Six and Counting

Chapter 15

      

               “Thank you for coming, Shane, Emily,” Lily Orrman said at the door as Shane and Emily stepped off the stone porch. They waved and the door shut quietly behind them, allowing silence to dominate their surroundings. Shane stopped on the sidewalk between his house and the Orrmans’, pulling Emily to a halt as well.

                “Listen,” he said quietly, and Emily cocked her head, obeying. The surf from below the houses interrupted the quiet, but was welcome after the racket they had left behind, as was the cool breeze wafting up from between the two homes. Emily glanced up at Shane, whose mouth curved into a half smile as he listened to the beach sounds.

                 Walking once more, Shane asked Emily, “Care to go down the path to Little Corona Beach?”

                Emily sighed, replying, “Shane, what type of shoes am I wearing? I don’t know if I can walk home, let alone down the hill. Try me when I’m in my tennis shoes.”

                Shane glanced down at her shapely legs, grunting.

                “Mmm, how could I forget? Well, let’s just go to the bench the other side of my property and sit for a bit, okay?”

                Curious, Emily nodded, attempting not to limp in her stilettos as they reached the bench. She couldn’t disguise her groan when she sat down next to Shane. He took her hand in his, sitting close beside her looking out at the dark ocean, clasped hands resting in her lap.

                The moon remained nearly hidden by low clouds, but the rhythmic waves beat a hypnotic cadence while Emily looked out at the dark line of the horizon, finally asking, “All evening you’ve been badgering me to go home, and now that we’ve left the party, you want to sit and listen to the ocean. Are you okay?” Emily turned to study the author, who met her gaze with a slight smile.

                “Don’t worry, sweetheart. I plan on undressing you and making love to you all night, never fear. But after being in a crush of people like that, I prefer these surroundings. This is why I live here. I like solitude...with a little company.”

                 He squeezed her hand, and her lips curved upward as she said drily, “You haven’t had solitude in over a month, Mr. McNeal. My family and I moved in. Remember my five kids?”

                Another grunt.

                “That was really dumb of me, miscounting. But you’ve had me thinking about sex all evening long, dressed as you are. After being at half-mast all night, I hope I don’t misfire in the actual engagement!”

                Butterflies curling through her stomach at the mention of his arousal, Emily rest her head on his shoulder, surprised when he laid his cheek against the top of her head. He was acting odd; thoughtful, not his usual flippant self.

                “You haven’t disappointed me yet,” she said shyly, and he snorted, turning their hands so he could read his understated, stainless steel watch.

                “Shit,” he commented mildly. “It’s already pushin’ midnight. That all-night orgy is a six hour marathon now. How am I supposed to properly worship at your temple in that amount of time?  Couldn’t you have put Valium in the kids’ mac and cheese tonight?”

                A giggle burbled out of Emily’s throat as she squeezed his hand, took a breath, and sat up to look him in the eyes.