In the 7th inning, the song “Take Me Out to the Ball Game”came over the speakers.Everyone around us, including Emma, started singing along as loud as they could.It didn’t matter if they could carry a tune—they were in it for the experience.
Emma elbowed me in the side. “Come on … sing … it’s tradition. This happens every game.”
I gently shook my head, leaning close so she could hear me say, “I don’t sing.”
Emma gave me a mischievous grin. “You’d better sing,” she teased, “or I’m going to get you with my sticky cotton candy fingers.” She put up her right hand, which was covered in pink goo. Wiggling her fingers, she narrowed her eyes, daring me to call her bluff.
Like I could let that one slide.
“I dare you to try.” I leaned closer to her, double-daring her to touch me with a wiggle of my eyebrows. The closer we got to each other, the more everything around us faded away until all I could see was just her.
Emma leaned in until our noses almost touched. She put her sticky fingers up to my face, but instead of making a mess, she gently cusped the side of my jaw and pulled me in for a kiss.
When our lips met, it was the most tender moment of my life.She was warm and soft and welcoming and tasted like sugar.
I kissed her back with all the longing of my soul that I hadn’t even known was there. At that moment, I knew that I was meant for Emma. She completed me, and I never wanted to be parted from her. Her kiss was soft and questioning, as if she didn’t know if I wanted it or not. She gently pulled away, and I could see the question in her eyes—asking if she had taken it too far.
If I hadn’t made myself clear, I would do so now. I reached up and cupped my hand behind her head, gently pulling her in for another kiss. This one, though, was full of passion and assurance, as I tried to convey the feelings I didn’t have words for.
When we finished our second kiss, we couldn’t stop grinning at each other.The song ended, and we took our seats.
“You want to sing again?” she asked, leaning into my side as I wrapped my arm around her.
I quickly pressed my lips to hers. “Anytime.” The word came out husky and suggestive.
She pressed her forehead again my cheek and sighed happily.
I looked over her head to find Chad watching me. He gave me a nod of approval and then went back to the game.
I didn’t think a stiff breeze could have fit between Emma and me at any point during the rest of the game. I thought the Cubs won. I couldn’t say that I cared all that much. For the first time ever, I began to consider a future that didn’t revolve around my job.
Chapter Nineteen
Alex
The game finished, and we sat in our seats until the stadium was almost empty. I didn’t want the night to end. I would have slept in that plastic seat if it meant holding on to Emma.
Chad and Sarah went out the other end of the row so we didn’t have to break apart. That Chad, he was a pretty good guy. Not the type I would have befriended in a dark alley, but I was glad to know I was on his good side. And I liked that he was looking out for Emma and Becca.
We said that there wasno sense in fighting the traffic and that we weren’t in a hurry. They were excuses, all of them, so that I could stay in this magical place with my arm around Emma as she rested her head on my shoulder.
“Thank you for the best baseball game ever.” I gently kissed the top of her head.
She looked up with a content gaze. “Same.”
All of a sudden, I had a horrific thought. I had strong emotions for Emma. Big emotions that I couldn’t hide or run away from. Not that I wanted to. If I could, I’d wrap up in them and hold tight forever. But I didn’t want to let her down or mess it up somehow. The truth was, I didn’t know what to do from here.
Emma seemed to sense my distress, as she brushed her fingers down my tight jaw. “Hey, hey, it’s okay.”
I thought about Dylan and what he would tell me to do. I could hear him telling me to talk to her, to open my heart. “I’m not very good at this kind of stuff, Emma. I-I don’t know what the next step is, and I’m terrified I’m going to take the wrong one.”
Emma smiled gently.Every move she made told me she was content right where she was, which boosted my confidence. “It is okay. I’m not high-maintenance and don’t have any predetermined notions of what this is supposed to be like. I just want to spend time with you … and maybe kiss you a lot more.” She leaned up and kissed my jaw. The move was so open, soher,that it melted me in my seat.
I wrapped my arms around her in a bear hug and gave her another kiss.Our lips moved together until hers parted slightly, giving me the invitation to deepen our explorations of one another. I did, slowly, though not at all tentative. I was sure this was what I wanted to do, though rushing it wasn’t my plan.
The field lights kicked off. I was out of breath. “I guess that’s our signal to get out.”
Emma giggled. “I wonder what they’d do if we didn’t.”
