“You promise not to do it again?” he asked, his voice muffled against Emma’s collarbone.
“Yeah, I promise.”
Emma rubbed Georgie’s back in wide circles. “See, everything’s fine. You want to go back in the pool?”
“No,” he snubbed.
Percy rolled his eyes at John who then snickered. “Yeah, if I was pressed up against that rack, I wouldn’t want to leave either!” John said while Percy nodded in agreement.
Even though he said it in low voice, both Emma and Aidan heard him. While Emma fought to keep the flush from creeping across her cheeks and neck, Aidan stepped to the edge of the pool. “All right, get out this instant. If you’re going to be that disrespectful to my friend, you can march your horny little asses home!” he growled.
John and Percy’s eyes widened, but they didn’t mouth off. Defeated, they started for the pool steps.
“Wait, Aidan, don’t make them go home for that. They’re just being boys,” Emma argued.
He whirled around. “Are you kidding me?”
“I’m sure they feel very bad for being rude and would be willing to apologize.” She stared pointedly at the boys. “Wouldn’t you?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Percy said.
John nodded. “I’m very, very sorry for saying something like that about you Emma.”
“Thank you.”
For good measure, John glanced up at Aidan. “And I’m sorry for being disrespectful to your girl—” He paused at the death glare Aidan gave him. “To your friend,” he finished.
“Me too,” Percy said.
Emma gazed up at Aidan and smiled. “See, problem solved.”
Georgie raised his head. “What does horny mean?”
Emma couldn’t help giggling at the absurdity of the situation, especially when Aidan’s eyes widened, and he stared helplessly at Emma to explain. “It’s not something you need to know about, and your uncle shouldn’t have said it,” she replied.
“Ooh, Uncle Aidan, you’re in trouble,” Georgie said, wagging his finger at Aidan.
Emma grinned. “Yes, Uncle Aidan is a very bad boy. We should wash his mouth out with soap, shouldn’t we?”
Georgia giggled. “Yes, we should.”
“Hello?” a woman’s voice called from inside the house.
“Mommy!” Georgie cried, peeling himself off Emma and running to the doorway.
Emma started to stand up, but Aidan blocked her, thrusting his towel at her. When she started to protest, he grimaced and motioned to her chest. She glanced down and flushed. Comforting Georgie had soaked her white shirt, and you could see straight through to her lacy white bra. “Oh shit!” she stared wildly around the patio for an escape.
Aidan held out his hand. “Come meet Becky.”
“Are you kidding? I’m not meeting your sister looking like a bimbo from a wet t-shirt contest,” she hissed.
“You’re not going to have much of a choice. The minute Georgie tells her there’s a woman here with me, she’s going to be all over you.” He stepped forward and wrapped the towel around her. “Just pretend you’ve been swimming.”
“Okay,” she murmured reluctantly.
Just as Aidan predicted, Becky appeared in the doorway, holding Georgie’s hand. At the sight of Emma, she power walked over to them. With her sandy hair and piercing blue eyes, Becky and Aidan could have passed for twins. She patted Aidan on the back. “Well, Little Brother, I wouldn’t have let the boys come over if I knew you had company.”
“This is Emma Harrison—she’s a friend from work.”
Emma extended her hand and gave Becky her best smile. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“Likewise.”
As Becky continued sizing her up, Emma cleared her throat. “Your boys are absolutely adorable. I’m so glad I got to meet them.”
Becky grinned. “Thank you. I only hope they were on their best behavior.” She then gazed over at Aidan with a determined look on her face. “I didn’t know you had such pretty work friends.”
Aidan snorted at his sister’s directness. “Yes, there’s a high standard of beauty at the company.”
Becky nudged him playfully. “Well, we won’t impose on you two any longer.” She motioned John and Percy out of the pool. They reluctantly dragged themselves out and started toweling off. Becky wrapped the towel tighter around Georgie. “Now what do we say to Uncle Aidan for letting us swim?”
“Thank you,” they echoed in a sing-song chorus that caused Aidan and Emma to grin.
Then both John and Percy looked pointedly at Emma. “Thanks for talking Uncle
Aidan into letting us stay…both times,” John said, a pink tinge on his cheeks.
Emma smiled. “You’re welcome.”
Becky stared from the boys to Emma, and then she gave Aidan a knowing look. “Well, you two have a lovely evening.”
“Thank you.”
They walked Becky and the boys to the door. Once they were gone, Aidan groaned and rubbed his eyes as he collapsed into the chair. “Jesus, I’m glad they’re gone.”
“Aw, I hate to see them go. They’re really sweet boys.”
He chuckled. “Oh yeah, I should have asked them to spend the night. I’m sure John would have loved to share a bed with you and your rack.” He shook his head with disgust. “The little pervert.”
“He’s thirteen. What do you expect? I highly doubt you were an angel of virtue at that age,” Emma countered with a smile.
“No, I was a pervert, too.”
“I figured as much. I swear he looks and acts so much like you.” She giggled. “He’s another Fitzgerald player in the making.”
Aidan’s cell phone started ringing, and when he glanced down at it, he grimaced. “Damn, this is the India office. I have to take it. Make yourself at home, okay?”
“No problem,” Emma replied, scratching Beau’s ears.
As soon as Aidan left the room, Beau hopped up on the couch with her. “Wanna find a chick flick to watch with me?”
He licked her hand. She grabbed the remote on the table and started flipping channels. “Ooh,” she murmured when she saw one of her favorites, Nottinghill, was on. She snuggled deeper into the couch, continuing to stroke Beau’s shiny black fur. After awhile, her eye-lids grew heavy, and before she could stop herself, she nodded off.