Instant Gratification (Wilder #2)(57)

“Oh, you want to mock my fears now?” she asked, clearly trying to throw him off the track with her ironic tone. “Really?”

Willing to laugh at himself, he grinned. “Okay, but at least I know mine.”

She made a soft disparaging sound. “This is ridiculous.”

“Uh huh. Because you’re afraid.”

“Say that one more time, say it to my face and see what happens.”

“You’re afraid,” he taunted softly.

“You are impossible.”

“See? You’re getting to know me already.” He smiled when she laughed. “Come on, Emma. Give me a try.”

Staring up at him, she shook her head.

“You might like it. You might like me.”

“Awfully sure of yourself, aren’t you?”

“Sometimes.” He was also smart enough to know when to back off and let a woman think. With a steady purpose, he leaned in and kissed her once, slowly, with just a hint of heat, and walked away.

He hoped like hell the gamble paid off.





Chapter 19




Emma was still in an odd and conflicting state of arousal and confusion that night when Spencer got back, dropped off by TJ, not Stone, which she knew because she found herself pressing her face to the upstairs living room window to peek.

Give me a try, he’d said. Connect, with me.

And she’d scoffed. She didn’t need to give him a try, she didn’t need to give anyone a try. And connecting? Please. She was only here for a very limited time, and then she was going home, where things were great and nothing was missing from her life.

Nothing.

Except someone to connect with.

Damn him for pointing that out. Damn him for being right.

“Hi honey, I’m home!” Spencer came in the door and tossed down his backpack, opening his arms in great exaggeration for a welcome hug and kiss.

She lifted a brow. “I see a bear didn’t get you.”

“Nope. Miss me?” He was smiling, but it slowly faded, to be replaced by a questioning curiosity. “What’s that look on your face?”

“I don’t know. Nothing.”

“You have a mix of…I’m not sure if it’s a glow, or a temper.”

She covered her cheeks with her hands, knowing it was the damn closet. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“TJ told me about the truck and the ditch. You okay?”

“Completely fine.”

“So what’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Nothing’s wrong.”

“Emma, it’s me. The master of deception when it comes to feelings, remember?”

“Well then, I certainly wouldn’t want to burden you with mine.”

“Nice try.” He pulled off his sweatshirt and tossed it aside. “Look, we could do the whole dance around it thing, but I’m hungry and tired, and don’t have the patience.”

She laughed. “Honestly, it’s touching how into me you are.”

“I’ll drive all the way to South Shore and buy you that Thai if you tell me.”

She’d have done a whole hell of a lot more for Thai, so she caved like a cheap suitcase. “It’s Stone.”

“Ah. You still crushing on the big, bad boy of the mountain?”

“Yes. No. I don’t know. How’s that for a straight answer?”

He tugged affectionately on a strand of her hair. “We’ve always been close.”

“No. Actually, we’ve remained such good friends because we aren’t too close, right?”

He lifted a shoulder in acknowledgment of that. “Fine. But one thing we have always been with each other, is honest. Brutally so.”

“True.”

“So.” He offered her a half smile. “Be honest now. You slept with him. You slept with him and instead of being done as you usually are, you want more.”

She stared at him, stunned at that quick and horrifyingly accurate assessment. “Yes.”

“Well that sucks.” He let out a breath and turned away so she couldn’t see his eyes. “I’m hungry. I don’t suppose you cooked?” He sighed again at the empty kitchen. “Yeah. Didn’t think so.”

“Spence—”

“It’s okay, Emma. I’m a big boy and I asked.” At the unexpected knock on the door, he moved toward it. “Hey, maybe it’s a miraculous Thai food delivery from heaven.”

Instead, it was Serena, wrapped in a wind breaker and a black mini skirt. “I’m looking for the doc,” she said to Spence. “Is she here?”

Emma moved into view. “Right here, Serena. Is there something wrong?”

“Well, I guess you could say it’s that I wasn’t the dweeb and didn’t waste the best years of my life in medical school like you did.”

Spencer leaned against the doorjamb, amused. “So you’re a close friend of Emma’s then.”

Serena sighed, closing her eyes. “Dammit. Was that snippy, because I was actually going for nice. I’m not very good at it.” She opened her eyes, which were just a little glazed over. “I’ll stick with my bitchy self. I need a doc, Sexy Man. So move out of my way.”