Part 7 (1/2)

Emma told her everything pretty much, anyway. Starting out with what Deirdre already knew: that Jonas Bravo was a cold, distant man who could stand to open up a little. Emma went on to explain what Blythe's will had asked of her and how she'd decided to honor the dying wish of her friend. She left out the part about how she and Jonas had gone at each other hot and heavy less than an hour ago, how if he hadn't stopped it, they'd probably be rolling around naked on the floor of his study right about now.

”You're right,” said Deirdre when Emma was done. ”This is seriously weird. Are you sure that you know what you're doing?”

”Nope. But I'm doin' it anyway. She was my true friend, Deirdre. And I can't turn away from what she has asked of me.”

”I liked Blythe. A lot. But she was asking for trouble, in my humble opinion.”

”I'm doin' it, Deirdre.”

”All right. I hear you. I'll watch the animals.”

After she said goodbye to her friend, Emma tried to pack.

But what was there to pack, if they'd be back before bedtime? She ended up throwing a few things in her overnighter, tucking a couple of dresses into a garment bag and telling herself that it would be enough.

Once the packing was done, she took the Yorkies for a short walk, discovering as she stepped out into the night again that the rain had stopped. Finally, well after one in the morning, she brushed her teeth and washed her face and climbed into her white iron bed. The Yorkies cuddled in close and Festus curled up at her feet.

Of course, she couldn't sleep. Her life had been turned upside down. She was marrying Jonas Bravo even if it wasn't a real marriage.

And Jonas had kissed her.

Well, more than kissed her.

And she had not uttered one little syllable of protest.

Because she had liked it. She had liked it way, way too much.

In his bedroom at Angel's Crest, Jonas wasn't sleeping either. But not sleeping was nothing new to him. He had a slight problem with insomnia. So that night, after he'd made all the arrangements for the trip the next day, he lay in his big bed, with his hands laced behind his head. He stared into the darkness and he thought of how amusing Emma Hewitt had turned out to be. And now, for a time, he would be married to her.

Pleasantly aroused, he smiled into the darkness. He was in control of this little situation now.

And he intended to stay in control.

By the next morning, Emma had come to a few important conclusions. She had thoroughly evaluated her own actions of the night before. And she had decided that she was not very happy with herself or with Jonas Bravo.

Yes, all right. They were getting married. But only for Mandy's sake, only in order that Emma could help Jonas to open up, to learn to trust the basic goodness in other people a little. There was nothing in Blythe's will about the two of them crawling all over each other.

And to be tough and truthful, well, Jonas hadn't done a thing that she hadn't wanted him to do. She supposed she had to face the facts here. The Bravo Billionaire had gotten to her. She was only a human woman. It wasn't easy to stand firm against all that testosterone, those big hard muscles and that steely will.

Plus, he knew how to kiss. Oh, did he ever know how to kiss...

No. Now, that was not good. She was not going to think about his kisses. She was going to keep foremost in her mind that her job in this marriage was to help him become the kind of man who would be a loving, giving guardian to Mandy. The torrid love affair angle was out.

She would not be sleeping in Jonas Bravo's bed. And if he thought that she would, he was in for a surprise.

Emma had one white suit, and she wore it the next day to be married in. The suit fit nice and snug and the skirt was short and tight. Beneath the jacket, she wore a little nothing of a camisole and on her feet she wore T-strap dress sandals, with little gold buckles at the ankle and sleek three-inch heels.

Jonas arrived right on time, at ten on the nose. Emma had already taken the dogs and Festus to PetRitz and made sure Deirdre had her cell phone number in case some emergency cropped up.

Emma's duplex was a reverse floor plan, with the garage in the front, the living area facing the back patio, and a long walkway down the side of the building leading up to the door. She loved the house, mostly because it belonged to her. She'd gotten a great deal on it just last year. But the inconvenient layout meant that she couldn't watch for Jonas's arrival without standing out in the driveway which, of course, she did not do.

She knew that he usually rode around in a long black limousine and she half expected him to send his driver in to fetch her. But when she answered the door, there he was, dressed so beautifully in a lightweight suit that had no doubt been made by hand for some incredible price.

”Ready?”

She met those midnight eyes. It was not easy. She felt ... embarra.s.sed, after the way she had behaved last night. Embarra.s.sed and way too attracted. He looked so good and solid and big. And he was staring at her like he wouldn't mind taking right up where they'd left off, with her moaning his name and his hands where they shouldn't be.

”Yes,” she said, ”I'm ready,” at the same time ordering her silly heart to stop knocking like a sledgehammer inside her chest. She had her small suitcase, the garment bag and her purse right there by the door. She bent to pick them all up.

He took the suitcase and garment bag away from her. ”I'm sure this will do for tonight,” he said. ”Tomorrow, we'll have to see about moving whatever else you want to bring with you to Angel's Crest.”

She stopped halfway through the door. ”I'm moving? To Angel's Crest?”

He looked at her, a patient, level, very knowing look. ”Emma. The terms of the will are that we have to live together. You remember that.”

”Well, I know, but I-”

”By the way, where are the dogs?”

Emma hardly heard the question. She was too busy dealing with the idea that she'd have to move to Angel's Crest not that his a.s.sumption about where they'd live had really surprised her. Naturally he'd take it for granted that they would live at his mansion. And it did make sense, she supposed. She could hardly expect the Bravo Billionaire and his little sister to move into her North Hollywood duplex with her could she?

But still, they should have discussed it last night. Heck. There were probably a lot of things they should have discussed last night. But instead, they'd started kissing and that been the end of all the things they should have done.

”Emma. The dogs?”

”Hmm? Oh. A friend is watching them. And Jonas, I think we have to talk a little about -”

”You'll bring them with you, to Angel's Crest. And that stray cat, I suppose. Even the d.a.m.n iguana is fine with me.”

She just felt so ... agitated. And there was a yearning, inside her, to move closer to him, to put her hand on him, against his broad chest or on his shoulder, anywhere, she wasn't particular. She just wanted to touch him, to feel the warmth of him against the palm of her hand.

What were they talking about?

Oh. The dogs and Festus and Homer. He'd said she could bring them all to Angel's Crest. ”Homer lives at PetRitz now. He has a nice big terrarium in the waiting room. Didn't you notice it the other day when you were there?”

”Homer. That would be the iguana?”

”That's right.”

”I probably saw it. I saw several terrariums.”

”Well, he was there.”

He shrugged. ”Bring the dogs and the cat, then and right now, lock the door and let's go.” ”Yes,” she said, wis.h.i.+ng she didn't feel so dizzy and distracted. ”And wait a minute. How did you know about Homer and my cat?”