Page 8 of Call It Unexpected

“You embarrassed me the last time, Zachary.”

I heard the warning,don’t do it again.

I didn’t say anything. Responding with an apology would be seen as a weakness. Besides, I wasn’t sorry. The extra time with Emalee would have been worth a hundred lectures from him.

I continued to get ready for my date with Emalee while my dad offered nothing but silence, his version of intimidation. I imagined he was pouring through cases at his desk, deciding which one he bestowed on one of several hungry lawyers, all eager to prove their value to his company. It was like an ancient king throwing food to the peasants who were grateful for any extra morsel.

God, was that what I had to look forward to? The thought sickened me. I hadn’t given it much thought until I met Emalee. I figured it’s what the head of any company did, especially the competitive ones.

But watching how she treated people when we went out or how she included my brothers when I brought her to the frat house had me questioning my father’s sense of authority. Any time we went out, she treated everyone with the same level of kindness. The chef at the restaurant was no more important than the server who took our order. The cashier at the ticket counter was no less than the actor on the movie screen. Everyone was gifted with her brand of sunshine, making them feel they were important just because they were there.

“It would be hard to do better than Ella. She’s gorgeous and has a big account to go with that big rack of hers.”

I nearly choked when my dad finally broke the silence. Leave it to him to equate a woman’s value as equal only to her appearance and bank account.

“I’m sure she’s a nice person, too.” Ella VanHeusen also attended Edonton. I’d met her a couple of times. She was often at our Delta Chi parties since we often held social events with her sorority. I’m sure she would be someone’s date tonight.

Speaking of, I needed to wrap up this call with my dad, so I wasn’t late picking up Emalee. Just the thought of seeing her eased the tension I’d felt as soon as the phone rang with my dad’s name showing up.

“Sure.” I imagined my father’s hand waving at the air as if swatting a fly at something so irrelevant about the woman he wanted to set me up with.

This was why I could never tell him about Emalee. In his mind, she brought nothing into a relationship. But to me, she brought joy and a sense of peace I didn’t know I was missing until that day in the park.

“I’ll be there, Dad. I’ll greet Ella, and I’ll be nice and entertain her during the dinner, but I’m telling you now, don’t get your hopes up that there’s going to be anything between us.”

“We’ll see,” he answered.

I knew he’d work hard to push us together, but at least for now, he would get off my back.

I hung up and finished getting dressed. I grabbed the red rose corsage I had gotten for Emalee and headed out the door to get my date. It had been a long day, and it was already getting dark, but I knew her light and energy would fill me right back up.

I spun Emalee out on the dance floor, then pulled her close to me, swaying to the music. The artist crooned about not being able to live without the one he loved.

It might have only been a short time, but I understood the sentiment.

Only a few of the other Delta Chis had serious girlfriends. Most were getting on my nerves as they tossed back drink after drink, getting louder and more obnoxious as the evening wore on. I wanted nothing more than to escape to the room I’d reserved for us. I wanted nothing more than to make love to Emalee all night long, but if she wasn’t ready, I was okay with that, too, so long as I got to hold her in my arms all night. But as the president of the fraternity, I felt obligated to stay longer.

Emalee’s face glistened as the song drew to an end. When I first asked her to be my date to the Theta Mu social, I saw a brief flash of hesitancy on her face. I saw it again when we got to the swanky hotel where the event was being held. But whatever doubts or fears went through her head, she overcame them andappeared to be having a good time, although she hadn’t seemed to want to leave my side.

She greeted each of my brothers by name. Their dates, one of which was Ella, all offered Emalee a greeting, but I saw the questioning look in each of their eyes. I knew all the girls. Some were nicer than others. A few had made their way through about half of the fraternity, and I knew those guys had invited them as dates because they were a sure thing back in their room. But all of them wanted to know who the outsider was.

If Emalee picked up on their curiosity, she didn’t let it show. She complimented their dresses and asked a few questions as if she genuinely wanted to get to know them. That seemed to throw them off guard. All these girls, even the nicer ones, mainly cared about themselves. Whether it be landing a prime career opportunity or getting an MRS degree with an influential student, they weren’t about helping each other out.

We lasted another hour before the DJ announced his last song. The few remaining couples started drifting away. I had the same idea, but Emalee insisted we stop and thank the guys who’d coordinated the event. Finally, I ushered her to the elevator.

She clutched her heels against her chest with one arm and held my hand with her other. While we rode to the top floor toward the suite I’d reserved for us, I started to ask if she’d had a good time, but as I looked down at her, she blinked up at me. Those eyes, so beautiful and so full of anticipation, she was impossible to resist. I moved in slowly, brushing the backs of my fingers from her cheek into her hair.

“Zach,” she whispered, her voice sounding more like a raspy plea.

“Hmm?” I brushed my nose along hers before pressing a kiss on the soft skin of her cheek, then her neck. Her head fell backward as I inhaled her sweet scent, something like spicyvanilla. I heard her shoes drop to the floor as her body pressed into mine and her hands clutched my shoulders. She gasped when I met her movement, allowing her to feel just how much I wanted her.

The ding of the elevator announcing our arrival pulled me back.

I scooped up her shoes and held out my free hand. With a shy smile, she followed me down the hall to our Executive Suite and into the room. I slammed the door shut and pulled her back into my arms. For a few minutes, I allowed myself to drown in her taste, in her softness, and in her sweetness. I felt her hand creep up my chest and give a little push. Reluctantly, I pulled my lips away from hers, almost unable to breathe as I took in her flushed skin and swollen mouth.

“I can’t do this,” she whispered.

Chapter 5

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