Accidental Tryst (Charleston #1)(37)

He closes the door behind him, and I breathe out a long sigh of relief.

I head up the stairs, stooping to get up there without hitting my head. The stairs open up into a large room built into the eaves of the roof line. Despite its use of space, it doesn't feel like an attic. It's light and bright. The floor is covered in sisal, and the bedding on the queen bed is white and fluffy. The main event, though, is an old antique claw-footed tub set under a long shed dormer window on one side of the room. I stare at it. Visions of that yellow bikini-clad Emmy with soapy, glistening skin and pink from heat and steam assault me, except now there are just bubbles where the bikini used to be.

Jesus. It was a really bad idea to think staying at Emmy's place wouldn't be fodder for many a spank bank fantasy in my future.

I drag my eyes away from the tub to a door into what I presume is the actual bathroom on the other side of the room. I drop my laptop bag off my shoulder down to my hand and lay it on the bench that's at the foot of the bed. I inhale the smell of sunlight, natural fibers, and a light floral scent that's all Emmy. I suddenly remember noticing the scent of Emmy at the airport when she sat next to me briefly.

The bathroom is small but clean. A sink, toilet, and shower decorated in white and off white.

The phone in my pocket buzzes.



* * *



Emmy: You settled in? Armand says you found it okay. I'm sorry if it's messy, I normally declutter before I rent it out. And don't forget to put clean sheets on the bed.



* * *



I turn around and stare at her bed again. My pulse is doing weird erratic things, and . . . I blink and shake my head. I should go back downstairs.



* * *



Settled in fine. Thanks. How's David?



* * *



Emmy: Can I call you?





19





Emmy





When a long and sleek black town car pulled up outside Rockaway Nursing and Rehab, I wanted to cry with relief. D'Andre was waiting with me as well as an officer from the local 101 Precinct. The driver hopped out of the car as I jogged toward it.

"Are you Emmaline Dubois?" he asked as he headed around to open the back door.

"I am."

"Mr. Montgomery wanted me to make sure you were here before I let Mr. Dubois out of the vehicle."

D'Andre was by my side as the door opened and David blinked up at us.

"David," I greeted him, my voice wobbling with emotion.

"Had a little outing, did we?" D'Andre said and took David's other arm as he used us to leverage himself out of the car.

"I'll be right back," I told the driver. "We'll just get him inside."

David blustered. "I can walk by myself."

"That's for dayam sho," D'Andre muttered. "You walked yourself right outta this joint."

We accompanied him through the front doors. The alarm started blaring from his anklet, so we coaxed him farther in and away from the sensors. The officer went and conferred with Penny, presumably to be assured they could cancel the Silver Alert they were about to issue.

I stepped in front of David. "D'Andre's going to take you up to your room, okay? Then I'll be right up to see you."

"Okay." David smiled, all relaxed, like we all just came back from a fun afternoon at the freaking zoo.

I smiled tightly, hugged him, and headed out to the driver, scratching around in my purse for some cash. How much were you supposed to tip a guy who transported the most precious person in your life to safety?

"If you're looking to tip me," the driver said, "Mr. Montgomery already took care of it."

"Oh." I stopped. "Are you sure?"

"Yes ma'am. I'm instructed not to take it anyway. Your grandfather, is he? He's an interesting guy. I enjoyed the ride. I'm Bobby, by the way."

"Thank you, Bobby," I told him, not bothering to correct him about my relationship with David. I put out my hand, and he shook it.

"No problem," he responded with a grin. Then he gave me a card. "In case you ever need wheels. I'll be in the area for the next hour, then I'm headed into the city anyway. If you needed a ride." He headed back to the driver's side, opened the door, got in, and pulled the car away from the curb.

I was left standing there wondering how immense my owed favor was to Trystan Montgomery. I didn't like feeling indebted, but I was so grateful that if the guy was in front of me at that moment I'd hug him for an eternity and have a hard time letting go. Mostly due to aforementioned gratefulness, but also because I remembered him smelling really, really, good.

And now to add it, he was a freaking hero in my eyes.



* * *



As soon as I'd seen David settled, I'd gone back outside to sit on the steps outside and breathe calmly or the first time in what felt like forever. It had been less than ten hours since I'd first learned David was missing, but it felt longer. I logged in to my bank on Trystan's web browser to make sure I had funds for a hotel.

The closest option would be to stay in one of the hotels near JFK. But damn if I didn't want to stay in the city tonight. It had been years since I'd spent any time in Manhattan. After the day I'd had, I would walk toward Times Square, buy a single scalped ticket to Springsteen on Broadway, and lose myself for three hours before collapsing into a hotel bed.