A/N: Yeah I know it's been a few weeks since I last updated, but real life and a summer vacation trip with the family came crashing into my life. I'm joining Camp NaNo this next month so I'll be writing a lot more for sure, so hopefully I'll be able to wrap up this story along with my CSSNS fic.
Huge thanks to my beta Jonesfandomfanatic, she's been a huge help with this story.
Hope you enjoy this.
Chapter 6When the music finally ended, Killian pulled away from the overly perfumed woman and said, "Thanks for the dance, Dolly."
"My name is Molly." The red lips turned into a pouty duck face, a look that had Killian groan inside. It was far too often women like her would throw themself at him whenever he was out to have a good time. He'd hoped that the wrap party would be different, but the woman was the daughter of one producer or some other high-class profile in the Mills Movies cooperation.
Killian merely nodded and turned to walk back to the bar, leaving Duckface behind, hoping to find another blond among the guests. His heart leaped in his chest when his eyes landed on the figure clad in a long flowing red dress, and part of his blood rushed even more south.
Emma looked like a bloody vixen dressed like this, her long hair hung in loose waves down her back. Taking a fortifying breath he strode towards the bar and slipped into the stool beside her.
She jumped when she spotted him but her lips turned up in a smile as she took him in, "Hello, Jones. You clean up nicely."
Killian tugged at the bowtie around his throat. "This thing is choking me."
"Take it off then," she said offhandedly, sipping her drink.
Killian grinned and with a shrug, he pulled the offending fabric away so he could breathe easily. Then a devil may care-attitude took over as he popped open the two top buttons of his white dress shirt. It was all worth it seeing Emma's emerald green eyes go wide as she took in his new look.
"Still like what you see?" He lifted a challenging eyebrow and smirked when he noticed the red rising to her cheeks.
"Hmm." She shrugged indifferently.
"I must say that you look ravishing tonight." He leaned closer and got a whiff of her perfume, much more subdued than the duck face he'd danced with, Emma's was a hint of wildflowers and something fruity.
"Thanks." Emma looked down at her hand, nervously rolling a paper napkin between her fingers.
"Care to dance?"
"I don't really dance." Emma tried to wave him off.
"There's only one rule. Pick a partner who knows what he's doing." He grasped her still fidgeting fingers and gently urged her to follow him.
Emma gave him a small smile as she got down from her stool, she easily slipped her hand into his and followed him to the dance floor.
Killian ignored the blatant stares of his bandmates, all seemed very curious to know what went on between him and Emma.
Emma slipped into his arms as their dance began. The tune of the song, 'The Joker and the Queen,' was slow and soon her arms wrapped around his neck, her body pressed close to his. Trying to occupy his mind he focused on the lyrics: "And I know you could fall for a thousand kings, and hearts that would give you a diamond ring. When I fold, you see the best in me." He knew that his heart had folded and dropped the proverbial cards, now he just hoped that Emma could see the best in him.
The song had a nice slow beat and allowed them to sway gently together, neither of them noticed the blatant stares of the production team and Killian's band. For now, Killian just relished that Emma had returned to his life and seemed to allow him to get closer to her.
When the song ended Killian pulled back slightly, "Another one?"
Emma moved her hand to rest over his heart. "Can we go somewhere less crowded?"
Killian nodded and slipped his hand over hers as they walked out of the ballroom. He scanned the hallway they entered; it swept in an arch towards the lobby and several smaller private conference rooms were behind the row of doors. Halfway down the hallway, he spotted an archway that led out into a courtyard, but he just stopped before the door.
"Emma…"
"Killian…"
They both started speaking and shared a nervous laugh.
Killian slumped against the wall behind him, "You go first, love."
"Thank you for the dance." Emma hugged herself, her hands moving slowly up and down her bare arms.
"Are you cold?"
"No, just… I don't know, unsure of… stuff." She shrugged.
"I know I screwed up, I'm sorry it took me so long to realize what might have been." He combed his hands through his hair, not caring if it caused it to stand on end.
"Think we were both young and stupid." She smoothed her hands down her thighs, "I never handled it very well." Her eyes wavered between his face and the floor.
"We're here now?" He could hear the hopeful note in his own voice and cringed; he didn't want to sound too desperate.
"Hmm." Finally she looked up and gave him a timid smile. "That we are." Her head tilted sideways as she pursued his form, making his skin prickle under her scrutiny.
"So the ball is still in your court, you know." He lifted an eyebrow.
"I know." Her voice dropped to a low husk.
Killian bit the inside of his cheek, trying to be patient when all he really wanted was to pull her close and seal his lips over her sweet mouth.
She stepped closer. "Right now I just want to hang out with you, and perhaps…"
Killian gulped down when her hands drifted up his torso, he could easily smell her subtle perfume. "What?"
"Just want to try something that I never got to do twelve years ago."
He held his breath when she shifted closer and cupped his cheek with her hand, her thumb brushing over his mouth. "What would that be?" His voice sounded off-kilter, never in his wildest dreams had he imagined she'd be doing this.
"Kiss my childhood friend." Emma husked, her breath washing over his lips before their lips touched. The kiss was gentle, searching and tentative at first, but when her hand slipped behind his head, a moan rolled over his lips. When her tongue swiped over his lower lips, he capitulated and reached out for her, grasping her waist holding her close. The next few minutes were the most blissful and exquisite he'd ever felt. No other woman would make his heart skip a beat like Emma. It wasn't as if he'd lived in celibacy the past twelve years, but this moment was the finest of all his past exploits.
Emma pressed her body even closer to his form as Killian swiped his hand up to cradle her head, using his fingers to tilt her head a little to deepen the kiss even further.
Killian didn't know how long they stood like this, but when they finally pulled apart, they both breathed heavily. Emma's eyes were blown wide and her lips kiss-swollen and her cheeks painted an alluring shade of red. "That was…"
Emma stepped back abruptly and muttered, "... A one-time thing."
"What?" Kilian blinked in confusion. "You can't be serious love?"
"Don't call me that…" Her breath hitched in her throat. Her chest rose and fell in heavy pants, "I… this is not a good idea… I can't… I'm sorry… It's just too much."
Killian was still trying to understand what just happened, as Emma swirled around and rushed out into the hallway, nearly toppling over a gaggle of girls that had their phones out. When they noticed him looking their way one of them asked loudly, "You're Killian Jones right?" The collective giggle going through the group had Killian's skin prickle, but he put on a brave face and stepped forward.
"Aye."
"Could we have a picture with you?" A phone was shoved into his face and he gave them his usual polite smile as he tried to settle in between the group while someone snapped selfies and giggled along the way.
It took all his patience not to skip out on this session to go hunt down Emma.
"Why are you here at this hotel?" One of the girls asked.
"Oh, you know the movie I'm in had its wrap party tonight."
This was met with squeals all around and he lost track of the questions thrown at him.
"Who are you staring with, is it anyone famous?" a girl asked.
Another excited girl asked, "When will the movie premiere?"
"Will we see you naked?" Another round of squeals and howling laughter followed this question.
"Will you be in any more movies?" Yet another asked.
"Are you singing in the movie? Gosh, I hope you do your voice is amazing, gwards I love listening to your tracks whenever…"
Killian tried to answer as quickly as he could, and soon the questions died down.
"If you'll excuse me, ladies, I think my mates are waiting for me. Have a nice evening." He gave them a warm smile and a polite wave before he headed for the ballroom. Just as he entered the large room his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and swiped to unlock it, when an unfamiliar number was shown on the screen he frowned. His heart skipped a beat when the text wrote:
I'm sorry, I spook easily and this night was a little crazy.
Absentmindedly Killian found a table near the entrance and sat down as he looked over the words. It was clearly from Emma. With a few taps on the screen, he'd saved her number into his phone. Looking up at the vaulted ceiling, he contemplated what to do now. She'd clearly rolled the ball in his court now but seeing how spooked she'd been by her own actions, her kissing him, he knew he'd need to take things slow.
Shifting forward in his seat he rested his elbows on his knees and typed:
We go as slow as you want. Perhaps coffee before you go back home?
It was several minutes of impatient waiting before his phone buzzed again.
Sure. 👍 I fly home Friday, so perhaps Wednesday?
Killian quickly sent her a reply with the address to his favorite coffee place, Emma sent a smiley and thumbs-up emoji, followed by a sleepy emoji. He contemplated sending her a heart in return but opted out and hoped their coffee date would go easier than tonight.
A few moments later Will walked over and started rambling about them going out to hit the city nightlife
"Come on mate, a few more drinks before we hit the sack?" Will waved behind him. "Everyone's going… well Graham seemed to have bailed out along with a leggy brunette so we won't be seeing more of him tonight." Will barked out a laugh at this making Killian chuckle along with him.
"Aye he seemed quite smitten with the scriptwriter," Killian mused, shaking his head.
"So ya coming?"
Killian reluctantly followed his bandmates to go out for a few more drinks before they'd head back to their hotel. He kept looking at his phone hoping that Emma would write more, but she'd probably fallen asleep by now. His slight grumpiness kept the most intense fans at bay, only a few too-drunk girls came fawning over him, wanting pictures taken with him.
Emma woke up the next morning with a confused and jumbled mind. Everything that had transpired between her and Killian played before her eyes like a horribly bad B-Movie, on repeat. Why did she run last night, her heart and soul had soared to the skies the moment her lips had touched his. But everything came crashing down when her logical mind ruined it all by giving her a list of why this was a horrible idea, the man had left her before, all her life people just left her. Why would mr-big-shot-singer-super-star seek her company?
"Good morning sunshine," Ruby's chirping voice sounded from the door.
"Ugh, leave me alone." Emma rubbed over her eyes trying to adjust to the bright light shining through the thin curtains.
"Didn't you have fun last night?" Ruby waggled her eyebrows suggestively. "I saw you dancing with that hottie best friend of yours." She made a show of fanning herself.
"Get lost."
"Nah, spill it sister! What happened when you guys left the ballroom?" Ruby pointed at Emma.
"Nothing, we just talked " Emma mumbled into her pillow, hoping her face wasn't showing the heat she felt rising to her cheeks.
"You seemed really chummy out there on that dancefloor." Ruby tilted her head. "You like him, don't you?"
"I don't know " Emma groaned and rolled on to her back, pushing herself up into a sitting position. "It's complicated… well my messed up mind made it a tad more complicated," she sighed.
"Why?"
"I ran."
"Oh?"
"Yeah, think my brain short-circuited for a moment when I kissed him." Emma hid her face in her hands.
"You kissed him?" Ruby flapped her arms out. "And then you ran?"
"I know it sounds so awful when you say it like that."
"Well, I hope you have a plan to fix that."
"We're having coffee on Wednesday."
"That's in three days, why wait?"
"Need time to…" Emma shrugged. "...I don't know, sort out my confused mind."
"Girl that man really likes you, I know things happened in the past between you guys, but don't throw it away."
"Yeah, our past is a little fucked up." Emma rested her cheek on her knees, her arms wrapped around her legs.
"Give him a chance, yeah?"
"Hmm." Emma closed her eyes and recalled how she'd kissed him for the hundredth time that morning, his warm lips moving over hers, pulling her soul into his.
"Graham made pancakes."
"Graham?"
Ruby waggled her eyebrows. "Let me tell you right now that you won't regret going out with a musician." Ruby fanned herself as if she flushed hot under her skin.
"Gods I don't need to hear details about your sex life." Emma threw a pillow at her friend who laughed as she slipped out of the room.
"Do join us he's made extra, they smell yummy," Ruby called over her shoulder leaving Emma to her own musings.
She wasn't sure she was ready to deal with all that would follow if she did get involved with him now. Their lives had become so vastly different since they'd parted. He was a freaking famous singer with fans fawning over him wherever he went. She'd noticed the gaggle of girls heading for Killian when she'd run last night. In the past few months, she'd looked online at what went on in his life and she realized what a big music name he was. How was that even compatible with her quiet life as a writer?