Their eyes meet. Emily playfully pushes him onto the bed. She climbs on top, her hips straddling his.
"Em, are you sure?"
Emily cut him off kissing him passionately. Aaron kissed back , his hands sliding up her neck, pulling handfuls of hair. He slid his hands back down to her lace clad breast, but she stopped him.
"No touching," she whispers, her voice low and husky.
Aaron stuck out his bottom lip, pouting. " not fair."
Emily smiled slyly. She slides her lips down his chiseled jawline kissing all the way to his neck, and finally his collarbone. Her lips were soft and delicate, showering every inch with kisses, making it hard to keep his hands off of her. As her lips slowly moved down his chest, Aaron couldn't take it anymore.
"Emily" he moaned, his voice quivering with desperation.
His strong hands flipped her small frame over almost violently, unable to wait another minute. He buried his head into her neck, breathing in her intoxicating scent. His fingertips set her skin ablaze, wherever they touched, tingling in a frenzy of static. He slid her hand to the waistband of her thong, when he hesitated. "You're absolutely sure?"
She lifted her hips, shrugging the scrap of lace off. "I've never been more sure of anything."
"I love you", Aaron blurted as she woke. He bolted upright finding his bed cold and lonely, his heart still racing from his dream. He had dreamed a lot of their last night together, but tonight it almost haunted him.
A child. This last rendezvous had created a child. A piece of him was out there, walking the earth without his knowledge. So many questions plagued him. Was it a son or a daughter? Did they hate him? Did they think he had abandoned them? Most of all, why would Emily run? He loved her, and he thought the feelings were reciprocated.
He shrugged the comforter off, stretching. "Get a grip Aaron." He muttered out loud to an empty apartment.
His cell rang, shaking him from his thoughts.
"Chuck, tell me you have news."
"We found her. Emily is now a political science professor at Johns Hopkins university."
Aaron rubbed his chin. "A professor huh? She never struck me as a teacher type."
"And Aaron?"
"Yeah Chuck?"
"She does have a child."
. . .
"What is going on?" Emily Rhodes muttered to herself as she pulled onto Johns Hopkins University's staff parking lot. Dozens of reporters were camped outside the Political Science and International studies building, waiting to swoop in on someone. Emily parked, and unbuckled her daughter Elena from her car seat.
"There she is! That's Emily Rhodes!" a reporter shouted and the crowd ascended on Emily.
Emily threw her blazer over Elena and ran as fast as she could into the chaos of flashbulbs and reporters hounding her with questions.
" ! Is it true that vice presidential candidate Aaron Shore is the father of your child?" a reporter called.
A camera man chased after her. "Did abandon you and your child?"
"Do you have a son or a daughter? Let's get a look at the next second child of the United States!" called another.
"Emily! Emily! What's a hunk like Aaron Shore like in bed?!" one reporter whistled at her.
Emily looked up at the reporter in disgust when someone grabbed her arm. Emily turned around.
"Let's get you two inside inside." Robert, a fellow professor, said pulling her through the crowd.
He led her inside, and straight into his office. "There's been a crowd outside of your office all morning. You better just stay in here."
Emily uncovered Elena and sat her in his desk chair. "WHAT ON EARTH IS GOING ON?"
Robert looked at her, bewildered. "You haven't heard?"
"Heard what?' she asked, handing Elena some goldfish crackers.
"EMILY!" Claudia, a professor from the Art department shouted, busting into Robert's office. "Is it true?!"
"Dia!" Elena cheered, jumping up to hug the woman.
Claudia scooped up the little girl, her pigtails bouncing. "Hi my sweet girl!"
Emily sighed. "Can someone please tell me what's going on?!"
"I guess you haven't watched the news today." Robert said as he flipped on the tv.
A video of Aaron, at a press conference played on a loop, his face going from his charming smile, to confusion and hurt in a matter of minutes. Her White House Chief of Staff photo showcased in the corner. "Secret love child?" a banner at the bottom read.
"Son of a. . ." Emily glanced at Elena ". . . . biscuit." She turned back to the tv, focusing on Aaron. He smiled at a reporter, and her heart ached. For a moment she wanted it to be directed at her. For her to be the reason for the light in his eyes, and the dimples in his cheek. So much time had passed since that day she had made up her mind, but yet every time she saw his face it seemed like yesterday.
"I can't believe the hoops they'll jump through to make a politician look bad." Robert said, shaking his head.
Emily cleared her throat. She could feel her breathing becoming rapid and shallow, her pulse pounding in her temples. "Aaron Shore is Elena's father." she blurted out. Relief flooding her body, no longer keeping the secret she had for years.
Robert gasped.
Claudia laughed. She pointed at the tv. "You mean, you hooked up with that fine piece of good looking?! Girl, now I know why you didn't call Steve from the anthropology department back."
Emily rubbed her temples. "This stays between us. If anyone asks, you can neither confirm or deny. Got it?"
"They're going to take one look at Elena and know it's his baby. I don't know why I never put it together myself." Claudia retorted.
Emily knew she was right. With her dark curls that hung in perfect spirals,Honey brown eyes, and a smile that could melt your heart in two seconds, Elena was the spitting image of Aaron.
"I just need to talk to Aaron before I go telling everyone else. I should have told him a long time ago."
Just then there was a knock at the door. Robert opened the door slightly, and peeked out. "Dean Winchester, please come in."
"Dean, I'm so sorry for all this chaos that I've caused the school. I.. . " Emily apologized.
He stopped her. "I know you didn't ask for it. We need to talk about how we're going to deal with your lectures until this dies down, but that's not why I'm here."
"It's not?"
The dean shook his head. "A caravan arrived about ten minutes ago. Aaron Shore is in my office. He would like to speak with you."