Just One Night

Chapter Five

Did Emma have a sign hanging around her neck? One with the words I took advantage of a hurting man written in bold red letters? With the way Alice acted the rest of the weekend, she had to wonder. The conference went reasonably well after the uncomfortable breakfast. Bob was back to his old ways at lunch time, teasing her about chasing Matt away. His knowing looks and wicked winks whenever Matt's name came up and Alice's snide remarks and bitterness made her wince. She may have had to bite her tongue on the ride home from Columbus, but she managed to keep her secret.

Thankfully, she would be alone soon. Bob pulled into her driveway. She had the door open and her suitcase on the ground beside her feet before he had the chance to get out. She leaned into the driver's side window. "I'll see you at work tomorrow."

He wriggled his eyebrows. "You can see me now, if you want to."

Emma shook her head. "You need to take Alice home."

The woman sitting beside him punched him hard in the arm.

"Hey, why did you do that?"

Emma leaned closer to the car. Alice didn't look at all pleased. Suddenly Emma understood why. This woman always got what she want, and she wanted Matt Stephenson.

Alice glared hard at her, then the look in her eyes changed into a knowing determination. Her gaze flashed down her in contempt. "I'll see you in the morning, Emma."

Everyone always told her to watch her back with Alice, yet she'd never listened until now. Now she understood why her female co-workers had cautioned her. She'd been after Matt since he'd first arrived at Smithfield, and he'd chosen someone else.

Emma had never known a man good enough to fight for, until now. "I'll be there."

* * * *

For the next two days, Emma's schedule was filled with one client after another. The only time she left her office was during lunch, and that was only long enough to race to the basement kitchen and microwave a quick meal. She ate the food in record time, and then started seeing her patients again.

She didn't have time to miss Matt.

Or to wonder what Alice might be up to, even though she knew the other woman was up to something. According to the all-knowing receptionist, Alice had been acting wrong since she'd arrived back from Columbus.

Yet Emma wasn't worried. She could handle anything the bitch dished out.

Emma liked feeling this part of her emerging again. It'd been a long time she'd cared about a man enough to let the animalistic side of her out.

It felt good.

Wednesday morning dawned much the same as Monday and Tuesday with the early morning sun brightening the sky, heating her with its warm rays. Yet it was remarkably different. Anticipation danced inside her as she drove through town toward the big block building housing the SmithfieldCounselingCenter. Matt would be back to work today. A hint of uneasiness ripped through her, but she swallowed it away. No matter what Alice tried to do to the man, he wouldn't be moved by it.

Or would he?

Damn, why was Emma thinking these types of thoughts?

Sure, the sex was great. And he was good to look at and nice to talk to. But that didn't mean anything.

Emma shook her troubling thoughts away and turned into the parking lot. Only three other vehicles sat in the first row when she exited her compact car and moved through the lot to the building. She recognized Alice's car, but the other two were unfamiliar to her. One most likely belonged to nighttime security and the other...