The Proposition (10 page)

They lay motionless for a few seconds, both
coming down off the shared high. Aidan raised his head and gave
Emma a lazy grin. “As usual, that was pretty damn amazing.”

“Yes, it was,” Emma replied, her breath still
coming in heaving pants.

“Any chance of your temperature spiking again
today?”

“No, I don’t think so.”

“Damn.”

She giggled. “Sorry.”

Aidan kissed her before prying himself away.
As he pulled up his pants, Emma slid off the desk. She readjusted
her bra and then shimmied her skirt back down. “Oh, my panties!”
she murmured, glancing around the floor.

“I got them,” Aidan said, bending over beside
the desk. He eyed the lacy black thong with the pink rosebuds
before handing it over to Emma. “Too bad I didn’t get to see you in
just that.”

“There’s always next time,” she quipped with
a smile.

He laughed and started tucking his shirt in
his pants. Emma slid up her panties and then smoothed down her
hair. “Um, would you mind if I used your couch for a little
while?”

“For the boys?”

She nodded.

“Of course not. I need to head on down to my
meeting anyway.”

“So, see you Friday night?”

Aidan winked and then smacked her ass. “See
you then.”

Two Weeks Later

Emma tried with every fiber of her being not
to eye the red circled date on her desk calendar for the hundredth
time. Her period was late--two days, two sleepless nights,
seventeen hours, and fifty-two minutes late to be precise. Since
she had always been like clock-work, her frayed nerves were working
in overdrive. Sure, it was physically possible for the first time
to have been a charm. But was it also possible her body was so
ready to be a mother and Aidan was such a sex God they had
experienced immediate success?

If the glaring circled date wasn’t enough to
send her over the edge, there was always today’s heart encircled
one. She wondered why she felt the need to mark it when there was
no possible way she could ever forget its important. It had been
seared and branded on her heart and soul.

Today was the two year anniversary of her
mother’s death.

Just as anguished tears pricked her eyes,
Casey popped her head in the door. “Come on, chick. I’m taking you
to lunch.”

Emma smiled. She didn’t bother hiding the
fact she had been crying. Casey knew the importance of the day as
well. Last year, she had plied Emma with alcohol and chocolate and
then spent the night, holding her in bed as she wept
uncontrollably. “That’s sweet of you to offer, but really, I don’t
mind just staying here.”

“And what kind of best friend would I be if I
left you here alone on today of all days?”

“The kind who recognizes how I shut-down
emotionally during times of duress and withdraw from my family and
friends?” Emma asked hopefully.

Casey snorted. “Nope, it’s not happening. You
need a bottomless margarita, some highly fattening food, and a
dessert dripping in chocolate and calories. And I’m going to have
the immense pleasure of supplying it.”

Emma knew it was pointless to argue with
Casey. Besides, she really did want to get out of the office and
try to get her mind off things for a while. So she rose out of her
chair and smiled. “Fine then. If you’re paying, then I’m going to
eat, drink, and be merry!”

“That’s my girl.”

As they started down on the elevator, Casey
asked, “You don’t mind if Nate joins us, do you?”

“Of course not. I haven’t gotten to see him
in forever.”

“You and me both. Ugh, I think I’m going to
have to start running over to the hospital on my lunch break for a
quickie.”

Emma rolled her eyes. “You’re terrible.”

When they arrived at the restaurant, Nate
already had a booth waiting on them. He rose out of his seat to hug
Emma. “How are you holding up, Emmie Lou?” he asked. She fought the
urge to smile at hearing her granddaddy’s childhood nickname on
Nate’s lips. It was one Travis loved to tease her with, and when
Nate had overhead him, he thought it was hysterical and
automatically adopted it.

Thankfully, Emma knew his question related to
her mother’s anniversary, not her late period. “I’m hanging in
there. Some days are better than others.”

He nodded and patted her back. As he resumed
his seat, Casey nudged Emma to sit beside him. She knew Casey
didn’t want her having to sit alone. “No, no, you guys hardly get
to see each other,” Emma protested.

“It’s better this way. I can stare into
Nate’s eyes sitting across from him.”

“Most of all, it will keep her from molesting
me under the table,” Nate replied, with a wink.

Emma snickered and slid in beside him. Casey
eased down across from them. After the waitress left with their
drink orders, a sharp pain seized Emma’s abdomen, and she gripped
her menu tighter.

Casey immediately picked up on her distress.
“What’s the matter?”

She cut her eyes over at Nate and then back
to Casey and shook her head. The last thing she wanted was to
discuss womanly issues in front of him—intern or not. And even
though he was more than just Casey’s fiancée—he was a good and
trusted friend—it still bothered her. “Oh nothing.”

“Shit, you aren’t cramping, are you?”

Emma felt her cheeks warming as she tried to
hide behind her menu. “I said it’s
nothing
.”

Casey rolled her eyes. “Oh for fuck’s sake,
Em. Nate knows all about vaginas and ovaries, so quit acting
embarrassed in front of him.”

“I’m not acting embarrassed…I
am
embarrassed!” Emma replied.

Ignoring Emma, Casey looked pointedly at
Nate. “You know how Em’s been hitting it with Aidan to get
pregnant?” He nodded. “Well, she’s two days late for her period
now.”

Emma closed her eyes, wishing the floor would
open up and swallow her whole. Nate cleared his throat, trying to
ease the tension. “If you are cramping, it could be a good thing.
Sometimes when the egg implants into the uterine wall, you’ll
experience moderate to severe pain that is similar to menstrual
cramps.”

Casey gave Nate a beaming grin. “Baby, you’re
so sexy when you spout that medical jargon.”

Emma snorted as Nate leaned over the table to
give Casey a lingering kiss. “You guys are seriously sickening.”
Once they had stopped making out, she smiled at Nate. “But thanks
for the information. I’m hoping that’s what it is.”

“I’m hoping for you, too. You’ll make a
wonderful mother, Emmie Lou. God knows, you deserve some
happiness,” Nate replied, squeezing her hand.

“Thank you. I appreciate that.” She was
interrupted by her phone buzzing in her purse. She glanced at the
text and smiled.

I don’t know if you’re still speaking to me
or not, but I’m thinking of you today. No one, besides my own
mother, meant as much to me as yours did. She always loved and
accepted me for who I was. Not to mention she made the best damn
chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever had! I love and miss you, Emmie
Lou!

It was from Connor. He had even used her
nickname. When she started to text him back, Casey cleared her
throat. Emma snapped her gaze up. “Sorry, I didn’t think—”

Casey motioned over Emma’s shoulder. When she
turned around, Connor stood with a bouquet of lilies—her mother’s
favorite flower. Tears filled Emma’s eyes as she popped out of her
seat and threw her arms around his neck. “Oh my God, I can’t
believe you’re here!”

“I’m just glad you’re hugging me, rather than
slugging me.”

As she pulled away, Emma giggled. “I guess I
left things pretty bad between us, huh?”

“Dude, I thought I was a goner between you
and that guy—oh what was his name again? The one who thought I was
your boyfriend and was going to kick my ass.”

Casey snickered. “His name is Aidan, but I
think we can refer to him as Em’s prospective Baby Daddy.”

Connor’s eyes widened, and he staggered back.
“You got
that
guy to be your sperm donor?”

Emma shot Casey a murderous look before
jerking her out of the booth. “No, not exactly.” She motioned for
Connor to have a seat. “I think I need to fill you in on some
things.”

Connor waved the waitress over before sitting
down. “I’m going to need a beer…actually, go ahead and bring me the
pitcher!”

Aidan hustled off the elevator from his last
meeting of the afternoon. With his new promotion, his days were
slammed from the moment he walked through the door until he clocked
out. Thankfully, it was only half an hour until he could leave.

He stopped at his secretary’s desk. “Any
messages, Marilyn?”

She shook her head. “But there’s a Ms.
Harrison waiting for you in your office.”

Aidan’s cock twitched at the mention of Emma.
The last time she’d been in his office they’d had a mind blowing
quickie. He sure as hell hoped that was what she was back for.
“Thank you.”

He licked his lips in anticipation and pushed
open his office door. Any hopes he had of getting laid were dashed
the moment he saw Emma sprawled out on his couch, sobbing
hysterically. His throat closed in horror, and he struggled to
breathe. He’d been accustomed to scenes like these when he was
growing up. With four sisters, he’d seen and heard just about
everything.

But usually whenever an estrogen shit-storm
rose on the horizon, he and his father got the hell out of dodge by
escaping to the ballpark or pizza place. No matter how successful
in business he was, there was one thing he couldn’t handle:
emotional females.

Emma glanced up to see him standing in the
doorway. Their eyes met, and she broke down again. “Oh shit,” he
muttered, running his fingers through his hair. He hesitated before
slowly walking over to the couch. As he stared down at her, he
rocked back and forth on the heels of his feet. Finally, he took
out one of his monogrammed handkerchiefs from his suit pocket and
handed it to her. “Emma, what’s wrong?”

“I just got my period.”

He grimaced. “Um, I’m sorry. I’ve got some
Advil over in my desk if you’ve got the cramps or something.”

She blew her nose and glared up at him.
“Don’t you get it? I got my period, so I’m
not
pregnant.”

“Oh,” he murmured, finally understanding her
major freak-out.

“And I know getting pregnant the first time
was a long shot and all, but I can’t help thinking what if I
can’t
get pregnant? I mean, sure my gynecologist says I’m
healthy and capable, but what if she’s wrong?”

Aidan opened his mouth, but Emma kept
barreling on, her voice raising an octave. “Or what if I just have
this huge mental block that becomes a physical one where I can’t
conceive? What if I wasted all my fertile years and now I’m just
going to be barren and alone for the rest of my life?”

She broke down again, her chest heaving from
the hard sobs that racked her. Aidan stood rooted to the floor,
silently debating about turning on his heels and running out the
door. What the hell was he supposed to do with her like this?
Reluctantly, he sank down beside her on the couch. Without him even
offering, Emma threw herself at him. Her tear-soaked cheeks pressed
into his neck while her body trembled against him. He momentarily
froze, and she might as well been comforted by a marble statue.

He cleared his throat and tried to get his
bearings. “Shh, it’s okay. Don’t cry,” he said, patting her back.
That seemed to be the encouragement Emma needed because she then
tightened her arms around his neck. Since he didn’t know what in
the hell else to do, he just let her cry.

An eternity seemed to pass before she had
worn herself out. Her breath came in frustrated pants, and her body
shuddered. “Are you okay now?” he asked hesitantly.

Emma jerked away at the sound of his voice.
Suddenly, a mortified expression flashed across her face. “Oh God,
I’m so, so sorry! I can’t believe I came up here and freaked out on
you!”

“It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not. Shit! When I saw…when I knew I
wasn’t pregnant, all I could think of was getting to you. I even
bypassed Casey’s office.” She shuddered. “God, I’m so embarrassed
you had to see me acting like such a psycho!” she moaned, burying
her head in her hands.

Trying to lighten the mood, Aidan said, “You
know, you’re kinda giving me a complex here.”

Emma raised her head. “What?”

“I think deep down you’re most upset about
the prospect of having to have sex with me again.”

She giggled. “No, that’s not it at all.”
Nudging him playfully, she asked, “Don’t tell me you are actually
underestimating yourself in the bedroom department?”

He grinned. “Not exactly.”

“I didn’t think so.” She leaned over and
kissed his cheek. “No, Aidan, sex with you has been the biggest
surprise of all in my crazy scheme.”

“A
surprise
? You’re sure not one for
stroking the male ego, are you?”

“Stop fishing for compliments, Mr.
Fitzgerald.” Emma cupped his face with her hands, trailing her
thumb along the stubble on his cheek. “Besides, I thought I did a
pretty good job of stroking you the last time we were together.”
When his eyes widened, she laughed. “And in seven to ten days when
I’m fertile again, I look forward to finding myself back in the bed
of such a sex god as yourself—as long as you’re willing.”

“Oh, I’ll be willing.” He took one of her
hands and kissed her fingers. “I could be willing now.”

She shook her head. “Seven to ten days.”

He groaned. “You love to torture me, don’t
you?”

“I’m sorry. I promise I’ll make it up to you
then.” Emma gave him a chaste kiss on the lips. “I really do want
to thank you though. My freak-out today…it wasn’t just about not
being pregnant.”

“It wasn’t?” he asked, warily.