OUR BROKEN BEGINNINGS

CHAPTER TEN

After Kayla was caught up, the day went by in a blur. Before I knew it, it was 5:15. Victoria and Kayla had already left, along with all my other employees. Damien came to place his pre-work ups on my desk before he left, and it gave me the energy to keep working. Even though I had spent a few hours on the pile of paperwork on my desk, there was still a good amount left, which meant the energy was needed.

Right as I was about to begin another stack of paperwork, a throat cleared from the doorway. I snapped my head up to see Emerson leaning against the door frame with his armed crossed.

Although the smile on his face was of contentment, I could see the exhaustion in his eyes. Those beautiful eyes. My favorite eyes. As much as I wanted to resent myself for it, I couldn't. They truly had become my favorite eyes despite the short time since I'd first seen them.

"You close at five, remember?" His exhaustion even leaked into his voice.

I mustered a smile and tried to keep ease in my voice, "I do remember. I'm almost done. You can have a seat." I'm sure I failed at my attempt to portray relaxation because he hesitated as if he wanted to tell me to stop working. The stack of paperwork in my hand needed to be done, so I placed my hands under my chin and crooned, "Be a good boy, will you, and sit until I'm done."

I thoroughly enjoyed the spark that lit up his eyes. He wanted to say something just as badly as I wanted him to, but he only sauntered forward and took a seat in one of the chairs in front of my desk.

My eyes flicked up to look at him multiple times while I finished the last bit of paperwork. Each time I glanced up from the paper in my hand, I saw the same view. He was completely leaning back in the chair with his legs slightly spread. The first few buttons of the black shirt under his jacket were undone, and his eyes were on me. The entire time I worked, he just looked at me. I ignored the way his eyes traveled to all the parts of me that were visible—if only to avoid acknowledging the tightening in my lower abdomen.

Once I finished, I stood up and packed up my purse. There would be no weekend for me because everything would keep piling up if I didn't get ahead for Monday.

Emerson's eyes followed me as I walked around my desk and went to stand next to him. The way he watched me made me think of what Victoria said. Maybe he found me just as beautiful as I found him. Maybe looking at me and teasing me awoke a part of him that might have been dormant for some time as well.

"You ready?" I sighed.

He groaned as he lifted himself from the chair. "Yes, ma'am. You hungry?"

I cocked my head to the side, feigning contemplation. "Now that you mention it, yes. I could eat."

His smile parted and exposed his white, straight teeth. "Good. I'm going to say we're both too tired to prepare something at home, so I suggest we go to a diner I know. It's 5 minutes from home."

My stomach fluttered at that one word. Home. I supposed it was becoming that. My new home. I nodded and started walking. He came to walk beside me.

"Did you have braces?" I asked.

His head turned to me and a confused chuckle left him. "What a random question, but yes. I did. Why do you ask?"

I shrugged and opened the front door when we reached it. "Just wondering." The cool air nipped at my face as we walked out into the parking lot. As soon as the sound of the door closing registered, I pulled my phone out of my purse and turned on the alarm system.

Emerson casually strolled ahead of me and opened the car door for me. "Did you?"

Before hopping into the car, I craned my neck back and gave him a beaming smile, exposing my teeth. "Yes, sir." A quiet "thank you" left me once I was seated. I watched as he walked around the front of the car. Emerson moved with an effortlessness that I'd never seen anyone move with before. When would I stop being captivated by him? It was becoming maddening.