Free Enticing Emma by N. J. Walters

of her system. Staying away from him obviously hadn’t worked.
    Their encounter in the elevator had shaken her, but that was only natural. She’d been embarrassed by how wanton she’d been, and in a public place too. She was lucky she’d managed to dress before the door opened or Mr. Meyers would have gotten more than he’d bargained for.
    Now that she’d had time to calm down, she believed her earlier assessment was correct. There was no reason not to pursue a sexual relationship with Tucker. She would just be smart about it and protect her heart from getting too involved.
    Determined to follow through with her idea, she jerked open the door, took two steps across the hall and banged on Tucker’s door. She waited a minute, shifting her weight from foot to foot. She glanced down the darkened hallway, but no one else peeked out to see what was going on.
    She was just about to bang on the door again when he opened it. Her mouth dropped open at the sight of a dripping wet Tucker wearing nothing but a dark blue towel. The muscles on his chest glistened with moisture, and she was gripped by the urge to lick off every single droplet.
    “Come in. You’re letting out what’s left of my cool air.” Emma quickly stepped inside and allowed him to close the door behind her. He eyed her speculatively, but said nothing else.
    “Do you have any ice and batteries?” she blurted out.
    “Sure,” he responded easily. “Give me a second to haul on some clothes.” Tucker turned and headed toward his bedroom.
    Emma almost drooled at the sight of those long muscular legs and broad shoulders as he walked away from her. The towel loosened as he walked. Just a little bit more, she urged the towel. She shook herself as he disappeared from her view and glanced around at his apartment, suddenly curious about Tucker and his home. Although they’d been out on several dates, she’d never seen the inside of his place. It was neater than she’d expected. Homey.
    Unable to resist, she wandered around the living room and began nosing through the bookshelves. You could tell a lot about a person by their bookshelves. His were filled with some biographies, a few bestsellers and some thrillers. A picture of a much younger Tucker with an older couple, who were most likely his parents, sat next to a paperweight made out of a chunk of raw ore.
    He had the requisite large television set. She thought about opening the cabinet beneath to check out his movie collection but decided that would be too invasive.

Chapter Seven
     
    “Anything in particular you’re looking for?” Tucker’s voice made her jump, and she realized she was no longer alone. She whirled around to face him.
    Emma’s eyes widened when she noted he wore only a pair of running shorts that covered even less than the towel had. There was a large bulge in the front of them, letting her know just how very aroused he was.
    He ran a hand through his damp hair. “For some reason you’ve been keeping your distance from me for weeks. If there’s anything you want to know about me, all you have to do is ask.”
    “I don’t know what to say.” Emma stared at him, at a loss as to how to proceed. Most men she’d known wanted to avoid conversation at all costs, but here was Tucker offering to answer any and all questions.
    At that moment, she couldn’t think of a single thing to ask. None of her fears or uncertainties seemed to matter with him standing mostly naked in front of her. She licked her lips and stared at his wide, damp chest.
    Tucker stepped up next to her until he was looming over her smaller frame. Without her heels she was a lot shorter. She tried to back away but came up solidly against the bookshelf. He cupped her face in his hand, leaned forward and gently tasted her lips.
    In spite of her doubts and fears, she returned his kiss, tentatively at first and then more boldly. He allowed her to take the lead, but when she opened her mouth he quickly claimed it for his own.