Thanks to Abii, Laura, Alison, Emz, Kat and Tee for reviewing. It means loads guys. Sustained review numbers means faster updates as well :P tho I really need to get writing this fic again lol not much left in reserve atm!
So yeah :P ta and enjoy please review :D XxJ
Oh and there is SP in here :D it's not that much but I promise more development in that part of the storyline over the next few chapters.
Will looked up from the menu, his eye line just above it, taking in her soft good looks. The way her fringe was swept to the side with a small Kirby grip with a tiny heart on the end of it, the way her chin was slightly rounded at the bottom and the way her eyes were still sparkling with laughter.
Feeling his gaze heavy on her forehead, Emma looked up, catching his eye just in time to see him blush before he hid behind his menu again, his hands taking a tighter grip around the outside of it. Giggling nervously to herself she sat back in her chair. "So…do you know what you're having?" She asked softly, pulling down the top of the menu so she could see his face.
"Uhhh…lasagne probably." Will murmured, the blush still rising on his cheeks.
"You always have lasagne." Emma teased, her shoe scuffing his beneath the table.
Catching his breath Will managed a small smile. "That's because I always like it." He replied; the corners of his mouth turned up slightly. "And what will you be having then…Penne Arabiata…as you always have that?" He joked, his knee brushing hers as he shifted in his chair.
"Maybe." Emma grinned, blushing slightly as she felt his knee slide momentarily between hers before he realised what had happened and pulled it back so hastily that it bumped the tabletop, making them both jump. Shaking herself back to reality Emma zapped the memories from her mind, the ones that had blanketed out the real world, the brush of Will's leg against hers taking her back nearly a year and a half to the first – and last – time that she'd spent the night with Will. The only difference there was that they'd lain in each others arms that night, a smile between them that seemed impossible to shift, both of them confident that this was the start of something special, something with promise.
Why then – Emma thought – were promises always broken?
Will's eyes glazed over as he watched Emma float away on a dream, she really was the real deal as Nate put it. She was everything and nothing at the same time. She was light and shade and North and South, she was good and bad and all of the million and one shades of grey in between. She was everything he wanted…and everything he couldn't have.
"Will…Will?" Emma's impatient voice brought him back from his daze. "Will…you're ready to order right?" She giggled as he blinked unsure at the pretty waitress next to him.
"Yeah…yeah lasagne…and a bottle of white wine between us thanks." He smiled dopily as he turned back to Emma.
"I'll have the Penne Arabiata." Emma smirked as she handed the menus back to the young girl, before turning to face Will, his eyebrow raised comically in an uncanny impression of Smithy. "Yeah okay so I'm predictable…what's your excuse." She poked her tongue out at him, kicking him under the table.
"I'm a man of habit darling." Will put on a posh voice, watching her roll her eyes exasperatedly.
"Can't take you anywhere can I?" She joked, her grey eyes entrancing him.
'A man of habit' well what the heck did that mean? Was he just talking about the lasagne? Or was he going deeper…more subliminal. Was he such a man of habit that he came back to the same girl time and time again…that he couldn't let it rest because 'he was a man of habit' was that why the air felt so electric between them tonight?
Was that why she couldn't take her eyes off him?
Sam's head slipped closer to the desk; her elbow sliding as it grew tired supporting her. For the third time in the hour her hand hovered above the phone, her mind already tracing the steps it would take to get Phil on the phone. To hear his voice…to feel close to him again. Without even thinking it through properly her hand slipped and pressed down on the green call button.
Squeezing her eyes shut as she realised there was no way of backing out now, his phone would already be showing the caller ID from the office. The insistent ringing finally stopped as Phil picked up his phone. "Hello?" He asked cautiously.
"Hi Phil…uh…it's Sam." She replied, her throat dry.
"Sam…oh right…Sam! What's wrong? Is it Abi? Has something happened?" Phil panicked, thinking that only an emergency could get her on the phone after all this time apart.
Chuckling slightly Sam relaxed. "No nothing's wrong. I just…missed you I guess." She admitted blushing slightly.
"Oh…I've well…I've missed you too." He said softly, his voice blanketing Sam as she imagined his arms around her, holding her close like he did so well, making her feel safe and protected, like nothing else mattered when he was there. "I have to go now. My DI's on the warpath but you'll phone again soon right?" He asked, hope tingeing his words.
"Of course." Sam smiled as she placed the receiver back in the cradle, the warm feeling inside her sending shivers up and down her spine as she picked up her coat getting ready to leave the office in higher spirits than she'd been in, in a long time.
An hour and a half later as she hiccupped over the rip of her wine glass Emma ran her foot up Will's leg teasingly, the alcohol throwing her inhibitions right out the window. Choking on his own mouthful of wine Will attempted to keep a straight face as her bare foot slid inside the leg of his jeans, her toe circling his ankle, sending shocks all the way up to his spine.
"Are deliberately trying to make me blush Emma?" He asked softly, both of them leaning forwards on their elbows so they almost nose to nose.
"Oh I don't think I have to try very hard." She smirked, tilting her head slightly to the side so he moved in closer. Their lips a fraction from touching, Emma ducked backwards, giggling as Will's eyes flashed open again leaving him extremely hot under the collar.
Clearing his throat he downed the rest of his wine before rising from the table. "Maybe we should go for a swim…cool off." He suggested as she stood beside him.
"Yeah that beamer must be givin' ya blisters." Emma giggled, looping her arm through his as he sauntered off down the corridor towards the Health Spa which was now closed for the night. Easing the key that he'd just blagged from Reception from his pocket he turned it in the lock and pulled Emma inside.
"I'll see you in the pool then." He whispered before he threw her a towel from the large fluffy pile and disappeared into the men's changing rooms, leaving her to head on down to the women's.
Slipping out of her clothes Emma lay them out on the bench, wrapping a towel firmly around her as she felt butterflies jump in her stomach. He'd seen it all before…he'd seen her all before but there was still something unnerving about it.
Stepping out of the changing rooms Emma breathed in the familiar smell of chlorine and realised that there was no harsh lighting, just a soft orange glow issuing from several candles that Will had clearly lit while she was changing. He was sitting in the shallow end, smiling up at her.
"Close your eyes." She insisted, her hand still clutched around the towel.
"Awww but Em I've seen you before." He protested cheekily.
"I know…I know." Emma pleaded softly. "Just…do it for me. Please."
Covering his eyes with one hand Will obliged, something in Emma's tone telling him that he needed to do this. Sitting down on the edge of the pool Emma wriggled from her towel and joined him in the water, thankful for the darkness surrounding them so she could only just make out his face and nothing more.
"I peeked." Will chuckled as she splashed water over him. "You look as gorgeous as ever."
"And you…are getting better at flattery you bastard." Emma laughed as she kicked off the side of the pool, swimming out into the middle and treading water in a swift, continuous motion.
"I do try." He replied as he joined her, flicking water up in his face before he darted off.
Giggling Emma chased him, back and forth in the pool until she collapsed, tired at the side of the pool, her arms hugging the ledge. Swimming back across to meet her Will sat on the steps, the water lapping at his shoulders. "I meant what I said…you are gorgeous." He grinned as she stood up, for a moment forgetting herself.
Laughing nervously she sat next to him, once again submerged in the blanketing darkness. "You don't mean that…you could have any girl you wanted." She whispered softly.
"Maybe I could…but I wouldn't want any girl. I'd want the one that's beautiful and smart and kind and the best friend I could ask for."
"Will aren't you a little too old to play make believe?" Emma smiled, her hands on her arms.
"Not when she's sitting next to me." Will replied, his lips brushing hers, softly at first but then with more urgency as time passed. Pressing her against the wall of the pool, their teeth scraped together, his tongue probing hers.
"Oh." Emma whispered before her lips sought his once more. His hands brushed over her skin, running one down her side he smiled, her slight shiver adorable to him. Her hands found his spiky hair, her thumb brushing the soft skin at the back of his neck. He moved so he was pressing in against her and she broke their kiss. "Will…Will wait. Not now…I mean not here." She murmured as he looked at her, hurt and confused.
"…Why?" He asked after a moment of silence, only the gentle noise of the waves breaking the calm.
Ducking her head down Emma blushed. "Our first time should be special…not worrying about someone barging in on us and spoiling it. You understand don't you?" She asked quietly.
Watching her shy away from him, her face hidden behind her sweeping hair made his heart go out to her. Brushing her fringe out of her eyes he pressed his lips close to her ear. "Of course I understand babe…only this isn't the first time." He replied, grinning as he pulled back from her, framing her face with his hands. "We can do this however you like…it's totally up to you."
Falling into his arms Emma sighed. "I've waited my whole life for you." She murmured, her lips turned into his collarbone. Tugging on his hand she pulled him to his feet, twirling in his strong grasp as he lifted her from the floor.
Tumbling back into the hotel room in various states of dress, Emma and Will threw the towels down on the floor moving back towards the bed. Will pulled gently on the zipper of her hoody as she shrugged it off to reveal her red lacy bra. Teasing the buttons on his shirt open again Emma spread her hands on his toned chest, running them down until she was tugging at his belt, pulling the clasp over as he helped her wriggle out of her jeans.
Sliding under the bedcovers, Emma crossed her arms across her stomach self-consciously. Resting his hand on her pale cheek Will smiled reassuringly. "I've seen you before Emma and I still think you're stunning." He whispered as he swept her hands away, closing his arms around her as he pressed his lips to hers – a promise.
Hearing her breathing return to normal, Will slung his arm around her waist, his fingers trailing over her hip bone. "Will you still love me in the morning?" She asked sleepily, a small smile tugging at her lips.
"Like you wouldn't believe." He replied, his lips to the crown of her head as she dozed off in his arms, the only place she'd ever dreamt of being, the only place she fitted like the last piece of a jigsaw.