Chapter 21: Emma

Emma knew it was wrong to ignore Killian's attempts to contact her. She was punishing him and he had done nothing wrong. She had kissed him.

That night on her porch she had come to the mental crossroads between Friendship and Something More. The arrow for Friendship was freshly painted in a neat hand; beyond it was the beach on a warm summer's day. Gentle waves rolled in lazily, lapping against the shore. A red checkered blanket was spread out over the sun-warmed sand. On a cherry-colored wooden tray sat her favorite banana crepe from Betsy's, warm cinnamon sauce running onto the plate. Next to it was a mug, steam wafting from the top and she knew it to be her favorite hot chocolate. It was safe; comforting.

The arrow for Something More was weathered, looking as though it had been left outside to face the elements unsheltered for some time. The paint was chipped, the letters faded and yellow Caution tape was wrapped haphazardly from it, the length trailing nearly to the ground. Beyond the arrow was an rickety, old wooden pier leading out to a choppy ocean. The inky black ocean matched the night sky, stars hidden by clouds and only a sliver of a moon cast an eerie light on the pier. It had partially succumbed to the ocean, a few pilings at the end barely visible above the rough waves. The rest of the pier hadn't fared much better, many of the wooden slats missing or broken. A thin, fraying rope was looped around a piling, barely securing a small boat to the pier. The boat was in similar condition as the pier, all traces of paint had faded away leaving just a dull wooden exterior. The cracks in the sides were visible from even a distance, the vessel likely only remaining above the surface because of the rope. A lamp post stood crookedly against the night sky. The glass dome protecting the light was shattered and jagged, but the light still remained. Red and blinking, it warned her of danger. It was unsafe; dangerous.

Her mind's eye flitted between the two choices. Her heart ached for the crepe, wanting to sink down on the heated sand and devour the decadent treat. Her brain eyed the pier, mentally assessing how many wooden slats would need to be replaced to make it whole again.

Questioning blue eyes met her green ones as she closed the distance between them. Initially they reminded her of the calm ocean on a sunny day but as her fingers reached out and traced the path of the necklace he wore, they darkened to match the waves that crashed against the ramshackle pier.

RUN! It's not safe here! Go to the blanket! Her heart screamed.

STAY! Her brain demanded. It's just a pier in need of some TLC. It won't collapse on you.

She surged forward, mentally pulling down the yellow caution tape, as her lips pressed against his.

She expected regret to seep in, clouding her vision and wrapping her in its heavy blanket but it never came. Instead she felt lighter and freer than she had in years. She felt content.

The content is what unsettled her the most, causing her to ignore his calls and text. Being content meant her walls would come down; the stories of her past would slip from her lips; her heart would be subject to being broken again. She couldn't handle that again.

-\-

Seven days later; seven days spent without Killian and his witty banter and innuendos and seven days without texts claiming to be from Brinkley, Emma realized she made a mistake.

A kiss wasn't dependent on a relationship. She knew despite what he said about not being ready, if she were to tell him that she wanted more from him he would oblige her. But she also knew that he would never push her for more. He had easily forgiven her for pushing him away before; he knew when she needed space and likely wouldn't resent her for this latest stunt.

She hoped.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world." He told her when she asked if he'd be interesting in watching the fireworks with her. Hanging up the phone, Emma found herself grinning. Despite her stupidity and misguided desire to avoid him, they were okay.

-\-

She spotted him in the crowded restaurant before he found her. He wore khaki cargo shorts and a navy blue t-shirt, contrasting against the blue of his eyes and his deeply tanned skin. (She'd have to remind him about sunblock again.) His eyes found hers through the crowd, a genuine smile breaking out on his face; one that made the skin around his eyes crinkle and his dimples appear. For a second she forgot how to breathe; no one had ever looked at her like that before.

She tucked her hands into the back pockets of the white shorts she wore. "Hey." She said shyly as he made it through the crowd to stand in front of her.

"It's good to see you again, Swan." He said, smile never slipping from his face.

"You too." She replied automatically, but realized she was speaking the truth. She was happy to see him again.

"Are you ready to join the masses? I've secured a small patch of sand." He asked holding out his hand to her.

Emma nodded, taking his hand and unable to keep her lips from curling upward.

The boardwalk was packed shoulder to shoulder with people but the beach wasn't as crowded. Killian led her down the ramp and onto the beach, heading back toward the dunes. A blanket big enough for two was spread out, a small cooler placed in the center to keep it from blowing away. She recognized the spot immediately; it was where she was sitting when Brinkley barreled into her that first day. Turning to Killian, she raised her eyebrows in amusement.

He shrugged. "It was open."

Kicking off her shoes she sat down on the blanket. "Is Brinkley sad to be left at home?"

Killian joined her. "He is, he thinks its archaic that a well behaved canine like himself isn't allowed on the beach during the summer. But, he's also afraid of fireworks so it's probably for the best that he's not here."

"People are going to be setting them off everywhere. Is he going to be okay home alone?" Emma asked, thinking back to how the dog reacted to the thunderstorm.

"He's not at home. Kris and Anna weren't going out for the fireworks tonight and offered to watch him at their house. They're bringing him to the marina tomorrow and he'll hang out with me until my shift is complete." Killian explained. "Anna really wants a dog, but it's not feasible with their schedules at the marina unless the dog came to work with them every day and Kris said that's no life for a dog. Anna babies him and feeds him an insane amount of treats so of course Brinkley loves her."

Emma laughed. "That's nice of them. I thought the saying was that the stomach was the way to a man's heart; I didn't realize it applied to dogs as well."

They settled into comfortable silence, watching the people around them. It was noisy, snippets of conversation and laughed carried over to them from others on the beach and the boardwalk above. The bandstand had large speakers playing patriotic songs all day and the seagulls perched at the top of the light posts squawked to each other, swooping down and picking up bits of discarded food every few minutes. Most families were dressed in the classic red, white and blue, children and adults alike waving small American flags, but some still wore their swimwear, choosing not to lose their precious claim on a patch of sand to return to their hotel rooms for showers and a change of clothing. Others, the older generation that had retired there were dressed in beachy eveningwear, the women in flowy dresses or pantsuits, their excessive jewelry glittering in the night. The men wore linen pants and golf shirts tucked in, a large-faced gold watch on one wrist and the classic boat shoes adorning their feet. They sat in semi-circles of high-backed beach chairs, not caring if they were facing the direction of the fireworks or not; merely there to take part in a tradition they simply couldn't break.

The boardwalk itself was displaying patriotism and American pride; flags hung from every post, decorated with red garland. White twinkle lights framed the doors of each shop and outlined the picture windows of restaurants, some also boasting more American flags. Scents of food mingled in the air; French fries and pizza, barbecue and ice cream and of course, the scent of steamed crabs covered in Old Bay. The air buzzed with anticipation and excitement, radiating off the tourists and locals in waves.

Emma's stomach rumbled loudly causing Killian to look over at her. Blushing she said, "I might have missed lunch. I'll just run up and quickly grab something. Do you want anything?"

Killian shook his head and stood. "I'll come with you."

"We could lose our spot. Stay here, it's fine." Emma argued.

Killian frowned, then turned to the family sitting a few feet away from them. "Pardon me. We were just going to grab a quick bite, could you ensure no one takes over our space?"

"Of course!" The woman replied with a smile.

A little girl with brown hair and big brown eyes turned toward Killian. "I can sit on your blanket so no one steals it."

Emma watched as he smiled down at the little girl. "I think that would be a great idea."

"You didn't have to do that, you know." Emma said, linking her hand in his again and making her way through the crowds of people on the boardwalk.

"Maybe I didn't want to chance you never being able to get back to me." He said, twisting to get past the large groups of people. "What is it you want to eat?"

"Ice cream. Specifically, a chocolate vanilla twist soft serve from Kohrs." Emma told him.

Killian laughed. "That's hardly a proper meal, Swan."

The line for ice cream was long but the sky was just beginning to darken. She knew they still had nearly an hour before it would be dark enough for the fireworks to start. Finally with her desired soft serve procured, Emma started to head back toward the beach but realized she'd never make it through the crowd with her ice cream intact. People were beginning to line shoulder to shoulder on the sidewalk.

"I guess we'll have to stay here and eat them." Emma said. At the last minute Killian had decided to join her, getting an orange sherbet twist. They walked around the corner from the frozen custard storefront to get out of the way of the other patrons. Emma leaned against a parking post, trying to quickly eat her treat before it melted. Killian stood in front of her, doing the same.

He finished before her, wiping his mouth with a napkin as he waited for her to finish. She took her last bite and licked her lips, never remembering to grab a napkin from the stand. "Ready?" She asked, standing up.

Killian nodded, and then grinned at her, stepping into her personal space. His hand came up to her face, his thumb swiping against the indent in her chin. "You missed a bit."

Her lips parted at the sudden gesture and proximity of him, her eyes locking on his. His thumb hovered between them before a moment before he popped it into his mouth, removing the drip of ice cream. Without thinking she leaned in, intending to kiss him when someone wolf-whistled. Embarrassed, she stepped back from Killian quickly averting her gaze.

He cleared his throat and shook his head slightly, recovering quicker than she did. Holding out his hand to her again he said, "Better get back to our spot."

She took his hand again, allowing him to interlace his fingers with hers and nodded, indicating he should lead them back through the crowd. Once he wasn't looking at her, she gritted her teeth and blinked furiously, trying to clear her head of thoughts of kissing him. Just because it had happened once did not mean that it needed to happen again. Especially in public of all places!

The little girl hopped up off the blanket the second she saw them returning. "I kept it safe for you." She said solemnly.

Killian grinned at her. "You did a great job!"

Emma settled in on the blanket again, stretching her legs out in front of her. Killian leaned back, crossing his arms under his head. Even in the dark Emma could see that it caused the hem of his shirt to ride up, exposing an inch or so of his stomach. She swallowed hard, forcing her brain to think of something else.

The sky finally faded to a deep, inky black and without any prompting the crowd began to quiet down. The first fireworks shot into the sky, exploding into an array of reds, whites and blues. She grinned, watching the colors explode before her.

"What's that smile for?" He asked, sitting back up next to her.

"Confession: I actually really like fireworks." Emma replied, turning toward him, his face illuminated by the colors in the sky. "Those," she pointed to the rounded white one currently creating enlarged ovals of light, "are my favorites. Always have been."

A shadow passed over Killian's face quickly before he covered it up with a smile. "What?" She asked.

"Ah, it's nothing. Just that my brother preferred the same ones." He said softly.

"Oh." Emma didn't know what else to say. Instead she slid her hand across the blanket, closing the distance between them and squeezed his fingers.

He gave her a genuine smile and tilted his head back toward the sky indicating they should watch instead of talk about unpleasant topics. She chose not to remove her hand from his, instead watching the fireworks light up the sky as his thumb rubbed back and forth over her hand.

As always, the show was over too quickly, hundreds of fireworks were shot into the air at once for the grand finale, the beach vibrating from the force of the explosions as tiny pieces of cardboard rained down into the ocean. Around them, people clapped their hands and whooped with joy, expressing their appreciation for the brilliant show.

The two remained seated, an unspoken conversation to wait until the crowds cleared out was had only with their eyes. Emma laid back again, briefly closing her eyes and basking in the warm summer air on her skin. Killian laid back as well, but turned on his side to face her. He picked up a lock of her hair and twisted it between his fingers. She didn't move, didn't open her eyes, just let herself enjoy the faint tugging sensation on her scalp.

"You know, Swan." He said that low voice that made her stomach flip. "I've had a craving recently."

Her eyes remained shut as she replied. "Yeah, what for?"

She could almost feel the smugness radiating off him. "To beat you in skeeball."

Emma laughed. "Really?"

"Yes really. When is your next day off?" Killian asked.

"Wednesday." Emma replied.

"Up for another competition?" He inquired.

"Prepared to lose?" She shot back.

"You still haven't picked your winnings from our tie so I hardly expect for you to win and chose two prizes. It's just easier if I win." He teased her.

"You're on, Jones."

-\-

"One warm up round, followed by five games. No ties this round, we'll play another round until there's a clear winner." Killian instructed, holding out his hand for Emma to shake.

She offered him a cocky smile. "Deal."

What he didn't know, or what she assumed he didn't know, was that their own tiny little town had a small arcade with just two skeeball lanes and she had spent the last couple of days warming up after her shifts at the restaurant. She was going to win. There wasn't a doubt about it in her mind.

He won the first round by twenty points. Emma refused to let it shake her.

She won the second round, tieing their overall scores. He won the third round, beating her by thirty points. Emma turned her head from side to side, cracking her neck. Her fingers flexed around the smooth wooden ball, mentally seeing it sail into the 100-point marker. It landed just where she hoped.

She won the fourth round but only had a ten point advantage.

There were just three balls left and their overall scores were once again tied. She knew better than to be cocky. Risking all three remaining balls for the 100-point marker was foolish. She'd aim one there and get the other two into the 50-point marker, she knew she could do that with ease. She made the 100-point first, sighing in relief. Just as she planned, she sunk the other two balls into the 50-point marker and turned to look at Killian, a triumphant grin on her face.

The grin fell slightly when she realized he hadn't rolled his last three balls, instead he chose to wait and see what her final score was. The man had the audacity to wink at her when he sunk his first ball, earning one hundred points.

Emma ground her teeth.

A wide grin broke out on his face when the second ball followed suit from the first. Now they were tied, but he still had one ball left. Emma could only hope that he remained cocky and tried to get another hundred points and missed because they he would beat her by only ten points and if she had to lose, that was an okay amount to lose by.

He winked at her again and she found herself scowling back at him. He blew a kiss at the wooden ball before winding his arm back and rolling it up the lane. It sailed directly into the 100-point marker and Emma felt her jaw drop. Not only had she been beat, but she was beaten by a full one hundred points. That hadn't happened to her since she first started playing.

A megawatt smile broke out onto Killian's face, accentuating his dimples. Emma wanted to appreciate it but couldn't stop herself from frowning back at him, disappointed she had lost. He sauntered over to her. "It appears you've been beaten, love."

Emma rolled her eyes at him, knowing she was acting ridiculous and being a bad sport. "Yep, I got that. So what do you want?" She asked in a clipped tone.

He thought for a moment, eyes raised skyward as he tapped his pointer finger against his lip in an exaggerated manner. "I want for you to accompany me out on a boat for dinner one evening, love."

Her brow furrowed. "You don't have a boat."

"No, but I do happen to work for a marina for a man who will easily let me rent one from him." Killian replied, reaching forward and toying with a lock of her hair again.

"Well, it's not like I have a choice." Emma replied.

Killian frowned at her. "Of course you do. If you truly do not wish to go, you can tell me no and I'll think of something else. However, I believe you're just salty from losing and are trying to make this difficult for me." He said with a smirk, pegging her exactly.

Moving closer, he slid his arm around her waist, pulling her against his side. "But I bet a bucket of Thrasher's fries will improve your mood, won't it?" He asked in a singsong voice.

Emma frowned at him, knowing she'd been caught. "Yes." She answered, being purposely obtuse.

"To which?" He inquired.

"Yes I'll go out on a boat with you and yes Thrasher's will make me feel better." She said, finally allowing a small smile to appear on her face.

Thank you so much for all of your reviews! It really means a ton to me. I hope you like this chapter as well.