I need a challenge.
When he starts to kiss my neck, my teeth grit together because I couldn’t be any more dry than I am right now.
“Andy…” I whisper, tone filled with meaning, hoping he gets the message.
He turns me around and searches my eyes, a frown piercing his tanned skin. “What’s up? You’re not feelin’ me today?”
“I’m just…not in the mood I guess.”
He runs a hand through his short hair and blinks, stepping back to decide how to handle the rejection. “Okay. That’s cool.” Pacing a little he cocks his head and stops walking. “You just see me as a friend don’t you?”
Controlling a sigh I remind him, “We’ve talked about this.”
“Nope.”
I lean against the window. “Yes, we have. You and I are friends with benefits.”
“Friends you hide with benefits.”
“Andy…”
“No, Emma, seriously! There’ve been a couple of those infamous Family BBQs and you’ve gone alone, even when I said I was free. You haven’t told Hannah about us hooking up, and I’m pretty sure girls tell each other everything.”
“Andy…”
“Let me finish! I gotta say this.” He grabs his head with both hands, huge biceps flexing with stress. “It’s been eating me up, because I like you! I like you a lot. And I’ve been acting like I’m okay with this situation because what guy wouldn’t be stoked to have this kind of freedom and get you at the same time? It’s a gift—I get that! But I want more.” I stare at him, aghast. He waves his arm. “There, I said it! I want more. At least tell Hannah. Tobias knows and I made sure he doesn’t say anything because you told me to. But now I’m starting to think you’re ashamed of me!”
Feeling terrible I reach for him but Andy steps clear. “I’m not ashamed, come on, you know I’m not! It’s just my family is very tight and I’m the second oldest, and a girl. It’s normal for people to give a woman grief for not being married yet or having someone on the horizon. If I told them we were occasionally sleeping together—which is all we’re doing, right?— they’d bug me about when we were going to get serious and not let up!”
“That’s crap!”
Irritated, my eyes flash. “Don’t snap at me. This is the first I’ve become aware that you’re not happy with how things are, so don’t act all angry that I didn’t know!”
His lips sliver and he storms into the living room where I find him pacing in the small space. “You knew I wanted more.”
“No, I didn’t! I knew you were a playboy, traveling the world as Tobias’s manager! I thought you must have been getting laid in every city. That’s what I thought, not that you wanted to meet my family.”
Andy blinks at me like I’m nuts, then his eyes clear up. “That’s what you thought was happening?”
“Yes!”
“Did it ever bother you, the idea of me being with other women on the road?”
We stare at each other. “No, it didn’t.”
He throws up his arms, storms to the door. “Great! That says it all, doesn’t it?!”
I call out, “Andy! Don’t you dare leave like this!” He stops, knuckles white just like Tanner’s were on his car door before. “I don’t want to fight with you.”
“And you don’t want to be my girlfriend. If you did, you would’ve been jealous. You would’ve invited me to a damn BBQ. You would’ve kissed me tonight instead of pulling away. You would’ve told your best fucking friend about us a long time ago.”
“This is ridiculous!” I cry out.
“There’s a lot of things you don’t want to do with me, Emma.”
Sighing I throw my fists on my hips and we glare at each other. “I really hate this.”
He hits himself in the chest and says, “But you don’t love this, either. I’m outta here.”
The door slams behind him.
My gut is telling me if I ran after him I could turn this around, take him to bed, go back to how things were. At least until he blew up again.
The image of Andy meeting Grams makes me wince, rather than be excited like it should. That’s my barometer. Maybe it’s everyone’s in this family—get Grams’s approval and you know you’re on the right track.
He’s a good person but he’s very basic on many levels. I know she wouldn’t think Andy was challenging enough for my mind. Or maybe that’s just me believing that all on my own. Wrapping my arms around my head I collapse on the couch and stay balled up like this for a very long time.
CHAPTER 13
T ANNER
T he white Lexus is already here when I park. Emma Cocker is watching me from the sidewalk in dusty-blue heels and a matching wrap dress that hugs her body with professional elegance. She smiles like a realtor as I shut the door.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Hamilton,” she cooly calls over.
Guarded, I button my suit jacket. “Ms. Cocker. This is a surprise.”
Her smile falters. “Your assistant didn’t tell you I’d be showing you this house?”
“No, he didn’t.”
“Oh,” she quietly says, then plasters the smile back on. “I guess it slipped his mind. I can assure you I know everything there is to know about this property.”
“Prove it.”
She stares at me a beat. Her lips part to launch into another speech.
Mine twitch. “I’m messing with you, Ms. Cocker. He did tell me. I have no doubt you could regale me with facts I will find too boring to remember. I’m looking for something in particular, so how about
