Emma stared down the door of Killian's parent's house, unable to understand how she ended up here, hair a waterfall of perfect curls, and wearing a lovely red dress that hugged her curves in all the right ways. She thought she looked ridiculous, Killian on the other hand had to maintain indifference, pretending that he didn't think she looked ravishing. (Which, was a mere understatement if you asked him.)
You see, Emma wasn't here completely by choice. They had made some sort of deal— that if she pretended to be his girlfriend for the weekend, he'd owe her one. (And trust me when I say this, she was going to make it worth her while. It had to be, to justify putting herself through this kind of torture.)
"They're going to see right through me." She mumbled. "I don't even like you. How am I suppose to pretend I'm in love with you?"
Killian looked at her from the corner of his eye. He had just rang the doorbell and he could hear excited footsteps coming toward them.
"Look at me Emma. I'm ridiculously handsome. It shouldn't be hard to act like you're into all of this." He motioned toward himself, and she was certain her eyes were about to roll into the back of her head. This is what she'd have to endure for three days.
Three. Whole. Days.
If God was real, he'd come down and end it now.
The door opened, revealing a beautiful, dark haired woman. Her eyes were a bright blue, much like the sea on a clear day, when sunlight reflected off of it. One could easily get lost in them.
Her smile was on a whole different level. It seemed so sincere, perhaps it was one of the loveliest smiles Emma had ever seen. Maybe that's why Killian's was so killer. He had inherited it from his mother.
"Mom." Killian smiled (there it was) as she wrapped her arms around him, and held on tightly.
"It's so good to see you." She sounded so happy, and when she turned to look at Emma, that happiness that radiated off of her seemed to grow.
"Wow, you're even more beautiful than he let on. Come here." Mrs. Jones said, pulling Emma into a hug.
Emma wasn't exactly a hugging kind of person. Her childhood had been a lonely one, for the most part, so she wasn't sure how to act in situations with people that seemed to be genuinely interested in meeting her. Though, the second this woman's arms wrapped around her, she was put at ease almost instantly.
She hugged her back, a light smile falling into place on her face and lighting up her features.
Okay, so maybe the weekend wouldn't be so bad.
"It's so good to finally meet you, Emma." She whispered in her ear, before pulling away.
"Now you two come inside. It's cold and everybody is already here."
Once they were seated on the couch, Emma moved closer to Killian, nuzzling herself into his arms to put on a good show. He seemed a little startled at first, but then his arms wrapped around her, warm and comfortable.
Her head rested against his chest, as the people in his family began sharing stories. Every now and then, laughter would vibrate through him, and Emma couldn't help but feel, of all things, safe.
Surprisingly, she loved hearing about his childhood, and when he started telling stories, she listened intently.
"You never told me that." She said at one point, and he shrugged a little, a stupid attractive smile on his face.
"Gotta keep some things a surprise, or you'll get bored."
"Please, like you could ever be boring." The words had come out before she even realized what she was saying, and while he was impressed by how believable she seemed, she was the one who knew she was just being honest.
Killian's brother, Liam, made a face when he looked at them and shook his head a little.
"You two are disgustingly cute." But he looked relieved…content. "Never thought I'd see the day, that my little brother would settle down with a nice girl like yourself, Emma. I'm happy he finally came to his senses. He's damn lucky."
When Emma noticed the look in Killian's eyes, her fingers reached toward his face, and she made him look at her.
She didn't know what she was doing, but something came over her in that moment. An undeniable urge, she felt she had no choice but to fulfill.
She pulled him toward her, while leaning up, and kissed him softly on the lips.
"I'm the lucky one." She said, making sure everybody in the room could hear it, but her eyes were focused on him, and the way he was looking down at her, was the way any girl would want to be looked at by someone.
It sent a tightness through her heart. A feeling she had only ever experienced once before. A feeling she thought she may never have again.
Yet here it was.
That night, Killian made a bed for himself on the floor, but when she couldn't sleep she called out to him, a low hmmm, telling her he was still awake.
"You have an amazing family." Her voice was quiet, and when he didn't respond she figured he either didn't hear her, or fell back to sleep.
"I know." He finally said, but there was a sadness there.
"You don't get to spend much time with them, do you?"
"Not nearly as much as I'd like to."
Had anyone ever told her, Killian Jones was a family man, she would have outright laughed. But seeing the way he interacted with his mother, and his brother, and even the children that were visiting, was a site for sore eyes.
He was nothing like she had thought he was— and even if that was all that would come from this, that would okay with her.
The next day, he took her for a walk.
"It's time you had a break." He had insisted.
The wind was cold, but wrapped in a scarf and a large jacket, with a steaming cup of hot chocolate (a little treat from Killian) Emma was more than content.
He showed her around town, where they ran into people he hadn't seen in years. One of them, was this gorgeous, dark haired woman by the name of Milah. Her hair seemed to fall perfectly onto her shoulders, and the way she looked at Killian, sent a flicker of jealousy through Emma.
"Well, Killian. Are you going to introduce us?" Milah asked, eyebrow arched.
"Right. Emma, this is Milah. We use to date like, a long, long, long, long time ago."
Milah shook her head, biting down on her bottom lip.
"If by long you mean, a couple of years. Then yes. It's been a long time."
"Long enough for him to move on, I guess." Emma's words were cold, but she was smiling, and Killian looked between the two of them like he no idea what was happening.
Men.
"Oh, so you two are…together?" The way she asked it, made it seem like it was something that was hard to believe.
A tone, that made Emma annoyed.
Intwining her fingers with his, she brought his arm around her shoulder, looking up at him with hearts in her eyes.
"Yup." She kissed him on the cheek. "And we're really happy."
Milah, smiled, but there was something hidden underneath it.
"Good." Is all she said, before explaining she had somewhere else to be.
"What was that?" Killian asked, and Emma shrugged.
"I was just doing what I promised you I would."
The last night there, the two of them, along with his family, were crowded around the fireplace, playing pictionary. It was an experience Emma had never had, and when it came down to it:
It was fun. Like, really fun.
So much fun, that when she was helping his mother clean up in the kitchen, she couldn't help but promise that she would come back.
The scary thing about it was…
She meant it.
So when Killian was walking her to her door of her home, she moved closer to him and met his gaze.
"Thank you."
He arched a brow.
"Shouldn't I be the one thanking you?"
She laughed, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.
"No…because I kind of didn't do what you wanted me to do."
"What? Are you insane? You were… perfect." The way he whispered that last word, made her heart pick up a little.
"Yeah, well— I told you I'd pretend to like you and… well… I wasn't pretending."
There was that look again. The one that drove her crazy. She leaned upward, and kissed him. Really kissed him this time, her fingers running through his hair, his hands resting on her waist. He was an incredible kisser, and she felt like she could possibly melt right then and there.
She pulled away slightly, her mouth still hovering just above his own.
"I'll see you at work." She breathed, before taking a step back, and going into her house.
When she closed the door, he was still standing there— that smile of his warming her to her very core.
Merry Christmas to her.
(Merry Christmas to him.)