Wrapped In Silk, page 26
“So, I can’t have sex and you can?” I chuckle.
“I’m sorry about earlier. I hope you can accept my apology,” he says genuinely.
“Forgiven. I’m sorry, as well.”
“Good. I am obviously hoping we’ll be seeing a lot of each other.”
“Be good to her. She’s become a true friend, and I need Lila at the top of her game. She’s magic with people and the press, and with Emma, as well.”
He nods. “How is she?”
“Sleeping. Medically, is there anything I can do for her?”
“She’s obviously very fragile.” He shakes his head. “But she’s done a one-eighty since you showed up. It’s wonderful to see more hope in her.”
I open the fridge and grab a couple bottles of water as I put my proverbial tail between my legs and ask, “In case she does sleep through the night, do you think you could put the IV in so she stays hydrated?”
“I think that’s a good idea. I’ll do it now,” Mark said.
* * *
Walking out of the bathroom, I hear her panicking almost incoherently. “Where is he? Did he leave? Where’s Brody?”
I hurry in and see Mark putting in the IV.
“Did you miss me, Em?” I ask, setting the bottles on the bedside table.
“It’s not funny. Don’t do that to me again. Don’t you leave me again,” she cries without tears.
“I’m not going anywhere.” I pull her head to my chest as Mark finishes up.
He shakes his head, a small smile on his face as he walks out.
* * *
I lie still, not wanting to wake her but knowing that today is her last day of treatments, and the day she’ll be able to get back to London, has me needing her to rest to gain strength. On the other hand, I can’t wait until she does wake so that I can remind her that, even in her sleepy and unconscious mind, she doesn’t ever want me to leave her side.
As her long eyelashes flutter against her milky white skin, I smile down at her as they open, revealing that gorgeous green to me.
“Good morning.”
“Morning.” She sighs.
“Would it be all right if I used the bathroom?”
“Of course.” She looks at me oddly, and then to the door as Mark walks in.
“Let’s get that IV out, shall we?”
“When did you put it in?” Emma asks.
“About midnight,” he says as she sits up. “Look at you, all bright-eyed. Last day of treatment, Emma, and then never again, okay?”
“Of course,” she says, obviously having no recollection of last night after she fell asleep.
I walk out, smiling, even more sure of us than ever before.
After a piss and brushing my teeth, I walk back in the room as she stretches.
I bend down to give her a quick kiss on the top of her lovely head. “Love, last night, you woke up to yell at me, and now you’re smiling?” I sit beside her as she finishes the entire bottle of Evian and take her hand. “You have track marks.”
She looks at her arm and crinkles up her nose. Then she looks up at me. “I didn’t yell at you.”
“You yelled at me, Em.” I wink then whisper in her ear so Mark doesn’t hear, “It was kind of sexy.”
She shakes her head as she fights a smile.
“You told me I could never leave you again, which makes me wonder how that’s going to work tonight.” I stand and walk to her dresser to gather her clothes.
“Did I now?” she asks, amused and unbelieving.
“Yes, Emma, you did,” Mark answers for me as he gathers the equipment that, after today, will no longer be needed, not ever again. “See you both in an hour. Don’t be late.”
“I’ll have her there. Thank you, Doc.”
“Did you two make friends?” Emma asks, standing.
“For you … anything.” I lean in closer to her and whisper, “He can no longer use sex as a weapon against my character.”
“Oh no?” She smirks as I pull her shirt over her head and toss it to the ground.
She almost forgets to cover what she sees as an abomination that, when allowed, I will adore and lavish because I see it as a sign of her strength, a battle she won, and her will to live.
I look away as to not make her feel uncomfortable and pull a sweatshirt over her head. “I found him, bare-arsed in the kitchen.” I mock gasp.
“You did not.” She laughs.
“Fine, but I did catch him in the kitchen in nothing but boxers and a bottle of red in his hand. And I warned him not to hurt her.”
Emma smiles brightly. “I love you.”
“You better.” I wink as I squat, holding out fresh knickers.
She huffs as I pull them up. “Emma love, I love you more.” I pull her leggings up then kiss her neck.
She grips fistfuls of my hair. “Don’t joke around when I say I love you. It pisses me off.”
I groan as she pulls my head down so we’re eye to eye. “I think I like you pissed off.”
* * *
After Emma’s second treatment of the day, and last for eternity, she falls asleep in my lap as we creep out of the city. As soon as she does, I instruct Clive to play some white noise over the sound system and to take it slow, as she needs her rest. Then I send a message to her parents, telling them traffic is backed up.
We pull into her parents; Tarrytown driveway in just under two hours, and I send another text that she is asleep in the car, knowing London will no doubt come running and slam into her if I had not.
When I see London walk out onto the porch, looking like she wants to jump out of her skin, I roll down the window, hold my finger to my lips to tell her shh, and motion for her to come. She jets past Caroline and Henry before they even realize what I just communicated.
“Hello London,” I whisper as Clive opens the door, and I pat the seat beside me.
London slides in quietly next to me.
“I’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you, and Mommy, too. She’s still tired?” London asks. “You can give it to me straight. I can handle it.”
I smile at this little girl who lights up the sky. Her soul is brilliant, and she makes me laugh. At the same time, I want nothing more than to remove the worry that causes all her questions.
“She’s just resting. She seems much better than when I first saw her.”
“Good, because I was scared, Brody, really scared.” London’s eyes widen, and her lower lip pouts out slightly.
“Well, I understand that—I was, too—but I talked to her doctor, and he says she’s going to be tired for a bit but is going to be just fine. I know she’s the strongest person I’ve ever met. Do you know she could have done this treatment over seven weeks, and only three times a week, and she decided on the harshest treatment plan so that she could be here for you? That’s how much she loves you, London, so much that she’ll do anything. You’re her happy place. With you is where she wants to be.” I kiss her head, and she leans into my side.
I look up as Caroline whispers, “Welcome home,” and she snaps a picture.
I nod. “Thank you.”
“London, why don’t you come in and help me set the table?” Caroline smiles.
“May I stay here until she wakes up, please?” London asks respectfully.
Caroline gives her a wink then walks away.
“We might have to wake her up soon. She’ll be upset if she knows she could be getting London hugs instead of sleeping.”
“Hey,” Emma whispers as she looks up and sees London.
“Hi, Mommy,” she whispers back.
“That’s all I get?” Emma sits up, leans across me, and hugs her. “I’ve missed you all the way to the moon and back.”
“Well, I’ve missed you halfway to heaven and back,” London replies.
“Only halfway?” Emma asks curiously.
“Yep,” London says as her bottom lip quivers. “I don’t want you to get all the way there, Mommy.”
Emma holds her tighter as the dam that she held for far too many days finally breaks, and she begins crying. “Oh, London, I’m not going anywhere, not for a very long time.”
“Pinky promise, Mommy?” London asks, sobbing now.
“Of course, London.” Emma leans back and holds her face in her hands, kissing every inch of it.
London eventually begins to laugh, and then she looks at me, having probably just realized their exchange quite literally happened across my lap. “Sorry, Brody.”
“No, I feel honored to be here to witness all this love. That was beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.”
“All right, you two, let’s go eat—I’m hungry,” Emma announces, climbing across me then stopping to whisper in my ear, “Thank you.”
Inside the house, it smells of years I’ve long forgotten—home-cooked meals with a feeling of warmth that radiates from love.
“Nice to see you again, Brody. Have a seat right here.” Caroline points to the chair next to Henry.
“Hello, Brody,” Henry says, looking over his reading glasses.
“Hello, Henry, nice to see you.”
“Uh-huh,” Henry says as he continues reading.
“Hi, Daddy.”
“Hello, princess.” Henry removes his glasses as he stands up, hugs her, and spins her around, causing Emma to laugh.
I watch their interaction and feel nothing but happiness that she has that, and wanting nothing more than to give that same sense of security to London.
Caroline notices my smile and gives my hand a squeeze.
Through dinner, I can feel Henry’s eyes on me and hope he says whatever he needs to in order to put any worries he may have behind him when it comes to my intentions with Emma and London.
After dinner and being denied when offering to help clean up, Emma, London, and I walk over to the garage apartment. After they brush their teeth together, I am invited to read a story and tuck London, who already got ready for bed while she waited for Emma’s arrival, in. I read a few then excuse myself to use the bathroom to give Emma and London some proper and much-needed alone time.
I stay on the couch and only realize I’ve fallen asleep when Caroline enters with linens.
“Are they sleeping?” Caroline whispers.
“I believe so,” I say, standing.
“I brought over some fresh sheets and a blanket, if you would like to sleep in the spare bedroom. I’ll make up a bed for you.”
“Let me do that.” I take them from her.
“Brody, how in love with my daughter are you?” Caroline asks as I make up the bed.
“More than I thought possible,” I answer, tucking in a corner of the sheet.
“What are your intentions?”
“They’re simple; I don’t ever want to be without her. I love her. I’m the person I know I’m supposed to be with her. I know it hasn’t been that long, but I know beyond doubt that no amount of time will change that.”
“You do know, after what she’s gone through, you’re going to have to warm Henry up to the idea, right?” Caroline smiles.
“Yes. About that … any tips?”
“She’s his princess, Brody.”
“We may be at odds with that one. I’ve called her princess from just a few days of knowing her. She never mentioned that was her dad’s pet name for her.”
“I’ve been calling her that since birth.” Henry walks in with pillows in his arms.
“I mean no disrespect but wanting your approval and actually caring that you genuinely like me is not a place in which I’d ever put myself. But here I stand, asking for both and promising that you can trust me with your daughter. I can only assume, after going through all you have with Emma, your natural reaction is going to tell me to piss off, but I am not stretching the truth at all when I tell you that I cannot.”
I inhale a deep breath and shake my head as I continue, “I have fallen to whatever depth of love that one can’t ever return from. I would like to marry Emma when she’s ready, preferably soon so that we can have whatever time on Earth it is we are given to face whatever situations we must face, together, loving each other.”
When he doesn’t say anything, I look down. “Whatever the two of you showed her about love, it’s still there. She still believes in it, even if Troy made her consider it was only for the two of you.” I look up. “I never believed in it much myself, but without a doubt, I know there is someone made for every person on Earth, and he was not hers. And Henry, with all due respect, I refuse to walk away from mine.”
“I see. And you think you’re ready for that responsibility? Taking care of my daughter and her daughter, keeping them safe and happy? You’re a musician; how is that family-friendly?” Henry interrogates.
“That’s enough, Henry,” Caroline cautions her husband.
“I’ll ask her, and she will accept. We love each other. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to make sure that Emma has a drink.”
I hear Caroline whisper as I walk away, “She loves him. You need to not only accept that but rejoice in it.”
* * *
It’s been a couple hours since she’s been asleep and, since the stubborn woman thinks she needs to go to work tomorrow, I need her to hydrate.
I walk in quietly and, with stealth moves I never knew I had, untangle London from her and lift her out of bed. Smiling, she opens her eyes as we exit the room.
“Hello, music man, did you miss me?”
“Of course.” I kiss her quickly. “You need to drink.”
I set her on the countertop and hand her the glass that I poured.
She takes a few sips, yawns, and sets the cup beside her. “I also need a bath, and you’re going to give me one.”
“Oh, am I now?” I shake my head. “Drink up, Em. You’re insistent on going to work tomorrow, so you need to rest, understand?”
“So, I should go un-bathed?” Emma rolls her eyes and finishes the glass of water.
“No, but you need to take a quick shower and get yourself back in your bed. You need rest.” I take her empty glass into the kitchen.
“I need you, I want you, and if you won’t have sex with me until you feel I’m ready, I want you in my mouth.”
Shocked, I watch her slide off the counter and walk toward me.
“Em, not tonight. I want you healthy and rested.” I take her grabby, little hands and kiss the back of each.
“And I want you in my—”
She stops when we both hear a voice clearing, and then I about shit myself when I see Henry sitting up on the couch.
Emma gasps. “Dad, what are you doing here?”
“I’m sleeping on the couch to make sure Brody behaves himself. Guess I needed to be more concerned about you,” Henry scolds her. “Go take a shower, Emma, and get back in bed with London.”
Feeling pretty damn lucky it was her and not me getting busted by her father, I smile and kiss her cheek. “See you in the morning.”
Walking away, I hear her whisper, “Dad, I’m grown woman—”
“Get your ass in the shower, princess,” Henry says sternly.
As Emma stomps into the bathroom, I look back at Henry. “Goodnight, sir.”
“My name is Henry, use it. Troy’s only breathing because of London. If you hurt my daughter, I will hurt you.” He picks up the newspaper and asks, “When were you thinking of doing this?”
“Tomorrow night.”
“Make it hearts and flowers. She deserves nothing less. And remember, I’m sleeping right here.” Henry sets the paper back down.
“Good night, Henry.”
* * *
I wake to London giggling, sounding less than a foot away.
“You know, I could get used to waking up to that sound.” I grab her hand and pull her to me, tickling her and making her laugh out loud.
From outside the room, I hear Emma scold her in a whisper, “London, let him sleep.”
“Good morning, Emma. Did you sleep well?” I call to her.
She peeks her head in the door. “I did. And you?”
“Wonderfully.” I stand up as London giggles.
“I’m going to drop London off at school then head in to work. Will I see you tonight?” Emma asks.
“Give me ten minutes. We can drop her off together, and I’ll drop you at work.”
Chapter 33
As soon as London is out of the car, I turn and look at Brody. “You do know I’m perfectly capable of driving, right?”
“Are you cross with me this morning, Emma?”
I cross my arms and look out the window. “No.”
Brody slides over, filling the spot that London sat happily between us. Then he takes my hand and kisses it gently. “I love you, Emma. Tell me what’s upsetting you so I can fix it.”
There is no way I’m going to admit that I am annoyed because, as much as I love that he’s concerned with my health, even exhaustion doesn’t edge off the desire I feel for him all the damn time. “Nothing.”
He touches my forehead. “Are you not feeling well?”
Leaning closer to the window, I try and fail not to sound irritated. “I’m fine.”
“Em, come now; tell me. Is it me? Am I smothering you?” Brody asks nervously.
“It’s definitely you, and you are by no means smothering me.” I lean my head back, close my eyes, and sigh.
“You miss me,” he states.
I ignore him.
“You need to come, Emma?”
“Please don’t say things like that,” I whisper as his lips touch my neck, and he pulls me onto his lap. “Brody, we can’t do—”
“Be quiet, please, and stay very still,” he whispers as he grips my knees and slides his hands up my legs and under my skirt. “I like the skirt, but these need to go.” He pushes my panties aside, and I groan at the feel of his fingers on my tremendously sensitive skin.
“Shh …” he says as he runs his fingers lightly over my heated folds. “You’re wet for me. Always so wet,” he groans. “See what I do for you? Just the thought of my fingers here.” He slowly pushed one into me.
