Free Listed: Volume III by Noelle Adams Page A

met his gaze evenly.
    Then,
for the first time, Vincent’s gaze slid over to Paul.
    The
two men stared at each other for a long stretch of time, and Paul had no idea
how to read his father’s expression.
    Then
Vincent inclined his head slightly, almost a nod. The gesture made Paul’s heart
lurch up into his throat.
    Vincent
turned then and was led out of the room. He didn’t look back once.
    Paul
just sat in his seat, staring at his father’s retreating back.
    The
courtroom was starting to empty when Emily finally tugged on his arm. “We
should go, Paul,” she said gently. “Let’s go home.”
    *
* *
    That night, at about
midnight, Paul lay in the dark in his bedroom, wondering if Emily was going to
sleep with him tonight.
    She’d
knocked on his door every night since the night he’d testified on the stand and
after he’d let his desire and need take control of his actions on the couch
with Emily. He could still get hard just thinking about how good, how sweet,
how responsive she’d felt in his arms.
    But
he tried not to think about it. He’d already rubbed one out in the shower
earlier, which he’d learned was the only safe way to make it through a night
with Emily in his bed. If he started thinking about their heated embrace on the
couch, he’d have to get up and take another shower. Two nights ago, he’d had to
do that, and he’d barely dried off from his second round under the spray when
Emily had knocked softly on his door to come in.
    Even
if her presence left him physically frustrated and unsatisfied, he still waited
for her every evening, not really able to relax and sleep without her.
    He
wasn’t sure she was going to join him tonight. An hour ago, he’d heard her
talking on the phone to Chris in the media room. Maybe she would need privacy
afterwards. Maybe she wouldn’t want to sleep in his bed, since Chris was
obviously not happy about their marriage. Maybe she would want the space to
think about the guy she’d always had a crush on.
    A
guy who wasn’t Paul.
    He
tried not to brood about it. Told himself it was a good thing, since it would
give him a safer emotional distance from Emily. He’d gone too far as it was.
    There
was no future with Emily that wasn’t going to rip him apart. Even if she
miraculously didn’t die, he’d have to let her go so she could live the life
she’d always wanted. If she pulled back from him now, it would probably hurt
less than it would later.
    Midnight
came and went. Twelve-thirty came and went. Paul decided she wasn’t going to
come to him tonight.
    He
rolled over a few times in the bed, trying to get comfortable. Trying not to
think about his father. Trying not to feel completely alone.
    Some
things wouldn’t change. He’d lived his life alone—with only a few moments when
he’d believed he had someone to share it with. A mother. A lover. A friend. None
of them lasted.
    He
wanted Emily with him now, but she wasn’t really his, no matter how much it
felt like she was.
    It
was almost one in the morning, and he wasn’t even close to going to sleep when
he was surprised by a little tap on his door.
    “Come
in,” he called out, his heartbeat quickening.
    Emily
peeked in. “Are you asleep?”
    “No.
I’m still awake. Come on in.”
    Since
his eyes were already adjusted to the dark, he could see her fairly clearly as
she shut the bedroom door and walked over to his bed. She wore a dark-colored
tank top with pajama shorts of the same color. Her hair was tousled around her
face, and she smiled at him as she crawled under the covers beside him. “I’m
sorry it’s so late. I hope I didn’t wake you up.”
    “I
wasn’t asleep yet. Everything all right with Chris?”
    “I
guess so,” she said with a sigh, rolling onto her side so she was facing him.
“As good as they can be. I just…”
    “You
just what?” Paul was on his side too, and he was doing his best to force down
his instinctive reaction.
    “I
just don’t want to die when things