Barred (12 page)

A week later, Kimberly is spending the day with Emerson as Jonathon gets ready for another flight to New York.  This case seems to be wearing him down by the day and Kimberly can’t seem but to worry about him.

“What’s on your mind Kimberly?” 

“Doesn’t he ever take a break from the traveling?”

“I offer, but he likes to handle the cases he starts and most of the ones he does, require him to travel,” Emerson says, grabbing her hand.

“I’m sorry to worry about him when I am supposed to be focused on you,” she says quietly, almost as if she’s embarrassed. 

Emerson grabs her hand, pulling her to a stop in the middle of the crowded shopping area. “Kimberly, do not ever apologize for caring for either of us,” he guides her hand up to his lips, kissing her fingers softly.  “It’s nice to be cared for, neither of us have had that for a while now.”

She lets out a soft sigh, watching Emerson show compassion.  It makes her question everything she thought she knew though.  Could there be a chance that the two of them were falling for her just like she was falling for them?  Would they be okay with being in love with the same woman, and what would happen when she wanted to commit?  Perhaps get married?  Her head was spinning from the thoughts overtaking her that she didn’t realize Emerson was talking until he started chuckling.  “What? I’m sorry.” 

“I was just going to see if you wanted to get some food before we went to get massages.” 

“Massages? You’re pampering me an awful lot today Mr. Stanley,” she says with a smile.

“Well, I wouldn’t want my best friend’s girlfriend to be anything but pampered.” 

“Touché,” she replies, noticing that they aren’t exactly alone in the world.  She would give anything to walk with him hand in hand like they did in Orlando, but here in their hometown of Baton Rouge, it was impossible.  People thought she belonged to Jonathon, so with that, Emerson had to hide in the shadows.  She hated that— both men had equal parts of her and she wanted to be able to show that.  “I hate this,” she mutters.

“What?”

“Shit, did I say that out loud?”

“Mmmhmm,” he responds, walking toward the little café on the street corner.

“I hate having to hide one relationship because of what the public will think.”

“I know exactly what you mean, but as much as I want to flaunt the beautiful woman walking beside me as my own, we all have an appearance to uphold.” 

“I know you’re right, but it isn’t fair to you.”

“I’ll manage,” he says with a sad smile that doesn’t quite reach his gorgeous green eyes. Kimberly looks him over as he talks. She’s used to seeing him in his suits and tie, but damn, can the man pull off casual.  He is wearing a white button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up just below his elbows with a pair of jeans that looks as if they are tailored to him. 

“So, tell me a little bit about you,” she says as they enter the café to eat. 

“Well, I grew up in a town about two hours from here.  It’s past Lafayette, and I lived on a farm with my grandparents. My parents weren’t really the parental type—more into their own vices than their children.”

Kimberly sits in shock while he continues his story, engrossed in all that was Emerson Stanley.

“My grandparents didn’t have much but we made it work, and they believed in me. I made good grades in school and now my grandmother has a very nice home and workers to tend the farm. They always took such care of me, I wanted to return the favor,” he says, stopping as the waiter comes over to help them with their order.

“Hello, I’m Vincent. I’ll be helping you today. May I start you off with a drink?”

“I’d love a water, please,” Kimberly smiles at the young boy, pimples covering his face and glasses that could rival Harry Potter’s.

“Same for me Vincent, thank you.”

“Of course,” he says, walking away to grab the drinks. 

After an hour of sitting and talking in the café and a hefty tip for Vincent, the two exit the café to head to the massage parlor.  Kimberly’s head is spinning with the new information she has learned about Emerson.  No wonder the man was driven to become one of the best. Growing up with barely anything is hard enough, but to do it and know your parents didn’t care if you lived because they were too busy doing their drugs or other things, would be hard for any child.  She was proud of the man Emerson was.

“Zoned out again?”

She looks up at the man who she was thinking about and blushes.  “I’m sorry, I was just thinking about how much of an amazing person you are after everything you went through.  You’re kind of like a Phoenix, rising from the flames.”

He chuckles beside her while they walk into the building for their massages.  “I’m not so sure you could say that, but I like your version of flattery.”  He winks as they get taken to separate rooms for their massages. 

After an hour of pure bliss, Kimberly is relaxed and ready to curl up and take a nap.  She walks out of the room to see a glowing Emerson waiting for her.  “That was so relaxing,” she says with him walking over to her. 

“It was very relaxing, the staff here is very good at what they do,” he leads her out of the building after saying a few thank you’s to the rest of the staff. They walk to the car as Kimberly takes in everything, she never really noticed just how beautiful this part of town really was. When they get inside, she smiles as she sees a text. 

Jonathon:  Enjoy your weekend, I’m stealing you away
next
weekend for sure. 
She smiles while typing out a reply.

Kimberly: I’m sorry you’re stuck working, I’d rather you be with us.

Jonathon: Trust me, there is nowhere else I’d rather be.

Kimberly: Be safe when you leave tonight.
  She smiles, sending the last text, then turns to look out the window as they make their way back to her house.  Why the guys prefer to stay at her small house, she will never know but she thinks it’s more to do with her being comfortable than them wanting to be in their own rooms. 

Emerson helps her out of the car, grabbing her shopping bags from the trunk before making their way into her home.  He sets the bags on the ground and walks over to her, turning her to face him.  He wraps his fingers into her hair, something that always comforts him.  He isn’t really sure what it is about the woman’s damn hair but the thick curls drive him wild.  When she looks at him with the desire he’s sure his eyes are mimicking and her bottom lip tucked between her top teeth, his control shatters.  He has tried so damn hard today to not touch her, not smell her, and not act as if she is his reason for breathing these days.  He groans as his lips claim hers, smiles into them as she lets out a throaty moan of her own.  He removes his hand from her hair, feeling empty as he does.  He grabs her hips, helping lift her as the gray maxi dress slides up over her creamy thighs while she wraps her legs around his waist. 

“You have been driving me crazy all fucking day,” he growls into her neck, nipping the sensitive skin of her collarbone.  “I don’t know if I can be gentle now.”

“Don’t be,” she answers with bated breath as he pushes her against the wall of the hallway.  She chuckles when a picture frame falls to the floor.

“I’ll buy another,” he chuckles, sliding her panties to the side, sliding two fingers into her damp pussy.  “I love how you are always ready.” 

“Emerson!” She whimpers, her head hitting the wall while his fingers stroke her insides.  He slides his thumb over her sensitive clit with her grinding against his hand unabashedly.  Just before she reaches her climax, he pulls his fingers from her depth.  “What? No!” She growls, but is silenced by the fingers he has coated in her own juices. 

“Hush, I’ll make sure you’re satisfied,” he growls, his green eyes ablaze with lust and desire. “I need you now though,” he adds throatily, reaching between them and unzipping his pants—pulling them down just enough to free his engorged cock. He aligns them before slamming his hips forward, impounding her between his hard body and the wall. Her hands slide around his broad shoulders and into the top of his collared button down shirt. She drags her fingernails over the skin of his back, making him roar in pleasure.  His cock pummeling her pussy while he slams into her, over and over—the wall being the only thing keeping both of them upright.  Kimberly moans as Emerson pulls the top of the dress down, exposing her breasts to him.  His mouth greedily attacking her taut nipples as his cock continues to pound mercilessly into her.  All she can do is hold on and enjoy the ride as Emerson loses the rest of the control he’s tried to contain. 

“Emerson!” She squeals while he reaches between them, rubbing her clit again as she starts to throb, her release starts to brew in her belly.  She bucks against him, his teeth grazing her pebbled nipple, begging him to finish what he’s started—begging for the fire to be doused that’s blazing inside of her. He flicks his finger over her clit once more, sending her over the edge just as she’s begged.  His eyes on hers as she explodes around him, her muscles clenching him while he continues to slam into her over and over. 

“Fuck!” Emerson yells while his own release is milked from him from the tightness her orgasm has wrapped around his cock.  His thighs shake from the release and the depletion of energy that seems to have went with it. He grabs Kimberly’s hips, holding her and turning them to where his back is against the wall.  He kisses her lips softly while he slowly slides down the wall, both of them breathing heavily as if they just ran a 5k. 

“That was….” Kimberly huffs. “Amazing,” she puffs out, trying to catch her breath.  Emerson slides his fingers through her curls again, reveling in the dampness from the exertion they just put on their bodies. 

“Agreed,” he murmurs, looking deep into her hazel eyes.  He can’t help but fall for her more and more as their time goes on.  He’s shocked to realize that falling for her doesn’t scare him as much as it did when she first walked into his office.  He’d walk through hell to give this woman anything she wanted, and that was what scared him.  “Shall we shower?”  He says, trying to lighten the mood he’s placed upon himself.  It’s an arrangement and once it’s been fulfilled, he can move onto the next one. 

“Yes. Let’s shower,” she smiles, kissing his lips once more before standing.  She shakes her head, reliving the moment that just happened with them.  She never expected to feel like this during sex, especially after having such plain sex with every other man she’d been with.  For her to find two men, who were well experienced in the bedroom, in Emerson and Jonathon she can’t help but think something bad will happen.  No one can ever be this lucky in life. 

They strip to nothing before stepping in the shower and doing a slower encore of what happened in her hallway. After they shower, she can’t help but yawn.  The events of the day have slowly overtaken her and all she wants to do is curl up in her bed. 

“Lay down and get some rest. I’m going to do a bit of work in the living room for an hour or so. I’ll be back shortly,” Emerson says as he kisses her forehead.  She can’t help but think that the other foot is about to drop and he is trying to distance himself from her.  She climbs into her bed, too tired to really contemplate it.  The last thought she has before sleep evades her, is if Jonathon made it to his destination okay. 

Jonathon steps off the plane at exactly two in the morning. He makes his way down the terminal, heading towards baggage claim.  Ten minutes later, he’s behind the seat of the town car Emerson hired for him.  As he relaxes in the back seat, going over the remaining information for the Masterson case, his thoughts turn to Kimberly.  He wonders what she is doing, and if Emerson is using his time to seduce her.  In a way, his jealousy starts to come to head.  He grabs his phone sending a quick text to Kim.

Jonathon:
I hope you’re having a great night and the big bad wolf is behaving himself. 

After another ten minutes, Jonathon pulls into his hotel.  “Thank you.”  He slips the driver a fifty dollar bill, exiting the vehicle.  Looking up at the Plaza Hotel, he grabs his luggage, making his way to the check in. 

“Good morning.” The man behind the desk says as Jonathon walks up.

“Hello, I have a reservation under Phillips.” 

“Yes, yes, here you are Mr. Phillips.  We have you in the Edwardian Partial Park View Suite.” 

“Of course you do.” Jonathon rolls his eyes, knowing Emerson made sure Allison gave him the best available. No telling how much this is costing the company.

“Is there a problem sir?”

“No. Thank you.” Jonathon says, pulling a credit card and his license from his wallet.  “If you could, please have someone give me an eight o’clock wake-up call, it would be appreciated.”

“Yes sir, we will have someone call and deliver breakfast to you as well.”

“Thank you.”  Jonathon grabs the keys from the man and makes his way to the hotel elevator.  He looks around the prestigious hotel, seeing all the paintings and elegance that makes the Plaza, well the Plaza.  He smiles, rethinking his childhood and watching Eloise with his mother.  He feels his phone vibrate in his jeans before he steps off the elevator to the entrance of his room.  He slides the key into the door and makes his way inside, setting the suitcase beside the door.  He pulls his phone from his jeans, sliding over the lock key.  He smiles at the picture of Kimberly passed out in her bed.

Kimberly:  The big bad wolf exhausted her and put her to bed. 

Jonathon:
 
Leave her phone alone, it will only get us both into trouble. Goodnight Emerson.

Once he finishes the message, he walks to the bedroom.  He looks around at the bedroom, taking in the décor before his eyes rest on the bed.  He peels his t-shirt off his back, kicking his shoes off his feet.  He slides his jeans down his legs, followed by his briefs.  Pulling the comforter back on the bed, he falls into the bed face first.  The last thought that crosses his mind is Kimberly before he is asleep.