By Friday afternoon, I'm losing my shit. I'd showered and washed my hair, blow dried it straight — Emmett's favorite way of seeing my hair — and changed outfits three times. Taking a deep breath, I stare at the clock. I was in here far too long, and I bet Alice and Jasper have noticed.
Just stick to the plan. Don't you dare chicken out now. I gather my courage and slip out of Emmett's bedroom. I'm a little giddy, butterflies twirling wildly in my stomach.
When I see him leaning against the breakfast bar in the kitchen, observing the way Jasper's grating an assortment of cheeses and Alice's sauce pouring, I can't help but smile. He turns, smile fading slightly when his eyes roam all over me. I feel overdressed, but Alice tells me my dress is beautiful with a low whistle, while Jasper jokes about her making out with me, causing Emmett to give him the side-eye. The three of them make me chuckle before Emmett comes closer and reaches for my hand.
There's been more touching lately, innocent enough yet each time I feel like I might burst into flames.
"Ro, I swear to God..." Emm's voice shakes as the two of us enter his living room. Jasper and Alice are making us their otherworldly lasagna, and the smell of the marinara sauce makes my mouth water. Emmett makes me believe he could eat the entire thing if he was allowed. Somehow, I don't even doubt him. Emmett fiddles with the label of the beer bottle in his hands, trying to act as if he hasn't just said that to me.
"What is it?"I ask, nudging him in the ribs with my elbow.
I'm painfully aware of his eyes, they linger on my bare neck and dip lower to the swell of my breasts. My dress is cut lower than usual, and I'm wearing my new, red lace bra. The way he's looking at me makes my skin tingle.
" Fuck, you look so good." He shakes his head as his cheeks tinge a little pinker.
"Thanks, you too." I mean it. Emmett's wearing a pair of black cargo shorts and a light gray, V-neck T-shirt. His wardrobe is simple, but this man doesn't need the fancy stuff. I think I would die if I ever saw him in a suit. It's probably illegal. Shit, even in his overalls at work he looks like sin personified — the way the thick fabric clings to his muscles and stretches over his back, how his tight ass moves in the thick denim-like suit and the way the olive color compliments his tan skin.
I want to kiss him. I need to. I can't wait any longer, and I don't want to. But he's not going to make a move, not after that first time when I pushed him away. It's time for my plan, but now that it's my cue, I'm a little …hesitant. I watch as he sits down, thighs wide apart, left leg bouncing nervously.
Maybe here's not the right place, with his roommate and girlfriend in the kitchen a few feet away, so I conspire with the whore inside my head and come up with a plausible change of plans. I was just going to kiss him, that was the plan. But the more I think about it, the more I'm resolved to turn it up a notch. Emmett's been sleeping on his couch for ten days now, and I'm dying from the guilt it brings me.
I don't know whether I can fathom more than just a kiss, but two adults can just sleep in the same bed, right?
"Emm, I kinda need to talk to you. There's a little bit of a problem." Blue eyes grow stormy as they widen, his face so worried I'm scared I'm taking this too far, no matter how good my intentions.
"What's wrong, Spice?" He leaps up from the couch, towering over me as he abandons his beer bottle on the coffee table. I smile at him, unable to not stare at his pillowy-soft lips.
"No, nothing bad. It's just something in your room." I smile. "I don't want to embarrass myself in front of your friends." I keep my voice down, knowing Alice has ears like a fucking labrador. She hears everything, and right now I just feel a little self-conscious.
"Oh, well." He shrugs. "Lead the way. Problems are meant to be fixed, Ro." I take his large, warm hand in mine and drag Emmett through the hallway of his apartment with me. He seems to be a little taken aback by my forwardness, but he shakes his head and shoots me a dimple. Yeah, I'm really doing this. Fuck doubts.
The door to the bathroom is still slightly open, and I can smell the scent of my shampoo and body wash that linger in the air.
My heart pounds in my chest, echoes in my ears as I close his bedroom door behind us. Suddenly my mouth's all sorts of dry, like I've swallowed an entire lump of cardboard. I feel nervous, my palms sweaty, and I wipe them on the fabric of my dress.
"What's the problem, darling?" He frowns. I see what he sees: the bed is made, curtains closed halfway, his shirt I use as pajamas folded on my pillow. His eyes seem to linger there, too. Of course, he doesn't see anything. His room is perfect. He is fucking perfect.
"It's the bed." I nod.
"What about it? Does it creak or something? Because I swear I haven't noticed anything strange about it." Oh, my fucking God. He's too cute rambling like this.
"Not at all, just that ah—" I start, feeling my confidence wear off. I should've had a beer or two when Alice offered earlier.
"Yes, Ro?"
"You're not... in it." I hear how corny and cliche I sound and cringe inwardly at my choice of words. I'm quiet and trip over my words, too. Man, this is a total disaster.
Emmett smirks, licking his lips as he flashes me the dimples hidden behind his two day's worth of stubble before he chuckles.
"Are you… seducing me, Miss Hale?" He lifts his brows and looks at the closed bedroom door, leaning against the foot of the bed, hands in the pockets of his shorts.
"Exactly. I'm trying to get you in bed with me, Mr. McCarty," I blurt out. My cheeks
burn. I'm fumbling with the rubber band around my wrist, not quite knowing what to do with myself.
Something flickers inside Emmett's eyes, the hunger and need for my 'go', for the green light as he licks his lips slowly, deep in thoughts. I want to give it to him, the greenest light in the whole world. Hell, I'd give him fucking northern lights if he preferred those.
I walk up to him, the heels of my black boots seeming too loud in the otherwise silent room. He takes a deep breath as I get closer, hand on his chest. It's hard muscle under satin skin. It's fucking mine if I want it to be. I want to claim it, him, all of it, feel his naked skin under my fingertips. I fucking need it by now. I crave him like a drug, the way he makes me feel just as addictive. Like the way his eyes trail over my body right now, the way he blinks softly before his eyes zero in on mine again.
"Baby, please... you don't have to do this, or anything." Emmett tucks the front piece of my hair behind my ear, fingers lingering on my cheekbones. He sighs, and I long for more of his touch instead of flinching or backing away. I only want him closer. ore, so much more.
" Shh..." iIn my heels, he's still quite a bit taller than me. I tip my head back to look into his eyes. They're beautiful, yet torn. He's fighting it — this, us, himself. He's doing the same thing I'm doing, telling himself the same lies.
My hands trace the outline of Emmett's biceps, strong and as manly as they come, until my arms snake around his neck on instinct. The short hairs at the nape of his neck prickle my wrists, and I see his gaze on my lips, eyes, and back again. I'm on fire.
He won't reject you, Rose … go for it.
I feel myself tremble with excitement as I make my move, the first move I've made since Irina, the first one ever on a man. I never did that, but now I want it. Badly. I have to do this. For us.
Emmett takes a deep breath before I step onto my tiptoes in my platform boots, the balls of my feet screaming before my heart sings as I press my lips to his.
He's warm, soft, and safe, with lips that embrace me like an old lover. Emmett's arms land on my waist, pulling me tighter to him, fingers spread over my back. His hands are so large they cover almost my entire back, caressing me, silently praising me. My tongue looks for his as I deepen the kiss, doing exactly what he wants me to do: take the fucking lead.
Emmett fists red cotton in his hands as I press my chest against his, my dress inching higher up my thighs as I crush my tits against him, a whimper escaping his lips. So, so sexy it almost hurts.
I expect pure panic as I feel the warmth of his hands slide down, his palms burning hot through the stretchy cotton stretched over my ass, but I'm flooded with nothing but desire. It rises from within and settles deep inside my belly, in between my legs. Desire for Emmett, his body on mine. Mine on his, his hands all over me.
His teeth nibble on my bottom lip and he groans the most delicious sound when I push into him even further. He walks me back until I'm trapped between him and the wall, the breath almost knocked out of me when I can feel him, all of him — hard against my abdomen, and shit. It's been… a while since I've been with a man. This might take me a bit of… practice.
Hands squeeze me tighter, my dress higher and higher before hot, large hands are on the swell of my ass, creating friction between his hard length and my body as I move. I moan into Emmett's mouth, my fingers trailing down his body before I slip them underneath his shirt, cascading over the ripples of his tight abs. His muscles flex at my touch, but I want more and run my fingernails up Emmett's chest.
Before I know it, he pushes his body away from me, lips losing contact, the both of us a panting mess as he looks down at me with the most beautiful face I've ever seen. He's got this tormented expression on his face while he carefully tries to adjust himself in his shorts, the fabric straining against the bulge in the front, making me swallow — hard, the urge to feel him up, to run my hand over him so strong.
"Fuck, baby... We gotta stop," he says, voice husky. It's like he's in pain, as if it physically hurts him to push me away.
He's calling me baby... he never has before. It makes me do a whole lot of other things than stop.
"Why?" I wonder, stepping closer to him again. He lets out a shaky breath, almost a whimper when I reach out for his hand.
"I don't want to do this while my friends are in the next room," he explains. I realize he's right and I'm being rude.
"Oh fuck, I'm such a bitch … they make dinner and invite me, and I'm holding you hostage over here. I get it, I'm sorry." I say softly.
Emmett chuckles, and I look up, brows furrowed.
"What?" I wonder.
He walks closer, my heart thumping hard and fast, making me lightheaded. He trails one finger up my bare arms until he cups the side of my face, thumb stroking my lips. I can't do anything but stare at him wide-eyed and full of feelings.
"I couldn't care less about dinner, baby. But if I'm going to make you scream for the first time, I don't want any bystanders. Just you and me. I can wait, you're fucking worth the wait."
"Oh, fuck," I giggle. I can't fight back my smile and kiss his thumb, his eyes narrowing as I do. Then Emmett purses his lips, biting the inside of his cheek before he speaks again.
"Don't push it, baby."
"Sleep with me, tonight," I blurt out. He chuckles and turns a little red again and I realize my words don't seem as innocent as I mean them.
"We'll talk when they go out dancing, okay?" I nod as he pulls me close, one hand on the back of my head. Emmett mutters something I can't quite understand, before Alice summons us to the kitchen.