Author note:

Happy Sunday! Let me know what you like about this funny bit of fluff!

CH 35-Purple Ain't Your Color

As Clay sat on the couch, he noticed that the apartment was looking and feeling more like a home and not just four walls filled with furniture. He knew that it was completely due to Emma. It was just the small things like the soft blanket draped across the chair and the pictures of the two of them placed around the tables and shelves. What he loved the most was seeing her personal items next to his, like her fuzzy robe on the back of the bathroom door and the plethora of hair ties he always found lying about.

Those things did make it feel like home, but without Emma there, they also made him miss her more. He tried to keep it hidden when he was with the guys, because Sonny was relentless. Tonight, he was out at the bar with the team. They were playing pool and shooting shit. As the evening wore on, Sonny made several comments about Clay's silence.

"What's up Romeo? Juliet moves back home and forget how to have fun?" Clay just rolled his eyes and didn't respond. They continued playing and as Sonny had more to drink, his tongue got a little loose.

"Looky here guys. This boy, right here…don't he look like some lovesick teenager? He moves into a fancy new place, with a new king-size bed, but he can't sleep because he's sleeping alone."

Jason raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Clay pinned Sonny with a stare. "Watch it Son."

"I'm just sayin' that you need to loosen up. Stop actin' like you lost your best friend. 'Cause I'm right here baby!" They guys laughed at his antics and Clay played along. But that's exactly what it felt like. He'd had his dream for a couple short weeks, and for that he was thankful. Once Emma went back home, it was like he had come back to Earth, and the transition wasn't easy. Nothing more was said about Emma, thank goodness. Clay got back home too late to call her, so he sent a text.

-Miss you Em, Love you-

He was hitting the gym today, hoping that some good, old-fashioned physical exhaustion would help him focus. Clay had been lifting for about ½ an hour before he saw Sonny and Ray walk in.

"Hey Goldilocks. Got the jump on us this morning. Got some extra 'tension' you tryin' to work out?" Sonny laughed at his joke. He loved teasing Clay like this because he knew there wasn't much Clay could say to respond without revealing too much. So, he continued to poke and prod.

"Nah, man. Just trying to keep from getting all soft around the middle like you."

Ray barked out a laugh as Sonny sputtered. The three got down to business and in an hour, there were all dripping with sweat and headed to the locker room. Clay grabbed his bag and began to rifle through it for clean clothes. He found what he needed and headed to the showers.

"Hey, Cowboy! You dropped something." Clay turned and saw Sonny pointing to a pair of pale lavender panties that were laying on the floor near his bag, "Listen partner, I don't mind what you do on your own time, but these seem little small for you."

Clay went back and bent to retrieve the undergarment in question. He held them up and spoke. "These are Em's. Must have gotten mixed up in the laundry." He was trying not to respond to Sonny's ribbing.

"Yea didn't think they'd look too good on you. Purple ain't your color."

Clay decided to put him in his place. He looked around to make sure no one else was listening.

"You're right Sonny. These wouldn't look good on me. They look great on Em though. But... she looks even better with them off." He didn't stick around to see what affect the words had on his teammate. He hoped Emma wouldn't mind what he had said. Of anyone, Sonny was well aware of their physical relationship. After all, he had all but walked in on them having sex their first weekend together. So, he didn't feel like he was revealing anything the Texan didn't already know. He hoped that this would end Sonny's harassment, at least for today.

Emma called as soon as she was home from school. Clay asked about her day and they discussed plans for the team get together that weekend. He finally decided to just jump in and tell her.

"Listen honey, I might have said something to Sonny today that may be over the line."

"What do you mean?"

"He's been pretty merciless kidding with me about you. Especially sine he knows you're back home now. I guess it's pretty easy to see how much I miss having you with me."

"Yea. Dad said he's been riding you pretty hard about it. In fact, he said he's surprised you've been taking it so quietly. So, what happened?"

He proceeded to tell her what had transpired at the gym and what he had said to Sonny in response.

"Are you mad honey? I know I shouldn't have but I just wanted to…to shock him so he'd lay off for a while."

"I'm not mad. Maybe a little embarrassed, but not mad. I guess it all goes along with what we were discussing about the guys seeing me as your girlfriend. Did Sonny say anything after that?"

"I didn't stop to see. I guess I'll find out at tomorrow night's poker game."

"Well, if he gives you any more crap, you can threaten to tell him how that particular pair of panties ended up balled up in your sheets in the first place."

Clay laughed at her comment. " I love you Em."