A/N- Once again, apologies for the delay. I am struggling to find time to finish this off but determined to get there and give these pair (& Olivia) the happy ending they deserve. Sorry if this seems a little rushed towards the end. I blame writers block & the fact I am so eager to give you guys another chapter. Hope you enjoy x
In my half sleepy state I feel Emily's steady morning breath on my neck as she persists on waking me properly. Her lips trail across my skin lightly and I groan in appreciation, turning my body to fully face her before flickering my tired eyes open. The smile beaming back at me means it's difficult to even be a little bit mad at the fact she's woke me up at 7:05 in the morning. There's something about the foreign heat, the early sunrise which always makes it near impossible for me to sleep until later morning anyway.
"Sorry," She whispers so innocently, placing a single soft kiss on my bare shoulder. "I can't sleep,"
"So if you can't, I can't either?" I laugh, tucking my arm under my head before settling my focus on the beautiful red head next to me. Through the years I had been lucky to witness some of the World's most stunning sights but without doubt, the best and most rewarding was this. Waking up to Emily Fitch was by far my favourite part of any morning. I reach out with my free arm, tangling and twirling her hair around my fingers. She's almost too deep in thought to notice and I frown a little. "Are you okay?"
"Hmmm," She murmurs softly, leaning over to lightly press her lips to my own. Another favourite part of the mornings we used to share. She rests her head back down, this time on my pillow so we're a lot closer than before and I feel her fingers trace lazy circles along my stomach before she speaks. "I think we should tell Liv today, about us, I mean,"
"Are you sure?" I question gently. It was a big step, one that I wanted her to be one hundred percent sure about.
"Yeah, I'm sure," She nods with a reassuring grin, one that I match. "I want her to know you're part of our family now, it sort of makes it all the more official," The smile on my lips grows wider. Part of their family. Official. I was pretty sure I was smiling like a total goof but I didn't care. "I would tell you that it's Liv you have to impress more than anyone else but I think it's safe to say you've done that already,"
"I really don't know how,"
"Are you kidding me?" She almost laughs, her fingers still softly running over my stomach. "You're brilliant with her just like I always imagined you would be. You're the coolest, funniest, loveliest person ever. Her words, not mine but I totally agree," She smiles at me, leaning over to place a single soft peck on the corner of my mouth, I return it, unable to fight the urge to taste her lips with my own.
"Do you still want me to be there when you do?"
"I'd really like it if you were. I'm not planning on complicating anything, we'll keep it simple,"
"Yeah, simple, good idea,"
"You should invite your Mum and Kieran for dinner tonight too," She suggests, linking her fingers with my own before raising them to her mouth. "I'll cook. If they haven't already got plans of course,"
"Em, I'm telling you now, my Mum would cancel anything and everything to see you," I laugh. My Mum always loved Emily, right from the very beginning, they had a bond. One that only ended because of my mistake. It wasn't fair that they lost contact because of me. "I'll head over to see them on my way back from the beach, I know they'll definitely make it though,"
"You're going out?"
"Yeah. Well now I'm staying, I'm going to need a job. So I thought I'd go out, ask around," I don't finish, Emily looking at me like I've just said something completely ridiculous stops me for a moment. "What?"
"You could help me run the club,"
"Uh huh, no way," I shake my head with my response. "That's your club, it's Katie's too, it's something you've worked on together, I'm not going to muscle in on that, it's not right. Plus, something tells me Katie wouldn't be too delighted,"
"Katie owns like thirty percent, she's hardly ever there, it's my club," She explains, leaving a lingering kiss on my cheek before trailing up to my ear, my breath hitching in my throat when she nips my skin lightly. "I'm the boss,"
Jesus.
"Emily,"
"What?" She smirks innocently whilst slipping her hand up my stomach, her fingers teasingly circling my chest. "It makes perfect sense. I mean, I'd have to interview you first of course, make sure you meet my very high standards,"
"Is that right?" I ask, she nods, her fingers still teasing, I chew down on my lip. "So, what does this interview process contain exactly?"
She doesn't answer. At least not with words. Kissing me once, she replaces her fingers with her mouth and circles her tongue around my nipple. Concentrating on one before moving to the other. I find myself biting my lip a little harder than before, trying to suppress any moan of pleasure that wanted to escape. She really knew how to tease me. She always knew. I feel her wet tongue lazily trail up my chest onto my neck before they find their way onto mine again. I cup her face with both hands, drawing her in closer.
"Mummy," Olivia's voice appears from the doorway, causing us to quickly spring apart. Talk about timing. Emily harshly runs his fingers through her messy hair to straighten it out and I grab an oversized t shirt from the floor and throw it over my head just as a sleepily looking Olivia properly appears in to sight. clutching her pink comfort cuddly bear. " I can't sleep. Can I sleep here?"
Emily glances at me with a smile creeping on her face like she's waiting for me to give an answer.
"Come on then monster," I pull back the thin bed sheet allowing Olivia to climb up onto the bed then bury her little self in between me and Emily. She wriggles for a bit then settles, cuddling her bear close to her cheek. "Better now?"
"Yep," She nods wriggling a little more to cuddle into Emily. It's cute. In fact, there and then I tell myself it's the cutest thing I have ever seen. "Were you and Naomi cuddling, Mummy?"
"Erm," Emily gives me a wide eyed look and I attempt to hide any laughter. "Naomi?"
"Oh no. I think she asked you, Em," I have to laugh especially after Emily shoots me some playful daggers, almost as a warning like she'll get me back later.
"Listen baby, there's something I have to tell you," Emily starts, stroking her fingers through her little girl's hair. There's a quick, reassuring glance towards me, then it's all back on Olivia. "Naomi is going to stay here with us,"
"I thought you had to go away?" She asks sweetly, turning to me as she awaits my reply.
"Well, I thought I had to too," I start. "But then I decided I like staying here with you and your Mum much more,"
"So you'll be here all the time?"
"Yeah, if that's okay,"
"Will you tell me more funny stories and can we go to the beach again?"
"Anytime you want to," I agree. "We'll go swimming, buy ice creams, build sand castles, do anything you want to,"
"She's got you wrapped round her little finger already," Emily whispers towards me, a heart warming fondness in her smile.
"Remind you of anyone?" I shoot back with the same smile.
"Eww please don't kiss again," Olivia intervenes suddenly, covering her eyes with her hands.
"What?!" Emily questions wide eyed and surprised.
"You kiss all the time," She says simply, like it doesn't even phase her whilst removing her hands to look at us both. I sense a nervousness in Emily's laugh that follows.
"No we don't,"
"You do, I see you all the time when you think I'm asleep and I'm not," She finishes all rather innocently which makes her even more adorable if that was even possible. "You kiss like Auntie Kay and Uncle Jakey, it's yucky when they do it too,"
"Yucky?" Emily questions as I attempt to hold in my giggle.
"When I see it's yucky but it's okay. It always makes Auntie Kay smile lots," She adds, looking from her Mum to me then back again. "Kissing Naomi always makes you smile lots,"
"Hmm. I thought you came in here to sleep, trouble?" Emily mentions, resting her head comfortably back into the pillow that Olivia now occupies half of.
"I can't sleep," She answers, rubbing her tired eyes at the same time. When I was a kid, I remember continuously fighting sleep night after night. I knew if she really tried, chances were, she'd be sound asleep within five minutes but she wasn't for giving up just yet. "Can we go swimming today?"
"Again?"
"Naomi showed me how to do it without bands, I want you to see,"
"We'll do that later, okay? It's still too early bub," Emily yawns. As much as she said she couldn't sleep, I knew if she was left to it, tiredness would eventually take over and she'd get the few more hours of shut eye that she evidently needed.
"Tell you what Liv, why don't we leave Mummy here and we can go to my Mum's to pick up some of my things,"
"Are you really staying here with us?"
"Only if you want me to,"
"Promise you won't go away again,"
"Hey," I say softly, tapping her nose gently with my index finger. "I am not going anywhere, I promise,"
"I really like it when you're here," She says again, probably not totally aware that she's already told me this three times before. It's something I won't exactly tire of hearing though. "And my Mummy really, really likes it when you're here,"
"Does she?" I laugh, looking at Emily. Olivia nods cutely.
"She told me,"
"Yes I did," Emily confirms with a laugh. "You weren't supposed to tell,"
"It's bad to keep secrets,"
"Best friend code," I add with a smirk. "We don't do secrets, do we Liv?" I ask, Olivia shaking her head in reply as Emily stifles another sleepy yawn. "I'll take Liv with me, you get some sleep,"
It was over an hour and a half later with Emily finally asleep back at the house when I arrived at the bottom of my Mum's driveway with an overly talkative Olivia clutching onto my right hand. She had probably asked about twenty questions from the minute we left Emiy's driveway until now. I didn't mind though, in fact, I rather enjoyed answering all she wanted to know about my own little family of my Mum and Kieran. As we reach the door, my Mum, who must have been watching from the window, swings it open excitedly.
"Naomi darlin', hi," She steps forward, pulling me in for a brief hug before she crouches down to be on level eye line with Olivia, who surprisingly wasn't shying away. "You must be Olivia, I have been so excited about meeting you, I'm Naomi's Mum, Gina,"
"Hi," Olivia squeaks, thoughtfully taking in the new person in front of her. Only seconds past before she spoke again, a little louder than before. "You don't look old enough to be Naomi's mummy,"
"Oh," My Mum laughs, amused with Olivia's observation. Typical of Liv really, she definitely has the charm and talk of her Mother, I'll give her that. "You're my new best friend already,"