She knelt on the couch, her eyes locked on his as she loosened his tie. She unbuttoned his shirt with trembling fingers, pushing it over his shoulders and down his arms
She broke eye contact then, her gaze taking in the subtle muscle tone in his chest and abs. She ghosted her fingers over the scars Foyet had left him with, the feather light touches giving him goose bumps. He hissed at the contact.
"That day – that was the day I finally realized. Finally knew you were more than my boys – my friend. I – I don't know what was worse, finding your apartment the way I did and you unconscious in the hospital, or watching you send Haley and Jack away. My heart broke so many times in the days that followed, in ways I had never known it could. In ways I didn't even understand." Her eyes met his again, a fire burning the shadows away. "I hate lying to everyone now, especially you." Her voice cracked.
He cupped her cheek with his hand, drawing her lips to his in a gentle, forgiving kiss.
Keeping his eyes locked on hers, looking for any sign of hesitation, he took the hem of her tank top in his fingers, drawing it up and over her head.
His fingers skimmed her sides and her breath caught in her throat.
His gaze shifted to her scar, new but healing, and he mimicked her earlier action. She shuddered at his touch, her ivory skin flushing pink.
"I've known longer. Since the night you stood in my office, looking lost and vulnerable, mourning your friend. I wanted to come around my desk and hold you. It took everything in me to stop myself. It was also the first time I worried about my ability to stay objective." His eyes met hers and he lost himself in the dark depths. "It's probably better that I didn't know the truth about you and Doyle until it was too late. It's probably not safe that I know it all now."
His eyes darkened with anger and determination as he looked at the clover branded on her breast.
Now it was Emily's turn to cup his face in her hand, drawing his lips to hers.
She deepened the kiss, keeping her hand at his cheek as she stood, using her other hand to pull him up with her.
She turned, his hand still in hers, and led him to her bed.