44. Emma

That fucking rooster wakes me up at the crack of dawn the following morning to an email that makes my heart sink to the bottom of the ocean to lay next to the Titanic.

Emma,

Upon reflection, Highland Spirits has decided not to pursue a sponsorship deal with the Nessie Warriors at this time.

Kind Regards

Gillian McKenny

I stare at the email in disbelief, my morning haze quickly dissipating as anger and frustration start bubbling up. Great, just bloody great. Could this day get any worse? I pull myself out of bed, grumbling about roosters and sponsorship deals, and head to the kitchen. Anna's already making toast, does she ever sleep?

"Morning," she chirps, way too cheerfully for this ungodly hour.

"Morning," I mumble, grabbing a mug and pouring myself a hefty dose of caffeine. "We lost the Highland Spirits deal."

Anna's smile fades. "Oh no! What happened?"

"No clue," I sigh, sinking into a chair. "Just an email saying they decided not to go through with it. We really needed that money."

She frowns sympathetically, but then brightens up. "Hey, we'll find another sponsor. You're Emma Thornton—you're unstoppable! And in the meantime, we've got the calendar idea to boost funds. The photographer got back to me last night. She's excited about it."

I give her a weak smile, appreciating the pep talk but still feeling like I've already failed this team. Still, she's right. I need to keep moving forward.

I grab another piece of toast and let out a huff. "Alright, let's dive into this calendar thing then right now, and I can put out feelers for sponsors later. We are a few weeks off pre-season training officially starting, so there's time. I've got time." I tell myself this and hope it's true.

"Of course we do," Anna says, and I appreciate her use of the word ‘we'.

"Do we have a schedule for photoshoots yet?"

Anna pulls out her phone and scrolls through her messages. "Yep, we've got the photographer, Rebecca, booked for next Tuesday. We need to get the guys to confirm their availability. And we need themes for each month."

I slather some jam on my toast and take a bite. "Themes, huh? Like what? Sexy Santa? Shirtless snow shovelling?"

Anna giggles. "Exactly! Only less cliché if we can manage it. How about something like ‘Hunky Highlanders' or ‘Plaids and Pecs'?"

I nearly choke on my toast, laughing. "Plaids and Pecs! Oh god, that's brilliant. Let's run with it."

Anna makes a note on her phone, grinning from ear to ear. "Okay, I'll start drafting some ideas."

"Okay. I'm going to dig into Dad's file of potential sponsors and start sending out emails. It's going to take me most of today, I think."

"You do that, and I'll work on this. I'll have it all sorted by the end of the day."

"You are amazing."

"I know," she says with a laugh and disappears, glued to her phone.

I finish my toast and hurriedly get ready to hit the arena. I'm going to sneak in so no one sees me, so I can concentrate on this work that definitely needs to get moving.

As I pull up to the arena, I notice it's eerily quiet. That's good; it's just what I need. I slip inside and make my way to the office, hoping to avoid any unwanted conversations.

I settle into the comfy leather chair and fire up the computer. The screen flickers to life, and I dive headfirst into the files of potential sponsors. There are piles of contact lists, old contracts, and scribbled notes in Dad's neat handwriting. It's going to be a long day.

One email turns into five, then ten. I craft the perfect pitch, each one tailored to the prospective sponsor's business.

By the time I've sent out twenty emails, my stomach is grumbling. A quick look at my watch shows it's almost noon. Time flies when you're knee-deep in sponsorship hell.

A knock on the door startles me. I glance up to see Lachlan standing there with a cheeky grin plastered on his face. "You hiding from us already, boss?"

I smile back. "Just trying to get some work done without distractions."

He strolls in casually, plopping down in the chair opposite mine. "How's it going?"

I lean back and sigh. "It's going. Are you here for practice? I thought the rink was open to the public today."

"It is," he says, steepling his fingers as he stares at me. "I'm here to see you."

"That sounds ominous," I joke lamely.

"Nah, this is just a check-in. Things happened rather quickly last night. I want to make sure you're okay and still in the same headspace about us."

"I am."

"You seemed a bit unsure at one point while Taran was still there."

My cheeks heat up as I remember my thoughts about them all seeing me naked at the same time. "Well, you can't blame a girl for having a moment of panic considering the audience," I say with a nervous laugh.

He frowns and leans forward. "What do you mean?"

"Are you going to make me say it?"

"Yeah, because I don't know what you're panicking about. Open and honest communication, Thornton. Remember?"

"Yeah, okay… yeah." I chew my lip as I stare into the soulful eyes that don't make this situation any less horrific.

"What is it, baby girl?" he murmurs.

My eyes widen at the nickname, and I find that I like it. No one has ever called me that before.

"I'm worried you will all think I'm fat or something," I blurt out and feel tears prick my eyes. Never in my whole life have I ever had this crushing fear of my size. I like my body—usually. I like food, I hate exercise, it works for me. But now…

Lachlan doesn't say anything for a second while his face does this weird thing that looks like he is about to cry as well. "What?" he snaps, probably louder than he meant to. "Are you fucking joking?"

"I wish I was," I mutter, wiping my eyes. "I know it's ridiculous, but the thought of standing there in front of all of you looking like you do and me looking like me… I just freaked out."

Lachlan shakes his head vehemently, his expression softening as he stands up and comes to kneel in front of me. He turns the chair, taking my hands in his. "Emma, listen to me. You're stunning, absolutely fucking gorgeous. I pant whenever I see you. My cock goes hard remembering fucking you so blatantly where anyone could've seen us, and I wish everyone had seen us. Fuck, it was hot. You are so fucking hot. I can't wait to explore your body slowly and reverently. I want to worship you, baby girl. You are a goddess."

His words are so sincere and staring into his eyes, I believe him, but I'm speechless.

Lachlan doesn't let go of my hands. Instead, he gives them a gentle squeeze. "If anyone ever says you are less than perfect, you send them my way, and we'll see how not perfect I can make their face. Okay, baby girl?"

"Stop it!" I wail, letting my tears fall. "You are being so amazing."

"Only because you bring it out in me, Emma. I won't let anyone hurt you. Not ever. You got that?"

"Does that include you?" I sniffle, wiping my nose disgustingly on the sleeve of my hoodie.

He grins. "Oh, I'll kick my own arse so fucking hard, I'll be in the middle of next week."

Chuckling, I nod. "Thank you, Lachlan. I really needed to hear that, especially from you."

"Baby girl," he murmurs, cupping my face. "Don't ever be afraid to talk to me about anything. I'm here, and I'm ready for the long haul with you. You are the woman that has been missing from my life. I need you to believe that."

I grab his hand, which is warm against my cheek. "I do."

He nods and leans forward to kiss me. His lips brush my cheeks, kissing my tears away before landing on my lips. The kiss turns bruising, passionate, gorgeous.

Lost in the kiss, I almost forget the crumpled state of my inbox and the myriad sponsorship emails waiting for an answer. But right now, none of that matters. It's just Lachlan and me, wrapped up in our own little world.

Things turn heated very quickly. Lachlan's hands pull at my hoodie to remove it, dragging my tee with it, leaving me in my bra and leggings. He gazes down at me with a slow smile and latches onto one of my nipples through the cotton fabric of my black bra. My pussy goes damp in response to him kneeling in between my legs and his hands exploring the rolls on my sides. I let out a soft moan, not caring about anything but the sensation of his mouth on me.

His fingers skilfully unhook my bra, and he slides it off. "Breathtaking," he whispers before taking my nipple into his mouth, sucking gently. I arch against him, needing more, and he obliges by flicking his tongue over the sensitive peak.

I run my hands through his dark hair, pulling him closer. His touch is electrifying, and every nerve in my body feels on fire. "Lachlan," I gasp, urging him on.

He kisses down my wobbly stomach, each kiss sending a jolt of pleasure straight to my core. He pauses at the waistband of my leggings before looking up at me with that mischievous grin. "These need to come off."

I nod eagerly, lifting my hips so he can slide them down and chuckles. "Going commando, baby girl?"

"Need to do laundry!" I moan as the cool air hits my exposed skin, but it's quickly replaced by the warmth of Lachlan's breath as he kisses along the insides of my thighs.

"Fuck, Emma," he murmurs against my skin. "I've thought about this for so long."

Before I can respond, his tongue is on my clit, making me see stars. My fingers grip the arms of the office chair as it swings from side to side under the onslaught of pleasure.

"Lachlan," I moan again, lost in the sensations he's creating. His tongue works magic against my clit while his fingers drive deep into me. Then he stops and withdraws, standing up and grabbing my hands. He helps me up and then lifts me by my waist on the desk, nestling between my legs again as he kisses me.

"Tell me what you want, Emma," he whispers against my lips, his breath hot and teasing.

"You," I breathe, my body trembling with need. "I want you, Lachlan."

Without another word, he unzips his jeans, his hard length springing free. I can barely think straight as he teases my clit with the tip.

He's achingly hard, and the feel of him makes my pussy clench with anticipation.

"I want to make you feel so good," he murmurs.

"Yes," I gasp.

I wrap my legs around his waist as he pushes into me slowly, filling me completely. The sensation is overwhelming; I bite my lip to keep from crying out too loudly, aware that we are, once again, not exactly hidden away from the world. Anyone could walk in.

"Fuck, Emma," he groans, burying himself to the hilt. "You're so fucking tight."

I cling to him as he sets a steady rhythm, each thrust sending waves of pleasure through me. His hands grip my hips firmly, pulling me closer with every movement. My nails dig into his back as I try to hold on, the tension building inside me.

"Lachlan," I pant, my voice hitching.

"Yes, baby girl. Yes."

"I'm sitting on a stapler," I blurt out, my voice breaking the intoxicating spell.

Lachlan freezes for a moment, then bursts into laughter, his forehead dropping to rest against mine.

I laugh, too, the absurdity of the situation breaking through the haze of lust. I shift slightly to dislodge the offending office supply from digging into my arse, trying to regain some semblance of dignity. But Lachlan catches my movement and lifts me off the desk completely, cradling me in those strong arms of his before he lets go with one arm, somehow managing to hold me up with the other while he swipes the rest of the office crap off the desk.

"Not the computer!" I shriek as he sets me back down. "Phew."

"That might cause a fire, and it's hot enough in here as it is," he murmurs, picking up where we left off, the heat between us reigniting in an instant. His hands are everywhere, exploring every inch of my skin and leaving trails of fire in their wake. I can feel the pleasure building again, every touch driving me closer to the edge.

With one swift motion, he thrusts into me again, filling me. My back arches as a gasp escapes my lips. Each thrust is deliberate and intense. The world outside fades away until there's only us, tangled together in a blissful frenzy.

I can feel myself coming undone beneath him, waves of pleasure crashing over me like nothing I've ever felt before. My mind goes blank, and I let out a moan that I couldn't suppress even if I wanted to.

"Lachlan, I—" The words catch in my throat as another wave hits.

"That's it, baby girl. Let go for me."

My body shudders, and my pussy tightens around him as I come completely undone. The pleasure is almost too much to bear, and I cling to him, feeling like I'm floating.

Lachlan isn't far behind; the way my body reacts to him pushes him over the edge. With a final deep thrust, his body trembling with release, he groans my name, "Emma."

He collapses against me, both of us breathing heavily, tangled in each other.

We stay like that for a while, basking in the afterglow. Eventually, he lifts his head and looks at me with those stunning blue eyes of his. "Do you know how beautiful you look right now?"

Shaking my head, I smile. "No, but thank you for saying it."

"I will always say it, Emma. I need you to know every day how I feel about you."

I meet his gaze, and I think I fall arse over tit for him. How could I not?

Leaning forward to kiss him briefly, I sigh. "I'd better get back to work. Things need doing."

He nods and respects my decision to call time on this encounter.

After he helps me get dressed and we pick up all the stuff from the floor, I smile and wave him off as he leaves me alone again to tackle these sponsorships.

Turning back to the computer, I see a new email and click on it eagerly.

My eyes blink involuntarily, and then the left one starts to twitch as I stare at the words on the screen, frozen like a statue. Then anger fills me with such force that I stand up and grip the sides of the screen. "This isn't happening! No! Fuck off, you bastard. Fuck off!"