month anniversary he wanted to make it extra special. While most men never thought of such things, he knew it would be important to her and he could barely wait to see the big smile that would spread across her lips when she discovered what he had planned.
He sighed, as he made his way back to the house and with great reluctance unlocked the front door and stepped inside. Pausing just inside the door he stood and listened for any indication of where she might be; the house remained silent.
“Emma?” he called out, but silence answered him. Perplexed he performed a thorough search of the bottom floor and came up empty. Glancing up the staircase to the second floor he cringed and began the stairs as if he were a man walking the mile of death row.
Oh fuck me, he groaned inwardly as he walked to his bedroom and noticed the door was closed. He never closed his bedroom door. What in the hell is she doing in there? As he asked himself the question, he suspected he knew.
Opening the door he stepped inside and as feared there she was, stretched out on his bed, a wicked smile on her lips and dressed in a little teddy that barely covered her.
“What are you doing here Emma?” He crossed his arms over his chest and eyed her, waiting for an explanation. “You’re no longer welcome here, I thought we had an understanding on that.”
She cringed, but not one to be deterred she struggled to her knees and made her way to the end of the bed. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and I think the divorce was a mistake.”
Leaning against the door jamb, Graham shook his head. “There wasn’t any mistake, Emma.
We should never have gotten married in the first place – that was the mistake. But now we’re divorced and that’s how it should be.”
“Come on. Think about it. We were good together. I’m saying I’m sorry, you’re the one I should be with.”
Graham laughed as things became clear. “You and the FedEx guy broke up, you went to Dane and he wouldn’t give you the time of day so now you’re back. I see now.”
Her lips turned into a pout and she shook her head. “No. No, it’s not like that.”
“So you and the FedEx guy are still together?”
“No.”
“So if I were to call Dane and ask if you came sniffing around he’d tell me no?”
She lowered her eyes and began twirling a lock of golden hair around her index finger. “Dane and I spoke, yes.”
“And he told you…” A part of him was getting a bit of satisfaction out of this encounter.
She’d never apologized or shown remorse for what she’d done. With Emma everything was everyone else’s fault but her own, and she was so beautiful and was able to charm people so well that people usually bought what she was selling. But not this time. Graham knew her and her games way too well now.
“It’s not important.”
“That’s what I thought.” He sighed, thrusting a hand into his blonde hair. “And why in the hell are you even in my house?”
Her head jerked back up and her eyes narrowed at him. “You were ignoring my calls.”
“That’s the beauty of divorce, once those papers are signed, I’m no longer required to speak to you.”
“Besides, Graham, you leave the key outside for anyone to use, for a cop I’d have thought you wouldn’t do something so foolish.”
“Yes, I should have moved it once your ass was out of here.” He pointed to the hallway.
“Now you have to leave.”
“Why the rush?” A smirk touched her lips and he immediately knew she was up to something, or had done something. Any amount of amusement he was feeling at seeing her squirm was fading fast. He wanted and needed her out, immediately.
“Most importantly, because I don’t want you around anymore. But also, I had a long day and I need some sleep, so you need to leave. NOW!”
“Is it because of that girl you’re seeing?”
Graham fought back the surge of anger that was beginning to simmer within, as his jaw clenched. “What do you know about her?”
Emma shrugged as she slid from the bed and walked toward him, swaying her hips seductively. “She dropped by. I sent her home.”
“Sent her home?”
“She’s not right for you. I can tell.”
“Where did she go?”
“Why should I care?” She reached out to touch him, but he grabbed her wrist.
“Don’t touch me Emma. I’m going to find her and you’re going to get out of my house.”
“This was our house.” She yanked her wrist from his grasp and scowled at him.
“WAS our house, but not anymore. When I get home I want you out, otherwise I’ll have you escorted out and charged. Are we clear?”
Anger flared up in her blue eyes as she glared at him.
“I asked, are we clear?”
“Asshole! Now I remember why I fucked around on you.” She grabbed her handbag and a duffle bag from beside the bed, then stormed past him, nudging him in the stomach with her elbow as she went past. Out in the hallway she spun around and caught his gaze. “And by the way, the FedEx guy wasn’t the only guy I fucked in our bed!”
What in the name of God did I do to deserve this bullshit? Graham groaned inwardly, not bothering to answer back and encourage more of an argument with her.
She waited for his response, and when one didn’t come she huffed and stormed down the staircase. He didn’t follow, but waited until he heard the front door open and close before he released the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.
He looked over to the bed; it beckoned to him, but he had more pressing issues. He didn’t even want to imagine how torn up Genevieve would be feeling right now. He’d worked so hard at making her feel as special as she deserved to be feeling and it would be shot to hell because of his bitch ex-wife.
Not bothering to take the time to change out of his uniform, he waited until he heard Emma’s car start and tear out of the driveway before heading downstairs and grabbing his car keys.
Chapter 16
~ Graham ~
Where is she? After going to her apartment and coming up empty he visited her boutique, curious to see if perhaps she’d gone to work early to clear her head. He found a note on the door apologizing to customers that the boutique was closed for the day.
Almost home, he pulled off to the side of the street, grabbed his mobile phone and rang her number for the fifth time. As per the previous calls, it went straight to voicemail. He wasn’t sure if she had her ringer off or was flat out avoiding his calls.