Page 51 of Mine to Hold
Rhett:Not sure why you want this, but if you tell Mom I was the one who sent it you, I’ll deny it. “If you two boys don’t leave Mr. Saucy and Miss Saucy Pants alone right now, I’ll come haul your asses out of there myself. That man needs to get laid. He’s too fucking uptight to work with and she looks like she needs it as much as he does.”
“Oh my fucking God.” Rumor set the phone, screen down, on the table. “What kind of look was I giving her?”
“No idea, Miss Saucy Pants.” He laughed.
“I don’t think I like that nickname.” She poked him in the arm. “But she’s right about one thing.”
“I’m terrified to ask what that is.”
“You can be uptight.”
He set his beer on the table and stood. He yanked her out of her chair and heaved her to his chest. “Well, I know one way to fix that.”
Resting her hands on his shoulders, she stared into his dark, smoldering eyes. “Well, you have been ordered to be glued to my hip.”
“That may be true, but I want it stated for the record.” He reached down, curling his hands under her thighs and lifting her off the pool deck, wrapping her legs around his waist. “That I want to be with you and that has nothing to do with anything other than I really like you.”
“Not to sour the mood or anything, but did you like me an hour ago?”
“Yes,” he said. “I didn’t like that you were withholding information, but I didn’t believe for one second that you were involved. I just didn’t understand why you couldn’t trust me totell me the truth. Now I do.” He kissed her softly. “Just please, no more secrets.”
“That goes both ways.” She arched a brow. “I want to know what’s going on with this case. It concerns me and I don’t want to be left in the dark.”
“My mom won’t tell us everything. Not even me. My job now is to make sure nothing happens to you, but what I know, you will know.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” he said. “Anything else? Because I’m really uptight.”
She laughed. “No. You can take me to bed now.”
“Yes, Miss Saucy?—”
She covered his mouth. “Don’t say it. Not if you want to get laid.”
“But it’s true. You are saucy.”
“You can say it if I can use the handcuffs.” She winked.
“Never going to happen.” He kissed her. Hard. It was filled with passion and intent. Maybe this was her safe harbor after all.
11
Reluctantly, Emmerson broke off the kiss and did his best to balance the woman in his arms while he snagged the suitcase of cash.
“What are you doing?” Rumor whispered, tickling his neck with her hot breath.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea to leave this out here, do you?”
“I guess not, but why don’t you put me down.”
“Not on your life,” he said. “But I’ll let you hold the handle. I mean, it is on wheels.” He adjusted her body. She wasn’t very heavy, but he wasn’t as young as he used to be and he was still running on fumes. He managed to open the slider, clicking it locked behind him while she nibbled on his ear and neck, driving him crazy. He’d never met anyone like Rumor.
Gently, he laid her down on the bed, her legs still tight around his waist. He stared into her soft, adoring eyes. Everything was happening so fast. His emotions were swirling around his gut like a race car at the track. He didn’t know if he wanted to speed up or slow down.
He wasn’t sure if he had any control at all anymore.
The only thing he did know for sure, was that Rumor had taken hold of his heart and he didn’t think he’d ever get it back.
