Love.com (21 page)

“We have to work in the morning,”
Emily reminded him, her eyes filled with sated desire. “It’s past midnight.”

“I’m not turning into a pumpkin, Emily
. Not yet anyway,” he said as his lips took hers once more.

She sighed as she wrapped her arms around his neck, loving the feel of his hard body against hers, unwilling for this moment to end even if she was sure to be exhausted tomorrow.
Ian was better than any fantasy come to life. It was well past one in the morning when he rose from her bed, looking down at her fondly as he searched for his discarded clothes.

There was no need for words at that moment. She expected to feel awkward. She felt the rightness of this moment
; knew in the depths of her soul he was meant to be hers even if he didn’t know it yet. She understood him, even wanted to help him get over his warped outlook on relationships. She bit her lip as she watched him dress, suddenly afraid to recall his words downstairs.

Suddenly the request for no strings and discretion made her tense. What exactly
did that mean? She wanted to know but was afraid to ask. No strings meant she couldn’t ask what he thought, only assume? To assume was to always be disappointed. To be disappointed this soon after Eddie’s death was to be devastated. She told herself she didn’t want to know as he finished dressing. He leaned down and kissed her, brushing her hair away from her cheek.

“See you at work. Don’t forget to lock up behind me
.”

Emily
rose from the bed and grabbed her robe, following him out of her room and down the stairs.

“Don’t forget to set your alarm either. You have five hours before it goes off.”

“You have even less!” She giggled at his look of dread. He leaned down and kissed her again. She sighed, wishing he would spend the night with her.

“I had fun tonight, Emily,” Ian told her as he stepped away, holding the screen door open, his blue eyes meeting hers with a silent message she was unsure of. She wanted to ask when she would see him again. The words stuck in her throat. He turned and walked back to his car. She refused to be that girl at that moment; inform him the rules changed as soon as they had sex. The rules went out the window the minute he kissed her. She was the worst sort of liar as she watched him drive away. She couldn’t face the consequences of a one-night stand at that moment, knowing their truth conflicted with what she felt for Ian.

The warm fuzzy glow she felt stayed with her as she went back upstairs and set her alarm, feeling delicious and decadent as she decided to sleep naked for the first time in her life. Tonight she couldn’t think of anything but the way her body felt, the smell of him on her sheets, the memory of his hot, unrivaled lovemaking.

Emily could worry about how this changed things in the morning; wonder if their sleeping together would make things weird at work. Tomorrow she could ask whether she would see him again, or if this was just a fling. Yes, tomorrow had no place in her bed tonight. She snuggled under the covers, her smile deepening as she breathed in his scent on the pillows, wanting to relive each and every moment. She fell asleep, his name on her lips.

~
~ ~

Emily was hardly exhausted when she arrived at work, feeling energized
. It had nothing to do with the ten cups of coffee she choked down since dawn. She was alive for the first time in years. She felt her heart soar the minute her eyes opened that morning, hardly able to believe what happened between her and Ian.

The smile she wore faded when she noticed the lights were off in Ian’s office. Had he over-slept? She frowned and went to her office to get started before anyone arrived. She turned on her computer, sipping her coffee, eyes dreamy to recall how she spent the
previous evening. She almost skipped a shower that morning just to wear his scent on her skin all day. Common sense and good hygiene prevailed. She dressed with care, wanting to look as good as she felt. The smart black suit dress accentuated her slimmer figure to perfection. The colorful scarf and red belt made her feel as stylish as Tabitha.

Emily
went easy on the make-up, knowing Ian hated women over-doing it with products. She kept it simple, only using a nude shadow and brown kohl and mascara. She brushed on a pale bronzer powder that made her face look sun-kissed and dewy.

Her hair was easier to style now. She
spritzed it with styling spray and blew it dry, all the while her thoughts straying to her late-night visitor and how they spent the evening. She opted to wear her hair in a simple up-do that looked as stylish as the rest of her.

Emily worried her lower lip at eight-thirty
. Ian still hadn’t arrived at work. She rose and left her office, going to find Evan, knowing he was forever punctual. She found him in his office, on the phone. He looked up at her when she entered. He gestured for her to sit while he finished his conversation. When he hung up, she asked the obvious.

“Where’s Ian this morning? Did he call in sick?”

“He resigned this morning, Em,” Evan informed her with a look of disgust. “Apparently he saw it coming.  Just got the call from Ambidor. They’re sending in another guy to take his place.”

Emily felt the air leave her lungs. “Do you know why?”

“He got caught diddling somebody,” Evan said with a pleased chuckle. “The lady was unhappy enough to call Vince and tell on him. What a bitch!”

“So he just
up and quit? Just like that?”

“Em, the guy makes more money than me. I think he can afford to walk,” her boss lamented sourly. “It’s not like he was
crucial to the ad. Just a watch dog for Ambidor. I liked him too, Em, but he’s outta here. We still got a job to do. Tell me you’re ready to meet with Vince and Mitchell next week and I’ll relax.”

Tell me you’ll quit taking Viagra with your heart medication
, she thought, but didn’t say it aloud. “I’m ready. Don’t worry about me. I got this.”

Evan regarded her with a smile of approval, regarding her much-changed appearance with pleasure. “You
never cease to amaze me, Em. That’s what I like about you, babe. Makes me feel better about being MIA next week. Jessica is in a good mood. She isn’t taking me to the cleaners. I’m not going to blow it by asking for a continuance.”

“Have you talked to Ian?” Emily felt her heart plummet to see him nod, feeling anger simmering to know she didn’t merit
even a phone call.

“He called me first
this morning, to tell me it was a pleasure working with me, blah, blah, blah. He said you were the best out of all the shitheads I got working for me. Nice guy. He won’t be without a gig for long. I heard the headhunters at Axiom already learned he was a free agent. He’s a hot property now, Em. He did it right by quitting before they gave him the axe.”

Emily did know. The economy was such most companies would shy away from someone who was terminated for
any hint of wrong-doing. Ian had no choice professionally, but it still hurt to know she wouldn’t see him every day. Suddenly, she had to see him. She rose and regarded Evan with a totally bogus look of pain.

“Oh my God! I have
these horrible cramps all of a sudden! I need Midol! I have to leave and go to the pharmacy.”

Evan looked disgusted at her statements; holding up his hands. “I don’t want to know all that. Please, go and get what you need. Just don’t remind me you’re on your period before I digest my breakfast, ok? And thanks for sharing, Em. Sorry, but that shit just makes me sick. ”

“I might go lay down in the lounge until they go away,” Emily warned him as she backed out of the office. “I’ll be careful not to leave a blood trail. I promise.”

“I don’t hear you! I don’t hear you!” Evan held his ears, eyes closed, face growing
even paler at her descriptive words. “Just take your menstruating ass away from me before I puke! Don’t come back until you get the Red Sea under control!”

Emily might have burst out laughing if she wasn’t so eager to find Ian before he left. She
found it hard to believe Evan was married for twenty-two years and had two daughters. The way he carried on over a woman having a period made her giggle as she retrieved her purse and headed for the parking garage.

Emily
drove to The Windsor Resort like a bat out of hell. She needn’t have endangered herself or the other drivers on the road. Ian was taking coffee out on the terrace when she let herself into the penthouse. He saw her approach and looked out over the golf course.

“You heard
everything, I guess?”

Emily sat down across from him
, leveling him with a frown. “Evan told me you quit. Can I ask why?”

Ian folded his arms, regarding her
in obvious amusement. “Yesterday I was innocent of what I was accused of. Last night changed everything. Now I’m guilty. I decided to go out on my own terms.”

“You might have called me too,”
Emily said angrily and shook her head, feeling guilt his integrity was an issue. It was her fault. “Why are you doing this, Ian? You can fight this. It’s her word against yours!”

“Is this another of your speeches on having faith, Emily?” Ian rolled his eyes and made a disgusted noise. “I got an email from an insider
at Ambidor last night after you left here. He said my replacement arrives here next week. Getting fired in my line of work isn’t much of a recommendation when you make the kind of money I do.”

“Were you even going to call me?” Emily glared at him, seeing he wouldn’t answer her. “You were just going to leave? Just like that? No good-bye, is that it?”

“What happened to our agreement of no strings, Emily? I seem to recall you agreed to anything last night.”

She wanted to slap him then, hurt flaring in her eyes. “I thought we were friends.
Do friends leave town without even saying good-bye. How could you do that?”

Ian leaned forward, his eyes like
blue ice chips. “I told you I was an asshole, Emily. I also told you not to have expectations, especially of me. It appears you don’t listen very well.”

“Why are you doing this?”
Emily stared at him, refusing to believe he could be this cold after the wonderful evening spent in his arms. “Why are you pushing me away like this, Ian?”

“Whatever you saw happening between us isn’t happening, Emily. I’m leaving for Chicago to
night to clean out my apartment to sublet it. I’m sorry if you thought otherwise, but last night was just about sex.”

Emily felt her eyes fill with tears. “
You don’t mean that! You’re just saying that so I’ll go away!”

“No, I’m saying it because it’s the truth, Emily! Unlike you, I don’t make a habit out of lying, least of all to myself! We had sex, great sex, but nothing more than that
! You know how I feel about relationships. You agreed to keep it simple last night. Now you go back on your word and try to make me feel bad!” Ian glared at her and shook his head. “I will never understand women.”

Emily felt crushed by his words, devastated to know he was right. She was a fool for thinking any differently. She pushed back the tears, refusing to allow him to see her cry. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have come
here. You’re absolutely right. I had no reason to expect you to be any different than any other man. It was a pleasure meeting you, Ian. Good-bye.” Emily got up and walked away, her back rigid as she moved to the door. She refused to give into her sorrow until she was well away from The Windsor. The rejection she felt made her heart ache in a way that reminded her she had no right to these feelings from the start; setting herself up for this heartbreak. Still, she would have done it all again, feeling as she did for Ian.

“I’m sorry, Emily,”
Ian said at her back, his voice filled with regret as he followed her to the door. “I told you I wasn’t worth it. I never meant to hurt you.”

“For once, I agree with you, Ian
. You weren’t worth it,” Emily said as she opened the door without turning around to look at him. “I hope you find whatever it is you’re looking for. I wouldn’t get a dog if I were you. Even they need love.”

Emily closed the door behind her and practically ran to the elevator, smacking the down button with a gasp of dismay, tears blinding her before the doors opened. She collapsed against the side rail before the doors closed, her hand over her mouth to stifle the sobs she could barely contain.

Even though he was right; she felt destroyed inside, as if something died within her. She slid to the floor and hit the stop button, determined to get her emotions under control before she arrived to the lobby and made a scene.   

Emily felt hollow
inside as she left the resort. She marveled at what a change twenty-four hours made. Yesterday she had hope, faith, and was in love with being in love. Now, she felt as desolate and as empty as she had the day she found Eddie’s letter.

Emily
didn’t go back to work right away. She went to the park, sitting on the swings, despondent and unwilling to face the pain of all she’d brought upon herself.

“You
gonna swing or what, lady?” a small voice asked her. A little redheaded boy joined her at the swings. She smiled at him, finding him adorable and vaguely familiar. Her eyes bugged out of her head to realize he was the child in the artwork for the ad. She looked around, trying to find a parent nearby, even the old woman in the photo. He was alone.