Chapter 25 (All Falls Down)


    Emma''s POV


    I was afraid of falling over if I stood up. I was so light-headed and dizzy; but, then, Mr. Hollen asked me


    to dance. I looked at him, trying to show him that I was now a dizzy light weight, but didn''t want to be


    rude in front of his grandmother. I recalled, looking at her closer, that she was the same woman I''d


    seen at the park who left the newspaper behind.


    Mr. Hollen held out his hand and I took it. He led me to a dance floor where over a hundred couples


    were dancing as well. He wrapped his arm around my lower back and pulled me closer to him as we


    began swaying slowly to the music. I''d never danced like that before so I stepped on his shoes a


    couple of times, and the alcohol wasn''t helping. Iid my head on his hard chest, saving my bnce.


    His manly scent tingled in my nostrils as I inhaled deeply. I was sofortable in his strong arms; I


    instantly felt like no one else existed around us. It was just us and the music.


    I hugged him tightly.


    "Excuse me, may I have this dance with my son?" Mrs. Hollen interrupted.


    I pulled away from him. "Of course," I answered, a bit shortly, and allowed her to take my ce.


    I began to make my way back to the table through the crowd. I passed a couple who were dancing,


    and, as I saw my table with Halley and Mr. Hollen''s grandmother in sight, I tripped over someone''s long


    gown and fell to my face. There wasughter mixed with concerned exmation from the crowd. I tried


    to quickly pick myself up but two men rushed over to me and helped me on my feet. Everyone stared.


    You could touch my embarrassment with a finger; I felt terrible.


    "Emma, are you alright?" Mr. Hollen asked; he was one of the men who picked me up.


    "She''s with you?" the other man asked him.


    "Yeah."


    Mr. Hollen took my hand, led me directly to the table and sat me down in a chair.


    I buried my face in the palms of my hands as the tears fell. The one thing I didn''t want to  happen


    happened. I''d embarrassed him.


    "We''re leaving in five," he said then went over and spoke to the other gentleman who''d assisted me.


    Halley came over and patted me on my back. "Emma, are you okay?"


    My hands didn''t leave my face.


    "My dear, you''re too beautiful to hide your face in this ce. Put your hands down," Mr. Hollen''s


    grandmother said, and she leaned in and removed them.


    She smiled at me as I looked over to her.


    "Lets get you cleaned up," Halley said and led me to a bathroom. "She likes you," she said to me when


    we were inside, "but you had too much wine, Emma; you''re wasted."


    I leaned against a sink as she wiped my face and retouched my makeup.


    She led me back to the table, where Mr. Hollen was waiting. I saw his mother making her way over to


    him as we approached.


    "Honey, Martin said you''re leaving," she said to him.


    "Yes, mother."


    "But the auction hadn''t even started as yet. Why so soon?"


    "I''m already exhausted, and I need to take them home."


    "You''re leaving because of a couple of maids? It''s not your fault this one can''t handle a ss of wine!"


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    Her eyes shot to me making me more ufortable than I already was.


    "Mother, not right now, okay?"


    "Well, at least stay for your auction, sweetie. My driver could take them home."


    "Mom, they came with me. It''s only fair I take them back."


    His mother wasn''t an easy woman to deal with. She seemed to have Sharon''s personality.


    I insisted he stay and enjoy hispany''s auction and his mom''s driver could take us home. He gave


    in and handed Halley the keys for the house. We made our way out with him right behind us. We got


    into an Audi after Mr. Hollen instructed the driver on where to take us.


    We arrived at the beach house an hourter.


    Halley opened the door and we went upstairs to my bedroom. "How are you feeling?" she asked as I


    threw myself onto my bed.


    "I feel like I''ve been hit by a truck. My body hurts from the fall and my head is light from the alcohol."


    "Get some rest," she said softly, and moved some hair from around my face. She said goodnight then


    went to her own room.


    Iid on my bed, still fully dressed, and fell asleep almost instantly.


    I awoke to the touch of someone''s hand on my back. I turned my head slightly. Straining my eyes


    through the darkness of the room, I looked over my shoulder.


    This man is going to be the death of me. What is he doing here?


    "Mr. Hollen?" I whispered with sleep in my voice.


    "Baby, shh. Go back to sleep."


    I was too tired to even argue with him. Iid my head on my pillow and drifted back to sleep.


    ___________


    Sunday morning arrived.


    I woke up and noticed that it was just me in the bed. I must have been dreaming about him again. I got


    out of be, brushed my teeth, undressed then took a shower. I felt better but was thirsty as hell. When I


    finished dressing, I skipped downstairs to the kitchen for a ss of water.


    "Good morning," Mr. Hollen said as he came into the kitchen.


    "Good morning."


    "How are you doing?"


    "I''m fine."


    "I''m holding you to your proposal."


    "Huh?"


    "We''ll spend the day teaching you to swim."


    I blushed. I had forgotten all about that.


    Halley came down and we had breakfast then I went back upstairs and changed into my so-called


    swimwear and followed him down to the beach.


    __________


    "Keep your hands in front of you," he instructed as he held me in the water to show me how to swim.


    I had already made three attempts but failed. He was using an alternative technique for beginners.


    "There, you see. You''ve got it," he cheered as I swam away from him. "Keep your head up Emma!" He


    followed right behind, caught me and pulled me into his arms. "There, you''re a fast learner."


    "Thanks to you."


    "I take it you''re not mad at me anymore?"


    "Hmm. Maybe, maybe not. It doesn''t matter; I already made up my mind."


    "So have I."


    "Oh really?"


    "I''m breaking up with her as soon as she gets back."


    "No. Don''t do that. I realized how selfish I sounded when I told you to break up with her if you want to


    be with me. I''m in no position to tell you to leave your fiancee. She''s a nice woman; you two make a


    great couple. I can''t let you do something so awful, especially when she loves you."


    "You''re really an incredible woman, but you''re wrong. I''m not leaving her for you. I''m leaving because


    she and I just don''t have a connection."


    "Stop looking for excuses. Y''all are getting married. You should go through with it; eventually, I''ll find


    someone else."


    Myst statement changed the color of his eyes and I panicked. He pulled me even closer to him


    causing me to y firmly against his chest.


    "You''re mine," he finally spoke.


    "Mr. Hollen, I can''t. We can''t—"


    "Emma, Shut up."


    His lips crashed down on mine as his hands moved over my body. My legs wrapped around his torso


    and I felt his erection hard against my spot. The water was cold but the moment was heated. I gave


    into his kiss. He let out a moan and so did I before he stopped.


    "Baby, if you continue this we just might attract a shark."


    It took me a few to catch what he actually meant. I giggled and pped his hand. He''s so naughty.


    "Wanna take a break?"


    "Okay."


    He carried me out of the water, bridal style, andid me on the beach rug he brought. He pushed my


    hair behind my ear and nted a kiss on my forehead.


    "I''ve fallen for you," he said softly.


    "Why me, why not Halley?"


    I had no idea why I asked that aloud but it slipped out because it had been on my mind for some time.


    He studied my face, his eyebrows arched and his jaw clenched. "Is that a serious question?"


    "Yes."


    "You can''t control who you fall for. I''ve never developed any romantic feelings for her, and I don''t


    believe that I would."


    "Okay." I was satisfied with his answer. "Can I ask you something?"


    "Sure, baby."


    "What''s the truth behind the previous maid? The one you said you didn''t fire."


    He ran his fingers through his straight ck hair as he sat up straight, looking at the horizon instead of


    me. He seemed emotional.


    Maybe they were involved.


    "The other maid wasn''t a maid at all."


    My heart fell. She was your girlfriend?


    "She was actually a spy working for one of mypetition in the industry. Her mission was to get the


    job as a maid in my mansion and, whenever I left documents in my office, she would send the


    information to the otherpanies so they always knew my every move. Then I met Sharon. I invited


    her over and she spent the night.


    "I left early for work one morning, Sharon wokete and decided to visit me at work. She passed the


    office and noticed the maid was inside on myputer and talking on the phone. Sharon told me, but


    by the time I got home the maid vanished without a trace. The information on her resume was all false,


    including her name. So I''ve yet to locate her."


    I was astonished and speechless. So that''s why he''s so protective of the office and has cameras in


    every important part of his house. Some people could really make it difficult for others'' to have an


    opportunity.


    "I don''t know where that rumor came from about us being in a rtionship. I guess the press just


    needed something to go on."


    I felt bad for hating him over a rumor and telling myself he must be screwing all of his maids. "Thanks


    for telling me," I said as I leaned against his arm.


    He pulled me in for a hug and put a towel over me. We stared at the horizon in silence as the midday


    sun shone on.