else?” he asked, still sounding put off.
“Anyone else ? Other than … who? I told you it’s not my note, Cole.” Emma met his eyes.
“I know it’s not your note. But I just mean in general, are you seeing anyone else?”
“You mean besides you ? I didn’t know I was seeing you,” she said defensively. She instantly regretted it when his jaw tightened in anger.
“Okay,” he said. “I’ll take a rain check on the wine.”
Chapter 9
As he wound his way out of the constant stop-and-go traffic of the city, Cole’s mind was focused on the case he was buried in at work. The patent infringement suit required a lot of technical research. He was in his element, immersing himself in work, doing whatever it took to win.
But the past couple days his mind had wan dered from the case to Emma, as it did while he drove toward her parents’ house. He knew the dinner invitation was likely a ruse by Eliza Carson, and maybe his own mother, too, to get him and Layla together. He wanted to refuse it, but he couldn’t, knowing Emma might be there.
He regretted getting so angry Friday night. It wasn’t the note, but their conversation, that he was still pissed over. Cole was used to women falling into his arms, but Emma didn’t, and it frustrated him like nothing else. He’d let the frustration turn into anger when not only had she not said she wasn’t seeing anyone else, she’d said she wasn’t even seeing him. What the hell was it, then? They went out, had kissed and – he’d hoped – were on the verge of finally sleeping together. If that wasn’t seeing each other, what was it?
His ang er had grown stronger when Jen the paralegal had texted him Saturday night asking if he wanted to hook up. He’d thought about it, but told her no. Instead he’d gone out for a few beers with some friends and spent the entire night thinking about Emma.
Between his anger and sexual frustration, he was wound tight. But he also felt a tug of remorse that he hadn’t handled thing s better Friday night. The evening had been perfect until he’d gotten pissed and left. He’d wondered over and over what would have happened if he had instead, in a less heated tone, told Emma he wanted to see her and only her.
The thought unnerved him, but it was true. He sure as hell didn’t want her seeing anyone else, and he couldn’t play it cool anymore. Emma didn’t realize the effect she ha d on men. He’d noticed it at dinner with the partners and at the art gallery. It wasn’t her clothes or the way she acted, but just the look of her that men were intrigued by. Every time she laughed or tossed her long dark hair over her shoulder, she drew male attention.
Not the least of which was his. He didn’t want a relationship, but there was no denying Emma had a powerful hold on him. When he glanced down at his speedometer, he shook his head with disgust at how fast he’d been driving because of his eagerness to see her.
He sighed, wishing he could occupy his mind with work, but it was no use. As he turned onto the tree-lined street that his and Emma’s parents lived on, he realized he’d be deeply disappointed if Emma wasn’t there.
When he approached the back door and heard her laughter in the kitchen, h is relief was palpable. Her eyes met his when he walked in, and he had to force himself not to race over and sweep her into his arms. She looked away sadly, and he wanted nothing more than to put a smile back on her beautiful face.
“Cole,” his mother said, kissing his cheek warmly. “I’m glad you made it. You work so late on weeknights that I was sure you wouldn’t be able to.”
“What are you working on?” Layla chimed in. She was still dressed in a suit, her hair pulled into a neat bun, and Cole wanted to push past her and head straight for Emma. Nothing but her warm, sensual scent and loose, wild waves of hair appealed to him at the moment.
“Uh … patent infringement case. We represent an engineering
“Anyone else ? Other than … who? I told you it’s not my note, Cole.” Emma met his eyes.
“I know it’s not your note. But I just mean in general, are you seeing anyone else?”
“You mean besides you ? I didn’t know I was seeing you,” she said defensively. She instantly regretted it when his jaw tightened in anger.
“Okay,” he said. “I’ll take a rain check on the wine.”
Chapter 9
As he wound his way out of the constant stop-and-go traffic of the city, Cole’s mind was focused on the case he was buried in at work. The patent infringement suit required a lot of technical research. He was in his element, immersing himself in work, doing whatever it took to win.
But the past couple days his mind had wan dered from the case to Emma, as it did while he drove toward her parents’ house. He knew the dinner invitation was likely a ruse by Eliza Carson, and maybe his own mother, too, to get him and Layla together. He wanted to refuse it, but he couldn’t, knowing Emma might be there.
He regretted getting so angry Friday night. It wasn’t the note, but their conversation, that he was still pissed over. Cole was used to women falling into his arms, but Emma didn’t, and it frustrated him like nothing else. He’d let the frustration turn into anger when not only had she not said she wasn’t seeing anyone else, she’d said she wasn’t even seeing him. What the hell was it, then? They went out, had kissed and – he’d hoped – were on the verge of finally sleeping together. If that wasn’t seeing each other, what was it?
His ang er had grown stronger when Jen the paralegal had texted him Saturday night asking if he wanted to hook up. He’d thought about it, but told her no. Instead he’d gone out for a few beers with some friends and spent the entire night thinking about Emma.
Between his anger and sexual frustration, he was wound tight. But he also felt a tug of remorse that he hadn’t handled thing s better Friday night. The evening had been perfect until he’d gotten pissed and left. He’d wondered over and over what would have happened if he had instead, in a less heated tone, told Emma he wanted to see her and only her.
The thought unnerved him, but it was true. He sure as hell didn’t want her seeing anyone else, and he couldn’t play it cool anymore. Emma didn’t realize the effect she ha d on men. He’d noticed it at dinner with the partners and at the art gallery. It wasn’t her clothes or the way she acted, but just the look of her that men were intrigued by. Every time she laughed or tossed her long dark hair over her shoulder, she drew male attention.
Not the least of which was his. He didn’t want a relationship, but there was no denying Emma had a powerful hold on him. When he glanced down at his speedometer, he shook his head with disgust at how fast he’d been driving because of his eagerness to see her.
He sighed, wishing he could occupy his mind with work, but it was no use. As he turned onto the tree-lined street that his and Emma’s parents lived on, he realized he’d be deeply disappointed if Emma wasn’t there.
When he approached the back door and heard her laughter in the kitchen, h is relief was palpable. Her eyes met his when he walked in, and he had to force himself not to race over and sweep her into his arms. She looked away sadly, and he wanted nothing more than to put a smile back on her beautiful face.
“Cole,” his mother said, kissing his cheek warmly. “I’m glad you made it. You work so late on weeknights that I was sure you wouldn’t be able to.”
“What are you working on?” Layla chimed in. She was still dressed in a suit, her hair pulled into a neat bun, and Cole wanted to push past her and head straight for Emma. Nothing but her warm, sensual scent and loose, wild waves of hair appealed to him at the moment.
“Uh … patent infringement case. We represent an engineering
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