Damien Wells
“Emily, we’ve got to talk,” Alyssa said in a rush as she swept pass JC at the door.
“Whoa, big sister! Take a breath!” Emily teased. “Whatever it is can wait a few more minutes.”
Alyssa shook her head. “It’s waited long enough.”
JC closed the door and went to sit on the sofa with Emily.
Alyssa eyed the casual arm her sister’s lover draped around her shoulders. The couple looked so happy together, so settled. She hated what she had to do, knowing it would effect their current contentment. “Emily, while you were in Orlando, I had a visitor. I’ve put him off so far…”
“Cut to the chase, Lis.”
“Damien Wells is back in town – he expects to pick up where he left off.”
Emily gasped and paled.
JC remembered hearing that name… “Baby?” He tightened his arm around her. “What’s wrong?”
Emily pulled away. She pulled her chair where she could transfer from the sofa. “I – umm –thanks, Lis. Excuse me.”
JC was confused with Emily’s behavior. “Alyssa?”
Rising, Alyssa shook her head. “She’d better tell you herself. I’m sorry, but I really couldn’t put it off any longer and have him show up…” Breaking off, thinking she had said too much, she walked to the door. “Go to her, Josh. She’s going to need you.”
Emily moved through the kitchen to the deck. She looked over the lovely hills below but saw nothing.
JC followed her. What in the hell was happening?
“Who is Damien Wells?” JC demanded of Emily. He hadn’t missed the pain and dismay in her eyes when her sister said his name.
Emily kept looking blindly over the railing. Damien. She had believed he was out of her life. That’s why she had opened herself to JC. Believing Damien was gone, she had moved on.
“Em? I think deserve to know.”
She nodded. “Yes, you do.” Tears glittered in her eyes when she raised her gaze to his. “Damien Wells was the man I was supposed to marry before my accident.”
“He left you?”
“No. I pushed him away. I didn’t handle the news well – about losing the use of my legs. I saw pity in everyone’s eyes. ‘Poor Emily. Stuck in a wheelchair. She was such a pretty girl.’ I hated all the placation and false hopes. Damien said it didn’t matter – But it did. We had done everything together – cycling, running, skydiving, rock climbing…It was all gone. I couldn’t be the mate he wanted, so I set him free.”
“You still love him,” JC said slowly.
“I don’t know.”
“I love you the way you are now, bright-eyes. I never had any other expectations.”
“I know, Josh.”
“So, what’s gonna happen to us?”
“I’m sorry, Josh. I just don’t know right now. I’m shell-shocked.”
JC turned her chair around. Kneeling before her, he took her hands. “It can’t be over for us, baby, not because some guy from your past is back.”
“It’s not ‘just some guy’. It’s Damien,” she whispered, tears rolling down her pale cheeks.
He leaned to kiss them away. “Don’t cry, Em,” he pleaded. Her tears managed to shred his soul. Pressing his forehead to hers, he whispered, “When he comes around, remember I love you. You. Just the way you are. He walked away when you needed him most.” His tears mingled with hers.
“I sent him away.”
“Bright-eyes, if it had been me, I’d have to be drug away in chains before I’d leave your side – and then I’d find a way to get back to you. He’s been gone over two years.”
“I thought it was all behind me.”
“It can be. Tell him you don’t want to see him, that you love me now.”
“I’ve got to know.”
JC nodded. “I’ll give you some time, Emily, only because I love you.” He kissed her tenderly, then rose to his feet and went into the house. A few minutes later, he appeared at the patio door, duffle bag in hand. “I love you, bright-eyes,” he said in way of good-bye and left her to her own misery.
JC stood at Alyssa’s door. The invitation to celebrate Doug’s birthday had been just the excuse he needed to see Emily. It had only been a week. He hadn’t known he could miss someone so much. This sleeping alone was not something he enjoyed. He missed her soft, warm body against his…the drowsy, sweet smile Emily gave him on waking…the way she called him ‘sugar britches’.
The door swung open. Doug stepped aside to invite JC in.
“Damien Wells is a spoiled snot,” Doug muttered as JC stepped in. “Arrogant asshole.”
“But that’s not what Emily thinks,” JC said as the two men headed for the patio.
“She has this blind spot where he’s concerned.”
“Josh!” Young Ben launched himself at JC.
Scooping the child up, JC chucked him under the chin gently. “Hey, tiger.”
“How come you don’t come with Aunt Em anymore?” the boy demanded. “I don’t like that guy.” Ben nodded towards the edge of the patio where Emily sat in her wheelchair. A tall, athletic, dark-haired man stood before her, seemingly holding court.
What was Emily doing still in her chair? When he was with her, JC saw she was moved to regular furniture. She was more comfortable and it allowed her the semblance of normalcy.
JC set Ben to his feet only to have Rory lean against him in greeting. “Hiya, fella,” he murmured to the dog as he stroked the dark, golden head. “You on my side, too?”
“You can just bet he is,” Alyssa said.
JC straightened. “Hi, Lis.”
“I forgot how much I disliked the guy.”
“Wells?”
“Who else? Look at him. He acts like she should be dancing all her attention on him.”
“So, I can guess who you are rooting for,” he mused.
“I don’t think he has what it takes to make Emily happy. I’ve seen him with her. He’s awkward as hell. You never seemed awkward.”
“I wasn’t.”
“I think she needs this. It’s closure.”
“Only if he leaves her again.”
“Emily isn’t stupid.”
“But they have so much history—“
“As an active couple. Damien isn’t gonna like being tied down to Emily’s wheelchair.”
“No one is ‘tied down' to Emily’s chair,” JC reminded her gruffly.
“You didn’t make it a prison. He’s too much of a spoiled boy not to see it that way. He’d make her life a hell.”
JC looked to where Emily sat being entertained by Wells. It wasn’t that long ago he had claimed her attention. His heart ached at the thought of never being able to hold her again. She hadn’t even noticed him.” “You didn’t like me either.”
Alyssa reached out to give his hand an encouraging squeeze. “You proved yourself time and time again. You’re good for Emily.”
“I’d better say my hellos and beat a hasty retreat. Thanks for inviting me, but I can’t watch her with somebody else.”
“We understand.”
Emily had radar as far as her knowing when JC was near. Instead of coming over to her upon his arrival, he had chatted with Doug, Ben, then Alyssa. Even Rory had greeted him as an old pal. Her sister seemed sympathetic. Alyssa championing JC – the ultimate irony!
“Hey, Em,” JC said as he stopped at her side.
Emily gave him a bright smile. “Hi, Josh.”
“I can’t stay, but I wanted to say hello.”
“Thank you. I’m glad you came.”
It was all he could do not to snatch her up in a fierce embrace. He missed her in his arms.
“It was good of you to stop,” Wells stated stiffly, insincerity oozing from his words.
“Well…See you around, Emily,” JC murmured.
“I hope so, Josh,” she said. “Take care.”
“You, too, baby.” Not being able to stand her sitting in her chair, he scooped her up and placed her in a patio chair at the table.
“Thank you,” she whispered in his ear.
“Anything for you, bright-eyes,” he murmured against her hair.
Time held the two of them suspended when their eyes caught. Longing was clear in his – questions were asked by hers. Finally, he broke the spell and walked away.
“Can’t the guy see I’m the one you’re going to be with?” Wells growled.
Was that true? Emily wondered. If it were true, why did seeing JC’s retreating back make her feel so empty?
JC felt Emily’s absence like a gaping whole in his life. Along with being his lover, she had become his friend and sounding board. If he had a problem, she looked at it from a new perspective and they found a solution. He had shared news with her – good and bad. She had been his staunchest supporter and his gentlest critic. Her open honesty had been refreshing and welcome.
“Wanna talk about it?” Lance offered when JC had zoned out once more.
“Huh?”
“Wanna talk about why you can’t concentrate?”
“Doesn’t help. Emily’s still gone.”
“Didn’t you say she needed time to straighten things out?”
“But she has history with this guy. They’d been together since high school.”
“And never got married,” Lance pointed out. “Why not? Someone had reservations. And this Damien hasn’t really been with Emily since she’s been in her chair. Maybe he can’t adjust.”
“I don’t want to win by default. I want Emily to decide she can’t live without me.”
“It’ll happen.”
JC shook his head. “It’s been two weeks since I’ve seen her.”
“Maybe he hasn’t had time to tip his hand. I mean, he left her alone for two years. If he couldn’t live without her, he should have been breaking down those walls she built after the accident. Instead, he left the country.”
JC wondered if he was playing it right. Maybe Emily thought he didn’t care!
Rory barked once in greeting. Emily knew whomever was at the door was someone the dog considered a friend.
“Josh!” She was surprised to find JC at the door.
“Hey, bright-eyes.” He stood there, his hands in his pockets to keep from snatching her up and kissing the daylights out of her.
“Come in.” She rolled back to allow him in, then closed the door. “This is a surprise.”
“I know I am supposed to be giving you time, Em, but I’ve been missing you—“
“I’ve missed you, too,” she said softly. She reached her arms up to him. “Got a hug for a friend?”
“I’ve got an ocean full for you.” He bent to allow her arms to go around his neck. “What’s the matter, baby?”
“Hold me?” she whispered.
Without hesitation, he lifted her from her chair, guiding her legs around his waist.
Burying her face in his neck, she murmured, “You smell so good…like you.”
“Glad you like it,” he mused. He had to wonder. If her relationship with Wells was so great, why was she seeking comfort with another man?
“How did you know?”
“Know what?”
“That Damien left this morning.”
“He left you?”
“I told him to go. He really couldn’t adjust to the new me – and I…” Emily sighed. “Remember when we were kids, we used to wish for something, just knowing that was all we needed to be happy? And once we got what we wanted, we discovered it really wasn’t the key to happiness.”
JC moved to the sofa, careful to adjust her legs. “What are you saying, Em?”
“When I met Damien, I just knew he was the one. We enjoyed each other’s company. We liked all the same kind of things. We were the perfect match. We just knew that someday we’d get married.” She snuggled as close as she could get to JC without climbing into his clothes. “Then the accident happened. I changed. Not just physically but emotionally, too. I think Damien was glad when I pushed him away. It gave him an excuse to run.”
Touching his chin, she met his beautiful eyes. “I sent him away, but he wasn’t supposed to stay away. He was supposed to love me enough to come back – like you do.”
“I’m winning by default,” he muttered unhappily.
“No, you aren’t sugar britches. You showed me in a hundred ways that you love and accept me exactly as I am. I need that, Josh. When you look at me, you don’t see a chair. You see a woman.”
“You are a woman.”
“You let me be one – Damien can’t. He sees an invalid. He didn’t want to touch me. He was always awkward.” She nuzzled his cheek. “From that first time we met, you’ve never been awkward with me. You let me know I was a woman to you.”
JC couldn’t complain about the outcome going his way – but he wanted more.
Emily nipped at his lips. “I love you, sugar britches. I don’t love Damien Wells.”
“Thank God, baby!” He let out a relieved sigh.
Emily took one of his hands and guided it beneath her tee shirt to rest on her midriff. “I missed your touch. If you hadn’t shown up here, I might have had to track you down.”
JC’s other hand moved up her back, pressing her closer. “I couldn’t live without the sight of you one more hour. It’s been torture without you.”
“Then why haven’t you kissed me yet?”
He locked his lips over hers, thoroughly tasting her sweet mouth. Without breaking the kiss, he rose to his feet and carried her to her bedroom. Lowering her to the mattress, he followed her down.
Her arms tightened about his neck as she pressed up against his body. She moaned as he rubbed against her seductively.
Smiling, he lifted his lips from hers. “I was starved for the taste of you, Em.”
“Take your fill, sugar britches. It’s all yours.”
“It might take a lifetime for me to get enough.”
Big sapphire blue eyes gazed steadily into his. JC had never let her down. He accepted who she was – more than accepted her – he loved her! “We can do that,” she stated quietly, without fanfair.
JC was too stunned to speak at first. “You mean – you’ll…I mean, we…I…”
“Just propose to me!” she teased.
He was still too tongue-tied to manage more than, “Marry me?”
“Such a romantic proposal!” Emily giggled.
“Emily Karin Westerfield, will you do me the honor of becoming my beloved wife and life partner?” he asked softly, earnestly.
“Yes, Joshua Scott Chasez,” she replied solemnly.
“I’ve had the ring for months!”
She smoothed the tumble of curls at his forehead. “Later. Now, we have something else more important to do.”
“Which would be?”
“Let our bodies get reacquainted.”
“Have I told you I’m wildly in love with you?” he asked with a grin.
Emily pretended to think a moment. “I believe you have at one time or another.”
“Good. I meant to.” Lowering his head, JC captured her lips once more.