Nerdy Girl Nation (Nerdy Girl #1) (19 page)

“No.” She turned to rest her head on her elbow. “This, you and me, makes me nervous, but happy in a way I don’t think I’ve ever been. Right now, I need to be in your arms and sleep. Can that be enough for now?”

“More than enough. Let me get comfortable.” Rob got up from the bed a slipped off his shoes, socks, and jeans. He crawled back into her arms in his tee shirt and boxer briefs. “Good?”

“Perfect.”

“What time will the cameras be here tomorrow?”

“I’m not sure. Early I expect. I've got to help with the carnival tomorrow. Why don't you come with me?”

“If you’re sure.”

“Positive.” She gave him a soft peck on the lips before she snuggled back and gave in to her complete exhaustion.

Sleep didn’t come at all for Rob. Emma was restless, and he had to soothe her several times.

Emma told him about the bullying when she was younger. She should’ve never suggested they go to the high school. They could’ve arranged for the kids to come to the training facility instead. Emma should never set foot on the campus again, not when some sicko could get to her so easily.

Emma rolled over to find him still awake.

“What time is it?” she asked.

He lifted his head to glance at the red numbers on her alarm clock. “A little before one.”

“Did you hear my dad come in?”

“No.” He lifted his hand and moved the hair away from her face. “You are so beautiful like this.”

She let out a soft laugh. “You mean a sleepy, restless mess?”

“Absolutely. I love the rumpled look. I wouldn’t mind seeing you like this every day. It would mean spending days in bed, but I assure you, I’m willing to keep you company.” He leaned in and kissed her, turning her on her back. He hovered above her and caressed her cheek with his fingertips.

“I’ve never spent days lounging in bed unless I was sick.” She trailed her fingertips from his jawline to the back of his neck.

He moved his pelvis against hers. Soft moans reverberated off the walls as he continued the slow thrusts. With thrusts came kisses. With kisses came tongues. With tongues came fire.

“I think,” he panted. “I think you might be coming down with a fever. We should spend the weekend in bed.” Their abdomens were now skin on skin. He moved his hand to stroke her rib cage.

She moved her hands to the exposed skin of his back and squeezed. “If you keep touching me, we might have to.”

“I’ll touch you wherever you want.” He moved against her again, harder than he’d ever been.

“Keep going.” She pushed against his back to urge him on.

“Fuck. I’ve thought about you like this so many times.”

She pushed down a little harder on his back and lifted her pelvis. “You’ve thought about dry humping me in my bedroom at my parent’s house?”

“Not exactly dry, are we?” Her moisture soaked into his boxer briefs.

“You understand,” his pace sped up, “ugh, what I mean. I’ve thought of you in your apartment in LA, on your dining room table.”

Her lips formed an O shape.

“I thought about you in the dressing room where I kissed you for the first time. Oh, fuck. I’ve thought about that one a lot. Taking you up against the wall with your legs wrapped around my waist.”

Her eyes closed and she released a loud moan.

The words were getting to her, so he decided to go in for the kill.

“Most of all, I’ve thought about all the things I could do to you in my own bed. My tongue would love you in places no other has loved before. I’d be so deep inside of you, touching that spot with the head of my cock, and you’d beg me for more. Will you let me worship your body in my bed?”

“Yes! God!” She brought her head up from the pillow only to slam it back down.

Her muscles quivered against him as she reached her peak. His lips crashed against hers, his hips thrust against hers. “So fucking beautiful.”

“Rob,” she whispered in a high-pitched sigh.

The sound of his name was all it took for him to find his own release. He had dreamed of her saying his name in the heights of ecstasy hundreds of times. Hearing her breathe it against his neck was a sextillion times better.

He moved off her, not wanting his sticky mess to get all over her.

“I don’t . . .” He couldn’t even find a word for what they had done.

“No one has ever talked to me like . . .” She turned on her side and placed her hand over his throbbing heart. “I liked it.”

“Yeah?”

“Yes, and up against the wall?”

“Uh huh.”

“I’d like to try that.”

Rob wanted to blurt out how much he loved her. Instead, he turned on his side and dove in to kiss her.

He thought they might be head for another round when he heard the sound of a loud motor pull into the drive.

They both froze.

“My car is in the drive.”

She sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed. “Guess that means I’m introducing my boyfriend to my dad.”

“Boyfriend?”

“I think you’ve earned the title, don’t you?”

“Yeah, girlfriend.” He leaned over to peck her on the lips.

“Let me clean up a bit.” She grabbed a pair of underwear and some sleep pants and went into the bathroom.

He stripped off his soaked boxer briefs and pulled on his jeans. The unusual sensation of free balling was one he would live with for the rest of the night.

Once they were both presentable, they walked to the door and she took his hand. When they walked into the kitchen, Mick MacLean had his head stuck in the refrigerator.

“We got any pizza, Em? I haven’t eaten since this afternoon.” Mick’s head popped up from behind the door and noticed Emma and Rob there, hand in hand.

“Second shelf, I think.”

“Right.” Mick took the box out and placed it on the counter next to a tower of cookies and brownies. “Is there something I need to know?”

“Dad, this is Rob Breyer.”

“Yes, but what is he doing in my kitchen at one in the morning?”

Rob squeezed Emma’s hand as a sign of encouragement.

“Officially meeting you for one. Rob, this is my dad, Mick MacLean. Dad, this is my boyfriend, Rob Breyer.”

“Oh.” A smile spread across Mick’s face. “Good to meet you, boyfriend Rob Breyer.” Mick held out his hand for Rob to shake.

“You too, sir,” Rob replied and shook Mick’s hand.

“I got sick this afternoon and Rob came over to check on me. We fell asleep.”

“You okay?” Mick’s brow creased with worry.

“I’ll be fine. Just needed a little break. The cameras won’t be back until morning.”

“Going back to the high school was a bit rough for her,” Rob stated.

“I was worried.” Mick scratched at the crease in his brow and Rob wondered if the movement was something all parents did when stressed. He’d seen his mother do it a thousand times.

“So, that’s why he’s here.” Emma smiled and threaded her arm through Rob’s.

“Would you mind if I talked to Rob for a moment?”

Rob didn’t get a sense of dread like he did when meeting a girl’s father, but something was different this time.

“I guess. Don't forget, we need to be at the community center by ten.”

Mick nodded. Emma gave Rob a quick kiss before she yawned and walked back to her room.

“You want a beer?” Mick offered.

“No, thanks. I don’t drink.”

“Have a seat.” Mick motioned to the kitchen table.

Rob sat down while Mick grabbed a bottle of beer and a piece of cold pizza.

Mick sat, took a bite, and washed it down before he began. “No bullshit, son. How bad was today?”

“Bad.” Yes, the part with the kids seemed to go well, but the note took all the good away.

“Christ. She doesn’t remember, but the last time she was there, she was loaded up into an ambulance.”

Rob let his head fall back

“She tell you?” The man didn’t need more than a few words to convey his own torment.

“Last night.” Rob’s hand closed into a fist. “I want to powerbomb the guy. What a son-of-a-bitch.” He imagined smashing the guy’s head into the mat.

“What?”

Rob was surprised to see the confusion on Mick’s face. “I meant I wish there were something I could do outside the ring without getting arrested.”

“You said him?”

Rob was now the confused one. “Yeah?”

“Did Emma say her attacker was a man? She said she couldn’t remember, but we’ve always assumed it was the girls she fought with at the prom. The police could never find any solid evidence to make an arrest.”

“I guess I assumed it was a man with the way she described her injuries. Whoever it was, he or she should be punished for what they put you all through.”

“She’s been in therapy ever since. I thought maybe after a while something would come back. In some ways, I’m thankful she can’t remember. We wanted some justice but at what cost?”

Rob nodded his head in agreement. He began to see Emma’s reason for keeping things to herself. She was in a no-win situation.

“The thing is, she never deserved any of their hatred. She was smart and beautiful and God, so strong. Yeah, she was shy, but that was no reason for bullying her the way those kids did.” Mick’s bottom lip began to quiver, but he tried to cover it by taking another drink.

“The moment I met her, I knew she was something special. Her smile, her voice, and her laugh, I don’t think I’ve ever heard a more beautiful sound than her laugh.”

“She gets it from her mom. Those two could giggle for hours.” Mick sniffed back his tears before he grasp Rob on the shoulder. “You’ll protect my girl?”

“Of course.”

“Go get some sleep. We’ll talk some more over breakfast.” Mick stood and threw his empty bottle into the recycle bin.

Rob gave Mick the universal head nod and their conversation was over.

For a few minutes, he sat and thought the whirlwind of events of the last day. The woman whom he’d watched on television was far from the one asleep in the next room. She was beautiful but not perfect. But she was perfect for him.

By the time five am rolled around, Rob decided he needed to move to the couch in the living room. The cameras would be there soon but he didn't want to leave Emma’s home yet.

A high-pitched scream woke him, caused him to roll off the couch, and hit his head on the coffee table.

“Oh, shit! Are you okay?”

Rob blinked a couple of times before he focused enough to see Emma's brother standing above him.

“You scream like a girl, Harry.”

“Not me.” Harry grabbed Rob by the hand and helped him up. “This is my daughter, Charlotte.”

Rob turned to see a smaller version of Annie trembling in the corner.

“Charlotte,” he acknowledged.

She let out a squeak before she slapped her hand over her mouth and ran down the hallway.

“She's a big fan and probably a little shocked to see you on her grandfather's couch.”

“I see.” Rob combed his fingers through his hair and found blood. “Could I trouble you for a bandage?”

“Sure, come in the kitchen.”

Harry led Rob into the kitchen where he found Annie with baby Sam on her hip.

“Charlotte didn't maul you, did she?” Annie asked with a chuckle.

“No, banged it on the table,” Rob replied as Harry pushed him onto a kitchen chair.

“The cut isn’t big, but head wounds love to bleed.” Harry slapped a small towel on Rob's head. “Hold this here.”

Emma walked into the kitchen yawning. Her gaze went from Harry to Rob’s head. “Oh, God! What did you do to him?” Emma rushed to examine Rob's wound.

“I'm fine.” He kissed her hand. “Nothing new. I’ll stop bleeding soon.”

Emma's cheeks reddened at the sign of affection in front of her family. She had told Rob several times how difficult it was for her to show any affection in front of people.

“Something you wanna tell us, Em?” Harry crossed his arms in front of his chest with a slight smirk.

“Um . . . Rob and I are together now, but we, um . . .”

Rob stood and took Emma's hand in his. “What she's trying to say is we are together, but we don’t want the world to find out yet because of work and the tabloids.”

“So, how are you going to play this? We saw Ben and Al loading up on our way over. They should be here anytime.” Harry raised his brow and waited for an answer.