Stolen Course (Wrecked and Ruined #2)(28)

I WAKE up to the sound of knocks on my front door. It’s probably only been a few hours, but it was the best sleep I’ve had in years. Emma is still curled tightly into my arms, and before I get up to answer whatever * is disturbing us, I take a minute to breathe her in.

The knocking doesn’t stop, so I try to quietly roll away. I don’t make it very far.

“Who the hell is making all that noise?” she asks, stretching like a cat before curling back into a ball.

“I’ll be right back.” I kiss her forehead and move to my feet.

“I need coffee.” She sits up, trying to pull her hair back into a ponytail.

“Kitchen. Coffee is over the stove. Make a whole pot.” I say as she stands to get dressed. I walk over to stop her from pulling on her shirt. “Whoa! What are you doing?”

“Can I get dressed?” She laughs, snatching the shirt back out of my hands.

“Um, I’m going to say no.”

“Well you’re just going to have to live with it.” She pulls on her shirt, not even bothering with a bra. I can see the faint outline of her nipples through her white shirt, and if it’s possible, this might be even sexier than Emma naked.

“Let’s compromise.” I pull her into my arms. “Shirt and panties only.” I reach between her legs and drag a finger through her wet folds. Her soft sigh has me desperate to toss her back into my bed. Just when I’m ready to ignore the door completely, I hear another loud knock.

“Coffee. Shirt. Panties. Nothing else. We’ll continue this in a minute,” I inform her as I pull on a pair of jeans and head to the door. I listen to her whispered curse as I walk away.

I f*cking love that she likes my tattoos. And just to make sure she is ready for round two, I throw in a back flex as I walk out of the room.

“Now that’s cheating!” she shouts.

My smile is huge but quickly wiped away as I snatch open my front door.

“About damn time!” Eli barks, shoving past me into the living room.

“What the f*ck are you doing?” I growl, getting ready to close the door when Brett rounds the corner behind him.

“What took so f*cking long?” He also busts in uninvited.

“Well, by all means, come on in!” I say roughly, slamming the door behind them.

“You’re not even dressed yet?” Eli asks. He flops down on the couch and props his feet on the coffee table.

“Hey, *. Feet off the table. Dressed for what?” I look down, noticing that they are both dressed for the gym.

“It’s a table, jerk-off,” Eli says dryly, ignoring me and leaning back against the couch.

“No, it’s my table. Get your damn feet off it!” I shout, turning back to Brett. “What’s going on this morning?”

“You were supposed to take us to your boxing gym. Get a few spars in and see about getting us signed up.”

Fuck! All thoughts of commitments disappeared last night. I knew I had to work today, but I fully intended to call in late. Emma’s more than worth whatever shit the boss would dish out.

“Fuck, I completely forgot.” I run a hand through my hair.

“Hey, did you make this?” Eli asks, running his hand over the table where his feet once sat.

“Yeah. I finished it a few weeks ago.”

“Damn, this is nice.” He leans in to get a closer look. “Oak?”

“Uh, no. That's Bubinga. And it's highly figured so don't put your feet on it. Or anything for that matter." I scoff.

"Highly fingered? Jesus, Jones. Do you ever think of anything other than sex?" Eli responds jokingly.

"No, dumbass. Are you twelve? It’s highly figured. See the wavy lines. That's called figuring. And the closer together those lines are, the more expensive the wood is. So like I said. Get. Your. Feet. Off.”

“This is really f*cking nice!” he says, inspecting even closer.

“I could have done better, but I love that table. Look at the joints. There aren't any screws or nails like that cheap shit you buy at Walmart and put together yourself. I used mortise-and-tenon joinery," I explain to Eli, who is looking at me like I'm speaking Greek. I start to elaborate when Brett’s shout from the kitchen interrupts my thoughts.

“Emma?” he says, and my eyes go wide when I realize what he is just finding out.

I had big plans of talking to Brett about Emma. Looks like that won’t be necessary anymore. Fuck. And she’s half naked, too.

I quickly make my way to the kitchen to find Emma hauling ass out down the back hall toward my room.

“Em, wait.” Brett tries to follow her, but I catch his arm first.

“Let her get dressed.”

He may act like her big brother, but he’s not related to her, and he most certainly is not going to see her in a T-shirt and panties. Besides, it will give me a minute to talk to him alone.

“You son of a f*cking bitch!” He turns to face me with a murderous glare. So much for talking.

“Jesus Christ, calm down.” I walk to my hall closet and pull on a hoodie. If Brett and I are going to brawl like high schoolers this morning, I should at the very least be dressed.

“Calm down? Calm down?” he says, following me. “What the hell is Emma Erickson doing half naked in your kitchen at seven a.m.?”