Emma laughed. It was the sweetest sound he’d heard in days.
“He also asked if they gave out free condoms.” He gave a wry smile. “I might never recover.”
She was still laughing. “What did you do?”
“What could I do? After the doc, I took him to buy condoms and pizza.”
“That explains the phone call I got from Alison just before you arrived. She said your dad was making animal balloons to hang around the entryway. From condoms.”
Simon grimaced. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be. It all worked out. Mrs. Bessler had come by, and according to Marco, she convinced your dad that she needed the condoms. She said she had her eye on one of her neighbors.”
Jesus. “Is that neighbor named Dale Armstrong?”
“Pretty sure.”
“God help me.” He took her hand in his. Met her still slightly wary gaze. “I hope you know you’re the best thing that’s happened to me all week. Hell, all year.”
“You really did miss me,” she said, her dark eyes warming up.
“More than I can say, although I’d like to try. Is that okay, Em? Can we talk? Like really talk?”
No hesitation this time. She nodded just as a teakettle began to whistle from the kitchen.
“I’ll get it.” Simon moved into the kitchen and turned off the flame, pouring the hot water over the tea bag in the waiting mug. As he did, his eyes caught on the stacks of paperwork spread out over the table. Bills.
“Pour yourself some tea too,” Emma called out. “It’s a de-stressor.”
He doubted a tea could ever de-stress him. In fact, his stress rose a notch when he realized that all the bills she had in this particular stack were marked either Past Due or Final Notice. He drew a deep breath and flipped through them. X-rays, radiology, blood work, labs, doctors . . . “Have you heard back from your insurance company on your surgery?”
“No. Will you add sugar too?”
He stared down at her insurance policy payment, also past due. “You mean will I add tea to your sugar? Yes.” Hating how underwater she was, he racked his brain for a way to help her, knowing she’d never accept financial help. “One of our tenants is an attorney,” he said. “I could ask him to—”
“Thanks, but no. I’ve already spoken to two different lawyers. I don’t have the money right now to hear the same verdict. I’m fine, Simon. It’s not that bad.”
He had no idea what her barometer was for “not that bad,” but it was a far different barometer than his. He knew she’d used her settlement to buy her half of Paw Pals. He also knew Paw Pals was in the black, but she wasn’t going to get rich anytime soon. He eyed the bills again, and suddenly he knew how he could help. The solution was right in front of him and had been all along. Just thinking about it had a peace settling over him. And, he could admit, excitement. Smiling, he poured the hot water over the tea bag, added her sugar, and walked out to the living room.
EMMA WATCHED SIMON come toward her. With his build, he filled any space he was in, and she sucked in a breath because just looking at him did things to her. She’d missed him, so much. Not enough to let him off the hook though. Nope, Emma 2.0 didn’t beg for love. Still, she couldn’t look away from him. He seemed to have the same problem, which was gratifying. The throw had fallen to her hips, but in spite of the fact that she was wearing only a white tank and a pair of teeny boy-shorts panties, his eyes stayed locked on hers. Until she smiled at him.
Once she did that, his gaze warmed and he let it drift slowly over her, taking in the sight of her, turning his hazel eyes from warm to scorching.
Good. If she couldn’t have him, she was damn glad he at least knew what he was missing.
“Cute pj’s.” He set the mug on the coffee table, pointing at Hog to mind his own business when the dog lifted his big head, seeming interested in sampling the tea. Hog sighed and went back to sleep.
Simon sat on the coffee table in front of Emma. “I know you don’t want help.”
Still feeling the surge of heat from the pj’s comment, not to mention his close proximity, her brain wasn’t working at full capacity. “What?”
He took one of her hands. “I was a jerk the other night on the roof. I’m sorry.”
“You were actually right. I couldn’t let myself heal all the way.” She met his gaze. “I talked to Jack. He was able to move on from the accident and has gotten himself a really nice life. It’s like knowing that gave me permission to do the same.”
“You deserve that,” he said softly, gently squeezing her hand. “So much.”
“I guess I’ve been a little slow on the uptake.”
He gave a shake of his head. “Actually, I’m the slow one here. Emma, can you ever forgive me for being so stupid when it comes to you?”
“You weren’t. You were . . .”
“Stupid,” he repeated.
“Okay, maybe a little bit.” She smiled, liking this vulnerable side of him, aching in the very best of ways that he was sharing it with her. “Scared too.”
He let out a rough laugh. “Yeah.”
“So . . .” Her smile faded and she voiced her fear. “You’re not those things anymore?”
“Oh, I’m still scared. Scared that you won’t believe me when I say I want you to be happy, whatever you decide to do with your life. I told you once you were in the driver’s seat.” He flashed a self-deprecating smile. “I’m going to learn to stop backseat driving. I hope you can forgive me.”
Unable to access her words for the emotion swamping her, Emma took their joined hands and pressed them to her heart. “Already done,” she whispered.
Simon’s eyes were solemn. Fiercely intense. “Don’t let me off the hook too easily, Emma. You deserve—”
“Already done,” she repeated softly.
They reached for each other, hands grappling, not stopping until she was on his lap and straddling him. The first touch of their lips was almost a query, as if they needed to make sure they were both on the same page. Good news—they were. Their second kiss went nuclear, but Simon stopped them before they lost any clothes, which was a huge bummer.
“I got distracted,” he said, not breathing all that steadily, which gave her a rush. “We were talking about your medical coverage. I could—”
“We weren’t talking, we were kissing.”
“But I can help—”
Emma put a finger over his mouth. And still breathing hard from the kiss, she managed, “I’m going to stop you right there.” She pulled away. “I saw my doctor yesterday, and my PT today. Also talked to my health care advocate and my parents—who, by the way, only talk about this. Nothing else, ever. So while it’s very sweet of you to try and help, I just want to have a night off from all that with someone who cares about me. Can you be that person or not?”
“Yes, of course, but—”
Done with this line of talk, Emma let the blanket fall to the floor. Taking in the view, Simon groaned and reached for her, running his big, warm hands over her body, making her feel things she’d forgotten she could.
“Emma.” He buried his face in her hair. “God, I missed you. So fucking much.”