How they thought they were hiding their relationship was beyond him, but he was willing to play along because he knew they weren’t ready to go public. They both worried about what their families would think what with them practically having been raised together. As if their fathers didn’t have a bet on when they’d get together. Their uncles, too. Uncle Nic was winning that bet. Unsurprising. The man was uncanny in his predictions. The instincts of a former assassin never failed, it seemed.
Travis placed a hand against the side of Emma’s face, signing with his other hand, and from the blush rising to Emma’scheeks, he was glad he couldn’t see what his brother was telling her.
At least something good came out of his shitty situation. He knew they’d fought a lot about what to do when he hadn’t even known he needed their help, and that tension had probably exploded into whatever they were now. He loved that for them.
Travis’s hand fell from Emma’s face when she shook her head and stepped into the living room.
“Oh, hey,” Emma said, blinking rapidly for a moment when she noticed him. “You’re home.”
“Hold on,” he said, pretending to turn on his speech processors. “There. What did you say?”
Relief bloomed on her face, and she smiled as she dropped down on the couch next to him, slinging an arm around his shoulders as she leaned in to place a kiss on his cheek.
“Morning. I didn’t know you were home,” she said.
“Dad dropped me off last night. Apparently, I’mcramping their style,” he drawled, his lips quirking at the corners.
A hand slapping his chest had him jumping, a burst of laughter escaping him.
“He didnotsay that.”
Emmett shrugged. “Might as well have.”
He turned his gaze on Travis, who was watching with a deep furrow between his brows. He was trying to lipread, so Emmett switched to sign.
“Date night.”
Travis’s brows jumped, a smile pulling at his lips. He glanced at Emma and signed,“Code for sex.”
“Ew,” Emma exclaimed and promptly mock-gagged.
“At least they’re not exhibitionists,” Emmett said under his breath, chuckling when Emma punched him in the shoulder with enough force to make him fall over on the couch.
“What?”Travis signed.
“Exhibitionism,”he signed back, receiving a middle finger from Emma.
A grimace crossed Travis’s face, and he shook his head, signing, “Stop talking about our parents having sex.”
Emmett’s burst of laughter only got him two pointed glares. Travis walked off toward the kitchen with a shake of his head, and Emmett turned to Emma, lip thrust out in a pout.
“Don’t give me that look,” Emma groused, eyes narrowing.
“But I’m adorable.”
“You’re insufferable.”
His pout transformed into a smirk, and Emma was already scrambling to get off the couch before he could get to her. She didn’t make it before he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him.
“Why won’t you love me?” he cried out.
A throw pillow hit him in the face, and he dropped back on the couch with a hearty laugh.
“Go pack your stuff,” Emma said with a shake of her head, pushing him back down when he tried to stand. He flipped her off with both hands, grinning as she laughed on her way to the kitchen.
He got up and grabbed his bowl and glass, emptying what little apple juice was left before he followed Emma. He heard the pop and sizzle of bacon before he smelled it. He stepped through the door and pressed his lips together to hide his smile. Travis was making Emma breakfast. He wasn’t a fan of eating or cooking meat, but for Emma? She didn’t even have to ask. They were adorable.
Emma was grabbing coffee mugs out of the upper cabinet, turning to arch a brow at him. He shook his head and placed his bowl, spoon, and glass in the sink. The nerves all came rushing back as he remembered why Emma was there. He hadn’t been nervous last time, but then again, he’d been pretty fuckinghungover then, and painting the wall of the clubhouse had been an impulsive thing. He hadn’t had time to freak out about it. He’d just done it.
