Chapter 30

I reread my text and smiled. Yeah, that'd do for starters. I'd spoken to Panda earlier in the evening and she said to keep doing what I was doing. After squealing down the phone at me for a full 5 minutes. I'd apologised for underestimating her, and she was so gracious in her acceptance. She was a class act that girl, and I could see why Emily loved her so much. I hit the send button and settled down on my bed with the TV on. Copycat was the film of choice for the evening, although I did actually have some paperwork to read over.

I picked it up and started browsing, one eye on the film and one eye on Tony's case files. It was no good; my mind kept drifting off and thinking back to a massively eventful evening.

After Emily had walked away, I'd found Effy at my car. Sitting in the passenger seat, mopping at her face with a paper towel. I was a little unimpressed, but proud if you catch my drift. Freddie'd be gutted at missing the cat fight. Even if it was missing the chocolate sauce element. Effy and Katie had done a cracking number on each other, that was pretty evident. She'd got away without having her eyes blacked, but I'm sure there were several chunks of hair missing and she had some interesting claw marks on her cheeks and neck and bloodied knuckles. I hated to imagine what the rest of her looked like. She'd muttered and hissed a few 'fucking bitch' comments which eventually had led to me laughing at her. Raising her eyebrow at me I just shrugged.

"Thought I was supposed to be the rufty tufty one, that's all. You'd be a good match for each other."

She'd just smirked at me and continued cursing Katie's parentage.

Freddie's face had been a picture when we'd walked in the house. Tony shot up from the couch and all manner of testosterone was flying around the living room both lads swearing revenge and ending up arguing with each other as to who would carry it out. I watched Effy roll her eyes as if to say 'men' and tell them to shut the fuck up as she walked out to the kitchen. Both then turned their attention to me. I gave them the low down.

"Em's dad decided not to punch me after she'd asked him not to, Katie decided for round two. Effy decided it was a no go."

Both lads just shrugged their shoulders and nodded sagely at my words. Tony raised an eyebrow at me, silently enquiring if 'Operation: Win Back Emily' had been a success.

"Emily says she's just upset, she wants me to text her like we'd been doing. Says she's going to ring me." I grinned insanely. "And she kissed me."

The lads were suitably impressed. Both agreeing it was a good sign and I should go for it. Tony had handed me papers from the case, telling me to check them over and that he'd be in touch.

My gardening leave would be coming to an end in the next couple of weeks. I'd still be off the Cook case, but I'd be allowed back into the office and back onto cases. I'm going to be honest you. I wasn't too sure how that felt. I've said all along; I'm sick of some parts of my job, love other bits. The sad thing was the sick bit was starting to take over. I could still lose Emily through all this and I can't even think about how numb that makes me feel.

I was drawn from my thoughts by a noise.

Master! I have mail for you! Picking up my mobile I smiled. Emily. Bloody hell, I should pay Effy to have a scrap with Katie more often if it got this sort of quick response. I smiled reading the text.

"Eventful? Try VERY eventful. Jesus, I was going to give Katie a slap if she'd hit you again. I might give you a slap next time I see you. What's with letting my sister and dad hit you if they wanted too? Ems. P.S I miss you too. Xx"

I laughed. Now, as much as Fred's would pay to watch Effy and Katie slug it out in chocolate sauce, I'd pay double to watch Emily and Katie have a dust up. I knew how strong that girl was. Well, both of them actually. But I reckoned that Em's would kick Katie's scrawny arse. I rattled off a reply.

"Well, I sorta figured that I deserve to have my face rearranged by the fightin' Fitches, being as I broke your heart by being a lying twat. It would make your dad feel better. I've talked Effy out of being stupid and trying to press charges against Katie btw – she jumped her first! How is Katie? Xx"

I put my paperwork down, not even pretending to pay any attention to it anymore, wondering if I'd get another reply tonight. Lying back on my bed I mused through the choices I had with my career and life. Figuring I'd nod off to sleep eventually, even with the obvious chemistry going on in the film. Why Sigourney Weaver's character didn't just cop off with Holly Hunter's I'd never know. That was the problem with being off work. Too much bloody time to think and too much energy equalled insomnia. I was drifting off, the adrenaline from the day slowly leaving my system when my phone shouted at me again. Picking it up off the bedside table I opened the text.

"Rearrange your face? I'm angry again. I love your face the way it is you know. FFS Naomi, stop letting people hit you. Especially my bitch of a sister who claims you groped her when you stopped her scrap with Effy. And yeah, she's fine. Missing some hair, but fine. She won't press charges either. I've reminded her she owes you twice now. E xx"

I was just composing a reply when my phone buzzed again.

"You're persistent aren't you? Most people would have given up by now. They usually do. I like the new car by the way. Very you. Talk soon E XX"

I smiled and bedded down for the night after sending Emily a goodnight text, telling her I'd be in my usual stargazing spot every night being as I was suspended and that I'd meant every word. I was not going to give up. Sleep came easier after my text chat.

The rest of my week went pretty much the same way. I'd fill my days working out, cleaning the flat (yeah that was a shock to me too), talking to the guys and texting Emily. Every night I sat on the bonnet of my Kuga watching the stars twinkle and laugh at me from their lofty position. She never came. I never really expected her to be honest; I guess I was just hopeful she'd forgive me fully a bit quicker than she was.

The texting was fun. We'd actually communicated plenty to each other. There was a sort of unwritten rule not to discuss the case or Katie and Effy. It was safer that way. There was a moment of skating on thin ice when I'd fessed up and admitted that Panda had helped me. In my defence I was trying to show her that I was being open and 100% honest. Effy said I'd been too honest and to apologise. Again. Jesus. Women! If she ever asked me if 'her bum looked big in this' I was screwed wasn't I? I couldn't win. Panda called me and said it was all ok, and not to panic. I was going to have to get her and Thomas a nice present. I was still working on that. I was thinking of as nice hotel for the night for the two of them.

I was sitting on the Kuga looking at the stars when my phone buzzed me. Panda?

"Look to your left Naomikins and make sure she gets home ok? XXXXX"

What the fuck? I obligingly looked to my left and my heart stopped.

She was stood about ten paces away from me. Hair tied up, Fitch Fitness jumper on. Her face wore the same expression as mine, somewhere between pain, love and relief. My eyes drank the sight of her in. My breathing obligingly upped its rate, heart beat pounding in my ears. Looking at Emily I could see that she was struggling too.

"Hello", she said it so softly it was barely audible and the corner of my lips turned up in a small smile as I heard those sexy husky tones again. No bitterness, no anger, just Emily.

"Hello", I replied back, just as softly, frightened to break the spell between us. Scared she'd run.

I wasn't sure who closed the gap between us. Whether it was me or Emily who stepped forward first. Maybe we'd met in the middle. I didn't care, but the next thing I was aware of was being wrapped in her warm embrace, her unique smell overwhelmed me. Her arms snuck around my waist and my arms found their way around her neck. We clung to each other for dear life. I could feel wet on my cheeks and knew that I must have been in tears, but I didn't wipe them away. Emily seemed just as reluctant to let go of the fierce grip she had on my hoodie.

Emily turned her face so that her mouth was inches from my ear and her nose was buried in my hair, taking in my scent I assumed. I could feel my chin wobbling, tears about to break to the surface yet again. I was utterly overwhelmed with emotion. "God, Ems…" I whispered it heavily into her ear, my lips brushing the perfect skin there as I spoke.

I was overcome with the urge to turn my own face to Emily's and join our foreheads together, maybe softly brush my lips against hers. But I didn't. I'd only want more. And I couldn't have it, I wasn't sure, regardless of the dance we were both doing.

Emily snapped herself out of our mutual haze and loosened her grip on my hood, beginning to pull back slightly. I'm sure she could feel my reluctance to let her go, let her free from my grasp ever again and for a split second I thought that I would pull her back into my embrace, but I let arms gradually slacken and we slowly parted. Before Emily could drop her hands to her sides I made a move for them and took them both in my own, dragging my thumbs over her knuckles. She looked down and then back again. Trapped in each other's gaze.

"Em's…I'm sorry…"

I looked down, enraptured by Emily's touch. She moved her own hand and entwined our fingers together. She leaned in placing her forehead against mine, breathing us in.

"I've missed you so much it hurts Naoms." Her voice was barely above a whisper now. Her eyes shut tightly.

She rubbed her nose softly against mine, a desperate act for even closer contact.

"I've missed you too".

I moved my nose away from her own and make a move to the right, pressing against her cheek, nuzzling it with affection. I felt Emily smile softly at the action. My nose traced down her cheek softly, before I joined our foreheads together again. I knew she could feel without opening her eyes where I had now focused my attention.

My lips were mere inches above her own. Did I dare push it a little further?

"Ems…" my breath was teasing, and I knew that Emily knew if I did what I wanted we would be powerless to stop.

"Naoms…we can't…we need to talk" she said it half-heartedly; she knew what we were unable to stop, already moving in ever so slightly closer despite herself. I knew it. Fortune favours the brave, the bold. We were an unstoppable force. Magnets.

Her breath hitched in the back of her throat as my mouth made slight contact with her own. Just a whisper of a touch, not even really a kiss, but enough to make her want more, drive her mad. Like she had done to me at her dad's gym.

"Yes we can." I whispered the words softly against her mouth before brushing her lips gently with my own.

I did it once, and then again, and then again, before adding more pressure and feeling Emily respond. I brought my hands up to cup her face and felt her clutch at my hoodie, pressing her mouth harder against mine and bringing our bodies closer.

It was enough to make me lose all control. She intensified the kiss, sweeping her tongue into my welcoming mouth and I'm sure delighting in the quiet moan she received in appreciation of her actions.

Kiss after kiss rained down between us before Emily pulled back slightly, needing some air, but I wasn't about to let up. I couldn't. Sighing heavily against her lips and whispering her name, I placed gentle, feather-light kisses on her lips until Emily could take it no more and crashed her mouth back to mine again and again, oxygen be damned. This was so fucking right.

I was not going to lose her again. No way.