perhaps she shouldn’t have asked him that. With the way he looked, and he was waiting outside a police station, did she really want to know. “I’m in…security.” Leo stumbled over, he couldn’t blow his cover, at least not yet.“Oh, like a bodyguard?” She could believe that. He would have no problem with intimidation. “Something like that. What about you?” It would be safer for her to not know what he was really doing in town.“I work with Oceanic Research.” Emma vaguely answered.“Oh really, what do you do?”“I work with really big fish.” Emma was used to people’s reactions when she said she worked with sharks. She rarely gave the full details of her job. You were either a shark fan, or you weren’t. Most she was sad to say, weren’t.“So what, you spend your work day out on the ocean fishing?” Leo laughed and shifted down to make a turn.“Technically that is a correct assumption.” She tilted her head and tapped her index finger against her lips.Leo laughed, “ya know sometimes you say things that are totally geeky.”Emma laughed, that was a comment she was used to, “That’s me Nerdy Girl.”She was so cute and so innocent. He needed to drop her off and forget about her. He glanced her way again and this time caught her looking at his legs. His reaction to the look on her face was instant and strong. He might be able to drop her off, but he surely wouldn’t forget about her anytime soon.“So, what is this about Sunday dinner with your mom?”That certainly deflated his mood quickly, “You know how your mom pushes you to find your one true love, settle down and then start shooting out babies? Well, that’s my mom as well. She called earlier today and threatened to get the neighborhood matchmaker involved if I didn’t hurry things along. I may have told her I was already seeing someone, and now after talking to you, she thinks my someone’s name, is Emma.” All the names in his contact list, and she had to call his mamma. Emma laughed at his predicament. “Wow, you really are in trouble.”“Tell me about it. I’ve already been thinking of borrowing my best friend’s wife to pose as my girlfriend for the day.”Emma laughed again. She hadn’t had this much fun on a date in a long time. Whoa, date? This wasn’t a date. Did she want to date him? He wasn’t anything like the guys she usually dated. He wasn’t even in the same area code as the men she usually dated. She sneaked another glance at his rugged and dangerous good looks from under her lashes and almost swooned. Yes, swooned. Now she finally knew what that word meant.Leo was especially nothing like Marcus. Marcus had been one of her mother’s finds. Marcus was from the right family according to her mother with loads of family money behind him. They had dated for a year before he proposed. At her mother’s urging Emma had accepted. She didn’t have any valid reason for saying no, and she was getting older. They got along alright, he was thoughtful and considerate, but they had no chemistry. Two months before the wedding Emma logged on to his computer to look through their gift registry, and that was when she found pictures of Marcus, and several women, naked, and enjoying themselves on what was supposed to have been a business trip.Emma chanced another glance at Leo. Nope, Leo was nothing like Marcus. “Leo, if you want. I mean I hope this isn’t too forward of me. But I would be happy to be your fake girlfriend for a day, if it would help you out. I mean, you have been so nice to make me feel comfortable, and then to drive so far out of your way to bring me home. Not to mention getting my bag from Pawsy’s car.”“Pawsy?” Leo stopped her for clarification.“You know, he wouldn’t keep his paws off me.” Emma explained.Leo growled deep in his throat. The thought of Emma warding off unwanted hands wasn’t a pleasant thought. Maybe he would look Mr. Rawleigh up before he went home. “Anyway, if you want, I would be happy to fill in for you.”Here was the answer to his prayers. But she was too nice a girl to put her through his family. “Emma…” he paused trying to come up with an explanation.Emma knew that look, and she couldn’t really blame him, “It’s okay Leo. I understand. You had someone a little less geeky in mind. I get it. Really I do. Don’t think another thing about it. I don’t know what I was thinking. I mean why would you want to go out with me.”“Emma stop. Please just stop. You misunderstand. Of course I would want to go out with you. You’re beautiful. I just can’t put you through meeting my family. I appreciate the offer I really do, and I would love to take you up on it, but I just couldn’t do that to you. You’re such a little thing you wouldn’t even make it to the dinner table.”Emma giggled and then began to laugh out loud. “Oh Leo, you have no idea. I can assure you, your family is no worse than mine.”“Well then Emma, I am truly sorry about that.” He loved the way her eyes danced with laughter. Their hazel color was neither blue or green, but somewhere in the middle.His comment set her giggles off again. “How did we get so lucky?” She was finally able to get out once the giggles subsided. When he didn’t respond Emma glanced towards him. Leo wasn’t laughing or even smiling. But he was looking at her with such raw emotion she couldn’t breathe for a moment. Intense desire blinded her and she intuitively leaned towards Leo.“Emma, I want to kiss you.” His eyes focused on her pink tongue peeking from her slightly parted lips.“I…I wish you would.” Emma leaned closer lost in his eyes.“I really shouldn’t.” Leo willed his body to obey what his mind was screaming, “stop!” Instead he brushed a stray strand of her sun streaked hair behind her ear and leaned closer still. “But you will, right?” Emma asked breathlessly as she tilted her head and closed her eyes waiting for his kiss.In answer Leo closed the remaining few inches between them and ran his tongue over her bottom lip, tasting her. She tasted of champagne and strawberries. He felt the breath of her sigh, and moved the kiss deeper, claiming her lips. The floral scent she wore wove its way around him, through him, into his lungs, and straight to his core. He breathed her in as he parted her lips with his tongue. Never had he been so captivated by a simple kiss.A car passing broke the spell and brought them both back to reality. Emma looked into Leo’s eyes and smiled. He felt it too…it was there in his eyes. For once in her life Emma knew what it meant to be devoured by someone’s eyes. Because that was exactly the way Leo was looking at her. That thought only excited her more. She was confused. Yes, she had been kissed plenty of times, but no one had ever kissed her like Leo. Was that the spark everyone always talked about? She shook her head to try and clear her thoughts and looked around clueless as to where they were. When had Leo pulled over? She glanced out the window and finally noticed they were parked in her driveway. When had that happened?She glanced back at Leo and he looked just as muddled as she felt. “Emma…”“Leo…”They spoke at the same time, shared a smile, and Leo tucked the same errant strand of hair behind her ear. “Emma, I really want to see you again.”Emma fell into the deep dark puddle of his brown eyes and shivered. Leo radiated strength and power. By all outward appearances she should be running for her life. Yet, here she sat, unable to leave his side and walk into her house without some hope of seeing him again. “I would like that Leo.” Was she crazy to even contemplate seeing him again? Nothing could ever come of it. Her parents would have her committed if she ever brought Leo home for dinner. After they hid the silver. But in the darkness of the car with only the street lights for illumination she saw more clearly than she could on even a sunny day. She really wanted to see him again.“Can I get your number?” Leo asked nervously. Emma thought his uncertainty was sweet, she held her hand out for his phone. After entering her number she handed it back. What had she done? They both got out of the car and walked towards the house. Leo reached for her hand and Emma felt a warm rush as her hand fit perfectly into his.“Can I call you tomorrow?” He asked hopefully.“Yeah, I’ll be out at sea most of the day, reception is sporadic at best, but we’ll be back by five, five-thirty at the latest.”“What, it depends on if the fish are biting?” Leo joked.“Yeah, something like that.” Emma smiled, he had no idea how accurate his statement actually was.Leo opened her screen door, and bent to pick up her bag, “your purse ma’am.” He made a grand show of handing it to her.Emma giggled. When had she turned into a giggling girl? “You know some mighty find friends sir.” She routed around inside her bag, and finally found her door key. Leo took the key and opened the door, and flipped the light switch. “You know, this lock is not very safe. You don’t even have a dead-bolt. Anyone could kick it in with very little effort.” He would have to see about getting her something safer. Emma took her key back and walked through the door and tossed her bag on the table behind the couch. It was really sweet that he was concerned about her safety. “I’ve lived here for years this lock has been perfectly fine.” She felt extremely small standing beside him. In the car they had been sitting down and the difference hadn’t been as noticeable. Her feet were killing her in her silly heels and she wanted more than anything to kick them off but they did offer her at least four inches of much needed height around Leo. She still had to tilt her head back to look up at him.Leo walked in behind her not waiting for an invitation. If her front door was this bad he had to check out the backdoor. “I would say you’ve been lucky, not fine. Your backdoor is probably the same.”“Well, no.” Emma hesitated to say, “The back door is a sliding glass door and I have a very…unique way of locking it.” He would really go crazy when he saw the broken broomstick in the track she used as a lock.“What?” He didn’t wait for an answer, “I have to see it.” he mumbled as he walked through her house. “Wait, Leo.” Emma called out. When she reached him he was already holding her “lock” in his hands and didn’t look very happy. She should feel intimidated by his look, but…nope, she didn’t. Not even a little bit.“A piece of wood?” Leo couldn’t believe she depended on a broken piece of wood to keep anyone out of her house. “Well the lock broke.” Emma tried to explain. She had intended to have it fixed several years ago but something always seemed to come up. “And why didn’t you have it repaired? This is not safe Emma.” He pinched the bridge of his nose and counted to ten. Emma didn’t like the tone of his voice. She wasn’t a little girl to be scolded and that was precisely the way he sounded. “Well it’s worked perfectly fine.” “Tomorrow, I will send someone over to outfit you with locks that are safe. His name in Tiny, but that name is deceiving. He is anything but. What time do you leave for work?” Leo was already texting Tiny.“No, Leo.” Emma said sternly, or at least what she thought was sternly, it had no effect on him whatsoever. “I can have my own locks fixed or not fixed. That is…” “What time do you leave for work Emma,” Leo interrupted her. “Please.” He added.Emma crossed her arms and told him, “Five thirty.” He gave her a look, like he didn’t believe her, “What? It’s when the fish are biting.” She explained.Leo grinned, she was so feisty when she got her feathers up. “Fine, Tiny will be here before you leave. I give you my word it is safe to leave him in your home.”“Leo, no.” Emma had to make him listen to reason. There was no way she would allow a man she had only known for a few hours to railroad over her like this. She would simply put her foot down. No, there was no way he was doing this. “Emma, please understand.” He pleaded with her, his brown eyes going dark and doing that puddling thing to her insides again. “Security is my business. I couldn’t leave anyone I care about without adequate security measures. That is just not the way I am.”“You care about me?” Emma asked breathlessly. “You just met me?”“Yeah,” Leo had to stop and run that over in his head. He had only met her a few hours ago but yes, he did care about her. He cared about her safety, which was as much of an admission as he could or would make. “I guess I do. I care about your safety Emma. Like I said, it’s my job.” “Okay Leo.” She finally relented. It seemed important to Leo and she did need a new lock. It was nice of him to offer. “Two locks. And have Tiny leave me a bill on the table.”He gave her brilliant smile and decided to leave quickly before she changed her mind. “I’ll call you tomorrow. Good night Emma.” He stopped just before opening her door. “Night Leo. Thank you again for everything you did for me tonight.”With a soft kiss of promise Leo closed her front door. Emma watched as he got into his car, and she even watched until his taillights were no longer visible.Emma leaned back against the wooden door with stars in her eyes. “Oh my gosh, he is so hot.” She admitted out loud, right before she hung her head. What had she done?
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