Emily wasn't sure why she did it but before meeting Dan for lunch she drove past her old shop. Everything was how it used to be and she was surprised to see it open. She had planned on closing the shop from Christmas Eve till the second week of January but a couple of days after New Year 's Day it was open and seeing her car out front, Jodie came running out giving Emily no choice but stop and say hello.

"God I have missed you girl!" Jodie greeted, hugging her tightly.

"Same. How come you're here and not over in Melbourne?" It was part of the reason Emily had decided to close over the holidays. Her staff deserved a break and with the majority of Jodie's family over there she had given her a small bonus to cover the her airfares home.

"Well, I'm so sorry for not quitting Em. I did, I wrote up my notice and everything but she's paying me triple what I was on before. The other girls have gone, I have new staff to train now but honestly, since you've gone we're never busy. I can't cook like you"

"Triple?" Emily couldn't believe it.

"I know. I feel so bad"

"Don't. I couldn't expect you to just quit and I wouldn't either for that cost" Their conversation was cut short as the old man from the antique store came out.

"Emily! You're a sight for sore eyes. Get back to work, I miss those little purple things you make" He took her hand and patted the top of it gently.

"Macarons Mr Stanley. I'm sure Jo's aren't that bad?"

"Actually they're not on the menu anymore. I can't make them and our range has changed thanks to our new sole owner" Jodie butted in looking embarrassed.

"New owner?" The old man gasped, shaking his head. "Explains everything"

"How about I make you some on the weekend and I'll get Jodie to bring them to you Monday morning?" Emily offered.

"Only if it's not too much trouble, don't bother yourself over an old man like me" He blushed slightly as Emily hugged him.

"It'll be no bother at all" The state of her store left her feeling even more deflated but it also woke something else up in her. Saying goodbye she went to get Dan, an idea coming to mind.

"Mind if we skip lunch and just grab McDonalds. I want to go look at something" Dan nodded, not really caring what they did. They headed down the highway towards the ocean and into Fremantle which was one of her favourite locations.

"What are we doing?" Dan asked as they walked around the West End. Old buildings were being renovated within the city and after half an hour of walking he wasn't sure what she was looking for.

"I just wanted to see something" She answered absentmindedly, her smile widening as she saw the shop she was looking for and the big red For Sale sign was still covering the window partly blocked by scaffolding. "What do you think?"

Dan looked around confused. "Um, bit of a fixer upper?"

"The building is being renovated and all these shop spaces are available now. With the ocean views and the beauty of this area, what if I had a new shop here?"

"Here?" Like last time it wasn't smack bang in the middle of the action but people travelled out the main square of the city for her shop so he was certain they'd do the same here.

"Yeah and being on the end, there is this cute little courtyard. I was thinking of making it a little industrial, it seems to be a trend at the moment" And she went on to describe the setting and look of the store.

"Sounds pretty cool Em" Dan had to agree, he'd want to come to a place like this. The other store had been 'pretty' if that was the right word for it.

"And that's where you'll come in" Emily was nearly bouncing with excitement as he looked at her funny.

"Me?"

"That drawing you did for me is amazing. What if you could come up with a design for the shop walls?"

"You'd want me to paint it?"

"If you're willing? I'll pay you so don't worry about that, and no hurry you can have as much time as you need" The smile on his face told her all she needed to know. "Yay!"

"So is this yours?" Dan asked, trying to see inside the dusty store that was going to need more work than he thought possible to turn into another bakery.

"Not yet" Emily got out her phone, arranging an appointment with the listed real estate agent for the following day. "And if they accept my offer, I'll have the keys in no time!"

"New year right?" Dan couldn't help but be excited to although the task was rather daunting. He had to get it perfect for her and nothing less than that would do.

"Exactly!"

After grabbing some lunch they went to check on the pups and once he had been taken home, Emily went to Carla's to tell her of her plans and have dinner. Jack would be home tomorrow and getting home she wasn't sure if she'd be able to sleep with the excitement of it all. As she got to her front door she froze, the wooden door was open and she knew it had been locked up when she left with Dan.

Sookie came trotting to the front door wagging her tail at seeing her temporary owner "Did I leave the door open Sook?"

The dog went to jump up on her leg and giving her a quick pat, Sookie retreated back towards her bed while Emily went into her bedroom just to make sure no one had been in thanks to her stupidity at leaving the house open. Getting out her phone she was texting Jodie about her plans and didn't look up as she took off her shoes by the dresser and as something moved in front of her she looked up, dropping the phone and her bag on the floor, she screamed in fright.

"What are you doing here?" Clutching her chest Emily was certain she was going through the first stage of a heart attack.

"Took an earlier flight" Jack smiled, stopping from lighting the candles he had put on the bedside table. "Miss me?"

Emily nodded as she got control of her heart and sprinted over to his waiting arms. He easily picked her up against him as her legs went around his waist and he twirled her around until he ended up sitting on the bed and finally after the longest couple of weeks of his life, he kissed her.  

Emily's heart was aching from the overwhelming load of emotions that took over, adrenaline, fear, excitement but most of all desire. He was back and she had to have him.

The feeling was clearly mutual as it took them no time to lose the clothing that kept them from each other. Emily was already begging him to close what distance was left and as his hips moved along with hers, the release couldn't have come soon enough as pure need and desperation drove them on.

"More Jack, more" Her breathless moan didn't help the control he was struggling to keep, holding her against him as if he let her go she'd disappear. He kissed her neck, her breast sending a new wave of pleasure of through her, again and again until it got to the point of no return and finally she was calling his name in a way that told him that she was all his. And that's all he had ever wanted from the second he met her.

She wasn't someone else's girl now, she was his.

As they laid side by side amidst the chaos of the bed, they were silent, simply staring at the other with the contentment of being back together. Emily reached out to run her finger along his chin which was prickly with regrowth adding a more masculine touch to his appearance before carefully tracing the shape of his lips.

"So you missed me then?" Jack teased, going to bite her finger her giggle sent a shiver of desire through him. He loved that sound. Her eyes were slightly hazy and everything about her was filled with satisfaction. Looking up at him from under her lashes he found that look to be sexier than anything they had just done.

"You know I did" She pushed him onto his back, climbing to sit on top of him the feel of skin on skin kept her eager for more. This was all new to Emily; she had never felt like this before. So confident and sexy.

So wanted and loved.

It was midnight by the time they managed to break apart, getting out a bottle of wine from the fridge Emily filled two glasses and went to sit by Jack who was meeting all the puppies. Taking his glass he held the little runt close to his chest and enjoyed the puppy breath smell.

“I think I might adopt Sookie” Emily rubbed behind the dogs ears which made her look as content as Emily felt.

“That’s great Em, she deserves a good home after all she’s been through” She had never had a foster fail before, most of her friends from the shelter all had one pet that they couldn’t manage to part with when the time for adoption came up and now it was her turn. Fostering had been the one way to have a pet, Greg never liked animals and thought even her temporary companions were more inconvenience but again she had to remind herself that Jack wasn’t Greg. “If Rosie didn’t have those little yappers already I’d have tried to persuade her to take her”

“Little yappers” Emily laughed, the toy dogs never seemed to like Jack, or even her. She put it down to being more of a big dog kind of person and they knew it. “Dan is in love with that one. He comes over every day to see them”

“Have I told you how amazing you are?” Spying his ring on her finger he took her hand, kissing the ring, the top of her hand and finally her lips once more. “Didn’t return it then?”

“Wouldn’t dream of it”

“Good”

Emily knew what she wanted to ask him, but couldn’t bring herself to do it. Who was the girl in the photos? Would he think she was the jealous possessive type? Would this turn him off her?

“Why are you frowning?” Emily didn’t realise she was and quickly tried to cover it by sipping her wine. “Em?”

“It’s nothing”

“It clearly is” Jack couldn’t help but get nervous, and when she did finally speak he wished she hadn’t.

“Fine, I was just thinking about what you did at home. I don’t really know much about you and the Paul had these pictures of you from New Year on Facebook and there was a girl…”

“Victoria. Em, she’s nothing to me, while she and my mother may want more – there is a reason I stay away from home. I told Mum about you on New Year’s Day and she still hasn’t spoken to me. I’m not doing what she wants; she can get over herself. They both can. I want you” Jack hadn’t seen any of the images from that night and didn’t even think to check. He had been more focused on other things rather than checking anything on the site.

“I feel so stupid but she was all over you and…”

“You’re the only one I want Em. Don’t feel stupid, I’d be worse if I saw a picture with a guy all over you” Jack could just imagine it now, she had been trying to sit on his lap, get in every picture and refused to back off even after he shoved the phone in her face to prevent her from kissing him. “I’m sorry”

“You don’t have to be sorry, you’ve never gave me a reason to doubt you”

“And I hope I never will”

“Do you read romance novels for ideas or are you just this cheesy naturally?” Emily teased, feeling more assured of just where they’re relationship stood.

“I’m English, we invented romance” Jack boasted, laying on his accent.

“Thought that was the French”

“Take that back!” He protested, mocking being hurt and as she put her glass down on the table he tackled her onto the carpet. “Shall I prove to you just how wrong you are?”

“I might need a bit convincing” Emily giggled, “But we have all night”