"So... I heard you stopped by rugby practice today..."
Emily coughed, spluttered, choking on the bite of sushi in her mouth. "Oh...yeah, I, umm... I may have ended up there. Not like looking for you or anything." She cleared her throat. "How did you... Who told you?"
"Savannah may have mentioned she bumped into the famous Emily Prentiss." Derek attempted to stifle his grin at her sudden shyness, her cheeks pinking with embarrassment. "So, what did you two girls chat about?" He winked, waggled his brows.
"Whatever you're thinking, it wasn't nearly as sordid."
He clapped a hand to his heart in mock hurt. "Are you telling me you weren't talking about how attractive I am?"
"Like your ego needs the boost," she muttered.
He chuckled softly, shook his head before sobering up. "She said you were crying," he said gently, "Do you want to tell me what happened?"
She was suddenly overly interested in dipping her shrimp tempura in the soy sauce so he couldn't see the emotions playing across her face. "Nothing," she tried to insist.
He could see through her stone-faced facade as easily as glass. "Savannah mentioned something about boyfriend trouble..." he gently encouraged.
Emily huffed a frustrated breath through her nose. "Not sure I even have a boyfriend left to have trouble with..." she grumbled.
"Oh..." he said, surprised. "I, umm... I didn't realize..."
She shook her head. "It doesn't matter," she interrupted. "If he wants to feel up his ex in front of everyone, I don't need that kind of bullshit." She seemed to realize then that he was staring at her, wide-eyed at her sudden penchant for over-sharing. She cleared her throat, flicked her tongue out over her top lip. "Anyway..."
Though he was eager for more information about her seemingly sudden split from this boyfriend he'd heard so much about, he followed her lead. "So, I'm guessing your visit to the gym didn't go so great?"
Her expression seemed sad then. "I just... I didn't realize how hard it would be to go back."
He didn't say anything, waiting for her to continue, knowing that if he startled her out of her trance, she'd retreat back into herself and he wouldn't get another word out of her.
"It's just...it's been my whole world for so long," she murmured, "What if I can never go back? Who will I be, if not a gymnast?" She looked into his eyes, then, seemingly pleading with him for an answer she desperately needed, but didn't have.
"You'll be Emily Prentiss," he answered simply with an encouraging smile.
She rolled her eyes, cocked her head to fix him with an exasperated look.
He continued, "You'll be the smartest, fiercest, most determined, most beautiful girl I've ever had the privilege to call my friend."
"Derek, you don't have to..." she said gently, feeling her cheeks heat up. She dropped her gaze away from the intensity in his eyes.
He reached out to gently tip her chin up so she was forced to meet his gaze. "I mean it, Em. You're incredible. I'm lucky to know you."
Her smile was soft, gentle. "Thanks," she whispered. But it was clear she wasn't entirely buying his effusive speech.
"I'm really glad I met you," he insisted. "Even if you were kind of a bitch that first day," he teased.
She giggled faintly because, yeah, she had been a bitch to him and for whatever reason, he'd let her abrasive attitude slide right off of him to see through to the person she was trying to hide with sarcasm and bitchiness.
Then, before either of them knew what was happening, his lips were on hers. He kissed her like she was the only thing keeping him alive, like he'd die without her lips. And when he slipped his tongue into her mouth, she didn't pull away.
If she was stunned by the sudden contact, she made no move to stop it. Instead, she wrapped an arm around his neck, nails scrabbling for purchase on his shoulder, the other hand fisting in the front of his shirt.
It wasn't like kissing Ian – no stubble burning her skin, no taste of whiskey on his tongue, no feeling like he was trying to possess her, claim her. It was...different and unfamiliar and nice. In that moment, she was content to keep on kissing him forever.
Derek pulled away first, eyes wide and stunned, looking like he couldn't believe he'd just done that...again. "Oh, God, Em... I'm so sorry," he rushed to supply. He'd already fucked up like this once before and had seen how badly that had turned out – he wasn't eager to repeat those mistakes. "I didn't mean to..."
For a long time, she said nothing, teeth scraping across her bottom lip so hard it looked painful. "I kissed you back," she whispered at length.
"What?" That had been the last thing he'd expected her to say.
"I kissed you back," she repeated. "I should have pushed you away, but I didn't..."
"Em..." he said slowly, sighed. "I shouldn't have kissed you. But I'm not sorry I did."
She seemed taken aback by that, looking up sharply, brow high on her forehead.
"I like you, Em – I really like you. I want to be with you." He never broke eye contact as he spoke, needing her to see in his gaze how utterly serious he was about her.
"Derek, I..." she stammered. She wasn't sure what she was going to say in that moment, faltered before she could continue.
"But I have a girlfriend," he continued. "And I can't hurt her – or you – like that. I want to be with you, but I have to do it the right way."
She had to look away from the intensity of his gaze, but there was a soft smile playing about her lips. She cleared her throat, brushed her hair away from her face. "We'd better finish this sushi before Mother gets home," she changed the subject. "It's not on my new diet plan..."
He laughed a little, following her lead. "Your mother is a real piece of work."
She shook her head. "You have no idea."
