The Trouble With Emily Ch. 03

"Don't worry about doing or not doing anything around me, Mitch," Emily said. "Just relax and be yourself. You're an attractive, sexy man and if something is going to happen between us, don't be afraid. Just don't think too much about it, okay?"

For some reason, Mitchell felt as if some great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. From what she said, Emily must have felt the attraction too and was similarly inclined. If something was going to happen, it was going to happen, and he shouldn't be spending all this time brooding over it.

"But I'm a thoughtful kind of guy. Let me think just a little bit, okay," he said with a relieved smile.

"Sure, but only a little," Emily said. "Now how about a midnight swim?"

Mitchell nodded and Emily rose up from her chair and stripped her tank top off over her head and tossed it onto the picnic table. Then she squealed and crossed her arms over her breasts, barely able to cover them.

"Oh, my God! I forgot I had taken my top off earlier."

Then she scampered down to the pool. Mitchell rose up and pulled off his sport shirt, then joined her at the edge of the pool. They dove together into the warm clear sparkling water and swam to the far side of the pool and back again.

"Beat you!" Emily said with a laugh when she touched the rim first.

"Only cause I let you," Mitchell protested.

"Race you again?"

"All right."

They counted together to three and pushed off. Emily was a strong swimmer and kept up with Mitchell stroke for stroke. At the turn she pushed ahead but with several deep strong strokes Mitchell pulled ahead of her and touched first.

"Ha! See! Who's the king of the pool?" Mitchell boasted loudly.

"That wasn't my best time," Emily said. "No wonder since I'm still not quite streamlined enough."

"What do you mean?"

Emily reached down under the water and in the aqua glow of the underwater lights, Mitchell could see her tug down her suit bottom and step out of it. Mitchell chuckled as she flipped it up onto the pool deck and crouched down as if to start again.

"Ready? One, two ..."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Mitchell said. "If you're gonna be streamlined so should I."

Emily gave him a sly little grin and watched carefully as Mitchell unknotted the tie on his swim trunks and pulled them down and off.

"I don't know if that's so wise, Mitch," she said, as he tossed his wet trunks up onto the deck beside her bikini bottoms. "I'm a little more streamlined down there than you are."

Emily ran her hand down under the water over her cleanly shaven pussy while her eyes dropped down to gaze at his hairy cock and balls, illuminated by the glow of the lights.

"Nice wood, old man," she said, and then prepared to push off.

Mitchell felt his cock twinge but recovered in time to join Emily in counting down to their little race. Again, Mitchell started out strong, but at the turn, Emily pushed out ahead and it took several long strong strokes for him to make it a close race to the end.

"I won!" they both exclaimed when they touched and jumped up to the surface.

"No way, old man!" Emily called out, shaking and wiping the water from her face.

"I was there first, no doubt," Mitchell said proudly.

"No, I was," Emily said with another shake of her head.

"It was me, honey, by at least half an arm's length," Mitchell proclaimed. He waded a step toward her. Her naked breasts were bobbing near the surface, but Mitchell concentrated on her blue-green eyes, sparkling so defiantly.

"I won, Mitch. Get over it. I mean, I had to because of my extra streamlining," she said, her hand gliding back between her legs again. Then she reached toward his body and brushed her palm lightly against his cock. "And especially with you having to lug along this big old thing. Ooo, you're not as hairy down there as I thought," she giggled as her fingers grazed lightly over his manly pride.

"So what do you think we should do to settle this? Another race?" Mitchell asked. Emily's hand hadn't left his body; her fingers were still caressing his cock and balls beneath the water. His hands instinctively went toward her waist, to pull her closer to him. When her breasts brushed up against his chest, Mitchell let his hands ease up from her waist to cup her full pliant mounds.

"I don't know if there's anything we can do, Mitch. It's just my word against yours," she said meekly, her fingers lightly stroking his growing erection while his hands cupped and caressed her breasts.

"You might be right," Mitchell said as his fingers circled her taut erect nipples. "Maybe we should take this inside."

"I think that might be the only way to settle this, Mitchell," Emily said, her upturned face very near his, the tips of their noses barely touching. Her hands slipped around Mitchell's waist and cupped the firm cheeks of his ass. "We should certainly do something."

They looked at each other and their heads both tilted to the right enough to bring their mouths close enough together for a kiss, a gentle wet brushing of their lips. Their eyes closed and their kiss grew warmer and their tongues darted out to tangle and play in the starlight.

"Let's go in," Mitchell said decisively.

They waded toward the stairs, climbed from the pool, and grabbed a couple of towels from the outdoor linen cabinet. They dried off outside and tucked the towels around their bodies. Once inside, they gravitated toward the couch in the family room. Emily reclined and Mitchell sat beside her. They kissed again and stroked each other's cheek tenderly. Mitchell wasn't thinking anymore, his heart was pounding with excitement; he was responding and following his instincts. Emily looked so adorable, her wet dark red hair curled in ringlets around her face, her eyes looking up at Mitchell with a soft dreamy gaze, the firmness of her breasts emerging from the confines of her towel.

"A glass of wine, Emily?"

She nodded and smiled and pulled him down for another kiss, one that lasted a minute or two and left them both panting and out of breath.

"Wine would be great," she said softly.

Mitchell got up and realized that his towel was riding low. When he went to re-wrap it around his hips, Emily reached for it and pulled it away from him.

"Hey!" he said turning around and reaching down to take it back from her.

"Come on, silly. You don't need this now, do you?" she said hugging it against her body.

Mitchell took a step toward her, then grunted and turned back toward the kitchen.

"By the way, nice buns, Mitch," she called out with a whistle as he strode into the kitchen.

Mitchell glanced back over his shoulder as saw her smile radiantly as she reclined on the pillows, her legs parted just enough to display a delicious slice of her sweet shaven sex.

He scrounged around for a couple of clean glasses, finally plucking a pair from the set in the china cabinet in the formal dining room. Then he looked for a favorite old Chardonnay that he had been saving for a special occasion. Finally he rummaged through the drawers to find a corkscrew. Of course the cork was a little old and brittle and began to crumble so he had to carefully carve it out of the bottle before he could pour a glass. He hurried to carry the glasses back into the family room only to find Emily, eyes closed and curled up on the couch.

Mitchell took a sip of wine before setting the glasses down on the table. Thinking that she might be playing a little game, he crouched beside her on the floor and leaned closer to her. When he kissed her lips, he expected some sort of response, but instead, she hummed softly and curled up tighter. Just my luck for her to fall asleep, he thought. He brushed the damp curls back from her forehead and caressed her soft cheek. She was out cold. All right, they had killed a few bottles of wine and she wasn't used to drinking it to begin with. My own fault! My own damned fault!

Gathering her up into his arms, he carried Emily up to her room and set her on the bed, making sure that she was in a comfortable position before pulling away the damp towels and bringing the sheet up over her naked body. He looked down at her longingly before turning and going off to check on Timothy and then on to his own room. His last waking thoughts were of the beautiful young girl sleeping angelically in her room just down the hall. The next morning, Emily slept late. She made it downstairs just as Mitchell and Timothy were leaving.

"Where you off to?" she asked.

"We're going off to Belle Isle to see the Aquarium before they close it down. Want to come along?"

"I'm supposed to go shopping with Katie and hang out with her today."

"Okay, have fun. See you later!"

"Mitch, about last night," Emily said hesitantly. "I guess I'd had too much to drink and wasn't very good company."

Mitchell brushed off her excuse. "Don't worry about it. You were terrific company. Besides, I was pretty far along too."

"Maybe we can try that again sometime," she said with a sexy promising grin.

"Yeah sometime."

* * *

The next few days were wonderful. Perhaps it was the result of opening up a little and becoming honest with each other, but there seemed to be a little more life and fun around the house as the summer wound down. Emily and Mitchell teased and kidded with each other a little more, innocently sometimes, other times with outright flirtation.

Almost every evening Emily would sit with Mitchell out by the pool and watch the sun set over the cedars that lined the side of the yard. They might sip some great old Merlot or maybe a margarita or two and talk or even go for a swim if the spirit moved them. Mitchell patiently enjoyed Emily's company, her fresh outlook on life, and her sexy, youthful spirit. With both Kelly and Timothy set for overnighters with some friends on Saturday night, Mitchell started to think that maybe something might happen over the weekend.

The following Friday evening, Emily was surprised when Brian breezed into town unexpectedly. She quickly rushed around getting ready for their date. It was with more than just a trace of sadness that Mitchell watched as they pulled away from the curb in Brian's BMW. This is why I refuse to fall in love with her, he thought. This guy found her first. I'm just some other guy, a friend of hers, her employer, that's all.

When Emily didn't come home that night, Mitchell was a little concerned even though it wasn't the first time that she had stayed out all night after going out with Brian. Somehow, it just seemed to sting a little deeper and Mitchell suffered a little twinge of hurt for just a moment and then pushed it aside.

Emily finally arrived home a little after noon on Saturday. Mitchell had been outside working in the garden. He looked up when Emily came outside to say hello, practically doing a happy little dance.

"So what's this all about?" he asked.

"Guess," Emily said.

"I'm terrible at guesses," Mitchell confessed. "You know that."

It was obvious that Emily wouldn't be able to keep whatever it was inside her anymore and she blurted out, "Brian asked me to marry him!"

"Really," Mitchell said, feeling his heart sink and his mind start to work overtime. Damn! Beaten to the punch! Why had he waited so long to talk to her? Even if he had, what would she have said anyway? Then he saw her radiant smile and the sparkling ring on her finger and he refused to feel sorry for himself. Despite the leaden sinking feeling inside Mitchell was happy for her and put on a happy face. "That's great news, Emmie! What brought this on?"

"I'm not sure. He just popped the question. I knew it. I just knew he was going to ask. Finally after all these years."

"You said yes?"

"Of course, silly! Why wouldn't I?" Emily held out her left hand, showing off the glittering diamond ring.

"That's beautiful! Congratulations, Emmie!"

They embraced and while he held her, Mitchell felt every bit of bottled up attraction for her rise up and melt away. It was certain that he would never have Emily for himself; he knew that now. She belonged to someone else and he couldn't-he wouldn't step in between.

Later that evening Mitchell poured a tall glass of old well-aged Scotch whisky and took it out onto the deck to sip while he gathered his thoughts. He was the perfect picture of ambiguity. He was happy for her and sad about his own feelings, feelings that had long been stifled and now that he was ready to bring them to the surface, had no place to go. Besides, did it really matter that he felt sorry for himself when she seemed so happy? I'll put this flirtation aside and move on, he told himself. I'll find someone, someone else.

Mitchell watched the sun set and how the gorgeous colors were painted across the wispy clouds of the evening sky; warm golden yellow and orange near the horizon, turning scarlet red and deep magenta higher in the sky, fading to indigo and deep purple overhead. This was the end of something he had thought he wanted, but tomorrow would be the beginning of something new. He downed the last of his Scotch, stood up fully, and walked toward the pool. He dove in and swam lap after lap until his pulse was racing and he was nearly out of breath.

He glanced up from the pool and saw that Emily's bedroom light was on. Probably chatting with her friends about the engagement. Later when he was out of the pool and dried off, Mitchell went upstairs to close down the windows in the kids' rooms and passed by the closed door of Emily's room. He could hear the faint sounds of moans and sighs mingling with the squeaks of her bed springs. For a moment he allowed himself the luxury of picturing Emily reclined on her bed, completely naked, her long legs spread, her fingers plunging into her hot wet sex. The image sent a shudder of arousal through him and took his breath away.

He shook it off and moved quickly down the hall to lower the windows in Timothy's and Kelly's rooms. When he passed by Emily's room again, he heard the bed squeaking sounds again. But this time he could also hear her voice. She was talking to someone ... on the phone perhaps? Then the realization struck him that she probably had Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome on the line for a little long distance nookie.

Mitchell chuckled to himself and went to bed, but his mind quickly drifted down the hall, imagining how Emily was pleasing herself while talking dirty over the phone. That thought only forced him to pleasure himself and Mitchell came intensely and violently, calling out her name in the process. There was only a little trace of shame trickling through his body afterwards. This was one harmless final fantasy and once he was finished it would be put away forever. He was so glad that he hadn't fallen in love with her, so glad that he wasn't in love at all.

* * *

Emily and Brian planned for a late spring wedding the following year. It would take that long to make all the arrangements. Mitchell was amused at the whirlwind of activity stirring around Emily as she talked on the phone and with her family and friends. He was reminded of his own wedding and how Angela had done everything, well, almost everything except ordering the tuxedoes for his half of the wedding party and springing for the bar and the band at the reception.

Several times he offered help and each time Emily turned him down. At one point when he went off in a selfish huff, Emily hung up the phone and went to him.

"Mitch, please don't be mad at me," she said appealingly. "I really appreciate your offer but there isn't anything you can do to help. I'm sorry."

Mitchell hated feeling useless. He wanted to be involved somehow, someway. But then he came to the sad realization that this was not about him in any way. This was about Emily and Brian. Mitchell slunk up to his room for a while and sulked. But after a few minutes of feeling sorry for himself, he got over it and turned to a new page.

As summer turned to fall and school resumed, Emily lived up to every requirement of her job, looking after the kids, taking them to school and the doctor and dentist, Mitchell could see the inevitable change coming and planned for it. He contacted the agency to request another nanny. Emily left him no choice. At some point before the wedding he would need someone new, maybe this time he should try one of the Mary Poppins ladies.

* * *

A couple of weeks later Emily's parents hosted an engagement party for the friends and family of the wedding party. Mitchell was surprised to receive an invitation.

"You are my boss after all," Emily had remarked when Mitchell asked her about it. "I made sure my mom invited you."

Mitchell wasn't sure if he wanted to go, but Kelly convinced him to attend.

"Go and have a good time, Daddy," she said, practically pushing her father out the door. "You hardly ever get out and this will be good for you."

"Sure it isn't to get me out of the house so you and Timmy can throw a wild party and go crazy?"

"Of course not, Daddy," Kelly said with an innocent little smile. "We'll be just fine. Now go!"

Reluctantly Mitchell drove over to the restaurant where the affair was being catered. He almost didn't go in. He sat in his car for a moment and thought of how he wouldn't know anyone outside of Emily and how it would be so hard to see her snuggling up to Mr. Wonderful all night. But then he saw a little red convertible pull up and a skinny little blonde girl hop out and head toward the door. Is that who I think it is, he asked himself. He got out of his car and followed the girl inside. She was standing at the hostess stand when he got in. Wearing a short little red halter dress, the girl looked back at Mitchell as he came in the door.

"Hi ya, Mitch!" she said with a big smile. "Imagine seeing you here."

"Hello, Lizzie. Why wouldn't you see me here?" Mitchell responded.

"Well, knowing that you were kind of sweet on Emily, I figured you'd just blow this off," Lizzie said, her big blue eyes giving Mitchell a quick up and down look. "But it's really nice to see you."

"Thanks."

"How may I help you?" the hostess asked, stepping up to her stand.

"The Butler-Hall party," Lizzie said.

"Right this way," the hostess said with a smile, directing them down a long hallway. "First door on the left."

Mitchell escorted Lizzie toward the party.

"I'm not gonna know anyone," Mitchell muttered under his breath.

"Not for long with me around," Lizzie said, her blue eyes flashing at Mitchell. She took his hand and led him into the room.

Despite its pretentious name, The Empire Room was a modest but comfortable room about half filled with guests. At the far end Mitchell could see Emily and Brian standing together with what must be both sets of parents.

"Lizzie!" someone called out from the side of the room.

Lizzie squealed as a lanky brunette girl approached.

"Nicole!"

The girls embraced like old friends.

"How are you? You look great!" Nicole said.

"I'm really good. You are looking fabulous!" Lizzie replied.

"So who's this handsome guy?" Nicole asked.

"Nicole," Lizzie began, taking Mitchell's hand and pulling him into a little circle of friends. "This is Mitch, he's Emmie's boss."

"Well, well, well," Nicole remarked with a sexy grin. "Your taste in men has certainly improved!"

And so it went. For the next half-hour, before they could even make it to the bar to get something to bite off Mitchell's case of nerves, Lizzie introduced him to just about everyone at the party. There were a lot of friends from high school and college and relatives from both sides of the future family. Mitchell was largely amused by the way Lizzie held his hand and led him along as if he was her date. I'm sure that there is something going on about that, he thought and he smiled and shook a few hands and tried to remember at least a few names. When they finally made it to the bar, her ordered Jack Daniels on the rocks and Lizzie ordered something called Pink Panties.