Free Once in a Lifetime by Sam Crescent Page B

happened and settling the score with the other man he’d gone to sleep quite easily. Then he’d found her sleeping, and he’d been hit by guilt at her lack of rest.
    Today she was going to sleep, and he was taking care of her. Pouring himself a coffee he headed out to his garage, which he’d set up in his workshop at home. He loved working with his hands, and with his feelings the way they were at the moment he wasn’t ready to deal with them.
    “What is with you not answering your phone?” Wayne asked, coming into the garage. Guy had opened the garage door to let some air in as it was too hot to work in the garage.
    “I’ve spent the whole night in a fucking cell. Andrew decided to show his anger to Em, and I took care of it. Unfortunately, some bystander thought calling the cops would help.” He looked toward the door. “She spent the whole night at the station waiting for me. Em also posted my bail.”
    “Shit, man, I had no idea. You should have called me.”
    “I didn’t get the fucking chance, and after I told Andrew Emily was mine and if he ever laid a finger on my woman I’d kill him, I slept. Andrew is scared of me, remember?” He rubbed the back of his neck to try to work the strain out of his neck.
    “I had every intention of coming over here, shouting a lot, and getting you feeling all guilty. I don’t think that’s going to work today. So, Emily’s your woman?”
    “She doesn’t know it yet. She thinks we’re only having sex,” Guy said.
    “You’re going to tell her different I take it.”
    “I’ll do something about it when I’m ready.” Guy wasn’t going to admit he was still nervous about the whole commitment thing. What if he wanted another woman? He wouldn’t cheat on Emily.
    “I asked Dorothy to marry me, and she said yes.” Wayne blurted it all out.
    Stopping what he was doing Guy smiled. “Well, congratulations. She’s the one then?”
    “Yeah, I love her, man. She’s the one I love, and I can’t wait to get my ring on her finger and claim her for my own.”
    Guy listened to what Wayne had to say and felt great for his friend. A small tug started in his chest and worked its way out. He was never going to have that feeling or ask a woman to marry him.
    What about Emily? She’s not just a fuck.
    Gritting his teeth, he pulled Wayne in for a hug. “Wow, so when is the event happening? I need to know it all so I can order the strippers.”
    Wayne shook his head. “No strippers. I mean it, Guy. I don’t need any other woman beside Dorothy. She is—I can’t describe it.”
    “Try. I’m listening.”
    “She’s … we … connect. Yeah, that’s right. We connect, and when we’re together the whole world falls away leaving just the two of us. She makes my heart pound, and then the sex is out of this world. I forget there were other women before her. Dorothy consumes every part of me. I never think about anything else, and I never grow bored with thinking about her. She’s everything to me.”
    Wayne looked completely besotted. What startled Guy more than anything was how he recognized those feelings as he felt them with Emily. She’d stormed into his life, and he’d not been able to get her out of his thoughts. No other woman compared to her, and the sex they’d shared had blown all others out of the water.
    “She’s the one. I’m happy for you, Wayne. Dorothy truly is a wonderful woman.” Guy smiled and picked up his hammer.
    “What about Emily?” Wayne asked.
    Glancing up, Guy bit his lip. “What about her?”
    “Don’t play crap with me, Guy. I know she’s different for you. You’ve got feelings for her. Besides, you wouldn’t go threatening Andrew if you didn’t feel something.”
    Dropping the hammer onto the counter Guy turned to face his friend. “I don’t know what’s going on. When I’m with her I feel everything you described.”
    “Are you in love with her?” Wayne asked.
    Guy hesitated and gripped the edge of the counter. “Yes, I