Here it is, the chapter you've been waiting for and I have to say, even though, I wrote it. It is pretty squeeworthy, so beware in public. Don't say I didn't warn you...
Chapter 4
Early September 2015
The time seemed to drag for Killian while waiting, but he tried to keep busy and finally the Tuesday when he was to meet Emma arrived. He woke early and was in the kitchen whistling while making an omelet when Robin strolled in half asleep at 7:30 and groused, "Can you tone down the happy a little?"
Sliding the fluffy omelet onto a plate, he set it on the table. "Sit and eat." Pouring coffee, he placed that on the table for Robin also. "Today is the day I finally get to meet Emma and I couldn't sleep."
Robin dug into his eggs, "These are quite tasty." He looked Killian over when he sat across from him eating his own omelet, squinting while trying to figure what was different. "Aren't you going to shave?"
Running his hand along his jaw, Killian felt his scruff and then scratched behind his neck, giving Robin a sheepish smile, "Well," he began, "I'm feeling a bit superstitious about this."
Robin took another bite of egg while trying to read his friend's mind. "Superstitious how?"
"For 12 months, I looked everywhere we went for Emma, yet never found her, right?"
"Right," Robin answered, wondering where he was being led with this line of questioning.
"And for those 12 months, I shaved pretty much daily, right?"
"Well," Robin began, "I'm not sure I collected all the data on my diary but, okay, I'll go with that."
"So," Killian said, "The one day that I didn't shave, Emma was found. Therefore," he concluded, "this is my new look."
Robin looked at him a little longer before saying, "And have you thought what you will do if Emma is a lass who doesn't care for facial hair?"
A contemplative look crossed Killian's face which was quickly replaced by a cocky one. "I look devilishly handsome this way. The lass will still fancy me.
"You sound confident," Robin commented as he cleaned his plate and put it in the dishwasher.
"I have to be," Killian stated quietly.
On his way to the shower, Robin touched his shoulder softly, "Good luck today. You deserve to be happy."
As he worked to tidy the kitchen, he thought about how he wanted the day to go and really hoped he didn't muck it up
cs~cs~cs
"Late! Late, late," she chanted to herself as she ran to catch the T, hoping it was on time and not too crowded. Arriving with seconds to spare, she scooted between the doors, slid onto the first empty seat and thanked her lucky stars that she had made it. Since a certain mystery man had been invading her thoughts and taking over her sleeping patterns, her tendency to be punctual had disappeared and frankly, she was getting annoyed.
Her phone buzzed signifying an incoming text, and seeing Killian's name, she fretted that he was going to cancel on her, and so squinted at the text with one eye. When she saw what he had asked, the first smile of the day graced her face.
K: It might help if I knew where I'm to meet you today.
Sending him the room number and building, she then added an extra.
E: Thanks for not cancelling.
It wasn't too long before he responded.
K: I would never leave you hanging? Why would you think that?"
E: No reason. It's just been one of those days.
K: Anything I can do to help?
This man sounds quite caring, she decided, before covering her mouth as a huge yawn interrupted her thought processes.
E: Got magic? I didn't get my dose of caffeine.
K: Would you like me to bring you something from Starbucks, Emma?
E: You would do that for me?
Another example of him being someone who cares for others, she thought.
K: I would. What is your heart's desire?
She smiled at his question and instead of asking for a simple coffee, requested her favorite.
E: How about a hot chocolate with whipped cream and a dash of cinnamon? I'll pay you.
K: I can afford to buy you a sweet drink, Emma.
Oops, I offended him.
E: Ok, sorry about that.
K: Quite alright Emma. It will be my pleasure.
E: Just who are you, Killian Jones?
His response was quick and ratcheted her curiosity up just about as far as it could go.
K: Wouldn't you like to know?
E: Perhaps I would.
She giggled as she flirted with him but found that to be true. The more she had exchanged texts with Killian Jones, the more she became curious about the man himself and why he had volunteered to model for a bunch of freshman who would look at him as if he were a slab of meat. There seemed to be more to this man than she knew.
K: I'm glad. I'll see you in a few.
E: Ok thanks again.
Putting her phone away, she exited the train and hurried to her classroom, wanting to get the room set up and be sitting behind the safety of her desk before this Killian Jones arrived. Something told her she might even want to be sitting down for it.
cs~cs~cs
Killian pocketed his phone, deciding he'd drive instead of catching the T. Parking might be problematic but presenting Emma with a hot cup of cocoa was worth it, he thought as he grabbed the keys off the wall hook and left the apartment.
The drive-through line at Starbucks was out into the street, so, finding a space, he parked and went inside. Thankfully, the line inside wasn't as long and he was able to order her hot cocoa, and while he thought about ordering something for himself, decided against it. He felt excited and anxious and something told him that being around her was going to be stimulating enough.
Hoping the ride to campus was easy, he got back into his car and drove carefully out of the parking lot.
Flipping on the radio, he pushed the button, finally settling on a song from the movie Grease. Knowing that he needed to learn the songs for a party later that month at The Burren, he turned the volume up and sang along with John Travolta.
cs~cs~cs
As she walked around the room between the easels, she smiled at the drawings that were left behind by the last class. They had been practicing drawing facial features, more specifically eyes, and trying to imitate the set of eyes she had drawn as an example.
Glancing up front at her own drawing pad and the large set of eyes that were looking back at her, she wasn't too surprised to see that they belonged to her mystery man. His eyes had mesmerized her from across a smoky room, and for that brief time when he was close, they had pulled her under their spell so expertly that she wasn't sure she could ever be free. "Fanciful thoughts, Emma," she murmured, finding herself woolgathering about him again. "Now, get busy."
Mindful of the passage of time, she moved from easel to easel, removing each student's work and gently moving it to their portfolios hanging against the wall. Once this task was complete, she went into her well-stocked storage room and, carrying the drawing pads out, placed them on the appropriate easels.
Her last task before her model and then her class arrived was how she wanted to display him. Did she sit him on a stool so he was perched up high? But then she had to worry that he was uncomfortable. She could put him in her desk chair, which was more comfortable, but he would be lower than the students and some might have difficulty seeing him. Did she move a table out and lay him across it and put an apple in his mouth like a slab of meat? Ugh, she groaned silently, why am I feeling so much conflict this semester about a model? Maybe I'll just ask him how he would feel the most comfortable. "That feels right," she shared with the all-seeing eyes before folding the paper over on the pad and covering them.
Sitting down to enter grades into the computer, she was surprised by the incoming ping of a text.
Ruby: Summer days, drifting away, Em.
Emma smiled at Ruby's corny line and picked up her phone,
E: Tell me more, tell me more.
Laughing at her response because she knew exactly what Ruby's comeback would be, and wasn't disappointed.
R: Was it love at first sight?
E: He's not here yet. Is this the only reason you pinged?
R: No! I wanted to make sure we are on for rewatch this weekend?
E: Grease weekend it is.
R: Great. Fill me in after he leaves.
E: Bye Ruby.
After she put the phone down, she thought about their Grease-watching history and smiled at the memory. She couldn't remember why Blue had started the girls watching it, but she thought it had something to do with one of them liking the bad boy, or maybe it was the time Ashley had wanted to dye her hair pink, or, the list could go on and on.
Getting back to logging her grades she found herself humming the songs and by the time she was finished she was singing her favorite one from the show. As she sang, she stood up and turned to look out the window watching for a certain someone who somehow, with one look, had captured her devotion.
My head is saying, "Fool, forget him."
My heart is saying, "Don't let go.
Hold on till the end."
And that's what I intend to do
I'm hopelessly devoted to you.
cs~cs~cs
Parking the car had been as difficult as he had anticipated, but once parked, he turned off the engine and leaned his head back against the seat. The moment that he had been hoping would happen for a year was within his grasp and he had to admit he was scared. His heart was beating rapidly and his breathing was so shallow and quick, he was afraid he might hyperventilate and fall at Emma's feet.
Taking some deep cleansing breaths, he finally succeeded in calming his nerves and, flipping the visor down, he looked in the mirror and thought about what he wanted to happen once he walked into that building; thought about Emma and everything he hoped they would become. With that last idea in mind, the man who was confident in what he could have with Emma once again looked back at him and a smile lifted his lips and caused his eyes to sparkle with life. She didn't know it yet, but she filled those dark spaces inside.
Feeling lighter, he brushed his hair back, allowing it to fall rakishly over his forehead. Then he smiled and pulled his lips back making sure his teeth were clean before lastly using a technique from his teen years of blowing into his hand and smelling his breath. Bad breath at his meeting with Emma would be bad form.
Walking up to the room, he heard singing and thought maybe she had left the radio on, but then realized that he couldn't hear music, just a sweet voice singing softly.
My head is saying, "Fool, forget him."
My heart is saying, "Don't let go.
Hold on till the end."
And that's what I intend to do
I'm hopelessly devoted to you.
Feeling like a man who had been walking across a desert for too long without water, as her voice faded he stepped into the doorway and one look was all it took for him to feel like his thirst had been quenched. She made those empty places inside his heart and soul come to life, making him wonder if she were the one who was needed to provide nourishment so they would grow and flourish. With her, was he whole?
She was facing away from him, toward the window as if watching for someone. A flitting thought skipped across his brain that maybe she had been on the hunt for him, just as he had been for her. Was it possible that when their eyes connected across that smoky room and his soul said, "You're mine," hers had agreed? He wanted nothing more than for that to be true.
The sun shining through the window surrounded her, like a golden aura, pulling him closer. Her hair flowed loosely down her back making him want to run his fingers through it before burying his face in the golden tresses to inhale her scent. Her trim figure was encased in skinny jeans that cupped her backside, fitting her legs snuggly.
He couldn't decide if she looked peaceful or lonely, but above everything, she was beautiful. Needing to hear her voice and look, once again, into her green eyes that spoke to him in a way that no others did, he reverently said the name that had been running through his dreams for months. "Emma?"
cs~cs~cs
The timbre of a voice calling her name in a devoted fashion captured her attention, as if the owner of the voice had heard and understood the words of the song she had just been singing. Feeling like she was in a trance, she slowly turned away from the window, allowing her vision time to focus before lifting her face to meet the very set of blue eyes that had haunted her dreams for the past year. For a brief second, she couldn't get her breath and blinked rapidly, several times in succession, to make sure she wasn't dreaming. When he didn't fade from her sight, she smiled tenderly and, feeling goosebumps work their way up her body, whispered, "It's you," in a voice made breathy by hope, surprise and excitement.
He smiled a gentle smile that made his eyes sparkle, and raised a brow. "Aye love, it's me," he whispered back, before taking a measured step toward where she was standing behind her desk. "Do you," he started before taking another slow step, "know how very long," his voice dropped another notch, if possible, "I have been needing," he hesitated, letting the meaning sink in, "to find you?"
When he started toward her, she had to grab onto the desk to keep from falling into her chair, as the intense look in his eyes locked with hers caused her knees to feel weak. Each step he took, her heart beat a little faster until she felt there was just a flurry of activity inside. But not fear, no this time those feelings were caused by sheer and total happiness.
As he spoke he continued to move closer and by the time he had reached the end of his sentence, he had arrived next to her desk. That obstructive piece of furniture didn't deter him from his mission as he continued moving around it, causing her to turn her body so her back was to her desk with him directly in front of her, stepping into her space. Unable to think clearly, unable to breathe deeply and her heart in her throat, she sighed, "You have?"
"I have." She not only heard but felt him whisper the words as he leaned closer and reached around her. So close she could see the whiskers in his scruff weren't just dark, but sported shades of auburn, and just below his ear, he had three freckles that she could easily lick if she desired. Would he like that? She almost giggled she felt so giddy.
Drawing in his scent, equal parts body wash, a musky cologne and something that was uniquely him, she knew that forever that smell would be engraved in her mind and whenever any one of those scents were near, she would remember him.
Her hands were gripping the edges of her desk as he straightened back up, and finally her brain started functioning again. "Wh...What?" Was all she could manage before she twisted and saw that he had set a Starbucks cup on her desk. A small pucker appeared between her brows as her brain raced to connect the dots, and lifting her eyes to his, she tilted her lips slightly, "You're my model?"
He took a small step back and held up his hand, "Allow me to introduce myself, Killian Jones."
Emma's green eyes locked with his blue, trying to read the secrets hidden behind them. When she saw nothing but sincerity, she put her hand in his. "Emma Swan."
He squeezed her fingers, and softly kissed the back of her hand, making her pulse take off again.
"I have something for you," he broke into her thoughts as he let go of her hand and took a half step closer.
She swallowed the lump in her throat with difficulty wondering what it could be. "You do?"
"Aye, I think you will like it." His grin turned flirty, reaching his eyes causing them to lighten and crinkle at the corners.
Feeling comfortable enough to match his playful smile with one of her own, she encouraged, "Can you tell me or," she pushed off the desk and took a half step toward him, causing his eyes to darken, "is it something you have to show me?"
She noticed his brow go up and his eyes continued to stare intently into hers, trying, she ascertained, to decipher exactly what was happening. He must have seen what he needed for he opened his mouth, but "Oh..." Was all he managed to get out before they were interrupted.
"Ms. Swan," she heard her name called by several students before Killian looked beyond her shoulder and with a sheepish smile stepped back, but not before giving her a look that said this will be continued.
Making sure to give him one of her own that said, I hope so, she turned to direct the those, who were filing into class.
cs~cs~cs
Killian watched Emma move around the room, fascinated with how she was handling the class. Answering, directing, listening, whatever was needed. He found her ability to orchestrate what was happening around her captivating as if she were a mage working her magic on her subjects just as she had worked her magic on him. Not only by enslaving him a year ago and stealing into his thoughts and dreams, but by turning the situation earlier from one where he thought he had the upper hand to one where he had no idea what end was up. Would it always be like that between them? Blimey, he hoped so. To find a woman who met him word for word, action for action, was his dream. To have with Emma something like the love his parents had would fulfill all dreams, both known and unknown.
"Killian…" He startled when she took his arm to lead him forward, "will be our model this semester." She smiled at him and glanced back at the class. "He's here to help you become better artists, so be nice."
She positioned him on a stool, sitting him so he was half facing the class, and walked around behind him and placed her hands on his shoulders. He hadn't been ready for her touch and could feel his pulse steadily increase as his awareness of her increased, a fact that might embarrass them both if he didn't get his thoughts away from the current trajectory. Bending one leg, he balanced on the bar around the bottom and stretched out the other leg for comfort. His movement must have concerned Emma because she whispered in his ear, "Sorry about this. I hope you have no objections to my touching you."
Her hot breath against his ear sent his nerve endings haywire and a tiny shiver shook his body. He turned his head slightly toward her, "No, love, not at all." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, inhaling her scent.
"Good," she hesitated as their gazes locked, "I wouldn't want you to be uncomfortable."
Ha, he thought, if you only knew. And then to keep himself out of trouble he turned back to the students and made eye contact with a few of them. Not only did that cool his ardor, but it succeeded in bringing him back to at least part of the reason why he was sitting here in the first place - to help Emma.
He watched her as she taught, thinking how natural she looked. He had just started to relax, when she moved back to where he was sitting and reached toward his face. He tried to prepare himself but when her cool hand cupped his cheek, he couldn't help his subtle lean into her as she spoke to the class. "Today we are going to use the Andrew Loomis approach to drawing faces."
When she spoke, she was close enough that her thigh rested against his, making his body tighten unconsciously. She placed one hand on his brow line, "When you draw a face and need to determine the length, you measure it between the brow line and the nose line, here," she placed her other hand along his top lip, just under his nose. He could smell the lotion she must have applied earlier and a scent that belonged to just Emma, and swallowed as she continued with her presentation. "And the same distance between the nose line and the chin." She moved her hand from his forehead to his chin.
When she removed her hands from his face and moved to the pad of paper, she showed the students what she had been referring to by drawing a quick sketch of his face. He was amazed at the ease with which she quickly drew an almost exact replica of his face, as if she had been doing it on a regular basis, and then he recalled the two images that had come into his possession and wondered if perhaps there were other drawings.
To explain the placement of the eyes and the nose, she moved her finger tips almost delicately around his eyes pointing out their shape, nearly causing him to squirm in his seat. When she smoothed her fingertips over his brow, he couldn't help the little groan that escaped and, looking up into her green gaze, he could have sworn there was a hint of something hiding behind them that she quickly hid by moving away, allowing them a moment of rest.
After completing her rendition of his eyes and nose, and he heard her mention the mouth, he was curious to see if she was as affected by his nearness as he was by hers. Gathering his strength, he waited for her to step close once again.
Her hand lifted toward him and she must have seen something because she turned to the class, "Take ten, guys. Killian needs to stretch his legs."
"Alright, Emma?" He looked her over, trying to decipher her sudden need for a break.
"I thought you looked like you needed a break," she shrugged her shoulders. "That's all." Draining the last of her cocoa, she grimaced and tossed it in the trashcan before disappearing into what he assumed was a storage room.
Killian watched her go, curious about the sudden break, but ready for the next step in the process. Heaven help him, though, as the feel of her hands running along his lips and her eyes staring at them, might very well cause combustion.
Cs~cs~cs
As soon as she was in the storage room, Emma sagged against the shelves, wondering how she was going to be able to maintain this air of indifference for the next hour. Heaven knew if she climbed onto Killian's lap and laid one on him, her inner self, who had been dreaming of him for months, would stand up and cheer, however, it might not do much for her professional career.
Realizing that break time was about over, she pulled two bottles of water from the small refrigerator and went back put into the classroom. Killian was standing next to her easel surrounded by several of the girls from the class. Hanging back, Emma observed him interacting with them and thought back to that night at the pub, when females were throwing themselves at him. Why was he still free? Was it possible he had been waiting for her too?
When Killian looked up and met her gaze, she started walking toward him and was surprised when he walked over and met her halfway. When she handed him the bottle and their hands touched she felt a little zing travel up her arm and, based on the slight flair of his eyes, he must have felt the same thing. "Thanks, love, I'm quite parched." He opened the bottle and took a long drink.
She watched his throat bob up and down as he swallowed, and nodded her head in the direction of the girls he'd just left. "From the conversation with your entourage over there?"
A confused expression crossed his face as he looked toward where she had nodded, that was replaced by a look of understanding, "Those are schoolgirls. Besides, I made sure they knew I was taken by someone." He grinned at her and took another long drink.
Emma wasn't quite sure she heard him correctly, and rather than get into a heavy conversation, simply responded, "Oh?"
He gave her a cheeky grin, "Aye, you. At least I hope so." He tapped his bottle against hers, drained it and tossed it in a bin in the corner, before sauntering back to the stool.
She had to forcefully work to keep her mouth from hanging open, and swallowed hard thinking, "Holy moly, I'm in deep." Mentally redirecting her thoughts, she walked back to her easel and called the students for the rest of class.
Once everyone was seated, she tried to pull herself back from going over and over the moment when he had said, "Aye, you," and couldn't help but wish that were true. "Where was I?" she murmured softly, looking up at him. When he tapped his bottom lip, she bit her own to keep her mouth closed, and when the move caused his eyes to darken, she seriously thought about dismissing class early. As she continued cataloging his facial features and her eyes skimmed over his full lower lip, he licked it slowly from corner to corner. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and turned away from him to set her bottle on the desk in an attempt get herself under control.
"Ok class," she started, "one mistake that many make when drawing a mouth is they try to draw the entire mouth first." She moved next to Killian leaning a little closer than she had before, enjoying the power she felt when his breath caught and she could see the pulse pounding in his throat. "First, you want to determine exactly where you need to place the mouth." She put one finger on his top lip, "It will be about one-third between here," and the other she laid on the bottom of his chin, "and here. Then draw a line that represents where the top lip," slowly she drew her finger along his top lip, "meets the bottom." She traced across it. When she reached the corner, she could swear he had licked the pad of her finger, but when she met his gaze, his look was innocent.
"Next, you will draw an outline of the lips," she placed her finger in the center of his lips, and slowly moved her finger toward the outer edges, "all the way around, working from the natural center." The scruff surrounding his lips was a little pricklier than she had anticipated and a sudden move sent a whisker straight into the delicate pad of her finger. "Ouch," she yelped as she pulled her hand away preparing to suck on it.
A perplexed look crossed Killian's face, "What, Swan?" He wiped his hand across his mouth, and what had happened must have dawned on him, because he immediately smirked at her and reached for her wrist, "Let me see."
Emma noticed the attentive looks from her classroom and smiled, before subtly moving away, "I'm okay." Wiping her hand on her jeans, she tried to figure out when she had lost control of the situation, deciding it must have been the minute she had turned around and he had been standing there staring at her. Focus, Emma, she scolded herself.
Taking a deep breath, she continued, "Next we look at the cross-contour lines that wrap around the lips," she scoured the grooves of his bottom lip lightly with her nail, smiling as he let out a low growl. "Also, as you place the lines for the grooves, remember the bottom lip is going to be fuller than
the top."
Moving to the picture she had started of his face she finished by adding his lips, but instead of sketching them closed, at rest like she had instructed the class, she had drawn a soft smile playing along his mouth, the corners barely tilted, as if he were holding a secret. When she stepped back and realized what she had done, she reached for an eraser to change it, but he touched her arm, "No, don't. Leave it just as it is."
Stepping back, she once again looked at the face she had drawn, and then looked at her model, "He looks like he has a secret. Any idea what it could be?"
He smiled that same smile at her, "Perhaps."
She rolled her eyes and turned back to the class. "Ten more minutes, then that's all for today."
Making sure that the students were finishing up their work, she turned back to where he remained sitting on the stool. "Thank you for coming today, Killian. You were wonderful."
Assuming he would leave while she was cleaning up the supplies, she didn't pay much attention until she came out of the storage room and he was standing there waiting for her. "Emma?"
"Yes?" She had a class to attend next hour, so she was packing up her bag, getting ready to go and when he didn't say anything, she stopped and glanced up. He met her eyes, and then glanced away before looking back again. "Can I take you to lunch?" He asked her with a rather hopeful expression on his face.
Crap, crap, crap, Emma chanted internally, for she really wanted to spend time talking to him and finding out how exactly he knew she needed a model, but she had to go. "I would love to, but I have class in twenty." When his face fell, she felt awful. "Raincheck?"
He studied her face for several seconds, before briefly nodding his head. "Can I text or call you?"
Her smile bloomed even larger, "You had better."
She could tell he didn't want to leave her alone just yet, and if she were telling the truth, she wasn't ready to part ways, either. Picking up her bag, she started walking and linked her arm through his. "Walk me to the shuttle?"
"With pleasure."
"And how is it that you just happened to know of my need for a model?" she asked as they walked, but smiled to take the sting out of the question, "Not that I'm complaining, but you have to admit, it is curious."
They arrived at the shuttle just as it drove up. "Looks like the secret is still safe," he winked at her. "Until next time." He kissed her hand again, before squeezing her fingers goodbye. The shuttle was loading and so with no other option, Emma climbed on and watched out the window as they drove away, noticing that Killian was watching her too.
cs~cs~cs
3 weeks later
It had been weeks since Killian had found Emma, and yet besides being her class model twice, they had yet to coordinate their schedules. He hadn't realized it would be so difficult to court someone. He was hoping that tonight would be the first step in changing his luck and that she would make it to their gig at The Burren.
Leaving his room in his 'uniform' for the night of black skinny jeans and black T that he layered with a black leather jacket, he picked up his electric Gibson and waited for Robin.
When Robin finally appeared, he burst out, "Bloody hell, Robin," and ran his hand through his dark hair, "what did you do to your hair?"
Robin put his hands on his hips and turned one way and then the other, a cheeky smile lighting his face, "Like it? It's called a duck tail."
Killian walked around him, looking closely at his hair. There was enough grease on it cause a forest fire if he got too close to a match. "Not sure 'like' is the right word, but we should go."
cs~cs~cs
Emma sat next to Elsa and watched Ashley unwrapping baby gifts and smiled at how happy her friend looked. "How many sleepers does one little baby need?"
Elsa smiled, "Apparently, quite a few."
"That's good because I think she's gotten about two hundred!" Picking up her phone, she surreptitiously checked the time and sighed, wishing it would move faster.
"Ok, give," Elsa teased her, "what's going on tonight that you keep checking the time?"
"Sorry," Emma gave her a sheepish smile, "Killian is playing tonight at The Burren for Grease night and wanted me to come by."
"Ah, hon, I'm sorry." She gave her a sympathetic look, "Have you spent any time with him?"
Shaking her head, no, Emma gave a half smile, "The two times he came to class are the only times we've actually been in the same space. Other than that, just texts, as our schedules just haven't meshed."
"Well it looks like gifts are complete, so just cake and then Ruby and I are going to make sure you get to The Burren tonight."
The rest of the party was uneventful and once they had helped Ashley gather her gifts, and helped Sean load them into his truck, she looked around her apartment at the mess and sighed. "There is no way I'm going to get this cleaned up in time to make it to the party."
Ruby came up behind her and frowned, "Party, what party?" She put her hands on her hips and looked around, "I thought this was the only party in town."
"The Grease party at The Burren," Elsa answered her as she started gathering up the plates.
Ruby looked at her and then over at Emma, and a stunned look appeared on her face, "That was tonight?" They both nodded. "Well, fudge. Let's get busy, as Emma must get to that party."
Becoming a whirlwind of activity, they worked together, and within a very short time they were packing the last dish away for Ruby to take back to Blue. Emma checked the time and sent Killian a quick text.
E: Ruby, Elsa and I are leaving in ten. See you in a bit.
She didn't hear anything immediately, so assumed they weren't on break, which could be a good omen. Since Ruby had the yellow bug that belonged to the House, they were on the way just as the butterflies made an appearance.
cs~cs~cs
Killian knew the minute Emma and her friends arrived, not only because he had arranged to have them seated at a table close to the stage but because, as ridiculous as it sounded, he felt a subtle change in the air. Thankful that he was playing and not singing, he watched her walk across the floor, slide into a chair and turn to smile up at him. She looked beautiful and his break couldn't come quickly enough.
When Emma turned and saw Killian, her tiny butterflies turned into a huge swarm and she met his smile with one of her own. He looked good with his all black, as did the decorations of streamers and balloons spread around the space. She could see people on the dance floor as well as those seated at surrounding tables, dressed as if they were at a sock hop, common during the 1950's and the era of the movie, Grease. Wearing a dress with a full skirt and her hair up in a ponytail made her feel like she fit right in.
With the music playing softly in the background, Emma sipped her drink and listened to her friends catch up with each other. When they both turned and smiled at her, she felt like she needed to look down and check to make sure there wasn't anything spilled on her dress. "What?" She gulped a drink swallowing it carefully so as not to choke.
Ruby assured her there wasn't anything worrisome with her appearance and finished with, "You look happy, Emma."
"I am happy. Thanks for coming with me tonight, girls."
Elsa looked up at the band, and then back at her, "I wouldn't want to be anywhere else, and besides," her smile grew larger as the live music faded away and the DJ took over, "the real show is about to begin."
Emma tilted her head in confusion. "What...?" Was all she got out before her nose told her that the reason why she was here tonight was close. She looked up and met his smile with one of her own, "Hi." She felt shy even though they had sent texts almost daily and were able to talk about anything. "Would you care to sit?" His eyes devoured her with their intensity, making her feel special and very sexy.
"Thank you." He pulled a chair out and sat, never breaking their eye contact.
She forced herself to pull her eyes away and looked across the table at her two friends, who were sitting with elbows propped on the table, leaning on one hand with huge smiles on their faces. Deciding it was time they met the man she had been talking, drawing and dreaming about for a year, she turned to said man, "Killian, meet Ruby, and of course you remember Elsa. Ladies, this is Killian Jones."
Once introductions were made, Killian was briefly content to sit and watch Emma as she interacted with her friends, and enjoying the way that, even though she would respond when asked a direct question, nearly all of her focus was on him.
He was especially happy, though, when his gregarious friend Robin came over to be introduced, and took over entertaining Elsa and Ruby, allowing him to focus more on Emma. He found after spending fifteen minutes sitting next to her, smelling her subtle fragrance and feeling her arm or leg brush against his, that he was going to do something rash. He needed a soft song to start playing, giving him an excuse to talk to her alone and more, importantly, giving him an opportunity to hold her in his arms, an exercise that so far, he had only been able to do in his dreams. He needed to feel her.
His control reached its end when she laughed at some story that Robin told and she leaned toward him, placing her hand on his upper thigh. Neither clenching his fists nor gritting his jaw had lessoned his need, and resolving to do something then, he pushed himself up from the table. "Excuse me," he bit out before stalking away from the table.
Emma frowned when he pushed away and stalked off. She turned, watching to see where he was going, and when he walked up to the DJ, she was even more confused because he was still supposed to be on break. Turning back to Robin, she was puzzled to see him sitting quietly but with mischief twinkling in his eyes. "Do you understand?" she questioned his friend, hoping for an answer to a situation that only he seemed to comprehend.
If anything, the twinkle in Robin's eyes increased as he watched Killian across the room. "Aye, milady," He grinned at her, "he didn't go far."
She looked just as Killian turned back toward their table and started walking, almost gliding even, so measured were his moves. She felt a little like an animal that was being stalked with a single-minded intensity, so laser sharp was his focus on her. Her pulse quickened and the swarm of butterflies in her stomach took flight.
As he reached her, he stood beside her chair for a heartbeat and holding her breath, she waited to see what he would do. As soon as the music changed from the fast song, Wake Up Little Suzie, to a slow ballad, he held out his hand, "Dance with me, please?" His eyes pleaded with her to accept.
The tone of his voice, the look in his eyes, the soft melody from the music all served to give the goosebumps free rein to come out to play. When she put her hand in his and allowed him to lead her toward the dance floor, she was very surprised that her legs even supported her body.
Once on the dance floor, Killian pulled her into his arms, and she got her first experience of what it felt like to be held and cherished by a man for the very first time in her life. Sliding her left hand up his firm chest, she allowed it to rest lightly on the back of his neck, where she could play with the soft hair resting there. Her right hand was held snug by his left and tucked closely between their bodies over his heart, where she could feel it was beating just as wildly as hers.
He pressed his jaw against her temple and as they swayed closely together, Nat King Cole sang the romantic ballad Unforgettable. Emma listened to the words, and with every stanza came to realize that not only had Killian chosen a beautifully romantic song with a haunting melody, but he had chosen one that could not have been more perfect.
As the words of it flowed over them, he leaned back just enough so he could look into her eyes and he whispered, "You are, you know?"
She felt his hot breath fan over her mouth and her pulse fluttered in her neck, "What, Killian?" She whispered back.
He pulled her closer, if possible, so close that every part between their thighs and chests touched and she could feel exactly how she was affecting him. "Unforgettable." He hesitated as the music continued to fall around them. "From the moment we met, not a day has gone by that I've not thought of you, Emma."
She smiled at him, "Good," and ran the back of her hand along his cheek, causing him to close his eyes as if savoring her touch. "Me too, you know. You've been in my thoughts every single day."
Holding her gaze, his lips hovered just above hers, so closely that with any little movement they would be kissing. Would he close the distance, she wondered? Should she?
Killian looked at her lips, his hovering so near that one small, infinitesimal move and they would be connected. He wanted that, but something told him he didn't want his first taste of her to be quick and hurried in the middle of a pub on the dance floor. When he covered her lips and plundered that delectable mouth with his, he didn't want to be rushed, but be allowed to savor the experience that he had been anticipating for so long.
Knowing that it was almost time for him to get back up on stage, but that he hadn't spent nearly enough time with her, he asked, "Will you stay for the last set and let me see you home?"
"I would like that, but I should make sure the girls are ok with it since we came together." She leaned in fitting her cheek against his collar bone, allowing him to pull her hips even tighter to his. The friction created between their bodies was killing him, but for a few minutes in heaven, it was worth the pain.
cs~cs~cs
Halfway through the last set, Ruby offered to drop Elsa by their home so that Killian could take Emma home without having to worry about a third wheel. Once his name was brought up, Emma suspected they had been talking to Robin while she was dancing, but she didn't care.
"Earth to Emma," Ruby called in a teasing voice. "You're okay being left on your own with your mystery man, right?"
Turning to look up at him, where he was standing next to Robin, strumming the guitar, she felt nothing but peace. "Ruby, I can honestly say I have no qualms at all about being alone with Killian."
Exchanging a look with Elsa, they stood up, "That's good. Behave yourself." She winked and snickered, before opening her bag to look for something, "Do you need protection, honey? I know it's been a while."
Elsa leaned down, "And if he stays over, hang something on the doorknob so we don't disturb you tomorrow too early."
Emma shook her head at the two, "I'm a big girl. And if need be, I have my own protection, thank you very much." A small smile graced her lips, "I like him, but ladies we just met. I don't plan to rush into anything. When it's right, I'll know."
Ruby squeezed her shoulder. "I'm happy you found him, girlfriend. Call me tomorrow."
She watched them wind their way through the tables on their way to the door and she turned back to the stage.
cs~cs~cs
Killian watched Ruby and Elsa depart, leaving Emma waiting for him. He glanced at Robin, who raised a brow, winked and after tossing him a knowing smile, Killian suspected that some words had been exchanged while he had been dancing with Emma. An opportunity to finally be alone with her had presented itself and he couldn't bring himself to think about much beyond that and anticipating the end of the set.
As one song morphed into another, he found himself feeling anxious about the surprise that he had planned for her. He hoped he wasn't pushing too hard or too fast but while preparing the sets for tonight's performance, this song had come up and he knew it said a lot of what was already in his heart. Was she on that precipice with him? Would she take the words of the song to heart and jump, holding his hand all the way?
Emma sang along with the songs she knew and for the ones she didn't she found herself tapping her toe, as the band seemed to prefer the faster tunes. She watched as Robin sang his version of Johnny B Goode, and couldn't help but compare it to Michael J Fox version in from Back to the Future. When he played the last riff and the music faded away, she watched Killian flip his guitar over his shoulder and move to the microphone as the lights dimmed, not only in the pub but on the stage.
Walter played a few bars on the piano and Killian sang directly to her,
When I fall in love,
It will be forever
Or I'll never fall in love.
In a restless world, such as this is,
Love has ended before it's begun
And too many moonlight kisses
Seem to cool in the warmth of the sun.
Thinking about the words of the song brought tears to her eyes, for she felt that he was saying to her that he knew exactly how she was feeling and that he was feeling the very same thing. That true love is one of the greatest gifts that we share with someone and that it shouldn't be taken lightly. That he was willing to let her go at her own pace and he would be there with her every step of the way.
And the moment I can feel that you feel that way too,
Is when I'll fall in love with you.
By the time the last note had ended and the lights on stage had faded to black, her tears were falling fast and free and there was a deafening roar as the patrons of the pub gave him a well-deserved ovation. When the lights on the stage came back up, she couldn't hold back the huge smile that lit up her face as Killian stood up there, scratching the back of his neck as if very uncomfortable. Bowing slightly, he turned away from the room at large and as their eyes met, she felt like she was the luckiest woman in the world.
cs~cs~cs
The train ride home found a drowsy Emma wrapped in Killian's jacket to ward off the evening chill and tucked into his body with her head on his shoulder. She stayed awake, barely, as they talked about everything and anything. She enjoyed listening to him speak, not just because she liked him but because he had such a pleasant cadence to his voice. As the train arrived at her stop, they got off and started the short walk to her house.
He kept her close, their steps in sync, and as they walked the thought flitted through her mind, should I invite him in? A few more steps, and another thought, would he even want to? And finally, Will he kiss me? Or, more importantly, Should I let him?
Her heart, tender and pure, was chanting, "Kiss, kiss, kiss," over and over again until she knew there was no way she would ignore that opportunity, and if he didn't initiate, then she certainly would.
Her lady parts, which had been unused for longer than she wanted to think about, were sitting on the other shoulder screaming loud and long, "Do it! Invite him in! Get it while you can!" Over and over so loudly that she was convinced he could hear them too.
They stopped outside her door and he gave her a quizzical look, "What's going on inside that head of yours?"
Knowing there was no way to tell him the truth without coming across as a nut job, she smiled and stepped closer to him, letting him once again wrap his arms around her, making her feel like she was at long last home. "It's not important." Stepping back a half step, she brushed his jaw softly, "Thank you, for the night, the dance," she swallowed, "the song. It was beautiful."
He looked down briefly and then back once again, "I meant every word."
She kept looking at him, trying to read what was going on behind that blue gaze. "I'm glad," she told him softly.
"Will you go out with me again?" He whispered, never breaking eye contact, waiting patiently for something.
She nodded her head once, before stepping into his space, showing him, she was ready. and he didn't disappoint but met her half way. As his lips closed over hers and his hands wrapped around her, pulling her close, she felt like she was free-falling over the side of a cliff. The kiss was soft, sweet and had more passion in it than any kiss she'd had before, giving hope and setting her dreams free. Tonight, she thought, was the night for falling in love.
He stepped back, a dazed look on his face just like the one on hers, she imagined. "I'll call you."
She took off his coat and handed it back to him, "Goodnight, Killian." He unlocked her door, opened it and handed her the keys. Walking inside, she smiled one last time at him before shutting the door and leaning back against it waiting for her heart to start beating again.
So, was I right? Let me know what you thought? Stay tuned for Chapter 5