AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Writing a book?” Harry asked. His eyes flickered to my face with interest.
I just shrugged and looked away. My aspirations to become a writer were personal and private. Harry slipped the notebooks and pens into a plastic bag and handed it to me.
“Thirty-two dollars,” he said.
I fished out a few bills and passed them over. Harry fiddled with his register and then stuffed the bills inside. He grabbed my change and counted it out slowly. I could tell from the way his hands shook that he was beginning to feel his age.
“Thank you,” I said when he handed me the change.
“Come back soon,” he said. “You can tell me all about that book you’re pretending not to write.”
I smiled weakly and left, my cheeks burning with embarrassment. Once outside, I checked my phone to see that it was almost dinnertime. I couldn’t believe I’d spent the entire day wandering through Harry’s store, but I was glad I did. For the first time, I found something to distract me from thoughts of Emily.
When I made it back home, the kids were already finishing dinner. I walked over and kissed them each on their heads.
“Already eating?” I asked.
“Sorry,” Emily said. “We tried to wait, but they were hungry.”
“It’s fine,” I said.
“Did you have fun shopping, Dad?” Tommy asked.
“I did.” I smiled. “Did you have fun with Emily today?”
“Yeah,” Tommy said. “We always have fun with Emily.”
Emily smiled at that and busied herself with the dishes. I took the kids upstairs to get them ready for bed. With Emily around, it wasn’t often that I managed my children’s bedtime routine. I hadn’t realized I missed it until I was lying next to Sarah, reading her to sleep.
She fell asleep fast, resting her tiny head on my chest. I kissed her softly and slowly slid out from underneath her. She flopped her head onto her pillow without waking, and I tiptoed back downstairs.
Emily was still cleaning the kitchen so I grabbed my bag from Harry’s and moved toward my study.
“What did you get?” Emily asked. I turned around with a frown. She pointed at the bag in my hand. “At Harry’s. Anything good?”
My frown deepened as Emily searched my face. I could tell she was trying to get to know me better, to get close to me, to figure me out. It angered me in a way that surprised me. I’d been frustrated with myself for my attraction to Emily, but this was the first time I found myself angry with her. She just wouldn’t get the hint.
I didn’t want to know her. I didn’t want to be close to her. I couldn’t risk it.
“Nothing,” I said, my voice short.
“Obviously, it’s something.” Emily laughed softly.
“It’s none of your business.” My voice was cold and hard.
Emily’s smile fell from her lips, and she just stayed quiet while I turned around.
I marched down the hall to my study. Once inside, I sat down at my desk and ran my hands over my face. Emily was the most infuriating woman I’d ever dealt with. Not only was she always tempting me with that tight fucking body, but she wouldn’t leave me alone. She kept pushing and pushing, trying to get inside my mind. It was enough to drive me insane.
Deep down, I knew it wasn’t Emily’s fault. She was gorgeous and smart, kind and loving. The way she handled Sarah’s breakdown at dinner last night was enough proof that she knew what she was doing. Everything she did exuded caring, but I didn’t want her to care, not about me anyway.
As I sat there, unpacking my notebooks and pens, I thought about how it would feel to let Emily in. After two seconds, I knew it was impossible. Even a sexual relationship with no emotional ties felt insane. No matter how much I wanted Emily’s body or how badly she wanted to know the real me, I couldn’t give in to either desire.
Without thinking, I picked up a pen and started writing. I didn’t even realize what I was putting on the page until I was finished. I’d filled almost ten pages without pause. In all my life, I’d never written that much in a single sitting. With a frown, I leaned back in my chair and read over my words. They were all about Emily. Every single one.
CHAPTER TWELVE - EMILY
Yet another night passed, and I didn’t get more than a wink of sleep. As the sun rose Wednesday morning, I pushed myself out of bed and quickly got dressed. I pulled my long curls back in a ponytail and grabbed my purse. Tommy and Sarah wouldn’t be up for close to an hour so I had some time. After enduring Sean’s coldness for days now, I needed a break, just a minute to myself. I hurried downstairs and disappeared out the front door, walking hurriedly into town.
