Sand Castle Bay (Ocean Breeze) - By Sherryl Woods Page 0,77

at Boone. “Don’t you need to go over and check on things at your restaurant?” she inquired innocently.

Boone nodded at once. “I do like to make sure things are under control on the weekends when it’s especially busy,” he confirmed.

“Maybe Emily could ride along,” Cora Jane said. “B.J. can stay here with me and show me everything he bought today for school.”

“Are you sure?” Boone asked, though she’d just offered him the chance he’d been dying for all day to be alone with Emily.

“Absolutely,” Cora Jane said. “And after all this excitement, I imagine he’s pretty tired. If he falls asleep, he might as well spend the night. Jerry’s coming by later, so I’ll have plenty of backup.”

Boone grinned at her, then bent down and kissed her cheek. “You are an angel.”

“She’s a meddling matchmaker,” Emily muttered under her breath, but she was smiling. She certainly didn’t argue with her grandmother.

“Watch your tongue,” Cora Jane told her. “I could take back my offer.”

“No, please,” Boone pleaded. “Come on, Emily. Let’s get over to the restaurant so I can see if everything’s under control.”

“We won’t be too late,” she told her grandmother.

“Don’t count on that,” Boone said, nudging her in the direction of the door. “Son, listen to Ms. Cora Jane. Do what she tells you.”

“You don’t need to worry about B.J.,” Cora Jane said. “He and I will get along just fine. No need to call if you’re running late. You’ll just wake us up.”

Boone grinned at her. “Thanks.”

Outside, he pulled Emily across the lawn, and all but shoved her into his car.

“Trying to make a quick getaway?” she asked, laughing.

“I don’t want her changing her mind or B.J. asking questions about why you’re coming with me. This is a gift horse, and I’m not questioning it. You shouldn’t be, either.”

He drove to the end of the driveway until they were out of view from the house, then stopped the car. “Come here,” he commanded softly.

Emily swayed toward him.

Boone cupped her face in his hands, looked deep into her eyes, then sighed. “I hope to heaven we left those shoes you bought in the trunk. I’ve had that image in my head all afternoon.”

“I have to admit, I couldn’t envision how you were going to pull off any time alone tonight, but they’re there,” Emily assured him. “I should have known Cora Jane would conspire to give you what you want.”

He kissed her long and deep, then smiled. “I never said a word to Cora Jane. Didn’t have to plant the idea, beg, nothing.”

“Because she’s a sneaky woman,” Emily concluded.

“And you disapprove of that?”

A slow grin spread across her face. “Right this second? Can’t say that I do. Hit the gas, Dorsett. We’re wasting time.”

“Now you’re getting into the spirit of this,” he said, pulling onto the road and turning toward his place. He figured he could cut the fifteen minute drive down to ten minutes. There were plenty of interesting things he could do with an extra five minutes, especially once he had Emily out of her clothes.

* * *

It was after midnight by the time they grew hungry for something other than each other. Boone led the way so they could raid the refrigerator.

“For a man who owns three restaurants, your refrigerator sure isn’t stocked very well,” Emily commented as she surveyed the contents.

“I haven’t had time to shop this week. Besides, other than breakfast, B.J. and I have had most of our meals out. Last night he and Alex ordered pizza, made popcorn and topped it off with ice cream.” He poked around in a cupboard and triumphantly retrieved a package of popcorn. “I thought there might be some of this left.”

Emily lifted a brow. “You expect popcorn to give us enough energy to make it through a couple more rounds upstairs?” she asked skeptically. “Personally I need protein.”

“How about a couple of omelets? There are eggs and cheese and...” He peered into the vegetable drawer and emerged with an onion and a green pepper. “What do you think?”

“That should do it,” she agreed. “Any of that ice cream left from last night?”

Boone checked the freezer, pulled out the half-empty container of rocky road and held it up. “Dessert,” he announced.

Emily was already shaking her head and wiggling her fingers. “Gimme,” she said. “Spoons?”

Boone gestured. “That drawer right there. While you’re in there, grab a couple of forks and knives, okay?”

“After dessert,” she said, grinning as she spooned a healthy serving of rocky road into her mouth,