I can't say it enough how much I enjoy reading your comments and seeing the favorites, follows, likes, and kudos. They certainly makes a bad day (which I seem to be having a lot lately) better. This chapter contains a little more sexy times and some friend chatting too.

I am sorry this took a little long to write. I started my new job this week and tried to settle into our new apartment that seems to not being living up to expectations. I have a leaking roof, insects, and the noisiest neighbors ever. However, I am trying to be a positive person and look for the best in the situation.

To the readers in the United States – Happy Fourth of July

So it wasn't like in the movies with sunlight streaming through the windows and bathing their naked bodies in a glow that seemed to come from within. Emma had never been too much for those sorts of things anyway. Instead, her head was lolling off the mattress as her body was sort of diagonally across the bed, splayed over him and his head buried fully underneath a pillow. The quilt that he had admired on his first trip to her bedroom was cowering in a corner as if it had witnessed a few things it cared to forget.

He woke up first, unearthing himself from the bed's lone pillow. He might have to go in search of the rest of them. His first sight of her was not that golden mane of hair or her long lashes against her perfect cheeks. No, his first sight as his eyes blinked into focus was of one of her feet braced against the wall. He couldn't help but chuckled that Emma, a woman who seemed all too unassuming in waking life, was such a wild sleeper that her body took up the majority of the bed.

She had not fallen asleep like that, as he had held her to his chest and felt as sleep finally overtook her. He had rested there with her body half covering his in utter fascination of her, memorizing each part of her body and each nuance of her being. She had seemed so real to him, so unlike the guarded woman who was so sure that he would find a way to hurt her.

Rolling to his side, he could see her more clearly, her blonde hair cascading in tangled waves across her bare back. The sheet they shared was twisted and knotted between them, offering little protection from the cool autumn air. He reached out his hand instinctively to her, not to wake her but to put his mind at ease that she was really there and so was he. Her skin was soft under the pads of his fingers and made him smile with a satisfied glee that she was that close in proximity to him.

"I thought we already had this conversation that I'm not a morning person," she mumbled, flipping her head with great effort to peek at him with one eye. "Unless you made coffee, I'm going back to sleep."

"Your pillow talk is bloody amazing, love," he chuckled, throwing a long curl over her shoulder. "Sleep, darling. I just couldn't resist a glance at you." He smiled as she sighed and let her eyes flutter shut only to pop open again. "Okay I can't sleep if you're going to watch me."

He fell to his back and stretched the best he could in the small portion of the bed she had not commandeered. "You had a request for coffee?" he questioned. "I suppose I might be able to manage that unless you have some oddly technological machine."

"Just a normal one," she said lazily. She attempted to straighten herself up in the bed, fighting the twisted sheets with what he considered an adorable face of annoyance. "Seriously," she muttered. "I'm about to ask for scissors."

He crawled out of the bed, allowing her more leeway with the sheets and trying not to blush as she watched him search out his boxers. However, he couldn't help but laugh as she vocally protested his pulling them on. "I might be inclined to make bacon," he said, "if you are in possession of any. A wise person once said never fry bacon naked." He lifted the quilt from its spot in the corner, covering her with it and kissing her temple as though he was tucking her in for the night. He all but told her to have sweet dreams.

She giggled, grabbing the pillow that had been his sleeping partner and folded it under her head. "I have no bacon," she said. "So does that mean you will get back undressed."

"Later," he teased. If the pillow wasn't the only one on the bed and so damn comfortable, she might have thrown it at him as he sauntered out of the room. Her vision was still hazy from sleep, but she could have sworn he wiggled his butt in retaliation for her grunt of annoyance.

She didn't even hear the sound of the coffee maker hissing to life, a sound that had echoed in her apartment a great many mornings as she tried to avoid falling back to sleep. Only faint noises of his shuffling about seemed to be making their way back to her, but her heavy eyelids shut for a moment and the next thing she knew he was kissing her awake with a silly expression like he had done something miraculous.

"We need to talk about your lack of actual food, darling," he said with a smirk, oddly enough dressed now. "I believe the one breakfast item I found was pancake mix that probably came with the place when you signed the lease. Are you that sentimental? Did you keep it as a souvenir?" His question seemed so serious that she almost answered him rather than looked at the plate he was balancing near her. It was piled high with French toast, fruit and bacon, which she knew she didn't have in her kitchen.

"Want to explain where these things came from?" she asked, lifting up one of the strawberries. "I know they weren't here and my neighbors would have probably shot you rather than opened the door."

He chuckled. "I placed a call to Granny's," he said. "With a little sweet talking, I was able to convince them to deliver." The proud look was back on his features, his eyes regarding her as she bit down on the strawberry.

"Are you telling me that Ruby delivered our breakfast and now has seen you here at my apartment?" she asked, almost accusingly. Ruby would be proud of her for having a guy – Killian – there. She would not be affronted by the idea other than Emma not texting to tell her.

"Miss Lucas appears to have slept in this morning. One of the other staff brought it." He dragged a bit of the toast through the syrup and took a bite. "Your secret is safe enough right now."

She looked at him through her thick lashes, smiling slightly. "I didn't mean for it to sound like I was keeping you a secret," she said. "It's just Ruby has pressured me a bit about letting you stay." If the way they woke up was not a typical scene from a fantasy, her wrapped in the sheet and sharing a plate with him certainly was in both their minds.

"If she encouraged you in such a way," Killian said, his eyes trailing over the edge of the sheet, "I may be obliged to buy the lass a drink of thanks."

"Figures you would side with her," Emma said, indignantly pulling up the sheet in her own version of a punishment for him. "I would and did come around on my own."

He finished the bite in his mouth, his eyes and demeanor relaxed as he rested his shoulder against her headboard and bent his head to nuzzle her hair. "You did, love, proving to me yet again that you are not only beautiful but a stubborn lass." He said it so merrily that she barely caught the backhanded compliment. She looked quite satisfied with her eyes closing and quiet hum on her breath. He removed the plate and placed it on the narrow table, careful to balance it just right.

She smiled at him, her head tilted back, a near challenge evident in her eyes as he placed a hand on either side of her face and kissed her deeply, tasting the sweetness and saltiness of their breakfast on her lips. His breathing quickened easily, though the kisses themselves were slow and almost sloppy in their intensity. She crawled up to straddle his lap, the sheet falling about her as she did.

His hands trailed from her face, one cupping her left breast with a gentle palm and the other digging into her blonde hair. He had not meant to start this again, as their night had already been a series of interrupted naps that resulted in their bodies needing more than just the casual caress. He'd already determined that she was not worth missing even for a second. So when she pulled away from him, smirking at the way his body leaned to chase her, he practically growled with protest.

"I need a shower," she declared, sliding off of him. He was ready to deny that, but he did not have a chance before she added more. "So do you."

"Inviting me to join you, love?"

She shrugged, the sheet trailing behind her and covering precious little. "I only have one shower," she explained. "And if we plan to get out of here today…"

She smiled and walked the few steps into the bathroom. He leapt to his feet and quickly fell into step behind her. He rubbed her shoulders and back as she busied herself adjusting the water temperature in the shower. Satisfied with it, she stepped into the shower and ducked under the spray, leaning back slightly and letting the water soak her hair. She felt Killian run his hands through the long mane – pulling her out of the stream. His tongue parted her lips and massaging her own – she grabbed him by the back of the head and returned his kiss more forcefully than she had ever kissed him. She felt a strong desire for Killian well up inside her. It was as if the more of him she had, the more of him she needed.

No breaking their kiss, Killian reached behind Emma and grabbed the soap. He lathered it up – and began rubbing her back with the suds – he reached lower and lathered her backside. She broke the kiss and leaned back a little. Killian began washing her breasts – running his hands around each of them then in between and down her belly – over and over again.

"Oh God," she moaned, a bit dazed by his attention. She could not believe how good his touch was. He pushed her up against the tiled wall. Just as she was about to wrap her arms around his neck he knelt down. He guided one of Emma's legs over his shoulder – resting her foot on the side of the tub. He began rubbing between her legs – searching for her clit – finding it he replaced his finger with his tongue.

She hissed, his name chanting out of her mouth without reason or excuse. Her hips involuntarily began rotating against him. He started gently as he had earlier – lapping softly at her moist core as she gripped his hair.

Her compliments to him were mindless and flew from her lips as she sank into his mouth. The spray of the shower was covering both of them. Without even asking he could tell that she was being turned on the sight of him between her legs. He reached up and braced her hip against the wall and gripped the leg that was draped over his shoulder – preparing her for her orgasm – he knew she was close. With more force he began darting his tongue in and out of her – sliding it around her – pushing it against her clit and then back inside her.

Her voice echoed in its scream of satisfaction. He held on to her and felt her body begin to shake – his pace was now furiously quick – he went as fast has he could – tasting her release. He gently swung her leg down – unfolding himself in time to catch her writhing body and hold it up as she felt the aftershocks of her orgasm. She leaned her head into his chest to protect her from the rushing water of the showerhead. She reached down and grabbed him – began guiding him to enter her. Killian quickly understood and pushed her back against the tile again. In one quick thrust he was inside of her.

He placed one hand between the small of her back and the wall as he began thrusting into her. Again, she matched his pace. She held onto him as tight as she could – her nails digging into his skin.

He was attempting to prolong things, gently pushing into her instead of fully thrusting. She encouraged him for more, her requests echoing off the walls. With that Killian's thrusts came so quick and frenzied that Emma had to reach and brace herself behind her head so that it would not slam against the cold hard tile.

His voice joined hers in the reverberated symphony, admitting that he had spent more than a few morning showers imagining her. Her next orgasm was just subsiding as she felt him empty into her. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly as he withdrew from her.

***AAA***

Killian stayed into the afternoon, leaving when her demeanor changed and her desire to get some house work and errands completed on what was turning into a lazy Sunday. There might be cracks in the walls that she had built, but they were not demolished by any stretch of the imagination. As had become their norm, the kisses goodbye became an overwhelming need that neither were really eager to finish.

"I will see you soon, love," he said holding her hands in his between them. She looked a little hopeful, which he appreciated. "Perhaps you would permit me to take you sailing about the harbor area? I think you might enjoy it."

She cracked a small smile. "I have been sailing before, you know? It is certainly nice, but it isn't it getting a bit cold?"

"You think I couldn't keep you warm?" he asked, the waggle of his eyebrows making her giggle. "I promise you will enjoy it."

Emma nodded, closing the distance one more time and finally retreating back into her apartment where she threw herself onto the softness of her sofa with a dramatic flop. Just as she had suspected, her phone was full of texts from both Ruby and Mary Margaret. The teacher wanted to rehash the dinner and offer her opinion on why she should not let Killian get away. Ruby's texts were more blunt such as why one of the wait staff had delivered breakfast for two to the accented man at Emma's own apartment. With a resigned sigh, she answered both of them in the reserved way that she was known for with vague yet friendly answers. Both swore they would be by for a cup of coffee and some gossip soon.

True to their words, Ruby and Mary Margaret showed up though with very different offerings to a little girl talk. Mary Margaret brought a bottle of wine and seemed quite a bit more delicate with her questions, while Ruby brought tequila and got to the heart of the matter.

"I hate to tell you this," Ruby said, sitting sideways in Emma's overstuffed chair with her legs thrown over one arm and her head resting on the other side. "But you look happy. I know that's not your style, but it is pretty obvious." Mary Margaret nodded.

Emma rolled her eyes, sipping on a glass of Mary Margaret's wine. "I have smiled on occasion. It's not like I've never had amazing sex before." She pursed her lips as the two women giggled and exchanged notes at Emma's admission. "I just don't want to screw this up."

"You won't," Mary Margaret added encouragingly, waving off the interruption from Ruby. "I can tell you like him and he is crazy about you. He was absolutely adorable. Every time you spoke, his eyes lit up. I thought he might melt when you took his hand as you guys were leaving. You both clearly are into each other and I think he's not going to disappear or run out no matter how prickly you get."

Again, the blonde rolled her eyes dramatically at the idea. "I'm not that bad, but my track record does kind of suck."

Ruby's shoes were dangling from her toes as she laid in the chair. "At the risk of sounding like Mary Poppins, I mean Mary Margaret over there, I'm going to say this one time. Maybe you and Killian are right for each other. You don't have to make it work with every guy out there. Maybe he's the one you're supposed to make it work with." She regarded the shocked expressions on both of the other women's faces, taking another gulp of her drink. "Shit! That did not sound like me at all."

Both other women laughed at the appalled state of their friend as she practically looked as though she wanted to spit to rid herself of the positive words. "We won't tell anyone," Mary Margaret told Ruby, reaching out from her seat on the couch to pat the woman's leg consolingly. "Nobody will know you have a bit of a romantic in you too."

The teacher swirled her wine as though it wasn't the bargain stuff that she had picked up at the grocery store. "I know you are going to hate this question," she said, looking warningly at Ruby not to interrupt again. "But what now? Where are you wanting to go from here?"

"That's the million dollar question," Emma admitted, readjusting her stance so that her legs folded under her bottom. "He said he wants to take me sailing."

Different as they were, the two friends smiled. "That sounds hot," Ruby enthused. "The motion of the ocean and all that." However, Mary Margaret simply said it sounded very romantic.

***AAA***

Emma hoped that her face was not red as it felt warm that Monday as she sat in the booth that Killian had procured for them prior to either of them having to go to work. She was not usually the type to speak of missing a man or wanting someone's company, but she had to admit that Sunday night felt a bit lonely after her friends had left. She had found herself staring into the darkness with a dull ache as she cradled a pillow in her arms and breathed in the scent of him. Damn him and his ability to wind his way into her life even with his cologne.

She had not even felt that surprised when his text came through to tell her that he missed her. She had been loath to respond, but she had and honestly at that in her own way.

Emma: I might miss you too.

Killian: Such strong words there. Careful now. I might think you liked me.

She worried for a moment that he might be serious about his doubt, her mind considering that he might not realize she did have feelings for him. Then his next text came through and put her at ease.

Killian: Still marveling over the fact you are in my life.

While she had not wanted to seem needy, she had jumped at his invitation for breakfast and even suffered the comments from Granny when the two of them kissed at the diner. The old woman might have said a few things, but her eyes sparkled with delight at her granddaughter's friend and then warningly at Killian as though to remind him that she would hurt him if any harm came to Emma. However, her attention was quickly turned to the newspaper as it was delivered. A front page story on Graham declared that he was a candidate.

"Did you know?" Killian asked when they had both read the article over the older woman's shoulder. "I wonder…"

"He told me he was considering it," she said. "He even said he was sure he was going to do it. I just didn't think he would go through with it." She frowned as she slid back into her seat. David's face came to mind as she thought about the situation. "I should have said something to David."

"Love, he's a grown man. I hardly think he would run for public office if he was afraid of losing. That's a bit of the point of an election? Beating someone out for the job?" While she was used to him in his more casual clothes, his starched white shirt with a thin blue line and matching blue tie were a nice combination. She even remembered to tell him that.

"It's hard," she mused, twirling the plastic straw around the glass of water she had ordered along with a cup of hot chocolate. "I'm friends with Graham and David's like my brother. I hate this. I don't want them to have to compete. I don't want things to be awkward."

"They are both grown men," Killian noted. "It's hardly going to turn into a knock down, drag out race over something as simple as sheriff. A few days after the election everyone will forget." He spooned a bit of the sugar onto his pancakes. "Did you ever think of running?"

She looked over the rim of her mug at him, giving him her best I hope you are right expression. "I would never do that," she said, wrinkling her nose. "I have too much of a history and hardly want that dragged out for everyone to know and gossip over. They can have it. I'm content in my role at the station."

"As long as you are," he said quietly. "I was thinking this weekend might be a good time for our sailing trip," he said, adding more fruit on top of his pancakes that were stacked as a tower. "Weather reports are looking good and we could certainly see some of the fall color along the coast." His face fell as she hesitated, her fork poised over her own plate.

"I sort of have plans for Saturday," she mentioned reluctantly. "It's, well…"

"I understand," he said with a frown. "I didn't mean to presume that you would be free. Of course you have your own life…" He shifted uncomfortably. "Another time, maybe?"

She smiled faintly, grateful that he was being understanding. "It's not that I don't want to…" Taking in a deep breath, she placed her fork back on the plate with a thud. "Saturday is my birthday. Ruby and Mary Margaret and I usually head out of town for a girls' trip to celebrate our birthdays. I don't like to make a big deal of it, but it's kind of tradition."

His face lit up at her, reaching out a hand to her wrist and waiting until she lifted her eyes to make contact again. "I didn't realize it was your birthday, love," he said fondly. "Of course, go and celebrate with your friends. I will entertain myself and think of ways to celebrate you upon your return."

She laughed uneasily. "You don't have to do anything," she said. "I don't even know if Mary Margaret and Ruby will be available. It's just something we usually do."

"Emma, your birthday is a special day for you and certainly for all your friends and those who care about you. Enjoy it." His thumb ran in a circle along her pulse. "Is there something in particular that you would like for your birthday? I should like a hint, darling."

Her eyes fluttered as she rolled them, leaning back against the cushion of the seat. "I don't want a thing," she said. "I really don't like to celebrate it."

He smiled a bit sadly. "Then I'll have to come up with a way to distract you from festivities," he offered. "Maybe we can concentrate on Halloween? You do like to celebrate that?"

"Costumes and candy?"

He grinned at her assessment on the holiday. "I was thinking a dark and haunted house where I could hold you and get scared of all the bloody monsters jumping out at us, but we can do it your way too."

***AAA***

David attempted to massage his own shoulders, rolling his neck and cursing the modern lighting that the mayor had approved for this building. It provided very little light to read by and created an office of hunchbacks with the way they had to sit to read any of the faded documents because the copier drank toner like a starving man in the desert.

"I take it you heard," Emma said, moving his jacket from the guest chair and sitting with her arms and legs crossed in the hard plastic furniture. "Graham said…"

"I take it you knew," he said, mimicking her cadence of speech. "Sorry. It's a free country and he's welcome to run. I just hate being the fool."

"You're not a fool," she said, twisting and untwisting her fingers. "You know I support you, right? You're a great sheriff and I know this is important to you and your dad." She frowned as she again realized that supporting her friend and boss meant that she wasn't supporting Graham. It felt like such an either/or thing and left her wishing that she was better at decisions. She also wished that she had never registered to vote.

"My father is in planning mode," he said dully. "Before it was just a social thing for him, but now…well, he's in full attack mode. He wants to hire a campaign consultant. He wants to hire speechwriters and fundraising experts. Imagine if I lose."

She sympathized, as she knew that Mr. Nolan did not take any prisoners when it came to the family name or ambition. He would do everything in his power to remove whatever threat Graham posed, thinking nothing of hurting the man's career or chances. "I know I'm not a good one to say this since family isn't really my thing," Emma said carefully. "It's just that I wonder if maybe it might be time to tell your father to back off."

Raking a hand from his forehead over his hair, David groaned. "You think I don't know that I have to do that? You think I want that man making every single decision in my life? I just want to do my job, marry my girlfriend, have a few kids, and live my life. I don't want to be a part of an empire or a kingdom or whatever he is calling it these days. I don't want a committee of experts being hired to vet every decision in my life. Do you know that he did that? He hired a consultant who wanted to do a focus group on who I would be better suited to be with? There were pie charts! Pie charts, Emma! Never mind that I already found the woman I love. I have a damn ring and everything for her."

Emma again clucked a bit sympathetically at her friend. "I know it is probably really hard for you, but you need to stand up to him. You need to tell him how you feel. The people in this town elected you as sheriff and they will again, but it is about you not your name. You are good at your job. You protect people. They love you for it."

David silently stared at the blinking computer screen for a moment. "I know you're right," he said. "I also know you're not going to tell Mary Margaret I said that about marrying her?"

Emma grinned at him, pretending to mull over her options. "I won't, but will you please ask her soon? I'm tired of her having to wait and expect it."

Thanks for reading!