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"Stop calling me that," Emma complains.
"I'll make you a deal," I negotiate, grinning as I clutch the receiver to my ear. "You go out with me, and I'll stop calling you that."
"I'm not going out with you, Zayne."
"Why not?"
"Because we work together."
"Zayne," Ma hisses from behind me.
I ignore her.
"Zayne!"
"Emma? Hold on a minute, baby girl."
She huffs, making me smile before I put her on hold and drop the phone back into the cradle.
"Ma, aren't you supposed to be shopping?"
"Don't tell me how to live my life, Zayne Matthew," she says, her hands on her wide hips and a scowl on her face. She comes up to my chest, but honestly, she's the scariest motherfucker I know. "Who is Emma, and why haven't I heard about her before now?"
"If you'll stop buggin' me and let me convince her that she wants to marry me, she'll be your future daughter-in-law."
Ma's eyes practically bug out of her head.
I chuckle, dropping a kiss on her head. "Go do your shopping, Ma. I'll tell you all about her at dinner."
"You better," she says, pointing a finger at me. "Or I'm telling your dad that you're being mean to me."
Shit. She probably will tell him that. Ma is a savage who takes no prisoners. She's been finessing us since we were in diapers. For someone who spends every Sunday in church, she could teach the devil a thing or two about running hell. She's sweet as pie, and as fierce as any soldier I've ever met. My brothers and I idolize her and make no secret about it.
"Go buy whatever shit you're goin' to force on us next," I say, shaking my head at her.
"If I didn't buy it for you, no one would, Zayne. You and your brothers have been single too long," she complains. "I need grandbabies. You're too old to be fun anymore."
"I'm plenty of fun."
She snorts. "You've got a stick up your butt the size of–"
I growl, cutting her off.
She grins, leaning up on her toes to kiss me on the cheek. "Whoever she is, you lit up when you realized she was on the phone," she whispers. "If she makes you look like that, I can't wait to meet her."
I drop another kiss on her head, not responding. What am I supposed to say to that? She'll love Emma if I ever convince my girl to stop telling me no. And Emma will love her too. I just need to figure out how to get Emma on the page with me because right now, we're not even in the same book.
She's a frightened little lamb, trying like hell to avoid giving me a chance. I can't figure out why and it's driving me fucking nuts.
I wait until Ma is out the front doors before I drop into the chair behind the reception desk and pick up the phone again.
"Now we're alone, and I don't have to hide how fucking hard you make me," I growl to Emma.
"You can't say that to me on the phone!"
I grin at the shy outrage in her voice. "Baby girl, if you'd agree to be mine already, I wouldn't have to say it on the phone. You keep tellin' me no."
"Zayne, I can't date you," she hisses as if she's trying not to be overheard. Is Camila in the office with her?
