Catch But Don't Release

Chapter 17

Emily’s pulse was still fluttering from the friend meeting as she stepped out of her office. Her palms were damp. Her thoughts were a mess. And every step toward Brody’s office made her heart beat harder.

She tried to steady her breathing, but it didn’t help. Not when she could still feel the echo of his eyes on her from earlier. Not when she knew he’d heard something.

By the time she reached the executive floor, her nerves were a tangled knot.

Brody’s receptionist, Miss Benton, looked up from her computer the moment Emily approached.

“Excuse me, ma’am,” she said politely, “may I help you?”

Emily froze. Her voice caught. “Uh—yes. I mean—Mr. Thornton is… expecting me.”

Miss Benton opened her mouth to respond—

But Brody’s voice cut in from his doorway, smooth and warm.

“Thank you, Miss Benton. I was expecting Ms. Hart.”

Emily’s breath hitched.

He stood there, holding his office door open for her, his expression unreadable but his eyes unmistakably focused on her.

He motioned her inside with a slight tilt of his head. “Come in.”

Emily stepped past him, suddenly aware of how close he was, how tall he was, how the air seemed to shift when he was near. She walked into his office, trying to gather herself.

She turned to face him. “You wanted to see me, Mr. Thornton?”

Brody’s expression flickered — a hint of disappointment. “Please call me Brody.”

Her cheeks warmed. “Right. Brody.”

He stepped closer, his tone gentle. “Yes, I wanted to check on you. Is everything alright?”

Emily blinked, puzzled. “What do you mean?”

Brody shrugged lightly, but the concern in his eyes was unmistakable. “I saw you with your friends earlier. It looked… intense. I didn’t want to pry, but I wanted to make sure you’re okay.”

Emily let out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. “Oh. Yes. I’m fine. Just… friends being friends.”

Brody nodded slowly, studying her face with a depth that made her stomach flip. “Good. Because for a second there…” He paused, his voice dropping lower. “I thought you were going to tell me you didn’t want to see me again.”

Emily’s breath caught.

Brody stepped closer — close enough that she felt the warmth of him, close enough that the room suddenly felt too small.

“And I really enjoy our time together,” he murmured, almost a whisper.

Emily’s lungs forgot how to work.

He reached up, fingers brushing her cheek before tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. The touch was soft, deliberate, intimate.

Her breath hitched — audibly.

Brody noticed.

His eyes darkened with something warm and dangerous and undeniably interested. His fingers lingered behind her ear, his body leaning in just enough to make her knees weaken.

He lowered his voice, his lips near her ear. “You look beautiful.”

Emily swallowed hard, her mouth suddenly dry. She licked her lips without thinking — a nervous habit.

Brody’s eyes followed the motion.

Time held still.

The air thickened.

Emily’s heart pounded so loudly she was sure he could hear it.

Brody didn’t move away. He didn’t break eye contact. He didn’t pretend this wasn’t happening.

He simply watched her — like she was the only thing in the room worth looking at.

Brody was close enough that Emily could feel the warmth of him, close enough that her breath tangled in her throat. He didn’t need to step closer.

He simply leaned in.

Just a subtle shift of his body, but it changed everything. The air tightened. The space between them shrank until it was barely a breath.

Emily’s heart thudded hard enough she felt it in her fingertips.

Brody’s eyes searched hers, slow and deliberate, as if he was reading every flicker of emotion she tried to hide. His hand was still near her face from tucking her hair behind her ear, his fingers grazing her skin in a way that made her knees weaken.

He tilted his head slightly, lowering his voice. “You’re nervous.”

Emily swallowed. “A little.”

His lips curved—not a smile, not exactly. Something deeper. Something that said he liked that she was affected by him.

“Good,” he murmured, his voice warm and rough. “That means I’m not the only one feeling this.”

Emily’s breath caught.

Brody’s fingers slid from behind her ear to the side of her neck, barely touching, just the whisper of his knuckles against her skin. The light contact sent a shiver down her spine.

He leaned in again—closer this time—testing her, watching her, waiting to see if she’d pull away.

She didn’t.

Her stillness was its own answer.

Brody’s gaze dropped to her lips for a fraction of a second before returning to her eyes. The look he gave her was intense enough to steal the air from her lungs.

“Emily…” he whispered, her name sounding like something he wasn’t supposed to say out loud.

Her pulse jumped.

“If I’m crossing a line,” he said softly, “tell me.”

She didn’t speak.

Didn’t move.

Didn’t breathe.

Brody exhaled slowly, like he’d been holding his breath waiting for her reaction. His thumb brushed her jaw—light, careful, intimate.

“Careful,” he murmured, his voice a low warning wrapped in desire. “If you look at me like that… I won’t be able to pretend I don’t want you.”

Emily’s lips parted on instinct.

Brody noticed.

His eyes darkened, his breath catching just slightly. He leaned in until his forehead almost touched hers, the closeness dizzying.

His voice dropped to a whisper meant only for her. “Tell me to stop… or let me come closer.”

Emily didn’t say a word.

And Brody… Brody smiled like he’d just gotten his answer.

For a long, suspended moment, neither of them moved.

Brody’s hand was still resting lightly at the side of her neck, his thumb brushing her jaw in a way that made her whole body feel unsteady. His eyes held hers—steady, warm, waiting.

Emily’s breath trembled out of her.

And then—very slowly, almost without realizing she was doing it—she leaned in.

Just an inch.

Then another.

Brody’s eyes darkened, his breath catching softly. He didn’t pull her closer, didn’t rush, didn’t take control of the moment. He simply held still, letting her choose.

Emily closed the last bit of space between them.

Her lips brushed his—soft, tentative, barely there.

Brody inhaled sharply, like the touch surprised him. His hand slid fully behind her neck, his fingers spreading gently through her hair, guiding her just a little closer. His other hand found her waist, warm and steady, grounding her as if he knew she needed something to hold onto.

Emily’s hands lifted on instinct, gripping his shoulders first… then sliding around him, holding him like she needed the reassurance that he was real, that this was real.

Brody kissed her again—still soft, still careful—but deeper this time. More certain. More wanting. His thumb stroked the back of her neck, sending a shiver down her spine. Emily’s breath hitched against his mouth, and Brody responded with a quiet, low sound that made her knees weaken.

The kiss deepened slowly, naturally, like they were learning each other in real time. His hand at her waist tightened just slightly, pulling her closer, while the one behind her neck held her with a tenderness that made her chest ache.

Emily felt the world tilt.

The office. The door. The risk. All of it disappeared.

There was only him.

Only this.

When they finally broke apart, it wasn’t because either of them wanted to. It was because they had to breathe.

They stayed close—foreheads almost touching, breaths mingling, both of them unsteady.

Emily’s chest rose and fell too fast. Brody’s wasn’t much better.

His voice came out low, roughened by the moment. “Emily…”

She swallowed, her lips still tingling. “Yeah?”

Brody searched her face like he was memorizing every detail. “You are incredible.”

Emily shook her head, breathless. “and so are you.”

Brody exhaled—slow, relieved, undone.

And for the first time since she’d walked into his office, he looked like the one struggling to keep control.