Chapter 6

Emily was nervous. Norman was on his way to her apartment and she had spent all day alternately tidying up and getting ready. They weren't doing anything particularly special. They had managed to see each other almost every night over the past two weeks and so far they had been taking things slow. They had come close to taking that final step a few times but one of them always pulled back for one reason or another. It was sweet, it was endearing, it was maddening, thought Emily as she put the finishing touches on her hair. She had opted to wear it down tonight. She wore it up for work because that's what Beth's character called for. The requisite ponytail and single braid had become Beth Greene's signature look as much as it had become part of Emily's daily routine. So it felt good to be wearing it down, letting it fall in the soft waves it naturally tended to.

Finally she heard the knock at her door, just as she was pulling on her off shoulder white crop top over her blue and white paisley leggings. If they were just hanging out and watching movies she wanted to at least feel comfortable. They were planning on watching Boondock Saints II as it was one of Norman's movies that she had never seen yet. He had been horrified to realize that she hadn't seen it and called it a 'bloody sacrilege' in a perfect Murphy MacManus impression. Of course, he should have that character down pat. From what she had seen of the first movie, he had played that role super well and sometimes it seemed as if part of Murph's character was carried around in Norman.

She pulled the door open and Norman stepped in purposefully and pulled her into his arms, dipping her back over one arm as he kissed her. She readily opened her mouth under his and couldn't help the dizzying feeling she had. She knew it wasn't entirely because of the change in position and that it had more to do with how she felt about him, how her knees actually did go weak whenever he kissed her.

He pulled her back upright, breaking the kiss and setting her back on her feet. "Hey gorgeous, did ya miss me?" His voice always melted her. Norman had the kind of voice that could melt any girl's panties right off her body.

She smiled up at him. "Of course I missed you." She said smiling coyly at him. "Did you miss me?" She knew he had. He had just texted her and told her so an hour ago. Still, it was nice to hear.

"Didn't that kiss tell you anything woman? I guess I didn't do it right," he said, coming towards her with purpose, dipping his head down again to claim her lips with his. His tongue licked at her bottom lip and she opened her mouth willingly. Where the other kiss was passionate, this one was much slower, sweeter and Emily thought her heart might explode from how full it was. This had been happening more and more with him lately. She kept getting the feeling that she was falling for him. And she didn't know how to tell him. Didn't know if she should or if it was too soon. They were supposed to be taking it slow but ever since he had kissed her that first time in his trailer her heart had been hurtling towards the edge, ready to fall into it at any moment. He finally broke the kiss and he led her by one hand to the sofa. It was then she noticed that he had something in his hand, a small gift bag.

Her eyes lit up then. "What's in the bag?" she said and he caught her glance then. He held the bag just out of her reach.

"Nope, I'll give it to you after the movie." He said, that evil little glint back in his eyes again. Norman was nothing if not a tease, thought Emily.

She groaned. "But I'll never be able to wait that long." She pouted.

"Aww, come on Emily, I want you to see the movie first. Then I'll give you your present." He didn't know why exactly he was stalling except for the fact that what was inside might change things between them. He had gone and done something extremely romantic, even for him. And he knew it was going to mean something to her. Just like it meant something to him. He searched her eyes, looking for what he always found there and he wasn't disappointed.

She smiled at him softly. "Okay," she relented. "Well what are you waiting for, let's watch it." They sat down and Emily clicked the television on and pushed play on the DVD player. She settled against him, one leg propped on the coffee table in front of her and the other tucked up underneath her, her head leaning against his shoulder.

Norman glanced over at her, getting herself comfortable and wiggling her ass around beside him and he clenched his teeth to quell the arousal he felt. It seemed like it was always like that with her. He was in a constant state of arousal. But he really didn't want to rush things with her. He had ruined too many relationships like that and he wasn't going to do that this time even if it was killing him.

Emily found that she enjoyed this movie just as much as she had the first one. One scene in particular she enjoyed more than most and she was kicking herself for not having watched it sooner although it probably would not have helped her any. She already wanted him but seeing him on screen, completely naked and his skin all wet from that shower was doing things to her. She only hoped Norman didn't notice the change in her breathing. She finally released her breath when the scene ended and didn't dare chance looking at him lest she give away the obvious desire in her eyes.

There were a lot of great one-liners between him and Sean in this movie and she couldn't keep from giggling. When it got near the end though, Emily could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. She hadn't been expecting a character death and she felt silly but couldn't seem to help herself. She reached up and wiped at her tears furiously as the credits rolled. "God, look at me, I'm such a girl. You probably think I'm silly." She said, laughing a little.

Norman looked over at her and was amazed again at what a rare soul she was. He had watched this movie with girls before and not a single one of them had cried when the senior MacManus had died. Emily wasn't just any girl though, he had found out. He turned her to face him, wiping her tears carefully with the pads of his fingers. "I don't think you're silly at all. You're special. To me." He retrieved the bag from the coffee table and handed it to her. This conversation could not have led in more perfectly.

Emily took the bag from him, her tears now forgotten as her face lit up like it was her birthday. Being with Norman was kind of like that. It was like a holiday every day because he always made her feel so special.

She opened the bag and peeked inside, pulling out a tissue-paper wrapped object. She sat it on her lap and peeled the paper back, gasping at what was revealed. It was the turtle shell from the moonshine cabin. The one that she had told him she thought was cute during filming. She had been kind of sad to realize it had burned up with the end of that episode.

Emily's eyes welled up with fresh tears at the message written in some kind of white paint, the letters in a lilting scroll and she knew instinctively that Norman had painted it himself. "Beth + Daryl 2013" It was the most beautiful thing she had ever received. "You saved it for me!" she exclaimed throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly. She felt his arm come up around her back, pulling her to him.

"Check the other side," He whispered it close to her ear and she pulled back, looking at him curiously before she turned the shell over in her hands.

Nothing could have prepared her for what it said on the flip side. "Norman + Emily" with a heart drawn around it. She was speechless as she looked at him and put her hand up to her mouth to contain the emotion she was feeling.

"Norman," she breathed. "This is," but she had no words. She looked at him. "I love it." She said, her heart beating a million times faster.

"I love you." He said, looking right into her eyes, searching them and finding her answering response in her watery smile.

"Oh Norman, I love you too." She said and she placed the shell carefully on the coffee table turning back to face him. She guessed this was the moment they had been coming towards all along but she was still not prepared for the havoc it was wreaking on her heart. She felt like she was about to come apart from how full her heart felt right now.

"Emily, I haven't ever felt like this about anyone." He said, looking at her seriously. This was a rare moment with him. He was always so jovial, the first to make a joke always wanting to make her laugh. But there was nothing funny about what he was saying.

It was everything she had always wanted. He was everything she had ever wanted. "I haven't either," she admitted as she shook her head resolutely, wanting him to understand that this was affecting her just as profoundly. She made a decision then. "Will you make love to me?" She asked him looking at him a little shyly.

He didn't answer her. Not with words. He stood up and held his hand out to her. She placed her hand in his, allowing him to pull her to her feet and led him back to her bedroom.

They reached the side of her bed and looked at each other longingly. There was no turning back after this. After this, everything changed. He bent over her and brought his lips to hers at the same time he pushed her gently back onto the bed. As he laid down, holding himself off her slightly, his tongue warring with hers and her hands threading through his hair, holding him to her, he knew that it would take all night. It would take all night to love Emily properly and he couldn't wait to start.

Okay guys I am so sorry that it took so long to get this out. I've been sick and am just now getting back into the swing of things. I am hoping that I can update this story more frequently now and I thank you for sticking with me. So did you guys like the little turtle love note scene? After what happened with the commentary on the DVD set, I knew instantly that it had to go in this story. I wanted him to give it to her privately, well for obvious reasons. Hope you liked this chapter. Let me know, K?