(this one is from 8/05..........I'm not sure if I completely love it and I have to finish it off too....LOL)

Chapter One –

Rob stood in front of the cash register while the sales clerk rang up his purchases. His accountant was going to kill him when he got the bill; but Rob knew he could afford it and his friend Mike was worth the money he was spending. When Mike’s wife Jane mentioned that she wanted to throw a surprise 40th birthday party for Mike, Rob offered the use of his home for the party.
Now as he stood waiting for Mike’s birthday gift to be wrapped, he began to have a panic attack. When he was “Robbie Williams” up on stage, no one could see how anxious he was, but when he was just Rob Williams, off stage with people around him, he tended to blank out in large groups of people and just wanted to leave.
“Here you go sir.” The young blonde salesgirl smiled at him leaning forward just enough to give Rob a clear view of her ample breasts. It would be so easy to just turn on the charm and flirt with her.
“Thank you.” He slipped his sunglasses down from the top of his head and smiled back at her before leaving the store.
When he had turned 30 the year before he realized that the thrill of anonymous sex had worn off. He was tired of going home with a girl and sneaking off before the sun came up. Soulless sex was not what he wanted; what he wanted was to find what his best friend Jon and his wife Nikki had.
“Take care of the gift?” Jon approached Rob outside the store as if on cue to Rob’s thinking of him. A life long friendship would do that Rob thought.
“Looks like you did a bit of shopping too.” Rob arched an eyebrow and tried to look inside the Victoria’s Secret bag that Jon quickly pulled out of Rob’s reach.
“Not your business youth.” Jon smiled broadly thinking of what he had bought his wife. “Let’s go get a coffee before we head home.”
**
Emerson Doyle was looking down into her purse trying to find her cell phone and barely missed running into two men walking into the Starbucks she was leaving.
“Sorry.” She murmured as one of the men held the door for her. Finally finding her elusive cell phone she flipped it open and hit the speed dial for Jane’s cell phone. She loved Jane like a sister, but right now, she wanted to throttle her cousin’s wife. Tonight was Mike’s surprise party and since Jane couldn’t let him find out, Emerson did most of the running around. It wasn’t that she minded, Mike and Emerson were closer than just cousins, he was her big brother, they had grown up together. He had always been there for her despite being ten years older than her.
“Hello?”
“Hey Janey, I’ve got the cake…and I sooo don’t want to know where the mold came from.” Emerson laughed when she opened up the cake and looked at it.
“Oh come on, you know he’ll love it.” Janey’s voice giggled on the other end of the phone.
“Other than bringing THAT cake to a total strangers home, is there anything else you need me to do?” Emerson offered hoping that there wasn’t. She desperately wanted to go home and shower and relax a bit before the party.
“Um..actually..there is.” Janey said on the other end of the phone.
Emerson stopped in front of her Jeep; one hand paused over the door handle.
“And what would that be?”
“Well you know that southwestern dip that Mike likes, the one you always make?” Janey said sweetly.
“Unhuh.” Emerson opened the passenger door and threw the GAP © bag she’d been carrying into the seat before walking around to the drivers side door. “You want me to make some for tonight.” She sat down in the drivers seat and sighed.
“Would you mind?”
How could Emerson say no to Janey? After all she’d done in the past few months since Emerson had moved out to Los Angeles from Boston. Making a southwestern dip was the least she could do. After hanging up the cell phone, Emerson sat in the car while the air-conditioned cooled the car off and did mental check of what she would need to make the dip.
**
Rob and Jon carried their coffees out to the truck. Rob still hadn’t bothered to take his driver’s test so that he could actually drive his own cars. At current count he had four and a Ducati 999s. But who needed a driver’s license when he very rarely went anywhere alone.
“So Mike’s cousin is coming to the house early to deliver the cake and make sure the caterer’s are doing their job?” Jon asked as he maneuvered the truck out into traffic. “Have you ever seen any pictures of her? She doesn’t favor Mike does she?”
Rob laughed as Jon stopped at a red light. Mike was the same height as Rob, 6’1” give or take, but where Rob worked at keeping the weight he had been picked upon as a child off, Mike was built like a bulldog naturally.
“I don’t think so. Janey told me that Mike took after his mother’s people while Emerson was a true Doyle, whatever that means.”
“So you think she might be cute?” Jon looked at Rob out of the corner of his eye. Since Jon had gotten married, he’d been trying to find someone for Rob. Any woman who could love Rob for Rob and not for “Robbie” and accept all his quirks was going to be hard to find, but Jon knew that woman was out there somewhere.
“I dunno youth, I’m not looking anymore. I’m going to put my heart in the hands of fate.” Rob answered.
“Just sit back and see where the winds take you?” Jon replied. “Youth? Did you hear me?”
Rob heard Jon but his attention was elsewhere. A dark gray Jeep had pulled up next to Rob’s truck. The woman at the wheel caught Rob’s eye and he couldn’t look away. Her strawberry blonde hair was pulled back in a scarf so that the riot of curls that fell about her shoulders would stay out of her face as she drove. Rob felt a sense of déjà vu. She had on aviator sunglasses that hid her face so he couldn’t see her face when she turned her head in his direction.
**
Emerson flipped her blinker to signal a right turn. She felt like someone was watching her. She looked over her shoulder to see a beige truck next to her waiting to turn left. The passenger in the truck was staring at her. Even though he had on sunglasses, she knew he was staring. Emerson glanced at his exposed arm and saw a tattoo of a lion’s head.
“Great, just what I need, a biker giving me the eye.” Emerson thought to herself, but there was something about his man that she found familiar. The sound of a horn blaring behind her snapped Emerson back to her senses just as the truck turned left, she continued on her way home.
**
“Something wrong?” Jon asked as Rob turned in his seat to look out the rear window.
Rob had a sinking feeling that fate had just played a cruel joke on him as he watched the Jeep go in the opposite direction from him.

Chapter Two – The cake is a mold of WHAT!
Emerson pulled her jeep up to the security gate at the entrance to the community that Mike’s friend lived in. Janey had left a list of names at with the guard and he asked Emerson to do a quick check to make sure the names were right.

“That looks right to me.” Emerson smiled at the guard. “Now where am I going again?”

“Just follow the road and bear right. The house will be on your left. Mr. William’s assistant said for me to call and let her know you were on your way.”

“Assistant that must be Josie.” Emerson had called earlier and asked if it would be all right for her to make the dip at the house. There was no way she could have gotten it ready on time and made it to the house by 6:00. “Thanks again.” She waved to the guard as she drove away.

Emerson found the house and pulled into the driveway. As soon as she had the cake inside and the other bags she had, she would have to pull the Jeep out and park it down the road so Mike wouldn’t see it when he got there.

**
Rob was pulling the tee shirt over his head as he walked out of his bedroom when he heard the dogs barking.

“Fuck! Who forgot to put the dogs in the garage?” he yelled out to no one in particular as he ran down the stairs. He figured it must have been Emerson pulling into the driveway and hoped she wasn’t afraid of dogs. Sure enough, Sammy, Rudi and Sid were trying to relieve Emerson of the box that she was holding high up over her head.

“Hey! Boys, that’s enough.” Rob yelled and pulled the dogs away from Emerson. With the large white cake box in front of her face, he couldn’t tell if she was afraid or not.

“Could you take this for me?” her muffled voice came from behind the cake box, which was dropped, into his arms before he got the chance to answer.

“Hey boys.” Emerson crouched down and held her hands out to the dogs to sniff before they moved in to lick her face.

“Eh, don’t slobber on her.” Rob said looking down at his dogs over the cake box. He looked over at Emerson and saw that instead of being grossed out by the dogs slobbering on her, she was smiling and laughing.

“It’s okay. I grew up with dogs. I miss not having them out here.” Emerson answered giving each dog a scratch behind the ears before straightening out.

Rob’s hear skipped a beat when she stood up and smiled at him. It was the woman he had seen at the red light. He suddenly worried that she was some crazed fan who had followed him home, but that wasn’t possible, he’d been home for over two hours now.

Emerson saw the way he was looking at her and wondered if she had mud from the dogs on her shirt. “Is something wrong?” she asked then started to wonder if she was at the wrong house. “Oh God, please tell me that you’re Mike’s friend. I’m his cousin Emerson. Janey DID tell you I was coming up here early.”

Rob was so caught in the pale blue of her eyes and the spray of freckles across her nose that he couldn’t remember his own name. Realizing that he was staring he shook his head.

“No, this is the place. I’m Robert.” He tried to will his heart to slow down. “I’d shake your hand, but this is one heavy cake you’ve got in here.”

Emerson realized that he was standing there with the cake and wondered if he knew what it was shaped like. “Then maybe we should get it inside.”

“Sure, follow me.”

Rob led her into the house and to the right to his kitchen.

“Wow, this is a kitchen. I think you could get mine in here three times over.” Emerson put the two grocery bags she was carrying on the counter when a petite brunette came in from the patio.

“Hi, you must be Emerson, I’m Josie. Nice to meet you finally.” She said taking Emerson’s hand. “Find the place all right?”

“Your directions were easy.” Emerson saw Rob still standing there holding the cake box watching the two women talk.

“You can put that down Rob, I don’t expect you to carry it around all night.” Emerson smiled at him. “Will it fit in the fridge?”

“Don’t worry, we have one downstairs. Can I have a look?” Josie’s eyes lit up. “Janey told me all about it. I may do it for my husbands birthday.” Josie flicked the tape off and opened up the box. “Oh My GOD! Is that really a mold of hers?”

“Her wot?” Rob tried to peak around the box and take a look.

“I was there when they did the mold. That is really her.” Emerson nodded and laughed.

“For such a little woman she sure has a big…” Josie couldn’t finish the sentence. Rob took the box away and set it down on the counter.

“Fuuuuuuuck……Those are the biggest tits I’ve ever seen.” Rob made a face. “Are you saying those are Janey’s?” Rob’s jaw hung open.

Emerson could only nod. While Josie closed the box and picked it up. “I’ll bring it down stairs so none of the guys salivate over it.” Josie started out of the kitchen and then turned around. “Hey Emerson, the stuff you need is right next to the sink.”

Rob stood in the middle of the kitchen, his mouth still hanging open when Emerson moved past him to the counter. As she went by him, she put her hand to his chin and closed his mouth.

“You’ll let flies in Rob.” She shook her head.

“Those are Janey’s…” he put his hands to his own chest as if he was holding up imaginary boobs. “I feel so…”

Emerson turned to him holding a red pepper in her hand and pointed it at him. “You better say something other than horny or I’ll humm this pepper at your head boy.”

“Humm?” Rob repeated.

“Throw, it means to throw at you.”

Rob watched as Emerson took the rest of the produce out of the bag and realized that the dogs were still vying for Emerson’s attention.

“Come on guys.” Rob urged the dogs out of the kitchen and up into his room. He snuck a quick look over his shoulder as he turned

Chapter Three
“How’s that?” Rob heard Josie asking Emerson as he came back down into the kitchen fifteen minutes later. Emerson may not have noticed the change of shirt or the newly shaved face; but Josie did and the look her boss gave her was enough to not make a comment about it.

“You look nice Rob.” Was all Josie said trying to hold back a grin.

Rob did a quick spin and moved closer to where Josie and Emerson were removing avocados from their skins.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” Rob offered as he sat in one of the chairs around the center island. Josie was so surprised at his offer she popped the avocado pit out too hard sending it flying out of her hands to land at the feet of Pompey, Rob’s bodyguard.

“Do we eat this or toss it in the dust bin?” Pompey asked picking up the pit. “Ere, what’s this? Have I gone and died and no one told me?” Pompey said upon seeing Rob mashing something in a bowl.

“I’m helping out.” Rob said simply as he continued to smush the avocado down. “Emerson, don’t mind Pompey. He’s still sore that he lost at table tennis this afternoon.” Rob explained. “Now pick up that wooden spoon and give us a hand.”

Emerson gave up the bowl filled with sour cream to Pompey and told him which seasonings to add. “Nice to meet you Pompey.”

Pompey looked down at the woman in front of him and smiled knowingly. Rob must have taken some kind of fancy to this one, why else would he be doing anything in the kitchen besides raiding the refrigerator?

“So Emerson, if you’re Mikey’s cousin, are you involved in his boat business too?” Pompey asked as he tried to tap the right seasonings into the bowl.

“No, well not really. I help out in it a lot, running the marina’s website and doing stuff here and there, but mostly, I’m just a librarian down town.” Emerson shrugged a shoulder.

“You’re a librarian?” Rob said mid-mash.

“Who’s a librarian?” Jon asked as he joined everyone in the kitchen almost breaking into laughter at the sight of the domesticated duo of Rob and Pompey.

“I am.” Emerson replied as she finished what she was doing.

Jon stopped short and stared at her.

“You can’t be a librarian…” he protested. “You’re too…”

“Short?” Emerson grinned at him. She looked at the three male faces in front of her and realized that they were all staring at her with their mouths hanging open.

“Oh please don’t tell me that you think librarians are all old, wear their hair in a bun and wear glasses!” she laughed and then realized that they were still staring at her. “Well, my hair is usually up when I’m at work, I have my contacts in now, but I can put on my glasses, if that will help to keep your fantasy of the librarian alive, but I’m passing on aging and cardigans buttoned at the neck.”

Rob let Josie take the bowl from him as he watched Emerson walked to the sink. His eyes roamed down from the sticks in Emerson’s hair to the part of her neck and shoulders that were exposed, down over the gauzy shirt she had on to the gentle swell of her hips. Rob realized that any fantasies he had about shagging his former school librarian when he had been a lad had changed to be Emerson and the possibilities of shagging in the library and being as quiet as possible - him being quiet was a rarity during sex – caused the front of his jeans to become very uncomfortable.

“Youth could you give me a hand?” Jon asked as he carried out several bags of ice from the freezer. Rob shook his head “no”. Jon have him a questioning look, trying to get an explanation. Rob sat back in the chair and looked own at his lap. Jon smiled and shook his head, his friend was in for a long night of hiding his attraction if he couldn’t’ control it.

Chapter Four

“SURPRISE!” Everyone yelled out when Mike walked into Rob’s back yard. Emerson could tell by the look on Mike’s face that he truly hadn’t known about the party.

“I can’t believe you pulled this off!” Mike hugged Janey.

“Well I had Emerson helping. She did most of the leg work.” Janey let her husband go.

“You!” Mikey found Emerson in the line of people and pulled her up into a bear hug. “You said you had a date tonight! I knew that wasn’t right.”

“Oh thanks a lot.” Emerson slugged Mike in the arm. “I could have…well if I was asked.”

Emerson watched Mike wander off to talk to his friends. Janey came over and linked her arm through hers. “So we did it.”

“Yes we did.” Emerson sighed.

“Sooooo……” Janey leaned in close to Emerson, “What do you think of Rob? He’s a total babe don’t cha think?”

“Janey!” Emerson blinked in surprise.

“What? Just because I’ve been married for almost 20 years doesn’t mean I don’t know a good looking man when I see one.”

“Then you must be talking about me.” Rob appeared from behind Emerson. She felt a shiver down her spine at his closeness and the sound of his English accent in her ear. Her normal reaction to a man being this close to her would have been to step away from him and the way her body was reacting to Rob’s. Once bitten the line goes.

“Yes Rob, I am.” Ellen stepped up on her tiptoes and hugged Rob. “You are a life saver and a wonderful friend.”

“I am aren’t’ I?” Rob gave her a cheeky grin.

Emerson slipped away from Rob and Janey. “If you’ll excuse me.” She made a lame excuse of checking on the chips for the dip, but what she really needed was some space.

**

Janey had kept the number of guest invited to just over a dozen. She knew Rob wasn’t fond of crowds and since it was his home she didn’t want him to be uncomfortable. Looking down the rectangular table that had been set up on the patio for dinner, Janey saw Rob watching Emerson tell stories about growing up with Mike, she could tell by the look on Rob’s face that he was enjoying himself.

Rob found himself watching Emerson. At any given point in time he knew where she was and he would have her in the corner of his eye. He wanted to go up and talk to her many times, he’d even made his way across the crowd to stand near her and try to engage her in conversation. But every time he got close, he’d get nervous and miss the chance. He felt like a little kid with a crush on someone and if he opened his mouth to talk to her, all that would come out would be babble. When he sat down across from her at the dinner table, the thought he had the chance.

“She’s just a girl and if you keep staring at her like that Youth, she’s either going to think you’re touched in the head or making sure she doesn’t steal anything.” Jonny, who was sitting next to him leaned in and whispered. “Go talk to her, just chat her up like any other girl.”

“She’s not like any other girl. I dunno Jonny, I just can’t.” Rob replied as he listened to her laugh.

“Fine, leave it to me.” Jon told him; “Emerson did you inherit the Doyle love of pool gene?”

“Did she ever!” Mike put an arm around her shoulder. “She smokes my ass every time I play her, hell she’s better than you Rob.”

To Rob that was a challenge and he loved a good challenge. “Oh really?” he cocked an eyebrow as he looked over at Emerson. “After dinner? Care for a chance to prove your cousins boast?

**

Emerson stood on one side of the pool table chalking her cue while Rob pulled the balls out from the pockets. “You rack and break.” She told him.

“Oh no, ladies first.” Rob countered as she set the balls in the rack.

Nikki and Jon looked into the room as Emerson broke the balls perfectly sinking three of them.

“You did that on purpose didn’t you?” Nikki asked her husband. Jon have her a who-me look that made her laugh. “ It’s not like him to be that shy.”

**
Rob lost the first game and had convinced Emerson for a best of three. Mike hadn’t been kidding, she was good.

“I know Mike didn’t teach you, that much I can tell.” Rob looked down the back of her body as she stood up on tiptoe to make s shot that he didn’t think she could do. He pulled a face when she sank the ball.

“Pool shark in college.”

Rob laughed. “A pool shark? Mikey let you get near a pool shark?”

“He didn’t let me.” Emerson swore quietly when she missed her shot. “I dated him.”

“And Mikey never knew?” Rob sank the next few shots.

“Mike may be my cousin, and I love him dearly, but he doesn’t decide who I date.” Emerson watched Rob miss the next shot and she went on to win the game.

“I believe I win, bet two out of three you said.” Emerson put her cue back into the rack.

Rob stood scratching his head. “Any chance I can get a rematch?”

Emerson’s stomach did a quick flip. He wasn’t asking for a date was he? No, guys like him went for the Nicole Kidman types, not the mousy librarians.

“Sure.” She said trying to keep her voice from shaking.

Rob was about to set up a time when Mike and Janey came into the room.

“Emerson, you got me Aerosmith tickets! I knew I loved you for a reason.”

“Get the fuck out!” Rob exclaimed. “How’d you land those? I’ve been hunting them down for weeks.”

“You a fan too?” Emerson asked.

Rob started to jump around the room singing ‘Baby Please Don’t Go’.

“Would you like to come? I can get some more tickets.” Emerson found herself offering.

“I’d love to. Are you sure though. I’d hate to take a ticket from someone who was going.” Rob asked her.

“No worries. I have a good in. Tell me how many you need and I’ll have them.”
Before Rob could answer, Mike told her to get five. Rob looked at Mike strangely. He was only going to ask for himself, any chance to spend more time with Emerson.

“Well you have Jon and Nikki here, you said Max would be in town.” Mike counted off the friends staying with Rob. “And Pompey would kill you if you didn’t include him.”

Rob knew he was right, he wasn’t happy, but he was right.

“Well what about Josie?” Janey questioned.

“What about me?” Josie came into the room with pieces of cake for everyone.

“Do you want to go see Aerosmith next Friday?” Emerson asked.

“Normally I’d say yes, but Lee’s coming to town and the boss here gave me a reprieve for a few days so I can be alone with my husband.” Josie winked at Emerson.

“Okay then, I’ll call for five more tickets, Friday night at seven, we were going to eat upstairs before the show, do you want to join us?” Emerson asked.

“Sounds like a plan to me.” Rob winked at her. Emerson’s heart flipped at the smile on his face.

**

When the last guest left around two in the morning, Emerson deposited the last of the plastic cups in the trash.

“The caterers will do that Emerson, you don’t have to.” Rob said as he came up behind her.

“I know I just want to help. You offered your house, it’s the least I could do.” Emerson shrugged.

“No the least you can do is give me the chance to redeem myself at pool. You promised.” Rob said giving her puppy dog eyes.

“Those eyes don’t work when Lauren does it, they won’t work for you.” Emerson said mentioning Mike and Janey’s thirteen-year-old daughter. “But a promise is a promise. So tell me when and where.” Emerson couldn’t stop the smile that was forming on her lips.

“Are you free Tuesday night? I’m flying to New York tomorrow and I’ll be back Tuesday morning. How does that sound?”

“Tuesday is good. I’m not working late that night.”

“Give me your phone number and I’ll give you a call this weekend, if you don’t’ mind.”

“Mind? No I don’t mind, but you can call me when you get back, you’ll be busy in New York with work and all.”

Rob waved off the thought. “I won’t be working the whole time, just some meetings to set up a schedule for the next album.” Rob said fishing around for a pen on the table. Rob told her to stay put while he ran into the kitchen to get a pen.

He couldn’t’ believe his luck. He didn’t think she’d give him her number. He could have just gotten it from Janey, but this way, he knew she was open to him calling her. What he didn’t know was if Mike would be okay with him calling Emerson. But she was 29 years old and she didn’t need Mike’s approval about whom she dated. If it came to that. Hell, he’d taken all night to just talk to her.

Emerson came into the kitchen and deposited some silverware in the sink. The sight of Rob rummaging through drawers struck her as funny.

“Aha! Found one.” He brandished the pen in the air, proud of his find.

“God I haven’t given my number to a guy on a napkin in years.”

“Haven’t gotten one on a napkin in longer than that if you want the truth.”

They were standing in the kitchen, each clutching the other’s phone numbers written on napkins.

“Come on shorty, we’ll follow you home.” Mike walked over and hugged Rob. “Thank you man, this was just amazing.”

Rob knew that Mike was slightly drunk and winked at Janey. “Do you need help with him?”

“She loves me you know.” Mike started to walk out of the kitchen to the foyer with an arm draped around Rob’s shoulder.

“I know she does.” Rob looked over at Janey and winked. “You’re a lucky bloke mate.”

“You should find a nice girl and settle down Rob. It’s time. Finish off the one niters and find the love a good woman.”

Emerson and Ellen rolled their eyes as they walked behind the two men.

“Find a nice girl like my Emerson.” Mike went on. “I keep telling her to find a real man and stop reading about them in the library.”

Emerson wanted to kick her cousin in the ass as Rob got him settled into the passenger seat of Janey’s car.

“You take him home Janey, I’ll call you tomorrow.” Emerson waved them off and walked across the driveway to the street where her jeep had been moved earlier. Rob walked with her and put his hand out for Emerson’s keys.

“Wot? I’m a gentleman you know.” He teased the look on her face. Emerson found herself really liking Rob’s accent. Rob turned the alarm off and opened the door for her. She slid into the drivers seat and waited for him to give her the keys back.

“Rob I need the keys to start the jeep.” She smiled at him. Rob handed them back and closed the door for her, tapping on the window so that she’d open it.

“So.” He leaned his arms on the open window frame.

Emerson looked down at the tattoos that ran down his arms.

“So?” she finally looked up into his face.

“Am I anything like the men you read about in the library?” he gave her a cock sure grin.

Emerson wondered if it was possible to have an orgasm from just the sound of a mans voice and the grin on his face.

“I’d say you’re better.” She answered, her voice just above a whisper.

“Good.” Rob tapped the window frame. “I’ll call you this weekend.”

Emerson started the car and put it in drive. When she looked in the rear view mirror as she drove away, she could still see Rob standing there in the pool of light from the street lamp.

Chapter 5
Rematches and Romance

Emerson drummed her fingers on the steering wheel as she waited at a red light. She had butterflies in her stomach about seeing Rob. No matter how much she had secretly hoped he was interested in her; truth be told, he was only interested in a rematch.

She had offered to stop and pick up coffee on the way to the house. During one of the phone calls he had made to her since Friday night, he had mentioned his need for a coffee fix. She couldn’t figure out why he just didn’t pop into a Starbucks in New York, there must be one on every corner.

“But I’m too damned lazy to go…” Rob sighed on his end of the phone line. “Besides Josie and David have gone to sleep. They’d throw a wobbly if I woke them for that.”

“ A wobbly? Is that anything like a hissy fit?” Emerson plumped up the pillow she was leaning against on her couch. Rob had called her at 9pm her time (she did a mental time check realizing it was midnight in New York). They had been on the phone for over an hour now.

“Summat and it’s too late for room service.” Rob told her.

“And going out at what…1 in the morning wouldn’t be well advised in New York City.” She teased him.

“Very funny Miss Smarty Pants. So what is on your agenda for tomorrow?”

Emerson wrapped the phone cord around her finger as she spoke. “Well I’ll be at the shop for most of the day.”

“Shop? You working at the marina?”

“Yeah, did Mike ever tell you about the boat?”

“No, tell me.” Rob lit up a cigarette and plumped up his pillow. “I like listening to you talk.”

Emerson’s eyes flew wide open. Her face flushed as she told him about the boat. “When we were kids, our Grandpa Danny had this amazing sail boat. We loved going out on it. But one summer there was this wicked lightning storm. We were all on the sun porch watching the lighting hit on the other side of the lake. The next thing we knew; this bolt landed right in front of us and there was a small explosion.”

“No…don’t tell me…” Rob cut in.

“Yup, boat was blown to pieces. My grandfather was so upset, he didn’t even replace it.”

“Wow. He must have loved that boat.” Rob replied.

“He did. It was named the Double D for Dave and Doris, my grandmother. Anyways, last year, Mike was at a boat auction and found the exact mate for my grandfather’s sailboat. Everyone there thought he was nuts for buying it. It needed so much work, but Mike saw it as a labor of love. And when I saw it, I was in for the whole enchilada. I work on it whenever I can. It’s kind of like therapy. Just me, the boat, some music to work too.”

Rob smiled as he listened to Emerson tell him about the work that she and Mike had done to the boat so far. Not that he understood most of the marina speak, but it was the sound of her voice that enthralled him. She answered all the questions he asked and told him to come down to see the work they had been doing. He looked over at the phone and realized it was now four in the morning. He had to be up at nine to start a day of interviews for his new album. He hated to end the phone call, but he’d never get up on time and Josie would have his hide.

“Jesus Rob, you should have said something!” Emerson exclaimed. “You could have cut me off.” She apologized.

“Luv, it’s okay. I told you I like listening to your voice. Now it’s late for you. Get some sleep and I’ll call you tomorrow, or rather later today.” He laughed realizing it was already Sunday.

“Sure.” Emerson couldn’t believe he actually wanted to call her again. “Good night Rob.”

“ ‘Night Emerson.”

**
While she stood in line at Starbucks waiting for hers and Rob’s coffees to be made up, Emerson thought about having dinner with Mike and Janey that past Sunday. Janey knew that she was going to Rob’s house to play pool, but they had decided to tell Mike when his stomach was full on his favorite foods.

“Come again?” Mike said his fork frozen midway to his mouth.

“I’m going to Rob’s house for a rematch of the pool game he lost the other night.” Emerson pushed her macaroni and cheese around the plate. She waited for Mike to weigh in with his opinion.

“Emerson. Rob’s a good friend. And he has a past you know.”

“And I’m fresh from the convent?” Emerson got defensive. She put up her hand to stop Mike from continuing. “Listen. It’s not a date. It’s just a pool rematch. Besides I’m not his type.”

“Bullshit.” Janey said. “You’re beautiful, he’d be nuts to not think that.”

“Janey’s right Emmy, where is this coming from?” Mike wanted to know.

“Look, all I’m saying is that I googled him.”

“You WHAT!” Mike, ever the untechno, yelled.

“She means that she looked him up on Google Dad.” Lauren rolled her eyes. “You know the search engine on the internet.”

“All I’m saying is that what I found out about him, and yes that includes his past, the drinking and the addictions.” Emerson pointed her fork at Mike. “And I’ve seen the girls that he goes for. They are all tall, blonde and legs that go on forever. Not to mention they are celebrities or models. So I’m safe, I’m not his type.”

Mike mumbled something under his breath that Emerson couldn’t hear. The subject of Rob was dropped until dinner was over.

“So he’s got you hooked huh?” Lauren’s big brown eyes got wide as she led Emerson into her bedroom. On one wall of Lauren’s bedroom was a poster of a man with his face painted white with a red cross in the middle of his face.

“Is that Rob?”

“Yup, sure is.” Lauren smiled widely. “That was done during ‘Sing While Your Wining’; here, I think you’ll like this CD.” Lauren handed Emerson two CD’s of Rob’s. “This one is his greatest hits CD.

Emerson looked at the black and white cover with Rob’s picture and her heart skipped a beat. When she turned the CD over and saw him standing there, shirt open; blown back exposing the tattoos on his stomach and very low-slung jeans that showed a small amount of…

“And this one is the one I think you’d like.” Lauren made her look at the other CD. “He did an album on all jazzy swing kind of stuff.”

Lauren tore her eyes away from the cover she was staring at wondering things that her 13-year-old godchild didn’t need to know she was thinking about.

“ ‘Swing While You’re Winning’” Emerson read out loud.

“Yeah, not my normal stuff; but it’s cool when Rob sings it.”

Emerson started to realize that Lauren had a bit of a crush on Rob.

“Wanna see some of his videos? I down loaded them from Limewire.” Lauren said as she plopped down at her desk and opened up a file. The first one she played was “Rock DJ”. Emerson was really enjoying the video; especially the look on his face as the girls skating around him ignored him completely.

“Oh my GOD!” Emerson exclaimed. “Is he stripping?”

“Wait, you ain’t seen nothing yet.” Lauren winked.

“Oh gross.” Emerson said when Rob began to peel off his skin and through muscles at the people.

“You’ll like this one better.” Lauren clicked on a file labeled ‘Feel’. “It’s a concert piece that he did somewhere called Knebworth.”

Emerson was amazed as she watched Rob on stage. The way he sang, the crowd’s reaction to him, all of it. Rob on stage was so much different from the Rob she’d met and talked to on the phone.

“So, I didn’t know you were dating him.” Lauren picked at her purple nail polish on her fingers.

“You were at the dinner table Lauren, you know I’m not dating him. We’re just playing pool, that’s all.”

“Has he kissed you yet?”

“Argh, Lauren Elizabeth Doyle, have you heard a word I said? It’s not a date. I repeat NOT a date. We’re barely friends.”

When Emerson pulled into Rob’s driveway and saw him walking out of the front door to meet her with the most amazing dimpled grin she’d ever seen; she had to remind herself that it wasn’t a date.

Chapter Six

How good are you Rob?

“Ere, let me take those.” Rob took the tray from Starbucks that Emerson was holding.

Emerson followed Rob into the house and into the kitchen.

“Hey Emerson.” Pompey greeted her in the kitchen.

“Hi Pompey. Rob didn’t say you were here; I’d have brought you a coffee too.”

“No worries luv. We’re headed out to the movies. But I’d really rather stay here to see you trounce the little prince at pool again.” He winked at her.

“I don’t’ plan on being trounced thank you very much.” Rob said as he took a long sip of the iced coffee. “Besides she’s my date and I didn’t want her to get you a coffee.” Rob stuck his tongue out at Pompey. “Come on Emerson. Your trouncing awaits.”

Pompey bit back the smile forming on his lips when he said the words “ she’s my date” in front of Emerson. The look on her face was priceless. That poor girl had no idea what she was up against.

“So how was your day?” Rob asked as he set his and Emerson’s coffees on a table next to the pool table.

“Same old same old; check a book in, check them out; deal with Cruella.” Emerson said as she looked for the pool stick she’d used the other night. She’d decided that Rob’s referring to her as his date was a sarcastic comment to Pompey.

“I’d forgotten you and… what’s her name? The bird you work with?”

“Sarah.”

“Right, that you and Sarah call your boss Cruella.” Rob said as he chalked up his pool cue. “Is she an old spinster?”

“No, but that’s the nicest thing I can call her in public. She’s older than me by maybe two years. But her personality is that of an old school nun.”

Rob pulled back before breaking. “So that would make her …31?”

Emerson watched Rob break the balls and sink a sold and a stripe.

“Nice break and nice memory. You remember how old I am.” She smiled at him

Rob winked at her. “You’re two years younger than me. I call solid.”

Emerson watched Rob set up his next shot.

“Actually, I’ll be 30 next month, so I’m only a year younger than you.”

Rob sank his shot. “Any big plans for your birthday? You know the big 3-0 and all?”
Rob missed his shot and gave Emerson a dramatic bow allowing her to come to the table.

“Nope. Cruella wouldn’t let me take the day off.”

“Bit of a ***** then she is.” Rob grunted while his eyes were solidly focused on Emerson’s ass.

“That’s putting it lightly. I bet if she got laid she’d be nicer.”

Rob choked on his coffee making Emerson miss her shot. She walked over to him and started patting him on the back.

“Hell of a way to make me miss a shot.” She said when he finally stopped coughing. Realizing she was standing close enough to him to tell he was wearing contact lenses, she stepped back giving him room to get up.

“Well you said she needed to get laid. What makes you think she’s not getting some?”

“Well Sarah and I were putting away some books and having a conversation about ‘The Davinci Code’ and discussing the possibilities of it being real. Nice shot.” Emerson complimented him.

“Thanks. Haven’t read that book, but I’m familiar with it. The Last Supper painting and all that.”

“Right.” Emerson continued when Rob missed his next shot. “She got all offended that a Catholic, such as myself, could think there was a hair of truth to the story. So Sara and I were discussing this over drinks later in the week and we came to the conclusion that she was a virgin.”

“Did you come right out and ask her?” Rob said taking his turn.

“No, but … well you just know.” Emerson replied as she watched Rob win the first match.

“That’s one for me.” Rob grinned broadly.
**
An hour later, they were tied at one game each. The deal had been best of three.

“Let’s make a bet.” Rob said while he watched Emerson rack up for the last match.

“And that would be.” She looked over her shoulder at him, catching him looking at her backside.

“Loser of this match takes the winner to lunch tomorrow. What you say?”

Emerson was surprised at the bet but agreed to it, only to end up loosing to Rob in the end.

“So what time tomorrow?” Rob asked as they sat out on the patio.

“I have to be at work at two, so do you think you can drag yourself out of bed to be there at noon?”

Rob pulled a face of mock horror. “What do you take me for woman? A lazy sod?”

“So tell me;” Rob said looking at Emerson sitting across from him, her face visible in the glow of the candle on the table. “What brings you out here? I mean to California? You must miss Boston.”

Emerson toyed with Rob’s lighter, which she had used to light the citronella candle. “Well you know that Janey’s from California, she met Mike in college back East.”

Rob nodded. He really did like listening to Emerson talk. The Boston lilt in her voice got to him.

“Well, her father got sick a few years ago. They came here with Lauren to help take care of him, but you must know all that from Mike.” She felt like she was blathering on.

“I do remember him telling me that when his father in law passed, he and Janey inherited some money and he had the chance to go into business with Janey’s brother and they opened the marina.” Rob tried to remember.

Emerson nodded. “At the time I was finishing grad school and stayed back in Boston. And I was involved with someone. He didn’t want me to leave.”

“Did you want to leave?” Rob hoped that the person was no longer in the picture. She hadn’t mentioned any guy in her life.

“I wanted to, but he … well…” Emerson was looking for the right word. “Oh fuck it.” She surprised Rob with the curse. “He forbade me to leave.”

“He forbade you! What did he do, knock you over the head like a caveman and drag you back to the cave.” Rob was incensed.

‘If you only knew.’ Emerson thought to herself. “Obviously things didn’t work out between us. So as soon as I finished school, I drove across country to come out here. And here I’ve been for the past few months.”

Rob sensed that there was more to the story than that but chose to not push it. Just as she finished her sentence, Pompey, Jon and Nikki came back from the movies and joined them on the patio.

“Wot you talking about?” Jon looked from Rob to Emerson.

“Rob was asking me about Boston.” Emerson told Jon. “About school and what not.”

“Did you go to school to be a librarian?” Nikki asked.

“No, I went for web design and technology. I have a masters degree in design.” She explained.

“And this led to working at a branch of the public library?” Pompey asked.

“Weird leap huh?” Emerson laughed. “But that was me trying to not let Mike and Janey pay my way and give me some independence. I work for Mike too; I do the web design for the marina. Keep things all in the family and all that.”

“Okay, I’ve been dying to know.” Jonny leaned forward on the table. “How’d you score the Aerosmith tickets?”

Rob loved Jonny, and Nikki and Pompey, but right now he wished they’d get up and go to bed.

“That?” Emerson waived her hand. “That’s simple, I used to work for Steven Tyler.”

“What?” Rob, Jonny and Nikki said at the same time. Pompey was too busy lighting up a cigarette.

“In college, I was looking for a summer job. A friend told me of a family looking for a nanny to go do a bit of traveling with them. Turned out to be Steven Tyler. I worked for him while he did some dates in the states and then stayed on when the fall semester started and worked afternoons taking care of his younger children. When I left Boston, I was still in touch with him and his wife. I ran into him a few weeks back and he told me about the gig. Offered me as many tickets as I wanted. That’s all.”

Rob couldn’t speak. Fate had tossed this woman in his path. She was smart, beautiful and had some taste of life on the road. He was afraid that there would be another shoe to drop and ruin it all.

**
“So tomorrow, noon?” Rob said as he walked Emerson to her car.

“Tomorrow, noon.” Emerson stood next to the driver’s side door. “I lost a bet, I’ll pay up fair and square.”

Rob leaned down and gave Emerson a kiss on the cheek as he gathered him to her to give her a hug. Emerson’s arms slipped around his waist. She could smell the cigarettes he’d been smoking and even the Altoid mints he’d been popping from time to time. Under that she could smell the soap that he must use. His hands gently moved up and down her back. She mimicked what he was doing as she felt his breath on her neck.

Rob closed his eyes and buried his nose at the side of her head. He swore he could smell blueberries and thought it must be the shampoo she used. Just like he thought the first night he’d met her, she barely made it up to his shoulder when she didn’t have heels on. She felt so good in his arms that he didn’t want to let go. No, he wanted to do more than just stand there holding her body close to his, feeling her breasts crushed up to his chest, her breath at the crook of his neck. But it was too soon, way too soon.

He stepped back and let Emerson get into her car and watched her as she drove away.

“That was the longest hug I’ve ever seen.” Jonny said coming out of the front door, obviously having watched from darkness of the foyer. “You fancy her don’t you.”

“Yeah I do. Question is, does she fancy me?” Rob bit at his thumbnail and followed Jonny back inside

Sushi and Story time

Rob sat at the outdoor table waiting for Emerson to arrive. Pompey had driven him to the restaurant but was going to make himself scarce when Emerson arrived.

“Bloody hell;” Pompey laughed when he saw Emerson walking around the corner from the parking lot.

“What?” Rob sat up.

“She really does dress like a librarian.” Pompey stood up as Emerson spotted them. She was dressed in a pair of plain GAP © khaki pants, an oxford shirt rolled up at the sleeves, her hair pulled up and wooden pins holding it in place, and the final item, she had her glasses on.

“I thought you’d like it.” She winked at Pompey.

“Well I like it.” Rob gave her a quick kiss on the cheek when she sat down, making her blush. “ You look lovely.”

Pompey cleared his throat and announced that he’d be back in a bit; he was off to do errands.

“So what do you want to order?” Emerson looked down at the menu. “I’ve never had sushi before.”

“You haven’t? Why didn’t you say so? We could have met somewhere else?” Rob told her.

“No, this is perfect. I’ve been wanting to try it, now I have somewhat who can tell me what is good and not. So you order for me. But go easy on me, I’m a beginner.”

Rob felt all of the blood in his body rush about six inches below his belly button at the smile she gave him.

“You okay Rob?” Emerson saw the look on his face and became worried.

Rob gave a slow smile. “I’m perfect.” He looked down at the order and explained the different items to her. They settled on a few different things to try and placed the order with the waitress.

“Hi Miss Emmy.”

Rob and Emerson looked at the little boy with hair redder than Emerson’s who had come to the table with his mother. At first Rob thought they were looking for an autograph from him; but was pleasantly surprised when the little boy spoke to Emerson.

“Hey Joshua.” Emerson smiled at the little boy. “Are you coming to story time today?”

The boy nodded his head vigorously. “Are we going to finish the bug story today?”

“You bet we are.” She ruffled the boy’s hair.

“He made me go out and buy it after you started it last week.” Joshua’s mother laughed.

“I even brought my pet bug.” Joshua revealed proudly.

Rob waited for the boy to bring out an ant farm, and smiled with Emerson when he brought out a stuffed animal from the Disney © movie Bugs Life.

“Come on Joshua, let Miss Emmy eat, we’ll see her at story time.” Joshua’s mother led him from the table.

“Bye Miss Emmy.”

“Bye Joshua. I’ll see you in a bit.”

Rob was smiling broadly when Emerson turned back to face him. “What?” she had to smile.

“It’s nice to be the unnoticed one at the table.” Rob answered as the food was brought to the table. “I think he has a crush on you.”

“Pfft. He’s one of the children who come to story time. I read to a group of kids every Wednesday. He’s never missed one story time.” Emerson picked up a sushi roll. Rob told her how to pick it up with the chopsticks and watched as she popped it in her mouth.

“There you go. He’s got a crush.” He nodded his head. “How is it?”

“It’s really quite good.” Emerson covered her mouth while she chewed. “And besides, as soon as story time ends, he’ll forget all about me.

‘Who could forget about you?’ Rob wondered as he picked up a piece of sashimi.

“Do you have to work on Friday?” Rob asked.

Emerson rolled her eyes. “I have to pull a 9-9 tomorrow and then a 9-5 on Friday.”

“Why? Cruella being a *****?” Rob asked.

Emerson smiled at the use of her bosses nickname. “Well I’m covering for Sarah in the morning, she has a doctors appointment and it’s Cruella’s day off. So I’ll do the 12-hour shift and she wouldn’t let me have Friday off. So Sarah and I will do 9-5. You’ll get to meet Sarah, she’s coming Friday too.”

Rob wished that he was going with Emerson alone, but this wasn’t a date/date type of outing. It was a group outing. He couldn’t complain. “Nah, that’s sounds good, fancy meeting someone else who can give me some dish on you.” He winked at her.

**

“So who wants to hear the end of ‘Billy Bugg’s Big Day Out’?” Emerson asked the group of 15 children on the floor in front of her.

Rob had decided that he wanted to go hear story time. He wanted to see Emerson at work. Pompey drifted off to the newspaper section, hoping to find some newspapers back home. Emerson was surprised when she saw Rob come into the children’s section. He winked at her and took a seat in the back of the group on the floor next to the little boy Joshua he had met earlier. The other children looked at Rob, more specifically, the tattoos on his arms that were visible. Emerson cleared her throat drawing the children’s attention back to her as she began to read the story.

As Emerson began to read, Rob felt a tug on his sleeve. He looked over to his right and at Joshua’s face.

“Are you Miss Emmy’s boyfriend?” Joshua whispered.

“I’d like to be.” Rob whispered back. “Do you think she’d let me?”

Joshua looked up at Emerson and then back at Rob. He shrugged his little shoulders. “I’m too young to be her boyfriend. So you can be. Just be good to her. She likes white chocolate.”

Rob smiled down at Joshua. “Does she now?”

“Yeah, so you should get her some.”

**

Emerson was oblivious to the conversation between Joshua and Rob. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched as her boss, Cruella had wandered over to the children’s section. She had a phony smile pasted on her face as she looked over the group of children listening to the story. When her eyes fell on Rob sitting in the back of the group, the look on her face went from fake smile to sucking lemons. She stood, staring at Rob until Emerson was done reading the story. Joshua stood up and went to join his mother who was standing next to Cruella. When he saw the look on Cruella’s face he tugged on her sweater.

“It’s okay, he’s not a stranger. That’s Miss Emmy’s boyfriend.”

Rob started to walk over to Emerson to tell her how much he enjoyed the story, but was cut off by her boss.

“Emerson, story time is for the children only…not for you to bring …”she looked Rob up and down with a measure of disgust… “Your friends to visit. Please remember that in the future.”

Rob stood with his mouth hanging open. Pompey had returned to hear the end of the conversation.

“Hell, she’s one frigid bird.”

Emerson and Rob burst out laughing causing Cruella to turn around and glare at them.

Reality Sinks In….

“So you really think its just friends?”

“Yeah Sara I do. He’s a nice guy; but we’re just friends.” Emerson explained to Sara as they sorted out books from the book return.

Sara laughed at Emerson’s blindness. “Gee, just a friend. I wish my friends were more like him. Rob called you two times from New York after just meeting you.”

“Yeah so?” Emerson cut in.

“Don’t interrupt, I’m on a roll here shorty.” Sara was 5’10” to Emerson’s 5’4”.

Emerson put her hands up in deference and Sara continued. “You told me about the hug after the pool rematch – that didn’t sound like a friend to friend type of hug. You go out to lunch the next day and then he comes here to watch you read at story time; and honey I do mean watch…..I watched him watching you.”

Emerson could feel the blush creeping up her neck as Sara continued.

“Then yesterday; when you did a twelve hour shift; he sent you lunch and dinner…”

“You got dinner too.” Emerson interjected; but Sara just waved her off.

“But I didn’t get a not that said ‘Call me when you get home.’ Did I?”

“No.” Emerson sighed and answered.

“Did you call him?” Sara pushed the cart over to the children’s section.

Emerson nodded her head. “I got his voice mail. .”

Sara cocked an eyebrow. “And?”

“And I haven’t heard from him okay? He was probably out with one of those long legged blondies he’s always seen with.” Emerson’s voice was slightly irritated.

“Well we’ll see what happens tonight.” Sara said putting the last of the books away. “Do you have your outfit ready?”

“I think so.”

“Well make sure so.” Sara turned off the main light switch. “I’ll see you at the club at 9.”


When Emerson got the tickets she had arranged for seating in a VIP area – one of the pluses of knowing the lead singer in the band.

“Your boyfriend here yet?” Emerson heard Sara say as she sat down on the banquette next to her.

“He’s not my boyfriend and for all I know he’ll use that extra ticket to bring some blonde model.” Emerson twirled the straw in her diet Coke.

Sara have Emerson a playful dope slap on the back of the head. “Okay Ms. I’m Blind. Think whatever you want but come tomorrow morning, I’ll be doing the Snoopy dance.”

Rob climbed out of his car that his friend Max was driving. He stood next to the car, his hands shoved deep into his pockets so he wouldn’t chew on his nails while he waited for Jonny and Nikki to get out of the back seat. He hadn’t called Emerson back the night before and felt like a giant arse. Max had shown up unexpectedly and they had gotten caught up in watching football on the televisi0n. By the time he went to his bedroom and saw the message on his cell phone saying he had missed a call it was too late to call her back. Most of today he had spent at the studio and wanted to have a clear schedule for the weekend hoping he’d have the chance to spend more time with Emerson. He hoped like hell that he hadn’t blown his chances.

“Come on Rob.” Nikki hooked her arm through his and pulled him out of his nervous thoughts. “You cleaned up nice.” Nikki smiled at her husband’s best friend. “You must be wanting to make a really good impression.”

Rob smiled at Nikki, he was beginning to read him as well as Jonny could. “Wot this old shirt?” Rob tugged at the color of the new white collared shirt he asked Josie to pick up for him just to wear tonight. He had seen it a few days before at Kitson and thought it would be perfect for tonight. The material was so soft he couldn’t help but run his fingers on it when he put it on. He hoped Emerson would think the same.

“Well no matter what, you look handsome. So come on let’s go make a good impression.” Nikki squeezed his arm as they walked into the club.

**
Emerson looked up at the entrance just as Rob and Nikki walked in. Her heart stopped. At first she didn’t recognize Nikki because she wasn’t with Jonny and thought Rob had brought a date. But as soon as Nikki turned her way and waved, Emerson’s heart not only started beating again, but it was racing as well. Her eyes were only on Rob as he made his way to the VIP area. From the snug jeans to the white shirt that he wore tucked in, to the belt with silver studs on it, she couldn’t stop staring at him.

“You’re going to be drooling if you don’t cut it out.” Sara elbowed Emerson into reality.

Rob stopped in front of Emerson and gave her a hug and kiss on the cheek, the same as he does to Janey and to Sara. Emerson’s felt a frown tug at her mouth thinking that he was treating her as one of the gang, but the truth was Rob was nervous, especially with Mike around. He wasn’t sure how Mike would react to him putting moves on Emerson.

After a round of introductions, drinks were ordered – on the house courtesy of Steven Tyler- everyone settled into the chairs or on the long l-shaped banquette. Emerson had hoped to be close to Rob, but Max sat on one side of her and Jonny on the other. Rob fumed silently at his mates. Especially Jonny. He knew that Rob had wanted to use tonight to get closer to Emerson. And Max….hell, Rob thought, Max didn’t even know how Rob felt and he would probably try hitting on her.

**
When Aerosmith took the stage, everyone abandoned their seats and stood at the railing to watch the show. Emerson put behind her disappointment of Rob not sitting next to her and danced along with the music. She was moving to the beat and singing the words to every song.

“You are really a fan aren’t you?”

Emerson turned her head slightly to the right. Rob was standing behind her, his hands had appeared on either side of her and rested on the railing. He was so close that she could smell the Altoid mints he’d been popping all night.

“Honey, you are handed an Aerosmith cd when you’re a teenager in Boston. It’s a right of passage to us.”

Rob started to say something but was interrupted by Steven Tyler drawing attention to the VIP section. Rob started to step back but Emerson put her hand on his. “Don’t worry, he’s going to pick on Mike.” Rob stepped forward again, this time just a little closer to Emerson’s back. He could smell the perfume she had on, a mix of spice and the outdoors.

“I’d like you all to join me in singing Happy Birthday to a good friend of mine.” Steven Tyler addressed the crowd. “One of the good ole boys from Boston. And let me tell you they don’t make them any better than Mikey Doyle!” Steven did one of his signature screams into the mic and then led the crowd into a verse of Happy Birthday. Mike raised his arms in triumph making Emerson laugh so hard she backed into Rob whose arm automatically wrapped around her waist. She felt him bury his face in her neck as he laughed at Mike too. Everyone in the VIP area raised their glasses and toasted Mike. Emerson waited for Rob to move his arm away as the band started to play again, but he didn’t.

“Do you mind?” She heard Rob’s voice in her ear.
“Mind what?” she turned her head slightly in his direction. Rob answered by squeezing her slightly with his arm.

“Me doing this.”

Emerson smiled. “Not at all.”

Rob gave her another squeeze as she turned back to the watch the band. She shifted her feet a bit so that she could lean her body into Rob a bit more. Her hand rested on his arm and her fingers began to stroke the soft cotton of his shirt. Rob was smiling to himself while Mike looked over to see Emerson ensconced firmly in Rob’s embrace. Janey caught the look on his face, it was one of confusion.

“Honey, let it go. He’s a good guy and you know that.” Janey rubbed her husband’s arm and he looked back at the stage.

“What’s that smile for?” Max asked Sara who was now grinning from ear to ear. Since they had been introduced, Sara and Max had been talking non stop. For the first time she had looked over at Rob and Emerson.

“So much for just friends.” Sara nodded in their direction.

**
“So where to now?” Max asked as the group made their way to the parking lot.

“Had enough of crowds.” Rob replied. “Anyone for takeaway at my place?”

Janey and Mike begged off. They had the house to themselves since Lauren and Danny were at her parents. They left in their car to some very lewd suggestions. Jonny quickly corralled Sara, Max and Nikki into Rob’s car and announced that they would get the take away.

“So that leaves me with you.” Rob shoved his hands in his pockets again. He had been holding Emerson’s hand until they got to the door and he saw Mike glance in his direction.

“I hope that’s a good thing.” Emerson unlocked the Jeep so they could get in.

Indian Take Away and Max's bad timing

“So that leaves me with you.” Rob shoved his hands in his pockets again. He had been holding Emerson’s hand until they got to the door and he saw Mike glance in his direction.

“I hope that’s a good thing.” Emerson unlocked the Jeep so they could get in.

“Guess that’s in how you look at it.” Rob smiled and winked at her. Without asking, Rob pulled out a cigarette and lit up. He’d been good all night and not snuck out for one preferring to stay near Emerson. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Emerson looking at him while she put the car in drive. “Is it okay?”

“Just roll the window down.” Emerson told him as she pulled out onto the street and started for Rob’s house. They started talking about the show and what they liked and didn’t like. “So how come you don’t do shows in the States?” Emerson asked.

“Ah the dreaded American factor.” Rob chuckled. “It’s not for total lack of trying, it’s just because I can go out like I did tonight with out the paps looking for me or having some tabloid comment on everything I say and do. Here I can walk the dogs, go for coffee or have a pretty girl drive me home.”

Emerson shook her head and smiled. “Do you make it a habit of having pretty girls drive you home?” As the words left her mouth she realized it sounded not how she meant it. Rob was chuckling at her trying to gain back her words. “What I meant is can you drive? The few times I’ve seen you in a car someone else is driving.”

“I can drive. I just don’t have a license. Never put much thought into the driving test. Don’t like people judging me like that.” Rob blew the smoke from his cigarette out the window. “I can drive around where I live here because it’s private land. And sometimes I’ll take my motorcycle out to the desert or to a track and drive.”

“I see.” Emerson answered.

“Do you need a license to drive a boat?” Rob turned his body slightly in the passenger seat and studied her reflection. He noticed that she had a perfect nose, one that most women would pay a surgeon big money for. With her hair down she had a habit of tucking it behind her ear, almost like a nervous tic.

“I’m really not sure.” Emerson’s brow furrowed in concentration trying to remember. “I’ve been driving them since I was 10. But never alone until I was 15, so maybe, I’m not sure.”

Rob’s cell phone chirped in his jacket and he pulled it out to answer. Jonny, Nikki, Sara and Max were at an Indian take out and weren’t sure what Emerson liked.

“Any favorites Em?” Rob asked.

“Nope, I’ll try anything once.”

Rob broke into a face splitting grin at her answer. “Did you hear her youth? She said she’d try anything once. You’re my witness.”

Emerson shook her head and stopped at the guard booth to the community Rob lived in. Rob told the guard that the others would be along soon and Emerson drove up to Rob’s house.

Rob let them into his house and hung his jacket on the back of the dining room chair before offering to take Emerson’s. When his fingers met the skin exposed on her shoulders she felt an electric jolt course through her body. Rob stood behind her for a minute just feeling the heat between them rise before he turned and put her jacket on top of his on the chair. Slowly Emerson turned to face Rob, her arms wrapped around her.

“Cold?” Rob asked.

“No, just goose bumps.” She showed her arm to him.

Rob ran his fingers over the bumps on her arm. “Strange things to call them don’t you think? Someone saw their arms do that and they thought of a plucked goose.” Rob started to babble. Emerson could only nod. They were now standing toe to toe in his dining room with a print of the Beatles watching them from the side. Rob continued to run his fingers lightly over her arm making the goose bumps even worse. “Did you ever notice that when you want to kiss someone for the first time, you revert to a 7 year old? You don’t know what to say or how to approach the girl? What if she doesn’t want you to kiss her?”

Emerson swallowed the orange sized lump in her throat and answered Rob. “What if she does want you to kiss her, but doesn’t want to make the first move?”

“How would a bloke know?” Rob’s hand moved from her forearm up to her shoulder and he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Is there some kind of sign he should look for?”

Emerson never imagined Rob to have to look for a sign, but she was willing to go along with this train of conversation, especially now that they were standing close enough for their legs to touch. “Well if she doesn’t mind the guy getting this close she’d let him know by putting her hands here maybe.”

She rested her hands on his chest and she could feel his heart pounding beneath the soft cotton shirt.

“And then maybe he’d do this.” Rob laced his fingers through her hair on the side of her head and let his thumb slide over her cheek bone.

“And then she’d tip her head up and look at him.”

They mouths were a whisper away from each other. Rob dipped his head down and brushed his mouth across hers and was about to deepen the kiss when the front door opened and Max and Sara came in.

“Honey we’re home…oops.” Max saw Rob and Emerson standing in the dining room.

Truth or Dare

Rob rested his forehead on Emerson’s and let out a sigh. “I need to take the keys to the front door from him.”

“Or find a private place for a snog.” Jonny laughed as he came in with Nikki. “Foods gonna get cold.” He said as he kept laughing on his way to the kitchen.

Nikki shoved her husband forward. “Take your time, we’ll get things ready.”

Emerson moved her hands up from where they were wrapped around Rob’s waist up and put them around his neck.

“Well I guess we’ll have to fall to the second kiss technique.” Emerson ran her fingers in the soft hair on the nape of his neck.

“And what would that be?” Rob grinned as he moved back to lean against the edge of the coffee table bringing him eye to eye with Emerson who he had pulled between his legs.

“This.” Emerson kissed his top lip and then the bottom running her tongue along his lower lip. Rob moaned when he let his tongue slide out to meet hers. When Emerson broke the kiss they were both breathing heavy. Rob pulled her close into his body and hugged her. He rested his head on her shoulder and said a silent thanks to fate and destiny. Emerson closed her eyes and ran her hands along his broad shoulders and hoped that she could put the past behind her and let Rob in……in all ways she wanted him to be.

“Come on you two.” Sara’s voice reached them from the kitchen.

Rob let Emerson step back and felt his testosterone rise at the sight of her slightly swollen lips. “Is she this bossy at work?” He asked taking her hand and lead her through the game room to the kitchen.

“Flipping New Yorker. What can I say?” Emerson laughed and squeezed Rob’s hand.

“Picking on me again Red Sox fan?” Sara pointed a fork in Emerson’s direction.

“Yankee fan.” Emerson teased back trying to not blush at the how high Sara’s eyebrow had risen into her hair line and the told you so look on her face.

“So what’d we get?” Rob let go of Emerson’s hand and looked at the food on the kitchen island.


**

“Come on Emerson, you know you know them.” Sara teased as the group sat at the table and ate their meal.

“It’s not that she knows them, but knows them all.” Max teased Emerson.

“I just want to know how and why you’d want to know them all?” Nikki wondered.

“It’s not that hard. I had a lot of time on my hands and it was a long drive.” Emerson said as she dipped some flat bread into mango chutney on her plate. “And once the song got into my head, I couldn’t let it go.”

“But REM’s End of the World?” Rob pulled a face at Emerson. “Couldn’t you have picked a picked an easier song? Or a happier one?”

Emerson shrugged her shoulders. “Dunno. It just got into my head and I couldn’t get it out.”

“You drove from Boston to Los Angeles alone?” Jonny asked. “Wasn’t that hard?”

Emerson had been asked that question before and had a standard answer to it. One that wouldn’t have her explaining the real reason, one that skirted the truth.

“I loved my car, Mike bought it for me and since I had no ties in Boston anymore, I just drove to my family.”

“Why didn’t you come out here with them when they moved?” Max asked.

“Wot’s this grill Emerson night?” Rob got a bit defensive for her.

“It’s okay Rob, I get asked this all the time.” Emerson gently nudged him. That was the truth. Most of the people she met through Mike and Janey eventually asked. “Janey is from California, her whole family is here. She and Mike lived out in Boston until Janey’s dad got sick. They came back here to help take care of him and help her Mom out. When Jake died, her dad, she wanted to stay to be near her mom. Her brother offered to go into business with Mike and open the marina. I came out for the funeral, but I was still in college and the person I was with at the time…well let’s just say that situation didn’t work out and when the relationship ended, I came here.”

Rob wiped his mouth with a napkin and lifted his glass of water. “A toast.” Everyone lifted their glasses. “To Emerson’s coming to California and the car that brought her here.”

Every one clinked glasses.

“What happened to that car?” Max asked.

Emerson looked down at her plate and hid her smile. “Died in the driveway as soon as I made it to Mike’s house.”

Sara was quick with a napkin and a pat on the back when Max started choking on his drink.

**

After they finished eating, Max drove Sara home; Jonny and Nikki went up to bed; while Rob put the dishes in the dishwasher with Emerson. Well Rob handed them to Emerson who rinsed them and then put them in the dishwasher.

“Guess we have to call it a night.” Rob frowned.

“It’s after 2 and I have to be in the marina tomorrow.” Emerson dried off her hands after putting the last dish in.

“Oh.” Rob reached out and took her hand.

“Oh?” Emerson repeated. “That didn’t sound like a happy ‘Oh’”.

“I was hoping to spend more time with you. But you have to work.”

Emerson stepped in front of Rob who let go of her hand and put his hand on her waist. “I’m not working working. I spend a few hours each weekend working on the sailboat. Why don’t you come by in the afternoon and see it.”

“The sail boat? I’d love to.” Rob kissed the tip of her nose. “Then we can go out to get something to eat.”

“Or I could cook for you.”

“You can cook?” Rob looked up at the ceiling. “Thank you God. She’s beautiful, smart and can cook.”

Emerson playfully pinched his side. “Yes I can cook. I’ll even let you come to my place..unless you’d rather ..”

Rob stopped her with a kiss. “I’d love to see where you live and let you cook for me.” He pulled her closer. “So that would be our first real date then huh?”

Emerson smiled thoughtfully. “Is that what you want?”

“I want.” Rob answered. “And you?”

Emerson looked at the button on Rob’s shirt right in front of her. “Up until earlier tonight in your dining room, I wanted, but I didn’t think you did.” She told him as she twisted the button between her fingers.

Rob lifted her chin with his finger so she’d look at him. “From the moment I saw you at my door I wanted to do that. But you’re my friend’s cousin and I know how protective Mikey is of you. I wanted to make sure he wouldn’t be upset.”

“Rob, I told you that Mike doesn’t make those decisions, I do.”

“I know that.” Rob cut off any more talk with a kiss that ended twenty minutes later with her straddling Rob’s lap in a kitchen chair trying their damndest to stop before things went too far too soon.
_________________

Emerson showed Rob around the marina and the work that she had been doing with Mike to bring their dream boat back to life. After she finished cleaning up, the went to a farmers market to get things for dinner. Rob was trying to get in shape for his tour, so he was picky about what he ate. Emerson convinced him he could handle cooking a steak on the grill while she took a quick shower. Lucky for Emerson, she liked her steak well done...very well done.

"I told you I couldn't cook." Rob said as he brushed some of the burnt embers from his cut.

"It's not that bad. And I really do like my steak...extra crispy." she smiled at him.

Emerson felt the tension between them that lingered from the kiss they shared at his house. She had a stone cold rule about sleeping with someone on the first date....you don't. Problem was, she couldn't stop fantasizing about Rob and what he would be like.

After dinner they settled in on her couch to watch Star Wars III. Rob was as big a fan as she was and he couldn't believe she hadn't seen it yet.

"I didn't want to go alone. I knew I'd catch it on dvd when it came out." Emerson told him as she snuggled against him and dug into the big bowl of popcorn he had on his lap.

No matter how hard he tried to concentrate on the movie, it didn't last long. His attention dropped to the woman sitting next to him. How well she fit in his embrace. How at ease he felt with her alone. How much he wanted to take her to bed.....but he didn't want to rush it.

Emerson tried to pay attention to the movie but she kept closing her eyes and inhaling deep. Rob's cologne, the shampoo, the man scent. It wasn't working. By the time Amidala told Anikan she was pregant, Rob and Emerson were in her bedroom, a path of clothes in their wake.

Emerson woke up the next morning…alone. She pounded the pillow under her head and fought the urge to cry. How could she have been so wrong? She thought Rob had been different. But no, as soon as she could he had snuck out of the house. He got what he had wanted and was gone.

**

“You WHAT?” Jon sat across from Rob at the kitchen table.

Rob only shrugged his shoulders. “I know, I’m a daft ******* and a coward at that.”

“I thought you liked Emerson? You’ve been walking around grinning like a fool since you met her. And now that you’ve slept with her, you go and just leave in the middle of the night?” Jon’s tone of voice let Rob know he was less than pleased with him.

“I got scared. I was lying there watching her sleep feeling like I had the world at my feet. She’s everything I could want and more and then it got a hold of me.”

“What?” Jon wanted to know.

“I shouldn’t have moved this fast. When I really like a girl, I don’t hop into bed with her. That’s the one nighters. The one’s who come to pants down palace looking for just that. One night with me.” Rob toyed with his lighter spinning it on the table.

“And now she’s waking up … alone… thinking you just wanted that.” Jon laughed bitterly. “Youth you have one hell of a big hole to dig out of now.”

“Don’t I know it.”

"What are you so crabby about?" Mike asked as he watched Emerson hack a head of lettuce with in an inch of it's life.

Emerson only grunted in response and moved on to the next vegetable for the salad. Since coming to California, Emerson had spent every Sunday with Mike and Janey. It was family time. The only time she'd not been there is when she had the occassional Sunday date. She had thought to be missing today....but Rob's sudden departure from her room had changed all that.

Janey told Mike to go clean up for dinner. She knew that Emerson had been on a date with Rob the night before and judging from the reaction it hadn't gone well.

"Wanna talk?" Janey ventured forth.

"Not really." Emerson said curtly.

"You've been crying." Janey leaned to see Emerson's face. "You could never hide that."

"Still don't wanna talk."

"Okay, but if you want...." Janey was cut off by Emerson.

"Sonofa*****leftmeafterweslepttogether." Emerson said as one long word..as if it wouldn't hurt as much."

"He what?" Janey was surprised. "She didn't think he'd have treated her like that."

Mike came back to the kitchen entrance and observed the two women inside. Emerson was still attacking food. Now she'd moved on to grating fresh parmasean cheese with a vengance while Janey cut the freshly baked lasagna with a spatula. Mike hoped that the lasagna survived the slice and dice. Whatever was bothering Emerson, he was glad she had confided in Janey, but he felt sorry for the poor ******* that they were cutting apart.

He cleared his throat to get his attention. "Everyone's at the table." He picked up the salad and left the room. Janey and Emerson followed him to the patio. They had just sat down to eat when the doorbell rang.

"Aw for the love of...." Mike pushed his chair back. "If this is one of those bible beaters...."

"Better you than me sweetie." Janey replied to his back.

"Auntie are you okay?" Lauren asked. But before Emerson could answer Mike was back.

"Hey look who finally took us up on our standing Sunday dinner offer."

Emerson didn't have to turn around. She knew before she heard his voice.

"Hi Rob." Lauren said cheerfully. "Come sit next to me."

Rob stood at the doorway, hands shoved into his pockets, waiting...hoping that Emerson would look up.

"Rob brought dessert. Emerson's favorite too....carrot cake." Mike smiled broadly.

Emerson could have stared holes through the plate infront of her. Suddenly Janey's world famous lasagna was making her sick.

Rob sat down in the seat that Janey had vacated....next to Emerson..."Rob you sit here. Lauren don't whine. Rob doesn't need the baby tossing food at him."

Rob sat down in the chair, bumping his arm against Emersons process.

"Hi Em." Rob said.

All the emotions from earlier came flooding back. Emerson pushed her chair back and left the table. Rob felt as if he'd been punched in the gut.

"What's her problem?" Mike started to get up from the table.

"Sit Mike..." Janey was staring at Rob. "I think this is something Rob has to take care of."

Mike stared at Rob who only nodded and got up to follow Emerson into the house.

Emerson wasn’t aware of Rob behind her as she stomped down the hallway to Mike’s office. When she went to slam the door behind her she almost hit him in the face with the door.

Rob blocked the door with his hand and followed her inside closing the door behind him.

“Emerson…” he began.

Emerson spun around and pointed her finger at him. “Don’t Rob. Don’t say anything to make me feel stupider than I do right now.”

Rob’s throat tightened when he saw the tears brimming in her eyes.

“But…” he tried to explain.

“But what?” Emerson cut him off again. “You don’t need to tell me how stupid I am. I’ve been doing that since I woke up this morning alone. I thought we had something going on between us. But no, once again my judgment was off. You wanted one thing and hey you got it. Silly me. Did you come here to ease your conscience? Or did you decide that maybe I was easy enough to fall into bed on the first date that I’d do it again?”

Rob gritted his teeth and took deep breaths. This wasn’t going to be easy. Not that he expected it would be.

Emerson tried to move around Rob but he blocked the door and didn’t move.

“I need you to listen Emerson. Give me five minutes and if you want me to leave when I’m done I will.”

Emerson looked at Rob straight in the eyes. He didn’t look cocky or smug…he actually looked sad, if she could let herself believe that.

“You weren’t wrong.” He began but quickly realized that he had started wrong when he saw the look on her face. “No..no…I mean you weren’t wrong about there being something between us. There was….there still is I hope.” Rob looked around the office and spied the chair and went to stand beside it hoping Emerson wouldn’t take the chance to run out.

“Please, sit down.” Rob offered her his hand. Emerson didn’t take his hand and sat down in the chair. Rob crouched down in front of the chair and continued. “You aren’t a one night stand. I never saw you that way at all. What I did, leaving you with out anything, a phone call, a note, or even waking you up to tell you I is unforgivable. But I got scared.”

“Scared of what? Waking up and realizing what a mistake you made.” Emerson snorted. “I realize I may not be the best in that situation, but you seemed to be enjoying yourself.”

Rob couldn’t believe the words coming out of her mouth. “Baby no, it’s not like that. Please let me try to explain. I’m more than just attracted to you. I’m more than crazy about you.” Rob took her hands in his and just held them. “From the moment I met you I haven’t been able to get you out of my mind. You’re the first thing I think of when I get up and I fall asleep thinking about you.”

Emerson felt her resolve melting away as the tears began to slide down her face. Rob let go of one of her hands and gently brushed the tears away with his thumbs.

“You have no idea how many songs…poems….I’ve been writing about with you in mind.” Rob smiled. “I won’t even go into the things that I’ve been thinking about when I fall asleep about you.”

Emerson sniffed, trying to hold back the tears. “Then what happened this morning Rob? I need to know.”

“After you fell asleep, I lay there watching you. I couldn’t believe what a lucky ******* I was. I thought about how you made me feel and everything about you. And then the fear monster woke up.”

“I don’t understand Rob.”

“I’ve been in relationships in the past that I’ve managed to screw up royally. I don’t lead the normal 9-5 life and I’m not always the most pleasant bloke to be around. Ask Josie. She has to put up with me, I pay her.”

“Rob, what do past relationships have to do with why you left? Are you still in love with someone from your past?” Emerson asked, her heart pounding afraid at what the answer would be.

“No, I’m falling in love with you and I’m afraid of screwing things up. That’s why I left. I got scared. I acted without thinking. So that’s why I’m here now. I’m literally on my knees asking for another chance.”
_________________

Mike didn’t bother knocking on the door. It was his house, his office, why should he.

“What….” Mike started to say when he walked in to see Rob kneeling in front of Emerson who was sitting on the chair, kissing.

The two of them quickly stopped and Rob stood up. Mike noticed that Rob was holding on the Emerson’s hand as she stood up too.

“I take it there is something I should know about.” Mike looked from Rob back to Emerson.

“Mike, I’m a big girl. I don’t need permission from you about who I can or can’t date.” She said stepping forward to stand in front of her cousin.

Mike nodded and looked at Rob. “Fine, but I’d like a few words with Rob.”

Emerson started to object, but Rob squeezed her hand.

“Go out with Janey. I agree with Mike. We have a few things to discuss.”

Rob kissed Emerson on the forehead and guided her out the door.

Emerson was going to barge back in but stopped when she heard the door being locked. Turning on her heals, she stomped back outside.

“I’m guessing Mike knows about you and Rob now.” Janey asked as she gave the baby some of the meatballs.

“You and Rob?” Lauren’s repeated, her eyes growing wide. “Is Rob your boyfriend?”

Emerson sat down wearily and rubbed her temples. She came here in a lousy mood. Rob shows up and her mood goes from worse to perfect with his admission and now he was locked in a room with Mike and listening to God knows what. With her luck, Rob would run out of the house now and never look back.

“I hope I am.”

Emerson jumped out of the chair at the sound of Rob’s voice. She checked his face for bruises or any sign of bullying.

“Hell Em, I only did the big brother thing. Did you think I’d hurt him?” Mike sat back down at his chair.

Rob held the chair back for Emerson and sat down next to her. “Everything is fine Em, I promise.”

“Yes you would.” Emerson said as Rob took a plate of salad and lasagna from Janey.

“I would what?” Rob thought she was talking to him.

“Not you, Mike. You would hit him. You’ve threatened other guys I’ve dated.”

Mike waved his hand. “Those guys were apes. Total losers. Rob’s different.”

“Sweetie you need to eat.” Janey told Emerson. “Store up your energy and all.”

Rob coughed and Emerson blushed. “I hope you know what you’re getting yourself into with me. They don’t pull any punches.” Emerson told Rob.
**

Emerson was quiet as she drove through the streets of LA. Rob was next to her in the passenger seat occasionally fiddling with the radio dial until he found a song he liked and then he'd tap his hands along and sing while he listened.

He was in one fine mood she reckoned. After eating Sunday dinner Rob and Mike had gone in to watch a soccer game on spanish speaking TV. It didn't matter that neither one of them understood the announcer, all they needed were their eyes to follow the action. Which they did so loudly at one point they woke the baby up from his nap and Janey threatened to neuter both of them. (naturally they both quieted down from that point on.)

After a few more hours, a couple of sandwiches and Emerson's helping Lauren finish her science project, Emerson and Rob left. During that time they hadn't had one minute alone to talk about anything that had happened during the day.

Rob told her that he was falling in love with her. She had said nothing. She didn't have the chance. Mike came in and then.....well this was the first time they were alone and it didn't seem like the right time to discuss the four letter word while driving.

Emerson had only told one other person that she'd loved him and what happened with him had scared her or rather scarred her for life.

"Em? We're here....."

Emerson snapped out of her silence and realized that she had driven on autopilot to his house.

"You okay baby?" Rob reached out and toyed with a strand of her hair.

Emerson looked at his face and saw the tenderness that was there. She was in love with him, but the thought of vocalizing those words scared the crap out of her.

"It's been a bit of a rollercoaster for my head today." she said leaning her face into his hand.

Rob smiled and pulled her as close as he could get in the front seat of the jeep and brushed his lips across hers. "I'd say." he kissed her gently. "Want to come in and talk about it?"

He was afraid that she was going to run now that he'd told her how he felt. She hadn't said a single word about it and now that they were alone.

"Sure." Emerson turned off the ignition and got out of the jeep. Rob waited for her and took her hand as he pulled his house keys out of his pocket and opened the door.

"Drink?"Rob asked as they walked into the kitchen.

"God as long as it's water or diet." Emerson put her hand on her stomach. "I love Janey's cooking but I always over do it when I eat there."

Rob lifted up his shirt and patted his belly. "If I keep eating there on Sunday's the fat man inside will be coming out."

Emerson gave him a pinch on his waist. "Rob you don't have even an inch to pinch." she teased him as he said ouch.

"Neither do you." Rob pulled her into his arm and pinched her butt.

"That's not my waist." she scolded him and pushed him away walking out onto the patio.

She still hadn't gotten used to the weather difference in LA. She was used to the long Boston winters, short springs, hotter summers and then fall. Okay, she missed the actual change of seasons. Thinking about winters and the last one she was in Boston made her shiver. Would she ever be able to think about winter and not associate it with......

"Cold? I can make you some tea." Rob offered as he came up behind her and set their drinks on the table.

"Nah, I'm fine."

A sudden silence hung between them. Neither one of them knew how to start. Emerson nibbled on her lower lip and took the plunge.

"Rob."
"Em"

They both said at the same time and laughed.

"Ladie's first."

Emerson took Rob's hand and led him to one of the chaises next to the pool. She held his hand in hers and started again.

"Earlier you told me that you were falling in love with me."

Rob nodded. "I am in love with you." he told her hoping that she wasn't going to say anything other than that.

"Rob, " she began.

Here we go he thought.

"I have those same feelings for you......" she said as she rubbed her thumbs across the backs of his hands. "I just.......I mean....."

"Just tell me Em. Please...." Rob took his hands from hers and cradled her face.

"The words scare me. To say them out loud. It's just."

"They're just words baby. Rob brushed the tear that slid down her cheek with his thumb. "Do you feel the same way? Do you love me?"

Emerson nodded. "I do."

Rob kissed her quickly. "Then when you can, you'll say the words. As long as we feel the same way....nothing will come between us."

******

"Are you sure it's her? You've sent me on a wild goose chase before."

"I'm positive. I'll e-mail the picture to you now. I took it this afternoon when she was leaving her cousins house."

The man on the other end of the phone waited until the image on his screen completed loading. When the pixels cleared he saw the image. It was Emerson. She looked the same as she did 6 months ago when he last saw her.

"Who's the fucker with her?" he growled into the phone.

"I don't know. I have people on it now."

"You have 24 hours."

"Shall I call you?"

"No, I'll call you. I'll be in LA by then." he barked and slammed down the phone.

Staring at the picture of Emerson on the computer he let his fingers trace the contours of her face. Her hair was down and blowing in the wind as she walked around her car. He had hated her hair long and made her cut it in a more respectable fashion.

Obviously she had forgotten his rules. She'd have to be punished....again.
_________________

Emerson tugged at the hem of her shirt … again and made a face in the mirror.

Rob let out a giggle. “Baby you look fine.” He said coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her and nuzzling the spot just below her left ear that he knew was a weak spot…one of many he thought to himself. Since the Sunday at Mike and Janey’s when he’d told her that he was in love with her and she admitted the same feelings (but not actually said the words yet – which Rob wished she would) he’d been walking around with the biggest grin on his face. His friends teased him that the goofy smile was from getting unlimited sex. If they knew the truth, their jaws would drop.

While he and Emerson continued their relationship, Emerson had asked that they slow down. Get to know each other better. Rob agreed, reluctantly, but had to admit that he enjoyed the lead up to falling back in bed with her. So he had to take cold showers. S’okay he thought. So he felt like he did when there was a no sex ban on the boys in Take That. That sucked, but Emerson’s slowing things down made him appreciate time just spent together. And it helped that each time they were alone together they’d made it further around the bases. He was pleasantly surprised at some of the things that Emerson could do with her hands….she was aces at massage and he didn’t think he’d ever be able to have one again and not think of some of the things she’d done to him.

“We’ll be late.” Rob nipped at her earlobe and stepped back. “Show starts in 20 minutes and I don’t want to be that late.”

“Are you sure Rob? I mean this is the first time we’ve gone out in public…as a couple…” Emerson nervously tugged at a strand of hair.

Rob took the strand of hair from her fingers and tucked it back behind her ear. “It’s time that the world saw my girlfriend.” He gave her a quick kiss and led her out the door of her place. “And believe me, it’s easier here than it will be in London.”

**

Emerson wondered how much worse London could be after tonight? The flashes had blinded her from the cameras and it was a good ten minutes before the little dots faded from her eyes.

The concert was for a friend of his who was up and coming and wanted to break the States. Emerson liked his music, but thought it was a bit sad. Haunting was the word she’d used to describe one particular song to Rob and Josie who had joined them at the venue.

After the show, Rob, Emerson and Josie slipped back stage to congratulate his friend who was going to join the group for dinner.

“You okay Em?” Josie asked seeing the look on Emerson’s face.

“Um yeah. Jose, do you recognize that guy over there?” Emerson pointed out a man who was on the fringe of bar goers at the restaurant.

“The one with the leather jacket?”

“Yeah that one.”

“No…wait…maybe…I think I’ve seen him around the studio.”

“Maybe that’s it.” Emerson bit her lower lip. “But I swear I’ve seen him somewhere else.”

Emerson chastised herself as she drove through LA en route to Rob’s. She’d forgotten to put sun block on her shoulders and now, driving with the top off the Jeep she could feel the sun beating down hard.

Cruella had been grumpier than usual at work, complaining that someone had been calling the library and hanging up all day. Of course that had to be someone calling for either Sarah or Emerson. Emerson knew it wasn’t Rob, he was in the studio at home working most of the day while Max was off in England for a few days.

But Emerson had to admit, it was odd. She’d gotten a few hang up calls at home too and she couldn’t *69 them back. Oh well she thought as she pulled the jeep into Rob’s driveway. What she needed now was a cool swim.

**

“And we’re done.” Rob announced thanking everyone for his or her hard work. He had two months before the album was due and he wanted to get it done early and spend some time alone with Emerson before he had to begin the rounds of promotions for it.

“What time is dinner?” Jonny asked “I thought I’d take Nikki out shopping for a bit.”

“Reservations are for 7:30. Meet you there?” Rob answered as he changed into his swimming trunks. He’d heard Emerson out at the pool playing with the dogs and was eager to join them.

**
“That’s cheating. You have four legs.” Emerson teased Ruddy as she tossed the deflated soccer ball back past the trampoline. Since she had walked out into the yard Ruddy and Duke had been clamoring for her attention while she tried to put more sun block on her shoulders.

“Need some help?” Rob asked as he came up from behind her. “Shit, you’re starting to burn already.” He took the bottle from her. “Ah, I see you’ve found sun block strength 200.”

Emerson pinched him on the waist. “Not all of us can tan you know.” She stood on her tip toes and kissed him. “Besides, when you’re old and look like wrinkled leather, I’ll still have nice smooth skin.”

Rob rubbed the lotion onto her shoulders. “From the lack of material on your bathing suit, I think I’d better do an all over job.”

“I’ve already done the rest of me.” Emerson took the bottle from him and turned to dive into the pool. When she surfaced on the other side she turned to find Rob, but he was already in the water and coming up right in front of her pinning her to the side of the pool.
“Besides, if I let you do all of me, we’ll embarrass ourselves in front of all your company.”

“Oh will we now?” Rob bent his head and started to give her a love bite on her neck. Emerson wanted to protest, but it felt too good.

“Yeah, I’m tired of battery operated items.”

Rob lifted his head back and looked at her shocked. “Scuse me?”

“Well I’m human you know.” She started to get embarrassed.

“Battery operated?” he cocked an eyebrow.

“I can only handle so much tension.” She wrapped her arms up around his neck and looked him straight in the eye. “Aren’t you getting tired of the tension?”

Rob’s mouth went dry. He had intended to see how far he could get tonight, but here she was, telling him that she was ready.

“Who says we have to wait until tonight?” Rob asked as their mouths met.

“For the love of….will you two get a room for fuck’s sake.”

Emerson started laughing while they were still kissing. “They do.”

Rob leaned his forehead on hers. “Remind me to take everyone’s keys away.”

“They don’t need keys baby, they are your parents.” Emerson pushed Rob away and swam over to the side and chatted with Rob’s Dad who had come out to the patio.

Rob shook his head and submerged under the water to think of everything from road kill to Sister Mary Margaret; one of his old teachers to calm his body back down.
_________________

Dinner at Noi was a good time, but Rob wanted out of the restaurant. While everyone was getting dressed for dinner, Rob had told Emerson that they should go back to her place after if they wanted any kind of privacy.

“And what do you need to be alone for?” Jonny teased them as the separated in the parking lot to their cars.

“To have some peace and quiet. I don’t know how Nikki puts up with you.” Rob made a face at his friend.

“I put up with him fine thank you.” Nikki wrapped her arms around her husband. “How Emerson deals with a diva like you is beyond me.”

Rob stopped and pulled a face. “I’m not a diva.” He put his hands on his hips. “Is it my fault if the cook didn’t make the fish right?”

Emerson handed the keys to her jeep to Rob, the newly minted licensed driver. “Hon, you did send the fish back three times. One more time and the waiter was going to make you go back to the chef yourself.”

Rob unlocked the jeep and opened the door and held it for her to get in. “Would you rather me be in the loo all night sick because of bad fish or in bed with you?”

Emerson didn’t have to think twice. “Bye you two, we’ll see you tomorrow. Come on Rob, let’s get going.”

**
He had sat in his rented non descript car watching the front of Emerson’s home for hours.

“Hmph.” He snorted. “You could fit that shack in my living room.” He commented.

He’d followed her all day long, waiting for the chance. Didn’t happen at work, she parked in front of the building on the street and there would be too many witnesses. Then she drove into a gated community. No chance of him getting inside. When she came out later that night, some jerk was at the wheel of the car. Giving up on anything happening then, he drove back to her house and broke in through the garden doors. He waited in the shadows until she got home.

His patience was rewarded when he heard the car pull up and the two of them laughing and then pauses where he knew what was going on. They were groping each other. Disgust rose in him as he felt the cool steel of the knife’s blade in his hand.

**

“Keys baby.” Rob fumbled with them as he held Emerson close with one hand and continued the assault on her mouth and used his free hand to find the lock.

They almost fell into the house and onto the floor. They disengaged long enough for Rob to kick the door shut and whip his tee shirt over his head before their mouths found each other again.

“I love you Rob.” Emerson said, her voice raw with emotion.

Rob pulled back and cradled her face in his hands. “Say it again baby. Say it again.”

Emerson said it over and over as she rained kisses on his face.

“God I love you too.” Rob answered.

**

He could take no more. Moving from the shadows he clutched the knife in his hand and finally spoke.

“How nice. The little whore found someone to love her.”

“Wot the fuck?” Rob yelled.

“Oh my God. No. Please God no.” Emerson gripped at Rob’s hand. “It can’t be.”

He smiled icily. “Oh yes it is. Did you think you’d gotten rid of me by sneaking out of the hospital in the middle of the night?”

“Emerson?” Rob didn’t take his eyes off of the man.

“Aren’t you going to introduce us?” the man said as Rob caught a glimpse of the knife just before the man got behind him and put the knife to his neck. “Before I kill him. Shouldn’t he know who I am? Did she tell you about me?” The man grabbed Rob’s hair and pulled it hard. Rob gritted his teeth and tried to break the man’s hold. “I was her fiancé. Did you know that? No you probably didn’t. She wasn’t good enough for me even if she claims I got her pregnant. Now she’s landed you. Is she any better in bed than she was with me? Probably not. She’s a cold fish that one is.”

Rob struggled with the man holding him. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Emerson visibly shaking.

“Nothing to say sweet Emerson? Maybe I need to check and see if you can scream. You can still do that can’t you? The last time we were together I heard you scream as you went down the stairs. Do you remember that night?”

“Don’t….you…touch ….her…..” Rob said through gritted teeth. “I’ll…give … you… whatever…you … want.”

The man only laughed. “I know you have money rich boy. Mr. Big Pop Star. But money isn’t what I want. I’m going to finish what I started.”

Rob heard Emerson scream then felt something hard hit him on the back of the head before everything went blank. The next thing he knew Emerson’s land lady was shaking him trying to wake him up.

“Please you have to wake up. The police are on the way. They’ll need our help.”

“Em….” Rob tried to lift his head but the pain intensified. “Oh God, he took Em.” Rob started to cry.

Emerson tried to open her eyes, but they wouldn't. She tried to move her hands to touch her closed eyes, but her hands were bound behind her back.
The reality of what had happened at her apartment came flooding back.
"Oh God...Rob..."
A foot connected with her stomach as she said his name.
"That's for saying his name." the voice from her past yelled. "Say it again and the result will be worse."
Emerson felt the tears run down her face as she held her sobs back praying Rob was okay.

**

"Is there anything else you can tell us?" The police officer asked Rob as he finished up his interview.
After the police were called; Rob called his house and told the story to Jonny who went to pick up Mike and Janey. When Mike walked into the bungalow, Rob braced himself expecting Mike to blame him for it all. Instead Mike pulled Rob into a bear hug and told him they'd get Emerson back safe and sound.
"No...please....stop asking questions and find her....." Rob begged the police officer.
"We don't have much to go on. The land lady didn't get much of a discription....."
"But I can tell you who he is." Janey said quietly from Emerson's desk where she held a picture of Emerson and Danny.
"What" Rob and Mike said in unison.
"What the fuck do you know about all this." Mike stood up, clearly angry.
When the police officer stood to block Mike from Janey, she spoke up for her husband.
"It's okay officer." Janey sat down on the couch beside Rob. Mike sat on her other side.
Janey took a deep breath and hugged the picture she had been holding.
"The man who took her is her ex-fiance...James Kingston."
"I thought she'd dumped that fucker a long time ago." Mike spat out."
"She did Mike, now be quiet and let me explain it all." Janey turned to the officer. "James Kingston was her ex fiance and he almost killed her 7 months ago."
Rob's eyes grew wide. Mike was at a loss for words.
"How so ma'am."
"He beat her so badly that she lost the baby she was carrying and was hospitalized for a month."
Rob had no idea and aparently neither did Mike.
"That's when you went back home...you said you were spending a weekend of girly stuff with Em."
"Emerson didn't want you to know." Janey took her husband's hand. "She promised me that some day she'd tell you what happened." Janey took Rob's and looked at him. " I know she would have told you to Rob."
He could only nod. "What happened?"
Janey shook her head."I went out to Boston when her friend Lisa called. She only told me that it was bad and I had to come on the first flight. When I got to the hospital.....hell I almost didn't recognize her. Both eyes were swollen shut. Her head was bandaged where it had been cut from falling down the stairs. And then the doctor told me that she'd lost the baby....." Janey started to cry. "More than anything EMerson wants to be a mother....and the *******......."
Janey tried to compose herself. The men in the room gave her a moment.
"When Emerson woke up she told me that she'd come home early and found James in bed with two hookers. When he looked up from the bed he didn't act guilty, just mad. He yelled at her for wasting his money and time. Instead of trying to cover his wrong, he proceeded to beat up Emerson. When she tried to make him stop, he only hit harder. She said he got off on her pleas. And when she tried to get him to stop by telling him she was pregnant, she said he lost it completely. He started kicking her in the stomach and yelling that he wouldn't have some ***** who had a crazy mother carry his child."
Rob got up from the couch and paced to the window. He rubbed his hands over his face.
"Was a complaint ever filed?" the officer asked.
"Yes and the two women who were.....well the hookers, they backed it all up. ONe of them called the cops while the other grabbed James' wallet and ran."
"Why didn't he end up in jail?" Jonny asked as he put a hand on Rob's shoulder.
"Daddy got him out saying that it was all her fault."
"Her fault!" Mike yelled. "How the hell was it her fault?"
"Mike, please, this won't help."
The officer nodded and took all the information. "We'll contact you as soon as we have anything...in the mean time...."
"If we hear anything.....we'll call."
When the only people left in Emerson's bungalow were Jonny, Rob, Mike and Janey...Rob finally turned around to face them. His eyes were red from crying. Janey gathered him into her arms and pulled him to the couch.
"We'll get her back."

Emerson’s mouth tasted like copper. She knew that her lip had been cut when James hit her. Gingerly she touched her tongue to her teeth making sure they were all still in place. Her head felt like it was splitting in two, just like her heart. How could Rob want anything to do with her after this. She imagined he left her apartment and wrote her off. Why shouldn’t he? If she was lucky to walk away from this with her life she knew she’d never see Rob again.

“Wake up.” James spat at her. “You’re not fooling me.”

Emerson was able to open her eyes more than she had before, just barely. She also realized that her hands were no longer bound behind her back. Slowly she moved them around to help her sit up on the bed she was on. Other than hitting her around; James hadn’t touched her; which was something she had feared.

“I need the bathroom.”

James gestured to the door to the bathroom. “Leave it open.”

Emerson slipped slowly off the bed and felt the room tip on it’s axis. She took deep breaths until the spinning stopped and shuffled to the bathroom. She started to shut the door.

“I said leave it open.” James kicked the door open and grabbed Emerson roughly by the arms. She winced at the pain his fingers pressing into her upper arms caused.

“I…I just was shutting it a little….for privacy.”

James snorted. “Privacy? The way you were all over that jerk I’d say privacy is the last thing you need.”

He pushed her away and went back to the table by the window. She watched as he took a swig of tequila from the bottle. He’d always been an asshole, but something had changed. It was worse now. Before she feared he’d hurt her, now she knew he’d kill her.

Emerson made quick use of the bathroom lingering only a minute to check her reflection. It was worse than she had imagined. Both of her eyes were swollen and purple. Her lip was cut in the middle and she had one hell of a bruise growing on her cheek. She felt the back of her head and found a large bump and when she moved her fingers away she felt the dried blood in her hair. Lifting her shirt she saw more purplish blue bruises on her ribs and hips. There were more bruises on her legs and some scratches.

She slowly made her way out of the bathroom, keeping her back right up against the wall as far away from James as she could. She swallowed the fear in her mouth and spoke.

“What do you want from me?”

James eyes were glazed over from the drink. It took him a moment to focus on her. “What do I want?” he snorted, a very unattractive habit he had. “I want everything that you took away from me.”

“What did I take away from you?” Emerson noticed the door wasn’t chained and she inched closer to it hoping that his reflexes would be slowed down due to the drink.

“You took it all away from me when you called the cops. I lost my job. My father cut me off.” James took another swig of the amber liquid. “All because of you.”

Emerson moved closer to the door while James wasn’t looking; her fingers were only inches away from the doorknob. She looked down to judge the distance and in a flash James was in her face. His fists slammed into the walls on either side of her head leaving wholes in the walls. He grabbed her by the shoulders and threw her across the room. Head over feet she couldn’t stop herself as she slammed into the small table James had been sitting at. Glass crushed underneath her body as she landed on the floor. Tequila now soaked into her shirt.

“Get up you stupid *****. Get up.” James roared over her.

**

“Mr. Williams we have a lead.” The police officer told Rob over the phone.
_________________

Emerson felt James’ foot connect with her stomach. A hand grabbed the back of her head and a fist full of hair. She screamed and begged him to stop.

“There’s not enough begging you can do…” James threw her against the wall. She heard a resounding thud as her head connected with the wall. Slowly her body began to slide down to the floor as consciousness began to seep away. Emerson imagined the sound of police sirens in the distance, but thought it was just wishful thinking as she passed out.

**

“She’s got two broken ribs, some internal bleeding which we took care of in surgery, and besides the bruising on her face, she’s still unconscious and for now we’ll have to wait and see.” The doctor told the solemn faced group gathered in the waiting room.

“Wait to see what?” Janey wanted to know.

“We’ve done a cat scan to see if there were any injuries to her head. She’s got several bumps and cuts on her head. We need to make sure that she will wake up.”

Rob felt the bile rise up from his stomach. “Can I see her.”

“I’m sorry but it’s immediate family only.”

Rob started to object but Mike put his hand on Rob’s shoulder. “Rob is her fiancé. That’s immediate enough.”

The doctor looked from Mike to Rob and back again before nodding. No one mentioned the white lie that Mike just told. Rob gave Mike a quick hug before following the doctor to the room Emerson was being settled in to.

**
Emerson thought her mouth was full of cotton and that someone was sitting on her chest. She wished that Rob would tell whoever it was to get off her, she was trying to sleep.

“Rr……”

Rob looked up at Emerson. He heard her try to say what he thought was her name.

“I’m right here baby.” He brought her free hand he was holding to his mouth and kissed her knuckles. For the past 24 hours Rob, Mike, Janey and even his mother had taken turns sitting with Emerson. Most of the time Rob refused to leave her side, even when the need for a cigarette was overwhelming, he stayed with her.

He’d asked his mother to get the book he’d been attempting to read for the past 6 months to the hospital. He’d managed to read the first half of it to Emerson already.

“I’m not going to stop until you wake up. And if I loose my voice and can’t sing again, I’ll never let you forget it.” He had tried to tease her into waking up.

Mike had sat and told her stories from their summers growing up. He avoided the topic of James altogether. Janey was the only one who talked about him.

“They found a paper trail that he left at the car rental agency. From there they managed to find the hotel you were at. The police have him in custody. He’s not going to hurt you again Emme, I promise.” Janey told Emerson’s sleeping form.

**
On the third day the doctors began to worry. There was no permanent damage done to her brain, she just didn’t seem to want to wake up.

“It could be from the trauma, she’s receding to someplace safe.” The league of doctors had told them.

“But she has to wake up…she needs to know that she is safe.” Janey protested.

“All we can do is wait.”

Rob went back inside and relieved his mother from bedside duty.

“I’ve read her all the latest gossip.” Jan told her son. “She’s all the talk. Your new girl.”

“Mum why’d you read her that rubbish.” Rob sat down on the other chair.

“Because she needs to know what she’s got lying ahead for her when you two get married.”

“Cart before the horse there Mum.” Rob picked up Emerson’s left hand and absently began to rub her ring finger.

“Is it?” Jan kissed her son on the head and left the room.

Rob watched as Emerson slept…at least that’s what he hoped she was doing. Her chest rose and fell steadily. She looked like a child in the bed, her face so pale that you could see the tiny veins under her eyes where the bruising was just starting to turn yellow. He almost jumped off the chair when he saw that she took a deep breath.

“Emerson? Wake up baby….can you hear me?”

Emerson heard the voice, she thought she was still dreaming.

“Em, please open your eyes for me.”

Emerson turned her head towards the voice. She opened her eyes and tried to speak. Her mouth and throat were dry.

“Rhhobbb.”

“I’m right here.” Rob said not caring that he was crying. He was so happy Emerson was awake.

“Yyooo…” she cleared her throat and let Rob give her a sip of water. “You need to go. He’ll kill us both.”

Confusion seems to be the strongest emotion amoung the group sitting in the waiting room. Emerson became so hysterical when Rob, Mike and Janey came into the room that Emerson had to be sedated. She kept telling them over and over to leave that James would kill them. No amount of reassurance from anyone could calm her down.

"Until the psych counsel happens, we won't know exactly what happened to her." The doctor told them.

"But you said that there was no evidence of sexual contact." Janey reitterated. Just the words sexual contact made bile rise up Rob's throat.

"None what so ever, but psychologically we don't know what happened. There is a history there that we need to work with. Go home, get some rest, you've all been here for three days. You need your sleep and she won't wake up tonight."

**

"You're keeping the dogs awake."

Rob looked over to where his mother stood near the patio table. He knew that the dogs were with him, he could hear their claws on the concrete that surrounded the pool. He didnt' know how long he'd been pacing.

"And I can't sleep if I know you're out here worrying."

Rob walked over to his mother and let her gather him into a hug. It didn't matter how old he got, nothing felt as comforting as his mother's hugs.

"I can't sleep to begin with Mum, you know that."

"You could take an Ambien."

Rob shook his head. He had held the pill in his hand and then put it back into the bottle. He'd made up his mind and he needed a clear head about him.

"I'm going to the police station in the morning."

Jan shook her head. "Are you sure about that?"

"I'm sure. I want to look that fucker in the eyes and see what's there. He took part of Emerson away from me and from her and I want it back. If not for me....for her." Rob started to cry. At first it was just a tear or two....when he couldn't keep them in control, the flood gates opened.

Rob sat on the other side of the plexi glass window dividing him from James. He had no idea what James actually looked like. In his overactive imagination he pictured James to have horns, more tattoos than he himself did, piercings on his face and a scar running down the side of his face from some bar fight in his youth.

James Kingston didn’t look anything like that at all. He didn’t look to be any taller or heavier than Rob; if anything Rob thought James looked like a runner, long and lean. His blonde hair was cut businessman style. The more Rob thought about it the more he thought James looked like a Wall Street businessman.

“What the fuck do you want.” James barked breaking Rob out of his thoughts.

“I want to see what evil looks like.” Rob bit out.

James made a rude sound. “So I’m evil? Have you looked at that little whore? The one you’re fucking? She’s evil my friend.”

“I’m not your friend.” Rob said evenly trying to control his temper. “And Emerson isn’t evil?”

Laughing, James tipped his head back. “Taking everything that I’ve worked hard for away and then not paying for it….that’s evil.”

“How is Emerson responsible for that? YOU were cheating on her. YOU knocked her about and made her loose YOUR baby…”

“You’re assuming it was mine. Why would I want to settle myself down with a cow like that? She was a stepping stone to the top and she made me fall.”

“YOU made yourself fall … Emerson was just a victim of your cruelty… YOU have no one to blame but yourself. And I hope they give you everything you deserve.”

Rob stood up abruptly and left the room. He was silent the entire ride from the jail to the hospital. Pompey tried to get him to talk in the elevator, but Rob kept to himself.

“Excuse me Mr. Williams…” the nurse called out to Rob as he walked by.

“Mmm.” Rob stopped.

The nurse looked nervous and fiddled with the clipboard in her hands. “I don’t know how to say this…”

“Just say it.” Rob’s patience was shot and he wanted to get in to see Emerson.

“Emerson doesn’t want to see any visitors.”

“I’m not a visitor.” Rob said starting to get angry.

“I’m sorry sir but…”

“Sorry my ass…” Rob shoved by her and stormed down to Emerson’s room.
_________________

Emerson shrank down in the bed when Rob burst in. He saw the look on her eyes and realized that he had scared her.

“Baby.” He softened his voice and moved slowly to the bedside.

“Rob, please, go…he’ll kill you if he finds out you are here.” Emerson’s voice was so small she sounded like a child.

“Emerson, I just came from the jail. He’s behind bars and won’t be getting out any time soon to hurt you. I promise.”

“You saw him? Rob, why? Did he hurt you?” Emerson shot up and reached out to pull at Rob’s arms checking for bruises and cuts.

Rob wanted to cry. As hurt as she was all she could think about was him. “Baby, he was behind a window and there were guards everywhere. He never laid a hand on me.”

He let Emerson pull him down onto the bed next to her and waited until she had satisfied herself that he hadn’t hurt him. They sat quietly next to each other for a few minutes. Rob waited for Emerson to relax against him before he took her hands in his. Her hands were still bruised and cut..there was some swelling, but nothing had been broken.

“Did the doctor’s say when you could come home?”

Emerson nodded her head.

“When baby?” Rob encouraged her to go on.

“Tomorrow.” She said quietly. “But I’m afraid.”

“He can’t hurt you Emerson, he’ll never get near you again, I promise.”

“But I don’t want to go back there.”

“I didn’t think you would. Come live with me.”

“I don’t know. I just feel like running away and getting lost.”

Rob remembered the psychiatrist saying that she may feel the urge to run and get lost again. He had made plans for that too. He had found his “one” and wouldn’t loose her.


“I don’t know about this Rob.”

“It’s just a plane..well not a plane.” Rob pulled a face. “ It’s a private jet…one of my perks.”
Emerson gave him a slug on the arm; a gesture that made Rob jump for joy inside, one of the signs that she was starting to come back to her old self.

“I’ve been on planes before.” She stared up the stairs to the plane. “The trip …”

“You’ve always wanted to go there; Nikki and Jonny are flying down with us, see here they come.”

Emerson turned to see the black SVU pull onto the tarmac.

“Hello Emerson.” Jonny greeted her as he climbed out of the SVU. “Ready to relax?”

“I hope I can Jonny.” She said as she stood on her tip toes to hug him.


Emerson and Nikki were sitting at the front of the plane looking at magazines and making some comments about this and that. Rob looked up from where he and Jonny were reading the sports papers. Emerson’s bruises had faded on her face. She was still thinner than he’d liked her and hoped her appetite would come back.

She’d gotten out of the hospital two days before and they’d gone straight to his house. While they’d shared a bed all he’d done was hold her close and console her when she woke up from the nightmares.

“She’ll be fine youth.”

Rob knew Jonny was right and nodded his response. “Did you take care of the package I asked you to pick up.”

Jonny smiled. “It’s safe and sound.”

Emerson stood at the railing and looked out over the water as the sun began to set. She had seen images of these bungalows on the internet thousands of times. She and Rob had even talked about this place during a marathon phone comversation. He'd wanted to know where her dream vacation would be.

And here she was. In Tahiti. In a seven gazillion star resort where the bungalows were over the water and you had 24 hour room/maid service if you wanted it. Jonny and Nikki were in the bungalow across from them, connected by a walkway over the water.

The rooms needed no airconditioning, though it was there if you wanted it. The king sized bed had romantic netting over it and there were dozens of candles everywhere. Emerson felt as if her deepest secretest fantasies had been found and laid out here .... in Tahiti... with Rob.

She heard the sound of a camera clicking and turned to see Rob taking her picture.

"You look amazing." Rob told her. The sun was setting behind her and making her look etheral.

"Well you're not too bad yourself." she smiled back. Rob had on a linen, left open save for the last two buttons and a pair of tan shorts. God yes, someone had been delving in her personal fantasy file.

"We're having dinner in the main dining room...unless you'd rather not." Rob laced his fingers in hers.

"I'm fine, let's go."

“It couldn’t get any better than this.” Nikki said from her deck chair.

“Ditto to that.” Emerson said from her chair next to Nikki. “Reminds me of summers when I was little.”

“You had views like this?” Jonny asked returning to the deck between the bungalows with Rob. They had made a run to the main hotel for some snacks.

“Okay, well it wasn’t quite this.” Emerson fanned her hands out at the turquoise blue waters in front of them. “But the way I feel.”

“And how is that baby?” Rob handed her a banana and winked. This was their first full day at the resort and last night he and Emerson had fallen asleep just holding each other. Emerson knew the meaning of the banana and winked back. Tonight if her plans worked out….

“Content.” Emerson after searching for the right word. “I mean I felt like nothing in the world could get to me. You know like everything was good, nothing bad…I’m rambling.” Emerson peeled the banana and fought the blush creeping up her neck.

“No, I get it.” Nikki told her. “Tell me about the lake..what was it called? Janey mentioned it but I can’t remember it…it was kind of hard.”

“Lake Monkatoua. And I was 10 before I could even say it right.” Emerson laughed.

“Your family still there?” Jonny asked.

“Mike’s parents are there still, they converted their house to a year round after Uncle Jimmy retired.”

“Didn’t your parents have a house there too?”

“My dad did. It was left to me when he died.”

“And your mum?” Jonny asked. “What did I say?” he added when he saw the look on Rob’s face.

Emerson rested her hand on Rob’s arm. “It’s okay honey.” Emerson looked at Jonny. “My mother hasn’t been part of my life since I was 8 weeks old.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t know she passed away.” Jonny’s eyes were wide.

“She didn’t pass away…she just left.”

“Left? As in divorce?” Nikki asked.

“No.. went as in one night, after she put me to bed and my father was asleep, she packed up a bag, left a letter and off into the night she went.”

Rob knew the story and no mater how many times he heard it he couldn’t believe a woman would do that. Just up and leave an eight week old baby and never look back.

“Don’t feel bad.” Emerson saw the look on Jon and Nikki’s faces. “My father was an amazing parent. THE best. He raised me by himself and I didn’t turn out half bad.”

“Not at all.” Rob wrapped his arms around her and hugged her close.

“Can I ask…Did they ever divorce?” Nikki questioned.

“A few years after she left, my dad told me, that he got papers in the mail from Argentina asking for a divorce. Other than that he never heard from her again.”

“He never remarried?”

“No. I mean I know he dated but it wasn’t until maybe 5 years before he died that he met someone. When I moved out to college I convinced him to have Angie, that’s her name, in with him so he wouldn’t be alone. Even though he gave her a diamond, they never got married. He was afraid I think.”

“Are you close to Angie?”

“After my Aunt Ellen, Angie was the closest thing to a mom that I’ve had.”

“So do you still have the house there?”

“Subtle Youth.” Rob laughed. “If you want to visit, just ask.”

“Well?” Emerson laughed. “Are you angling for a visit?”

“Fuck yes.”

After an afternoon of jetski’s and lounging about, an early dinner was decided upon. Jonny and Rob thought they had come up with the idea; but Nikki and Emerson had planned it all out earlier.

Emerson needed a bit of ego boosting to pull off what she had planned and Nikki was all for it.

“Are you sure you don’t want to come to the club and dance?” Jonny asked Rob and Emerson as they parted ways after dinner.

For a moment Emerson thought Rob would want to. She ran her hand gently down his back. When her fingers reached his back pockets, she moved them under the hem of his tee shirt and ran them over the tattoo there. Rob jumped slightly but recovered enough to realize that Emerson wanted to spend some alone time and who was he to say no to the woman he loved.

“Bit of a long day.” Rob gave a fake yawn and stretched his arm across Emerson’s shoulder.

Jonny and Nikki laughed. “Okay, we get it. But try to keep the noise down will ya?”

Nikki gave Jonny a swat on the shoulder. “You should talk…”

A hand silenced whatever was about to come out of her mouth over her mouth.

“We’ll see you in the morning.” Jonny turned his wife around and started down the path to the club.

“Not too early.” Emerson called out.

“Well well.” Rob looked down at Emerson. “Why do I feel like I’m being set up here?”

“Who me?” Emerson batted her eyes at him.

They began walking down the main dock that connected all of the bungalow suites to the main hotel. The night was perfect. Stars were in the sky; the breeze kept any of the days remaining heat at bay and in the distance you could hear the music from the club drifting with the breeze.

When the reached the door to their bungalow Emerson stepped in front of Rob, stood on her tip toes and threaded her arms around his neck.

“The last time we were about to do this we were rudely interrupted.” Emerson let her fingers lightly trace the Eye of Horus tattoo on his neck.

“That we were.” Rob put the memories of the nightmares he had of the night out of his mind as quickly as they popped in. “But he’s not here now.” Rob ran his hands down the back of the sundress she was wearing. He’d kept noticing through out dinner how much of her back was exposed in the dress and already figured out that she had no bra on under it. He thanked God for a long table clothe at the table or he’d never been able to get up.

“Well he interrupted us that night and we have some unfinished business.” Emerson closed the distance between her mouths and touched her lips to his. The kiss expressed all the emotion and longing that had been building up since she’d stepped on the plane.

The need for air broke them apart. Rob realized that he’d pressed Emerson in to the door during the kiss.

“We’d better take this inside baby or they’ll toss us out for lude behavior.”

Emerson stepped to the side long enough for Rob to insert the key card. Rob hung the “do not disturb” sign on the door and locked it. When he turned to Emerson and looked at her the need to make love to her; to be inside her and tell her and show her how much he loved her roared to life.

“You know.” Emerson toyed with the strap of her dress. “I’d only do this for the man I love.”

Rob’s brows knitted together in confusion. “Do what?”

Emerson moved her other hand to the other strap on her dress and slid them off her shoulders. In a heart beat the dress was pooled at her feet leaving her dressed in a pair of strappy sandles…and a smile.

“Spend dinner commando.”

Rob closed the distance between them in two strides.
_________________

Emerson lay spooned into Rob. One of his legs draped over hers and his arm around her waist. She smiled realizing he had fallen asleep cupping her breast.

She should sleep. She could sleep. A line came to her from the movie "Steel Magnolias" "We did things that frightened the fishes." Julia Roberts character told the women in the beauty shop. Well if they had managed to turn the lights on in the bungalow, she and Rob would have scared the fishes too.

They hadn't made it to the bed...the first time. Rob was so .... well horny that he didn't slow down long enough to take his shorts off and tripped in them as they tangled at his ankles.

If there hadn't been a plush rug on the floor, Rob would have been in some pain.

"Oh my God Rob....are you okay?" Emerson said seeing Rob shake. When she turned him onto his back, he wasn't crying as she feared but laughing.

"You *******." She socked him in the shoulder.

"Hey wounded here." Rob pulled a face.

Emerson looked down at the wounded appendage in question and cocked an eyebrow.

"Wounded huh?" she reached down and gently ran her fingertips from top to bottom of the said appendage. "Do you need me to kiss it?"

Rob's only response had been a sharp intake of breath as she changed the position of her body and then a string of gibberish as she tended to his......wounds.

When they finally made it up to the bed, every scratch, boo boo and stubbed toe either of them had at any time during their lives had been kissed and tended too.

The first time they made love was fast and hard. The passion that had been building up in them for so long couldn't be held back any longer. The second time they made love was slow and erotic. Passion building and being brought to the edge over and over for both of them until it was released in the only thing Emerson could think of .... fireworks. Fourth of July and New Years Eve rolled in to one.

The third time had drained them so much that they had fallen asleep still entwined in each other. Emerson felt his even breaths skim along her ear as he slept. For the first time in a long time she felt safe. There were no more fears of being found. The past was gone for now and what she felt through out her entire being was the hope this was her future lying wrapped around her.

***

"You really are a freckley boy aren't you?" Emerson said as she lay ontop of Rob staring intently at his face.

"You should talk." He tapped her nose. "If it wasn't for the sunblock 7 million we had to find."

"I'm sorry, I don't tan. That gene skipped me." she sighed. "Believe me, I am so jealous that Mike and Janey's kids got the tanning gene. My poor children will probably never be able to go out in the sun ever."

"But I tan." Rob's brow furrowed. "Wouldnt they have half my genes."

"I suppose but it's still 50/50." Emerson thought about it. "But are you implying that I'm having your children?" Emerson hoped he couldnt' feel her heart hammering in her chest.

"I wanted to be more romantic about this but ...." Rob wiggled until he could get out of the bed. Emerson was so nervous about what was going on that she didn't perve on his naked backside like she normally would.

Rob came back to the bed and knelt down naked next to it. In his hand was a black velvet box.

"Rob....." Emerson stared at him and then the box.

"I know we haven't talked about the future; but when I look in your eyes I see my future; our children; our lives." Rob opened the box and turned it to face her. "Emerson, will you marry me?"

Emerson looked down at the simple emerald cut diamond with matching emeralds on either side of it. Her mouth went dry. Her heart was in her throat. She thought she would faint. The ring was gorgeous. But who was she kidding, Rob could have given her a ring out of a gumball machine and she'd have said yes.

"Em, please. Say something. Nod, preferably up and down."

"YES" she yelled so loud and tackled Rob to the floor.

**
Next door in Jonny and Nikki's bungalow the loud YES startled them both as they lay in bed.

"Either she said yes to him or she just had the best orgasm of her life." Jonny said sleepily.
_________________

Emerson's first look into life with Rob was several hours after he proposed and they (she, Rob, Nikki and Jonny) were sitting around a table with datebooks open trying to figure out a date for the wedding. Rob didn't want a big affair.

"Why invite people I don't really like just to have to be nice to them?" he'd said.

"I don't want a big wedding either honey, hell I'd be happy with Vegas."

"Oh God..." Nikki's eyes grew wide. "Don't tempt him.... He'll have Elvis marrying you."

"Wot's wrong with that?" Rob asked in all sincerity.

"Yeah, get Elvis off the brain." Emerson rested her head on her hands. "Forget I even mentioned it."

"You could just get married here." Jonny said.

"Here? Like later on?" Emerson asked.

"No, like this week. I found a brochure." Jonny pulled it out from the back of his date book. "They ask for 24 hours to get a license and they are very quiet about it."

"Meaning?" Emerson asked.

"Meaning that there will be no press releases or leaks. A Justice marries you and they sign a guarantee saying they will not make public any records for 30 days."

"And you just happen to know this because?" Nikki questioned her husband.

"Because Rob asked me to."

Rob was busy drawing circles in his date book; not looking at anyone.

"So sure were you huh?" Emerson pinched his side.

"Well, I know that no matter where we do this, paparazzi will be a problem."

"I agree, but Rob, even if we get married here, I don't have a dress...."

"Well they do have a great shop in town...." Nikki chimed in "I saw one that would look amazing on you."

"And the concierge told me that weddings could be on the beach at sunset or in the privacy of your bungalow." Jonny's voice was rimmed with excitement.

"You guys have this all planned out don't you?" Emerson couldn't help catching the enthusiasm.

"All you have to say is okay baby." Rob pulled her onto his lap. "I can wait and we can do it up if you want."

Emerson wrapped her arms around Rob. Her fiance. Her future husband.

"I say ..." She looked at each one of them and then back to Rob. "Let's do it."

Rob hugged her tight and gave her a loud kiss on the mouth. "We can have a big party at home when we get back."

"Okay then, when are we doing this?" Emerson looked at Jonny. "Since you've become our un-official wedding planner."

"If we go do the paper work now; you can get married tomorrow night."

"Well hell." Nikki jumped out of her chair and grabbed Emerson's hand. "Let's get to it; we have a wedding to plan."

**

Rob hugged her tight and gave her a loud kiss on the mouth. "We can have a big party at home when we get back."

"Okay then, when are we doing this?" Emerson looked at Jonny. "Since you've become our un-official wedding planner."

"If we go do the paper work now; you can get married tomorrow night."

"Well hell." Nikki jumped out of her chair and grabbed Emerson's hand. "Let's get to it; we have a wedding to plan."

**
"Flowers"
"check"
"Rings"
"check"
"Cake"
"check"
"Getting married without the tabs finding out?"
"priceless"

Jon and Rob were sitting at a table making sure that they had everything covered.

"Heard from the girls yet?"

Jon shook his head. "I've been told that it's not only bad luck to see the bride but the matron of honor."

Rob pulled a face. "New one on me."

"I think they are just spending the day at the spa to drive us insane."

Rob lit up another cigarette. "It's working."

**
"Are you sure about the color?" Emerson turned and looked at her image in the mirror. She was wearing a two toned pale pink Narciso Rodriguez gown with spaghetti straps.

"I couldn't be more sure." Nikki stood behind her. "With your coloring and hair, Rob's going to be blown away."

**
The sun was setting behind them. The sky was awash with shades of red, orange and purple. Tall tiki torches burned on either side of the justice of the peace. Rob and Jon stood off to the JP's right. Rob had on loose fittng off white linen pants and a white linen shirt. On his neck, as was custom, a string of local flowers had been placed. Jon stood behind his friend, one hand on his shoulder to keep Rob calm.

"Here she comes."

Rob looked up to see Nikki walking down the candle lit path on the beach. He barely noticed Nikki, all he could focus on was Emerson. She looked like an angel walking. Small flowers dotted her hair which had been left long and loose. She wore a similar string of flowers to his and carried a small bouquet of matching flowers. Rob couldn't breathe. His heart hammered and tears formed in his eyes as Emerson came to stop next to him.

"Hey stranger. Come here often?" Emerson teased.

"First time." Rob smiled back. "First and last."

**