I hoped Emily’s explanation would satisfy Maddie enough to change the subject.
I had no idea what was going on between Caden and Sabrina and never really did. If they were going to get together or had already and hadn’t said anything, I was happy for them. I had my own relationship issues to deal with and really wasn’t in a place to think about or judge anyone else’s.
“Like you and Uncle Jesse.” Maddie nodded and looked between us.
“Like what about me and Emily?”
“You’ve known each other a long time, so you’re familiar. Why you always stay so close to her during games.”
The corner of Emily’s mouth twitched as she stood and gathered the empty paper containers from dinner.
“I guess you could say that.” I peered up at Emily, smiling when she found my gaze. Staying close to Emily was an instinct as natural as breathing. Even at the reunion, when I wasn’t sureif she hated me or not, I’d taken the seat right next to her and hadn’t veered too far for most of the night.
While she was sleeping at my house tonight, I had to figure out a way to fight that. At least my niece provided enough of a buffer between us, but when she went to sleep, no matter where I stayed in this house, it would be hard to drift off, knowing that Emily was here.
I’d asked her here because I didn’t want her to be alone. I wanted her here because I wanted to be with her, however she’d let me. I feared maybe this was all I’d get, that even with all the love I believed we still had between us, it was too complicated to be together.
Even if, from where I was sitting, it was pretty damn simple.
“Can I play some video games before we read?” Maddie asked.
“Sure, just keep the volume down.”
She scurried onto the living room floor to turn on one of her game systems. She played the portable ones in her room, but I let her hook the console up to the big screen.
“Thank you for dinner tonight. And for tonight, in general. Maddie is a nice distraction.”
“That she is,” I agreed, following Emily into the kitchen. “And you don’t have to clean up. You’re a guest.” I took the bag of trash out of her hands.
“You’ve made a really nice home for her here, now that I’ve had time to see all of it after Maddie gave me a tour.” She leaned against the sink, crossing her arms over her torso and plumping her breasts against the round neckline of the snug T-shirt she wore over even tighter yoga pants.
Emily could have come here in a potato sack, and I’d still find it hard to keep my eyes, and my hands, off her.
“It was a little hard to pretend I haven’t been here before.”
“It shouldn’t have been that difficult. Some rooms are new to you.” I stuffed the containers into my recycling bin. “Maybe not my bedroom or anything down here.” I motioned behind me toward the living room.
Her cheeks flushed as she shot me a wry grin.
“True.” She cleared her throat and tightened her ponytail. “About that, I feel bad for taking your bed. I’m totally fine with staying on the couch or the futon. But even though I’d like to think I’m fairly in shape, I can’t do Maddie’s beanbag bed.” She chuckled. “I’ll get my stuff from your bedroom?—”
“No, you’ll stay in my bed. I’m not going to have you sleep on the couch or anywhere else. I want you to get some rest.”
“And you think being in your bed is going to be relaxing enough for me to sleep?”
I couldn’t decipher the expression on her face. I spied dread, maybe a little longing, and from the way she moved back and forth on her feet, nerves.
Maybe I wasn’t the only one jumpy over a night together under the same roof.
While that thrilled me a little, I still couldn’t push. Emily had to come to me.
I inched closer, tapping her chin with my knuckle.
“I won’t be in it to tire you out, so you should sleep fine.”
I cupped her neck, goose bumps pebbling under my thumb as I skimmed it back and forth.
Her lips parted as her eyes, dark and full of as much fear as pure want, fixed on mine.
