Chapter 11: Promise Ring

Clay and Emma had been together for about 6 weeks, they got together in November 2017 and today was Emma's 18th birthday. Clay had been racking his brain for weeks about what to get her, even before they became a couple. He and Stella broke up the week after he got home from his first deployment with Bravo. She couldn't handle his occupation. She was also jealous, more jealous than he was about Gordon. Emma came over to his apartment the night after they broke up because Jason was worried about him. They sat down on the couch and ordered takeout. Clay drank a few beers, Emma drank some soda and they talked. It was the best conversation Clay had ever had. It was like Emma understood him, sometimes better than he understood himself. In the weeks after Clay had returned, he and Emma began talking more and more. They decided to go out at one point and then decided to become a couple. They were taking their relationship low, she was a teenager, an inexperienced teenager, and he was seven years older than her.

While he was away, Ray and Jason had been talking about the kids and Jason mentioned that he and Alana were going to throw a party for Emma's 18th birthday. After that, Clay couldn't get the thought of a gift for her out of his mind.

FLASHBACK

The second night after he got home, he was on his computer looking up jewelry. He was looking at an anchor necklace from Tiffany's when Stella sat down beside him.

"Oh, is that for me? I'd prefer the infinity pendant."

"Actually it's for Emma Hayes." Clay said, looking on the website again, deciding against the necklace.

"Emma Hayes?" Stella asked, looking at him in suspicion.,

"Yeah, Jason's daughter. Her 18th birthday is coming up and I'm looking for a present for her." He began to search bracelets for her.

"You're getting your team leaders' daughter a piece of jewelry. Why? I'm your girlfriend and you haven't even bought me jewelry." Stella stated and looked at him like he had lost his mind.

"It's just something for my boss's daughter." Clay told her, trying to calm her down.

"Is she attractive?" Stella asked, looking for his reaction.

"What kind of question is that?" Clay asked, he had never really thought about it because she was his boss's daughter and so much younger than him.

"A simple one. What does she look like? Do you find her attractive?" Stella asked.

Clay sighed, "I've noticed that she is attractive in a passive sense. She's petite with blonde hair and blue eyes. But, no I don't find her attractive because one, I'm dating you, two, she is my boss's daughter, and three, she's seven years younger than me."

"Okay."

END FLASHBACK

After that, Stella and him argued all the time and eventually broke up. A couple weeks after that, Clay and Emma got together. As they talked to each other, Clay realized that the fact that he was seven years older didn't matter. Jason didn't seem to mind them dating, so that fact that he is his boss, didn't matter.

Up until a week before her birthday, Clay was still trying to figure out what to get her. Then, he thought about his future with Emma and it finally clicked. He left his apartment and drove to the local mall before going into the Zales.

BEFORE EMMA's BIRTHDAY PARTY

Clay entered his girlfriends home and noticed that she was in the kitchen. He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She giggled and turned in his arms. She kissed him lightly before pulling away.

"Happy Birthday baby." He whispered and kissed her again.

"Thank you." She smiled and kissed him again.

"I also got you a present." Clay told him and Emma smiled again.

"You know you didn't have to do that. Just the fact that you are here means so much to me."

"I wanted to, but I need to give it to you in private."

"Really?" Emma asked, with her eyebrows up near her hairline. "Well, we are alone right now. Dad and the boys will not be home for another couple hours. They said that they had something to get for the party.

"Let's go to your bedroom." Both of them moved towards her bedroom. She locked the door and they sat down on her bed.

"This is for you." Clay said, handing her a black ring box. Emma looked at him in surprise. "It's not what you think." She opened it up and gasped. It was a 1ct Princess-Cut Diamond Framed ring.

"Clay?"

"It's a promise ring."

"Why?" Emma asked, looking from the ring to him.

"Well, according to research, a promise ring signifies a promise to take the relationship seriously. It also symbolizes hope for the relationship's future development. It means that this is the first step to a commitment within a relationship. It means that I will be faithful to you and that I will come home to you. And I've been racking my brain for months about what to get you, but this felt right." Emma had tears running down her face. "If you don't want it…"

"I do… I just, when you said that you had a present I didn't expect it." Emma put the ring on her left ring finger. She kissed him and fell back on the bed with Clay on top of her. They began kissing hot and heavy. Clay ran his hands up and down her body while she began tugging his shirt up his body. He pulled it off his body and she began kissing his neck, then his chest.

"Em, we should stop."

"I don't want you to stop." Emma said and kissed him again. Clay pushed the dress she was wearing up her body and over her head. She was left in a pair of green panties and matching bra. Emma pushed his pants down his legs and onto the floor. They laid together in only their underwear for a moment looking at each other. After twenty minutes of foreplay, they removed the rest of their clothing. Clay placed himself between her legs and his penis at her entrance.

"Are you sure?" Clay asked before he entered her. He wanted to make sure that she was ready.

"Yes, I want you." He pushed inside her slowly. As he began to enter her, Emma began to tense.

"Just relax." Clay whispered to her and kissed his lips. Emma fell into his kiss enough to not notice the pain of losing her virginity. After a few thrusts, he was completely inside her. He pulled away from her lips and looked into her eyes. "Are you okay?" Clay asked and Emma nodded. She had never felt anything like this. She felt completely full and so much love for Clay.

They moved together until they reached their peaks together. They laid, still connected, for a few moments as they cooled. Clay finally moved off her. They laid together for a few minutes then decided to put their clothes back on. Jason and the rest of the boys would be home at any time. They moved back down the stairs and into the kitchen, thankfully no one had come home during their lovemaking.

Just minutes after Jason and the rest of Bravo came into the room.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" They all shouted and Emma laughed.

"Thank you! What's all this?" Emma asked because she saw everyone with bags in their hands.

"It's your favorite food, your favorite cake, and birthday presents!" Ray and Sonny exclaimed and began sitting everything down on the table. Emma moved over and looked in the bags, before she could get into the bags her dad interrupted her.

"Emma… what's that?" Jason asked in a calm voice.

"What's what?" She asked, not looking up from the bags.

"What's on your finger?" Everyone at that point looked at Emma's ring finger and noticed a diamond on her left hand.

"Clay gave it to me for my birthday." Emma said, showing it to everyone. There was a moment of silence before all hell broke loose. Jason, Ray, Sonny, Trent, and Brock began practically yelling at Clay until Emma stood between them and said, "SHUT UP!"

Everyone quieted and Emma began to speak again. "Clay gave me a promise ring, not an engagement ring."

"So, he didn't ask you to marry him?" Jason asked, wanting to make sure.

"No, he didn't ask me to marry him. Can we get back to my party?" Everyone nodded and the night ended without further incident.