Instant Gratification (Wilder #2)(68)

“Of course not. He’s leaving is all. He was being a gentleman.”

“Him leaving is what makes it perfect. No ties.”

Emma had no business judging anyone, especially when at the moment, Serena’s philosophy seemed appealing. Casual sex; no pain or messy emotions…seemed better than her way.

“I’m going to try one more time,” Serena said, sounding determined as she applied some lip gloss while looking at herself in her own cell phone’s camera lens.

“Now?”

“No, tomorrow when he’s gone. Yes, now.”

“He’s with my dad.”

“I can wait.” She crossed her legs, and picked up a magazine.

Emma tried go to back to the books but her mind wandered to Stone. And tonight. And whether they’d be having casual sex.

God, she hoped so. “Serena?”

“Yeah?”

“What do people in Wishful do on dates?” Not that it was a date, because it wasn’t.

“As everywhere else, City Girl. Whatever you want. With Stone?”

“Yes.”

“Well, lucky you. He’s a hot one.”

Yeah. Yeah, he was. She opened her mouth to say something, she had no idea what, but the examination door opened. Spencer came out, his nose in her father’s chart.

Emma moved around the front desk and into the hallway, pulling him with her. “Well?”

“His latest EKG is good. We need to run labs to check liver function and cholesterol levels, but you already know that. He’s taking his beta blockers, Plavix and Niacin, and following your strict dietary restrictions. He’s also exercising. He reports no chest pain.” He smiled. “I see no signs of post infarction syndrome indicating either recurrent MI or heart failure. He’s good.”

“You see him going back to work?”

“He certainly wants to. He told me he’s planning on working here as much as he can.”

Relief had her leaning back against the wall. “Okay, then.”

“Which means you could fly home with me if you want.”

“No.” She needed a few more days to help her father close up.

No, that wasn’t true.

She needed her night with Stone. “I’ll wait until Friday.”

He smiled. “Used to be you couldn’t wait to get out of here.”

“Yeah.” She sighed. Now she suddenly wasn’t in a hurry. It didn’t take a genius to know why. It did take a genius to understand it. “Are you ready to head out in a few?”

“One thing left to do.” He waggled a brow suggestively. His favorite cue for “let’s have sex”.

“I thought we’d discussed that.”

He laughed. “I didn’t mean you, Em. We dumped each other, remember? I wanted to say good-bye to Serena is all.”

“Well then you’re in luck,” Serena purred, and with eyes only for Spencer, came close. “How about I drive you to the airport? It’ll give us extra good-bye time.”

“I don’t want you to go to any trouble.”

“It isn’t.” She turned to Emma. “Okay with you?”

“Sure. Thank you.”

Like a cat in cream, Serena smiled. “Oh, you are most welcome.”

Spencer gave Emma a kiss and a long, hard hug “Friday, babe.”

“Friday.” She went into the examination room to see her father.



Spencer watched her go, then turned to Serena. “I appreciate this. She had enough on her plate.”

“Don’t thank me yet.”

He laughed. “Should I be scared?”

“If you like.” She had a pretty black and white bag from her shop in one hand, and with her other, linked her fingers in his as she led him outside.

Spencer was very aware that she was watching him closely. “Something wrong?”

“Are you going to miss her?”

“I’ll see her soon enough. Is that really your question?”

“No. But I’ll get to it when I’m ready.”

“All right then. So what were you at the clinic for?”

She lifted the black and white bag. “Bringing you a good-bye present.”

“I hope it’s chocolate.”

“Oh, it’s better. It’s my chocolate.”

He dug into the bag as they got into her car, then moaned heartily at the fantastic fudge melting on his tongue. “My God.” He looked at her in a new light. A fellow foodie…” People should bow down to you in the streets.”

“Yes, they should.” She wore a skirt, longer than the other night, and pencil thin. Her top was white and fitted. She looked professional and untouchable.

And hot. So damn hot. It’d been almost impossible to resist her earlier, especially when she’d made it clear that she wanted to sleep with him, but for some reason he couldn’t have explained to save his life, he didn’t want to be just another guy she’d had.

“So you like chocolate.”

“I like good food.”

She was smiling at him, and he could have added that he especially liked her red lips, and was locked on those when she said unexpectedly, “I’m ready to ask you my question now.”