The Proposal (The Proposition #2)(49)

His face contorted with agony. “And I said I was sorry. I’ve begged and pleaded with you to forgive me. I’ve even tried to show you in every way how very sorry I was. Because of the last ten days, what we have is even stronger now, but dammit, you keep railing against it because you’re afraid I’m going to f**k up again!”

Emma cheeks warmed from her anger. “And how do I know you won’t? You said you wanted more with me last time and look where it lead us. How do I know that you won’t put a ring on my finger and then freak out and screw around on me?!” she demanded.

“Because I won’t. I swear to God and everything that is holy that I won’t!”

“You can’t make a promise like that. You can’t be sure what you’ll do tomorrow or five years down the road.”

“I am sure! I know in my heart that I’ve never felt for anyone like I’ve felt for you. All I want is you.”

“Aidan—”

His response was to crush his lips to hers. That familiar electricity popped and crackled around her. Physical need, along with love, pulsed through her, and she thought she would die if she didn’t get closer to him. She wanted to touch and taste every inch of him.

Aidan gave an agonized groan when her tongue brushed against his lips. He widened his mouth, accepting her tongue and teasing it with his. Almost instinctively, she wrapped her arms around his neck as his went around her waist. They moved frantically against each other.

When he started to pull away, she gave a cry of protest. “Feel us, Emma. It’s right here, and all you have to do is accept it,” he murmured against her lips.

Her eyes opened, and she gazed up at him. “Emma, I l—”

The sound of the doorbell cut him off and snapped her out of his spell. “Oh God,” she moaned. Her hands dropped from his neck to push against his chest. “Let me go.” When he still held her tight, she brought her panicked gaze to his agonized one. “Please, Aidan.”

His arms dropped limply from her as his shoulders drooped in defeat. “Fine. Go to him. I hope he can give you what you obviously don’t want from me. But don’t think for one minute that you’re not doing the same thing I did. You’re running away from happiness and trying to calm your fears with someone else.”

He then turned and left her alone in the bathroom. Feeling lightheaded, she gripped the countertop. Tears pooled in her eyes, but she fought to keep her composure. She heard Aidan open the front door and ask Pesh inside. She glanced in the mirror and grimaced. Her kiss with Aidan had smeared her lipstick. “Just a second!” she called.

“Take your time,” Pesh replied good-naturedly. Emma was sure he was just being polite considering the fact Aidan was there.

Once she finished adjusting her make-up, she grabbed her purse and hurried down the hallway. Pesh stood in the foyer with his back to her. His hands were thrust into his pockets nervously playing with his keys while Aidan was nowhere in sight. She cleared her throat. “I’m so sorry I was late.”

He whirled around and then drank in her appearance. A bright smile curved on his face. “You look so absolutely gorgeous that any man would be a fool not to instantly forgive you.”

“Thank you,” she replied. She couldn’t help noticing how handsome he looked in his dress coat that hid the suit and tie he was wearing underneath. A cream colored scarf was draped around his neck. “You look very nice yourself.”

“Thank you. I appreciate that.” He glanced around the foyer. “Where’s your coat?”

“Oh, just one second.” She started for the closet by the kitchen when Aidan appeared, clutching her formal dress coat in his hands. “You don’t want to forget this. It’s supposed to be down in the 40’s tonight. I don’t want you or Noah catching a chill,” he said.

She started to reach for it, but he held it out to put it on her. Turning her back to him, she faced Pesh. His jaw clenched as she watched Aidan slide the coat up over her arms and onto her shoulders. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Aidan’s fingers lingered on her until she finally stepped away from him.

“I guess we better go. We don’t want to miss our dinner reservations,” Emma said to Pesh.

“Good seeing you again, Aidan. Tell your father I hope he’s taking good care of himself.”

“Yeah, same to you. I’ll tell Pop you said hello.”

Emma couldn’t believe that Aidan was practically being cordial. But when they reached the front door, he called, “Take care of my girl.”

Pesh’s hand froze on the doorknob. “Um, I will,” he muttered before he jerked the door open for Emma. Once it closed behind him, Pesh exhaled noisily.

“I’m so sorry for that,” Emma began as they started down the stairs.

“It’s okay. I would probably have reacted the same way.”

“Seriously?”

Pesh nodded as he held open the door of his Jaguar. “If someone was trying to encroach on the woman I loved, I’d probably be less than civil.”

“But you’re not encroaching. He knows we’re just friends.” Emma couldn’t help noticing that Pesh flinched at the word friend. “We are still friends, aren’t we, Pesh?”

A smile forced its way to his lips. “Of course we are.”