“Tucker,” she wailed. The man did love to tease her but she wasn’t in the mood to prolong things. Not this time. She wanted him to fill her and ease the emptiness inside her. Nothing could fill the emotional void within her, but she’d settle for him satisfying the physical one.

  “Tell me what you want.” He ran one finger over her slick folds and dipped one inside her channel before quickly removing it.

  “I want you inside me.” She moaned and pushed back against him when he continued to tease her with his touch.

  “You are so hot and wet.” His deep voice washed over her, making her blood pump harder and faster. “Do you want me to fuck you, baby?”

  She almost hated them both at this moment. She didn’t want any man to have this much power over her. It didn’t matter that she suspected she had just as much over him. None of that changed what she wanted. “Yes.”

  “Yes, what?”

  He was going to make her say the words. Maybe he even needed her to say them. Wanted to be sure it was her choice. Once she realized that, it was easy to give him the words. “I want you, Tucker. Please.”

  The words were barely out of her mouth when he wrapped his hands around her hips and drove his cock into her waiting heat. Her muscles contracted around him as he filled her. She was swollen and a little sore from earlier, but she didn’t care. She needed him.

  Tucker rocked against her, withdrawing only a little before pushing his way back in. He angled her slightly and his shaft hit that magical place inside her. Pleasure exploded each time he stroked her. She curled her fingers into the sheets and moaned.

  He increased his pace, causing her breasts to sway with each hard thrust. Tucker pushed hard, driving them both toward completion. When he reached between her legs and stroked her, Emma lost it. Screaming her release, she convulsed around him.

  Tucker continued to flex his hips, driving hard and deep. He groaned and she felt the pulsing of his cock deep within her as she milked him dry. Finally, she slumped down onto the bed. Tucker managed to roll to the side before collapsing next to her.

  As they lay there in a sweaty, sticky heap, she was once again awash in contentment, a sense of fulfillment she only experienced when she was with Tucker. She chewed on her bottom lip. She had deep feelings for Tucker. She wasn’t ready to admit just how deep those feelings went, but they were there nonetheless. Yes, he was a gorgeous, charming man, but there was certainly more to him than that.

  With her breathing back to normal, Emma became aware of just how hot and uncomfortable she was and shifted to try to find a cooler spot. Her damp hair was plastered against her skull and her entire body was covered in a fine sheen of sweat.

  Tucker grunted as he heaved himself up off the bed and padded to the bathroom. She heard the faint sound of running water and knew he was disposing of the condom.

  Less than a minute later, he was back with a damp cloth in his hand. His black hair was wet and droplets of water rolled down his chest. Obviously, he’d splashed some water on himself to try to cool himself down. She didn’t have the energy to drag herself out of bed yet, so she didn’t even protest when he ran the cool cloth over her torso and between her legs, making her more comfortable. When he was finished to his satisfaction, he tossed the cloth on the bedside table, crawled back in bed and tugged her into his arms.

  Tucker tilted her face up until she was looking at him. He pushed a strand of hair out of her eyes, leaned down and dropped a kiss on her forehead. “I was going to give you until this weekend.”

  “I don’t understand. What do you mean you were going to give me until the weekend?” She was truly perplexed by his words. Had she missed something?

  He shook his head and sighed. “I’d let you run away for long enough. It was time for me to do something.”

  “What would you have done?” She absently ran her hands over his chest and stomach. She didn’t doubt for one minute that he’d have indeed concocted some plan to get her attention.

  “I’d have come up with something”—he paused for a moment—“like maybe turning off the breakers to my apartment and yours.”

  Emma went still as she digested his words, hardly able to believe what she was hearing. “You didn’t?”

  He nodded and grinned, totally unrepentant. “It was easy, and the opportunity was just too good to pass up.” He planted a hard kiss on her lips. “I had to do something after that amazing elevator ride.”

  “But what about the hall light? It was off.” She was sure the hallway had been dark.

  Tucker laughed. “I just turned off the switch at the end of the hall.”

  Emma’s stomach knotted. She wasn’t sure how she felt about what Tucker had done. On one hand, she couldn’t deny that she’d enjoyed their sexual encounter. She almost snorted. That was like saying the ocean was a puddle. Having sex with Tucker was off the charts.

  But her stomach got queasy at the thought that he’d tricked her into joining him. She conveniently shoved aside the fact that she was the one who’d come to him and focused on his actions.

  The way she saw it, he’d manipulated events so that he could get her into bed. The fact that she enjoyed herself here was irrelevant. The little voice in the back of her head returned with a vengeance, reminding her that she couldn’t trust a good-looking man like Tucker. He could charm his way out of any situation and would do whatever it took to get his own way. A man like that couldn’t be counted on or believed.

  The last thought sent a shaft of pain through her. So intense was the pain she actually rolled out of Tucker’s arms and curled her legs up into her chest. She’d begun to trust him, to hope that maybe he was different from her father. Visions of a future together had begun to sneak into her thoughts.

  “Are you all right?” Tucker rolled her onto her back and cupped her face in her hands. “Emma, what’s wrong? Are you sick?” One of his hands caressed the side of her face and she couldn’t resist turning her face into it. His touch felt so good. “Talk to me.”

  “You planned this.” She knew he heard the pain in her voice when he went still.

  “I had no way of knowing for sure if you’d come to me. You could have gone down the hall to Mr. Meyers,” he reminded her. “But you knocked on my door. It showed me that deep down you do trust me. I thought you must have after the elevator, but I know for certain now.”

  Emma looked up into his piercing green eyes that seemed to be trying to discover all her hidden secrets. She closed her eyes, not wanting him to see how truly vulnerable she was to him. “I’m glad one of us is sure, because I’m not.”

  “You can’t mean that. Not after today.” He sounded shocked.

  She opened her eyes and met his gaze, careful to keep all emotion from her face. “Yes, I do.”

  Tucker sat up in bed and ran a hand over his face. “So where does that leave us?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “You don’t know.” His laugh was tinged with bitterness. He got out of bed and stood next to it, all expression wiped from his face. “You let me know when you figure it out.”

  Her stomach clenched even tighter at his words. “What do you mean?”

  Tucker grabbed a pair of jeans off the chair in the corner and hauled them on. “It means that I’m through participating in whatever game it is you’re playing.” He yanked open a dresser drawer, hauled out a T-shirt and dragged it over his head. “You want to fuck me, but you don’t want to have anything else to do with me.” He shoved his bare feet into a battered pair of sneakers. “That’s usually the woman’s line.”

  “It’s not like that.” She sat up in bed and reached out to him. She realized she’d wanted him to reassure her, to cuddle her, and tell her how he really felt about her. Instead, her insecurities were driving him away.

  He looked at her hand and then at her face. The bleakness in his eyes shocked her. When he made no move to take it, she reluctantly lowered her hand.

  Without another word, he grabbed his keys off the dresser and walked out of the room. She stared at the open door, willing him to come back, but unable to make herself call out to him. Too many memories of her mother pleading with her father to stay filled her brain. She buried her face in her hands, trying to shut out the painful thoughts.

  The sound of the front door closing echoed in the silence. It was the finality of it that shook her out of her stupor and made her move. She grabbed the sheet from the bed and wrapped it around herself as she hurried down the hallway. Maybe she could catch him and they could talk.

  She opened the door just in time to hear the ding of the elevator, signaling its arrival to this floor. She yanked open the door and stuck her head out just in time to see the elevator closing. Tucker stood in the center with his arms crossed, staring straight at her.

  Then he was gone.

  The sense of loss was devastating. Emma stumbled back into his apartment, but it no longer felt welcoming without him here. She dropped the sheet and fumbled for her clothing, which was strewn around the living room. She yanked on her shorts and top and grabbed her panties, wanting to make a quick escape.

  Her only thought was to get home and try to sort out what had just happened. One minute they had been curled up in Tucker’s big bed, happy and contented. The next, they had been fighting.

  Men weren’t worth the effort, she told herself as she balled the sheet up in her arms. She swiped at the tears on her cheeks as she looked down the hallway. There was no way she could face his bed. It would be mussed and warm and smell like him.

  Burying her face in the sheet, she inhaled and was surrounded by the mingled scents of their lovemaking. She dropped the sheet and backed away from it. She had to leave. As she turned, a sparkle from the living room carpet caught her eye. Knowing what it was, she still walked toward it, bent down and closed her hand around it.

  She didn’t look at the tiny piece of jewelry, but stuffed it in her pocket on the way to the door. The apartment seemed to surge to life as the power suddenly came back on. Closing her eyes, she leaned against the wall, knowing that Tucker had just flipped the switches in the utility room in the basement.

  The fact that the power was back on in her apartment gave her no pleasure as she shut the door to Tucker’s place, crossed the hall, and entered her own empty home.

  Chapter Nine

  Emma sat in the cool interior of the restaurant and waited for her friends to arrive. She was glad to be inside and away from the oppressive heat still blanketing the town. Her right hand was tucked in her pants pocket, her fingers toying with the nipple ornament that Tucker had given her. She’d tossed it on her dresser last night, but had been unable to leave it behind this morning. It was practically burning a hole in her pocket, she was so very aware of it. All morning long, she’d been touching it, rubbing it like a talisman, as if somehow it could help her figure out what to do. She’d hardly slept at all last night and was tired and totally out of sorts.

  When she’d gotten home yesterday, she’d taken a quick shower before curling up on her sofa to listen for the sound of Tucker coming home. It had been late when she’d finally heard his footsteps in the hallway. When he’d hesitated in front of her door, she held her breath, willing him to knock. Disappointment hit her hard when she’d heard the sound of his door closing.

  She rubbed her eyes. It was a good thing she’d decided not to wear any makeup today, otherwise she’d be a total mess. In a totally unprecedented action, she’d called in sick to the gallery.

  The memory of Callie’s surprise brought a faint smile to her face. Once she’d assured her assistant she was fine but needed a break, Callie had been enthusiastic with her support. “You never take a day off, boss. You deserve some time to just enjoy and pamper yourself.”

  Callie’s words were still ringing in her ears. Was she really that regimented and predictable? Unfortunately, the answer was a resounding yes.

  Emma was glad that she had a lunch date already scheduled with her two best friends. She really needed to talk to someone about her dilemma. She’d met Annabelle Sloan and Lily Summers at a local luncheon for women in the local business community and the three of them had immediately hit it off. Annabelle was the local librarian and had gotten married just last year. Lily was the oldest of the three at thirty-eight, the mother of a nineteen-year-old son, and she’d been divorced for many years. Seemingly, they had nothing in common. But the more they’d chatted, the more they’d discovered they had in common—books, art and food topping the list.

  Emma had never had close friends until she moved to Summersville. It was yet another reason why she was glad that she’d chosen to live here.

  The sound of laughter made her glance toward the door. She was just in time to see Mike Sloan kissing his wife good-bye. Annabelle’s lips lingered against his for a moment before she turned and walked toward the table, her hips swaying back and forth. Emma grinned as Mike’s gaze focused on his wife’s backside as she sauntered across the room.

  “Is he still looking?” Annabelle asked.

  “Oh, yeah.”

  “Good.” Sliding into her seat, she turned, waved at her husband and blew him another kiss. Mike was still smiling when he disappeared from their sight. Annabelle swiveled back toward Emma, all business now. “Tell me what’s wrong,” she said as she hooked her purse on the back of her chair.

  Emma didn’t bother denying something was amiss. Over the course of their friendship, they’d all gotten really good at sensing when one of the others was troubled. “Can we wait for Lily? I only want to do this once.”

  “Of course.” Her friend reached out and patted her hand before picking up the menu.

  The waitress was already at their table when Lily hurried in. “Sorry I’m late.” She plopped into the vacant chair and dropped her purse on the floor. Without missing a beat, she smiled at the waitress and gave her order. They’d eaten here so many times they could all recite what was on the menu.

  As soon as the waitress brought back their drinks, Lily got down to business. “What’s wrong, Emma?” Picking up her glass of iced tea, she took a long sip before placing it back on the table.

  “Having a rough day, Lily?” Emma countered. She was fascinated by the vibrant energy that always surrounded her friend.

  “Don’t change the subject,” Lily admonished as she pointed her finger at Emma. “I could tell from the sound of your voice, when you called to confirm lunch, that something is seriously wrong.” She hesitated. “Is it your business?”

  Emma shook her head, trying to figure out where to begin.

  “Not your health?” Annabelle reached out and gripped Emma’s hand.

  Shaking her head again, she took a deep breath and just spit it out. “It’s a man.”

  The mouthful of iced tea that Lily had just taken sprayed over the table in front of her. As Lily choked and coughed, Annabelle thumped her on the back while Emma handed her a napkin. Lily waved them back to their seats as she gasped for breath. “A man?”

  Emma smiled wryly. “Is that so unbelievable?” She guessed it was when they both nodded at the same time.

  “Who?” Lily asked.

  “Tucker Martin.” She sat back in her chair and waited for the inevitable explosion of questions.

  Annabelle and Lily glanced at one another. “He sent you flowers some weeks ago.” Lily tapped her fingers on the table. “I thought you went out on a few dates with him and then called it quits?”

  “I did.”

  “So what happened?”

  “We got trapped in the elevator together when the power went out.” Emma picked up her fork and toyed with it. “Things got hot and heavy pretty fast.”

  “Oh, wow,” Lily gasped.

  Emma glanced at Annabelle, who was watching her intently, obviously enthralled with her story. “That’s not all.”

  “What else?” Lily waved her napkin in front of her face, as if trying to cool herself down.

  “Mr. Meyers almost caught us, but I escaped back to my apartment. The power went again and I went over to Tucker’s just to get some ice, and—”

  “And?” Lily prompted when Emma was silent for a whole minute.

  “It was amazing.” Her voice was so quiet it was almost a whisper.

  Finally, Annabelle spoke. “If it was so amazing, why are you so sad?” Her friend had a way of cutting through the crap and going straight to the heart of things. That was one of the reasons Emma had wanted to see her.

  “I don’t know.” She toyed with her cutlery, not able to look either woman in the eye. This was intensely personal. She might have been better off inviting them to her place to talk rather than trying to converse in a public restaurant, but she’d needed to get out of the apartment. The walls had been closing in around her.

  “We’d just had the most fantastic sex ever and then we were fighting. He accused me of playing games with him, of wanting him only for sex and not for a real relationship.”

  “Was he right?” Annabelle’s soft words made her flinch. “How do you really feel about him?”

  “I don’t know.” That was what had kept her awake all last night. “I don’t mean to doubt him, but deep down, I don’t trust him.”

  “Why not?” Lily’s voice was suddenly harsh. “What’s he done?” They both knew that Lily had little trust in men after her own ex-husband’s transgressions.

  “He hasn’t done anything wrong. He’s been quite wonderful.” The waitress walked up to their table with their orders, so they waited until she’d served them and left before continuing. “It’s me.”

  “Why do you say that?” Annabelle shook out her napkin and laid it across her lap before picking up her fork.

  It was difficult to talk about her past, but it was necessary. “My father was a good-looking, charming man. He made people smile and laugh.” She shook her head and picked at her salad with her fork. “He married my mom because she was pregnant, not because he loved her.”

  “He must have felt something for her if he married her,” Annabelle pointed out.

  “Yes, he felt he would like the small inheritance she’d gotten from her grandparents the year before. It was supposed to be for her college education. Instead it became money for him to fritter. Once it was gone, he started to stray.”