Title: Life's Little Moments
Author: Gremlin
Chapter 1: Move In With Me
Summary: A story about all the everyday little moments that Matt and Emily go through. This takes place four months after Severance.
Emily puts down her magazine and looks over at Matt who is engrossed in the Dodger game. It is Thursday night and Emily has spent every night since the previous Thursday at his place. They haven't spoken in almost an hour and haven't made love since Sunday. She wonders if he's starting to get bored. She's perfectly happy sitting in comfortable silence watching the game on the leather couch of the wood paneled living room as the summer evening air flows in from the window. She just wants to make sure he's happy too.
Emily scoots over on the couch toward him resting a hand on his thigh and her head on his chest.
"Dodgers are at home tomorrow night," Matt comments. "Want to get some people together and go?" he asks.
"Sure," she replies thinking that maybe Matt has noticed they are in a bit of a rut too. She decides to test the waters a little further. "Concerts in the Park start up again on Tuesday. I know concerts aren't really your thing, but…"
"The jazz ones?" Matt interrupts. "By the end of last summer I started to enjoy those. We should go," he encourages. "I like going to the park after a day of work with you, a bottle of wine, a blanket and some good music," he assures her as he kisses the top of her head and his hand slips under her shirt to caress the small of her back. Suddenly all of her nerve endings are on high alert. She caresses his thigh as she arranges so she is facing him on her knees and begins kissing his neck and cheek before moving to his lips.
It amazes Matt how one minute he can be content just to have Emily in companionable silence across the couch from him as they hang out and watch TV or a movie, and the next minute he can't get enough of her.
"Move in with me," he huffs between kisses as he helps her straddle his lap.
She pulls back to look him in the eye to see if she heard him correctly.
"Move in with me," Matt repeats knowing she's stunned. He's a little stunned himself. He told himself after the fallout of the only other time he lived with a woman that he'd never do it again unless he broke down and got married. All he knows is that when he wants to do something or hang out with someone, Emily is always the first person he thinks of. She's the only person he wants to sleep with, and he loves her. When she's not at his house he misses her. He especially misses her when she is not curled up next to him in bed at night.
"I umm," Emily begins. "So you're not bored? I mean we're not getting boring?" she asks.
"What? Where is this coming from?" he asks resting his hands on her thighs.
"We haven't been out on a date in weeks. That's my fault too," she admits right away.
"I know," he replies. "I like just hanging here with you. That's why I want you to move in with me, but we can make more of an effort to get out too. In fact I think we just did," he refers to the plans they made earlier.
"I don't know Matt. I've never lived with a boyfriend before," she admits as her hands nervously play with his shirt. "I'm not saying I won't live with someone before we are married. I just don't know if it's smart," she tries to downplay her hint at marriage. It's not like she wants to get engaged tomorrow, but she has been thinking about testing the waters to open the discussion.
"Hey, do us both a favor and unbutton those while you're thinking," Matt teases making her smile.
"What if we don't make it?" she questions knowing how much harder breaking up would be after living together.
"Do you see this ending anytime soon?" Matt asks already knowing that neither of them see it ending anytime soon.
"No," she replies. "I just need a little time. It's not that I don't want to," she assures him followed by a kiss.
"I know you need to analyze," Matt says showing his understanding of her character as he simultaneously demonstrates his understanding of her body.
"Do you have any exhibits you'd like to demonstrate to persuade the pro side of the analysis?" she questions seductively, giggling when he finds that certain spot on her neck with his lips.
After she unbuttons her blouse and Matt helps to push it off her arms, Emily feels the draft from the window. She cuddles into his chest and kisses his collarbone. Trying not to get too freaked out she whispers, "The blinds." He knows right away what she means. Ever since an old case came back to haunt Emily and a sex tape was made of them, Emily is always very conscious of where they are and who might be able to see. He grabs the blanket from the arm of the couch and helps to wrap it around her. She starts to get up and move to go shut the blinds, but Matt grabs her hand.
"You stay here…unless you want the bedroom."
"No," she replies wanting the adventure of a different space and feel. She doesn't listen to him and helps him close the blinds anyway. Back on the couch, they resume what they started.
"I feel like jell-o," Emily sighs a little while later.
"I feel better than jell-o. I feel like mouse," Matt replies making her giggle as most of his silly comments do.
"I do want to move in with you," Emily tells Matt as she maneuvers carefully so she is comfortably lying on top of him. "I just need to know we are on the same page."
"And what page is that?" Matt asks sensing her nervousness and guessing she wants to bring up the subject they've always avoided.
"Well…"Emily begins. "If I do move in, I want to know that marriage is on the table."
"It's on the table," Matt assures tucking her hair behind her ear. "And speaking of tables, I'm thinking that should be our next venture," he teases placing his hand behind her head and bringing her lips to his.
"I love you," Emily says laughing as she kisses him. "Are we talking a five year table or a one year table?" she inquires.
"You mean there's not a ten year table?" he asks earning a nudge in the gut. "I love you too," he groans. "If I haven't asked you in a suitable amount of time, you can always ask me," he challenges.
"I might do that anyway," she replies smartly, secretly hoping that she won't have to.
Thanks for reading. Reviews and constructive criticism are always welcome. More chapters to come when I find the time.