Page 10 of Not Part of the Plan
“Joey, you’re scarring my kids,” Beckett teased.
CHAPTER FOUR
Niko rose and hustled after Emma. He caught her on the stairs between the Friday night happy hour crowd on the first floor and the family chaos on the second. “Hang on, Emma,” he said, touching her arm lightly. She tugged away from his touch and nearly keeled headfirst down the stairs.
Niko’s hands clamped on her arms to steady her.
“Holy shit,” she breathed. “I would have broken my face.”
“It’s too nice a face for breaking. Why the hell are you wearing those shoes?” he demanded. “You’re going to be on your feet for hours.”
“I like to look professional,” she said, frowning up at him. But this time she didn’t try to pull away.
“This is Blue Moon. They’d think you’d look more professional in clogs or Birkenstocks.”
“I like these better than clogs,” she retorted. “And are you really keeping me from my plethora of managerial duties on a very busy Friday night so you can complain about my footwear?”
“A. No one said I was complaining. I like the view just fine. B. I’m taking up your time because I want to add something to my order.”
“If you say my phone number, I will throw your ass down these stairs.”
“Actually I was thinking dinner—”
“You’re not my type,” Emma announced it as though she’d said those very words a thousand times before.
“Actually, I meant Reva. You were right. The only time she looked away from Joey was to stare at the appetizers on the table. She’s hungry.”
Emma blinked. “You want to buy Reva dinner?”
“Yeah.”
Her face softened marginally. “I already have the kitchen putting some sandwiches together for her,” she confessed.
“Why, Emmaline,” Niko teased her with her full name. “Patching up employee love livesandfeeding mysterious strangers? If I didn’t know better, I’d say you had a heart.”
Her smile, grudging though it was, was worth his wait.
“If I didn’t know better, Nikolai, I’d think maybe you weren’t just a vapid player.”
Niko laughed. “Go out with me. Just once, Emma. I’ll take you to the nicest place in Blue Moon and let you insult me all night.”
“A. Thisisthe nicest place in Blue Moon. And B. I don’t date masochists,” Emma said, her tone haughty.
He studied her a moment, enjoying the energy that sparked between them and the light of challenge in those moss green eyes. “At least do me a favor,” he cajoled.
She raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow.
“Throw in a few pieces of apple pie with the sandwiches and put it on my bill.”
“That I can do.”
“Look at us getting along.” Niko tempted his luck and leaned in a little closer.
She didn’t back off. Instead, Emma leaned in to whisper in his ear. “Hands off, Big Bad Wolf. I’m no one’s Red Riding Hood.” And with those parting words, she ducked out of his grasp and sauntered down the stairs. There was a little extra sway to her hips that Niko hoped she put there just to torture him.
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Niko climbed the stairs with a grin on his face. Emmaline Merill was a challenge, and that’s exactly what he needed right now.
