Let Us Start From Here
Adjusting the numbers on the price gun - of course he grabbed the one with the stiff dial - Killian ignored the gentle kicking against his thigh. Liam was sitting on the counter beside him, legs swinging wildly in an obvious attempt to make his boredom known. "You said they'd be here by now," he whined.
Glancing down at him, he bit down hard on his lip to stop himself grinning at the exaggerated pout on his son's face. "Aye, I did. I'm sure they'll be here any minute. Or any second," he corrected himself as the door to his bookstore swung open, unable to smother his smile any longer. Which was fine, because Emma was smiling just as warmly.
Neither of them got a word in before Liam, however, who jumped off the counter and ran up to Henry, stopping just shy of bowling him over. His back was to Killian so he couldn't see his expression, but he could tell his excitement from the way he was all but bouncing out of his skin. "Papa said you were gonna take me for ice cream."
"As long as Mum doesn't mind," Killian said quickly, winking at Emma's questioning look. At her acquiescing nod, he stepped forward to slip a note into Henry's hand. "Don't be too long, lads."
As Henry led an already babbling Liam from the bookstore, Killian called out to Belle, telling her that he had to grab something from out the back and to watch the floor. Grabbing Emma's hand, he pulled her along behind him, unable to stop himself from rubbing his thumb across the back of her hand, or from smiling when her grip tightened on his in return.
Closing the door to the staff area behind them, he turned to face Emma but found himself pushed back against the door, her hands snaking up from his chest to squeeze his shoulders. He caught her staring at his lips for the fraction of a second that he had before she leaned forward, pressing her mouth against his.
She tasted just as good as he remembered, better even, and he thanked whichever gods were listening that his was the bookstore that she'd stepped into several weeks ago, that he'd been on shift that day, that that chance had led to this. He couldn't help but flirt with her since he first saw her browsing in the romance section, and was only encouraged when he'd caught her a few days later, watching him over an upside down book.
He'd asked her out, and she'd said no. The next time she came it was with Henry in tow, and he read her hint clearly: it wasn't just her she had to worry about. He'd responded in kind, starting up a conversation with her son about his own lad's favourite books, his own message hopefully as transparent: he had priorities as well, but that didn't mean they had to shut out every chance.
He hadn't told her yet that she was the first person who'd made him want to open his heart since Milah had died.
Emma parted her lips, kissing him harder, and he twined his arm around her waist, tugging her closer until she was pressed bodily against him. Her hand slipped up to the back of his head, her fingernails scratching at his scalp and he moaned into the mouth, remembering the way those same nails had dug into his shoulder blades the night before.
The feeling of her teeth brushing against his lower lip spurred him on and he reached down, grabbing her thighs just below her arse and hoisting her up, panting for breath when the motion separated her lips from his. Emma bent her head to kiss him again, her legs wrapping around his waist, and he stumbled forward to the closest surface.
When he lowered her onto his desk he dislodged a pile of books, and the sound of them hitting the floor distracted him enough for him to remember that they couldn't do this, not like this, not here. Pulling back enough to part the kiss, he blinked down at Emma. "We should cool this down," she said breathlessly, leaning forward to rest her forehead against his.
Her eyes were still closed, and he was grateful for the moment he could take to pull himself together, almost as grateful as he was for the small smile playing around her lips or the blush that stained her cheeks and trailed down her neck. "Aye," he agreed, his voice coming out huskier than he'd intended. He paused, waiting until she opened her eyes to continue. "I have to say, m'dear, that I'm pleased you came for more than just to return my phone."
She huffed a laugh, and he remained pleased with himself as she pushed him away gently. He bent to retrieve the fallen books, and when he'd replaced them on the desk he looked back at her to see her pulling his cell phone from her jacket pocket. He let his fingers linger on hers when he took it from her, not even attempting to be subtle about it, and felt his heart swell when her answering eye roll was more indulgent that exasperated.
"I'm pretty sure that you forgot it on purpose," she said.
He scoffed, feigning offence. Truthfully, he hadn't done it on purpose, but only because he hadn't thought of it. Slipping his phone into his back pocket, he reached down and slipped his hand around hers. "Let me take you on a second date," he suggested, watching her reaction carefully. "Tonight. My apartment, pizza, you, me, and our lads."
His heart hammered in his chest as he heard her breath catch. He knew what he was asking - to involve their boys was to go all in, to nudge past the second date point and into the part where it wasn't their own happiness they were putting on the line.
Her slow smile prompted his grin before she gave a proper answer but he didn't wait for it, dipping his head to kiss her again.