Storm on the Horizon

EMERALD

Vince practically danced; he was so happy. He took everything, including Ginger, and left after hearing everything over pizza.

Now the defamation suit had some teeth to it, which meant the possibility of redeeming Tate’s image was looking much better once the information became public.

“Now can I have some brownies?” Devon asked, and I smiled and handed him a plate. “Thanks, sis.”

“What next?” Tate asked me.

“Bed,” I answered.

“Let me leave first. I don’t need to hear that again.” Devon made a face.

“You shouldn’t have heard it the first time,” I snapped, making him jump.

Tate laughed and put his arm around my waist, pulling me against his chest and kissing my neck. I couldn’t help but melt into his arms. Not when he was being affectionate like this, which, admittedly, was always.

“Get out,” Tate told his brother as he started walking us toward the bedroom.

“Getting out!” Devon shouted before the elevator chimed.

“You need to sleep, baby,” Tate said, kissing my neck again as he used his foot to close the door behind us. “And you could use a hot bath to relax. You’re so stressed out; I think you might break something soon.”

“I was thinking the same thing, actually,” I giggled. “Macy could use it and I’m so tired, I don’t want to even think about a club. That’s far too high energy right now.”

“That’s a great idea,” he said, “helping” me lift my shirt over my head. “You can have a girls’ day. It’s been a while since you and Macy had time together, right?”

“It has been a long time,” I nodded, enjoying the feel of Tate’s hands on my back as he undid my bra and slid it off my shoulders, leaving kisses behind. “Tate, what are you doing?”

“Can’t I appreciate the woman I’m going to marry?” He chuckled. “No sex tonight because you’re tired and need sleep more. But I do really enjoy this part.”

“Which part is that?” I closed my eyes when he put his arms around me again, one hand sliding around my side to flick open my pants.

“The part where I undress you,” he kissed my temple. “Like I’m unwrapping a gift.”

“Stop that,” I warned him, and he chuckled, turning me around and kissing my lips.

“You ~are~ a gift, Emerald. I don’t know what I did to earn the chance to win you over like this, but I’m damn glad I did it,” he said, making me sit on the bed so he could take my shoes off.

“You have won me over, Tate,” I said, running my fingers through his short hair. “We might have started off with an agreement, but I’m pretty sure this has gone beyond that now.”

“~Way~ beyond.” He nodded with a smile. “Lay back and lift, baby. I’m getting you naked.”

“Dirty.” I grinned.

“To sleep, Emerald. Get your mind out of the gutter. Shame on you,” he teased me.

I rolled my eyes and laid back, lifting my hips so he could pull my pants and underwear off. I scooted up to the pillows and wiggled the blankets down to get under them as Tate undressed and lay beside me.

Once we were comfortably wrapped around each other, I sighed a happy and blissful breath.

“Tate?” I asked after a long while.

“What is it, baby?” he asked.

“Why do you call me Emerald and not Emma, like everyone else?” I asked him. “There’s not been a single time since I started working for you where you haven’t called me Emerald.”

“Emma is just another plain face in a crowd, but Emerald stands out. Different, beautiful, unique,” he answered after a moment. “Everyone can see Emma, but not everyone sees the beautiful and precious gem inside.”

“You’ve always called me Emerald, though.” I frowned into the darkness.

“I’ve always seen you, Emerald,” he answered. “Even when I didn’t want to. Those were the most miserable two months of my life.”

“Bet you didn’t think we’d end up like this, huh?” I giggled.

“No, but I sure as fuck hoped.” He nuzzled into the back of my neck.

“I never would have thought we’d be like this either,” I admitted. “I didn’t even dare hope.”

“Not that I’m complaining, but why did you agree?” he asked. “If you didn’t even hope we’d end up like this, why agree to marry me?”

“I’m not entirely sure,” I admitted. “At the time, I was sure it was to make sure King Industries stayed where it belonged.

“There are a lot of good things coming from the company that help a lot of people. Selling it would end all of that.”

“But?” he prompted me.

“But now I’m not sure that was the only reason,” I said and turned around so I could put my face against his chest. “I’m not blind. You’re very good looking and I wasn’t immune to it.

“You were an ass, though, so I was safe. Then I started getting these messages at night. I started seeing you differently, and the physical attraction changed into this juvenile crush.”

“You had a crush on me?” he asked, sounding smug and full of himself.

“I did. Still, you and I aren’t supposed to mix, so I did what I needed to in order to ignore it for the most part,” I admitted.

“How’d that work out for you?” he asked with laughter in his voice.

“Seeing as I’m naked in your bed and totally ~not~ sniffing you like a creep, so not well,” I said flatly, making him laugh. “I think that repressed part of me is what took over when I agreed to marry you.”

“It’s our bed, Emerald, not mine.” He kissed the top of my head. “I’m glad your repression slipped, then.”

“Me, too.” I sighed. “I don’t want this to end, Tate.”

“Then it won’t,” he said.

“Then it won’t,” I agreed.

***

I sipped my coffee as I watched the news while Tate took a shower the next morning.

Apparently, someone had “leaked” that Nicole was being served with a lawsuit and that there was evidence that said she was lying.

What kind of evidence had yet to be mentioned since we didn’t want anyone to know we had Ginger until her family had been safely moved out of the line of fire later today.

“Surprise, surprise,” I muttered sarcastically when I saw Leo’s face on the screen as Nicole Everett blustered about being woken up so early. “Looks like someone stayed the night.”

“What’s that?” Tate asked, pouring a cup of coffee for himself.

“Nicole was served this morning. Live feed.” I pointed to the TV. “Leo’s there. Pretty sure that means he either woke up at the butt-crack of dawn or he stayed the night.”

“He probably stayed the night.” Tate looked at the TV screen. “She aged poorly.”

“Seriously?” I snorted and looked at her. “She’s beautiful.”

“Must be the poisonous toxicity, then.” He shrugged. “Are you going to your mother’s today?”

“No. She has an appointment today, then Barbara is taking her to bingo at the community center near her place,” I said. “I was thinking about calling your grandmother, actually.”

“Oh?” He looked at me. “Should I be concerned?”

“Maybe. Not right away.” I smiled sweetly.

“Hmm. I’m not sure I buy that, Shrimp, but if it involves Gran, it can’t be too wild, can it?” He narrowed his eyes at me. “Do you need me to give you her number?”

“She put it in my phone.” I shook my head.

“All right. Think you’ll be able to meet me for lunch?” he asked.

“I’ll let you know.” I smiled at him. “Any requests?”

“You in that dark purple lace set we got. Don’t think I haven’t noticed you haven’t worn hardly any of the clothes we bought.” He smiled.

“I have,” I said, then saw the look he gave me. “Not. I have not.”

“I’d also like to see what you bought before I came into that last store. You’ve hidden it from me pretty well, Shrimp.” He smirked.

“Have you been pawing around in my underwear?” I narrowed my eyes at him, though my smile ruined the effect.

“Oh, I do a lot more than paw at you, Emerald.” He chuckled. “And yes, I may have peeked in your drawers.”

“Still can’t believe you actually have real people clothes.” I shook my head.

“Even after seeing the evidence for yourself.” He smiled.

“Even so. Busy day?” I asked.

“As if you don’t know.” He smirked.

“Schedules change.” I shrugged.

“There is a meeting with Henry Logan made by my father’s assistant.” He grimaced. “Tammy emailed me last night about it.”

“Tammy?” I asked.

“My assistant.”

“Her name is Candy.” I giggled.

“Whatever.” He shrugged. “Aside from that, I’m mostly doing courtesy phone calls and emails.”

“So, what’s with the sour puss face? Henry Logan…isn’t that the same guy you ditched the other day?”

“It is, and Henry Logan is a horrible person. Shrewd businessman but a terrible human being. He’d cut a kidney from his own mother if it got him a good enough profit.

“He started a contract with my father, but I took over before it was signed. I threw it out in the first thirty seconds of being in charge.”

“Right. Any idea why he’s pushing a meeting so much?” I asked.

“Who fucking knows.” He waved it off. “I’ll be missing this one as well, so it doesn’t matter. Hopefully, he’ll get the message that I don’t want to deal and leave it at that. Did you make breakfast?”

I smiled and pointed to the plate on the counter where his breakfast sandwich was waiting for him.

“Thank you, baby,” he said, taking it and kissing my cheek. “Sorry, but I have a call with the New York office in half an hour. I have to eat and run.”

“That’s fine.” I turned and smiled when he kissed my lips. “I’ll let you know about lunch.”

He left, and I smiled as I turned off the TV and picked up my phone to call Sophie.