She glanced around the room like she had once or twice before and,for some reason, was still surprised at the decor. She’d expected dark colorsto accent the maple hardwood floors she’d stepped out of bed onto this morning.Even though the muted purple walls went perfectly with the flooring as well asthe turquoise-and-white comforter that lay halfway across the bed, the colorscheme still puzzled her.
She crossed the room, sat on the side of the bed, and watched Dexsleep. Her face was calm, without a single crease stressing it, just the tinylaugh lines around her eyes, which Emma was coming to adore. Tracing a circleon the back of Dex’s hand, she shuddered at how they’d made her feel when she’dtouched her last night.
Dex’s eyes fluttered open, she stared up at Emma and immediatelysmiled. “What time is it?”
“Time for me to go.”
She threaded her fingers with Emma’s and kissed the back of herhand. “You don’t have to. I’d love to fix you breakfast?”
“That sounds wonderful, but I have a date with the woman who triesto run my life.” Andvery often succeeds.
Dex appeared confused as she propped herself up on her elbows.
“My mother. I promised to take her shopping today.” She grinned.“Sorry. I meant to tell you last night.” She glanced at the ceiling. “Butsomehow you made me forget.” Dex propped herself up and Emma kissed her.
“Oh, sure. Blame it on me.” Dex moved a swatch of hair from Emma’seyes. “I totally understand. The most important woman in your world.” Dex seemedrelieved, which made Emma happy. “For now anyway.” She raised an eyebrow andhopped out of bed. “At least let me walk you out.”
Emma watched the naked, sculpted, muscular body cross the room,and her heartbeat doubled. Dex was stunning. She pulled on a long-sleevedHenley and sweats that were slung across the chair in the corner. Emma’sstomach dipped as Dex’s mussed hair sprang through the neck opening of theHenley. She had to look away, or she’d end up across the room kissing her andfind herself right back in bed ravishing every bit of her again. Emma wasthoroughly amazed at Dex’s body and her confidence. Emma would’ve taken thesheet with her and headed straight into the bathroom to change. She’d evenattempted to do just that earlier, but Dex had been so wrapped up in it shecouldn’t get it free, so she’d made sure Dex was still asleep, grabbed herclothes, and raced across the room instead.
On the way out to the car, Dex took Emma’s hand in hers, and thegesture felt totally natural and wonderful all in the same moment.
When Emma reached for the car door handle, Dex frowned. “I gotit.” She pulled open the door and motioned for Emma to get in.
“Thank you,” Emma said softly. She wasn’t at all used to havingsomeone take such care with her. Her previous girlfriend, Amy, had never openeddoors for her. Emma had been the chivalrous one in that relationship.
“You’re very welcome,” she said as she leaned in and gave Emma ascorching kiss that made Emma immediately want to call her mom and cancel.
“You’re really making it hard for me to leave.”
“My secret plan.” Dex’s lips tugged into a half-grin before shecaptured Emma’s mouth again.
Emma took out her phone. Dex swiped it away from her and threw itback into her purse. “No. You should go. Mom time is important.” She smiledsoftly. “Come back later, and we’ll have breakfast for dinner?” Her lips spreadinto a sexy grin.
“Deal.” Emma gave her a quick kiss, and Dex closed the door. Shecouldn’t take her eyes off the beautiful woman watching her drive away andcouldn’t wait to get this day of shopping done so she could come back to her.
* * *
Emma parked in front of her parents’ house and grabbed the boxfrom the passenger seat before she hustled up the driveway to the open garage.The floor was covered with sawdust, and her dad stood at his workbench buildingsomething, as usual. The small flat-screen TV mounted above the bench had oneof the Sunday football games blaring through it.
“There’s my girl,” Bill said as he spun around on the stool, stoodup, and hauled her into a bear hug. She was surprised he’d heard her in themidst of the crowd and commentators from the football game.
“I brought doughnuts.” She opened the box she’d been carrying.
“I knew you were my favorite daughter for a reason.” He slipped ahand in and took out a glazed doughnut. Glazed was his favorite, and bread andsugar were all he needed. Well, maybe a little jelly once in a while, but hewas an easy dad to satisfy.
She snapped the box shut and rolled her eyes. “I’m your onlydaughter.”
The doughnut was in his mouth immediately. “That too,” he mumbledas he chewed.
Various sizes of wood lay strewn across the bench, and Emmacouldn’t imagine what her dad was creating. “What are you building there?”
He pushed a piece of paper toward her with a design scribbledacross it. “A charging station for my cordless tools.”
“Oh, wow. That looks awesome, Dad.” Her dad was crazy good atwoodworking, even without plans.
Another bite of doughnut went into his mouth, and he grinned.
“Is there coffee left?” Emma asked.
“Brewed a new pot just for you.” He’d known she was coming. Emmaand her mother had set up the shopping date weeks ago. Her mother was a plannerand intended to get all her Christmas shopping done early, just as she didevery year.
“Awesome.” She headed into the house. Her mother was settled inher chair in the living room, feet up on the ottoman, relaxed with her nose ina book. “Whatcha reading, Mom?”
Glo glanced up and smiled. “The new Lisa Gardner.”
“Suspense?”
The chair creaked as she got up. “Her stories fascinate me. Fromwhat
