Emerson struggled to not feel hurt by that.
“Not only did I have my own bullshit to contend with, but I worried about what was going on in your head, too. The voices in my head telling me you’d never see me as who I was again.”
“Tell those voices to shut the fuck up—because I see you. All of you. And I like what I see, my alpha.”
A shine came to Dash’s eyes. He spread his palms over Emerson’s chest. “I’ll work on my bullshit… You matter to me, Em.”
Emerson smiled softly, a lump forming. He lowered his head to capture Dash’s lips and pulled back to gaze down into his mate’s handsome face. “You matter to me, too.”
Dash rested his head on Emerson’s chest again.
“Are you sure you don’t want to go home and get some rest?”
“I don’t have much left to review. I want to read everything before I go back through it with my team tomorrow. It shouldn’t take me too long, I promise.”
“Okay,” Emerson said. He leaned in for a last kiss, savoring it before releasing Dash’s lips. “Walk me to the elevator?”
“Absolutely,” Dash said.
They soon stood outside the elevator in comfortable silence, their pinkies linked. Something replayed in Emerson’s head as they waited, and he couldn’t hold back another second.
“I have to disagree with something you said earlier,” Emerson said, his thoughts finally solidifying, perhaps too late. He turned towards Dash. “From the first moment we first met, I knew you were my person. Maybe not consciously, but somewhere, deep down, I knew. It felt as if we were long lost friends, finally reunited after being kept apart.”
Dash snickered. “I don’t know if what I was feeling would be best described asfriendly.”
“Okay,loversfinally reunited. Better?”
“Oof, no,” Dash said, cringing.
Emerson pulled Dash closer. “My point is… once I saw you at the club, I knew I couldn’t let you go again. I wasn’t going through another day where you weren’t mine. I decided then and there to open myself up to you and let you in. Giving in felt better than fighting it.”
Dash looked up at him, his eyes sparkling with what Emerson saw as affection.
“After giving in, everything soon became clear.” Emerson smiled. “And I fell in love with you, Dashiell Keller.”
Dash’s eyes widened.
“I know you think love isn’t a part of this chemistry, but I don’t agree with that because I already love you.” A lightness washed over Emerson—a peace within for speaking the truth in his heart. “And it’s okay if you’re not there yet, but I am, and Iwon’t spend another minute on this earth without you knowing how I feel.”
The elevator dinged and the doors swept open. Emerson claimed one last brief kiss before stepping inside and hitting the button for the lobby.
“Text me when you leave… and when you get home, please,” Emerson said as the doors closed on a shellshocked Dash.
While he would’ve liked to hear it said back, he was fine without it. He loved Dash and for now, his love would be enough. Once the doors reopened, he crossed the lobby, waving to the old man half asleep behind the reception desk. Climbing behind the wheel of the fire department pick-up, he had to adjust a bit before turning over the engine, his bottom sore. He checked behind him and then pulled out—but something flashed in his mirror, and he slammed on his brakes. Looking over his shoulder, Emerson found Dash standing behind the truck, an odd look on his face.
Emerson shoved the gearshift into Park and opened the driver’s door. He slipped out and eyed Dash. A worried shiver raced up his spine.
“What’s wrong?”
Dash walked closer, stopping inches from Emerson. He was silent, frowning deeply.
Had Emerson said too much, too soon? Panic wrapped an icy band around his chest as he waited to hear from Dash.
“I love you, too, Emerson Walker.”
Emerson sighed with relief. Without considering any eyes on them, he leaned down and captured Dash’s lips in a hungry kiss filled with every emotion racing through his body. Dash kissed him back with an abandon neither of them should show.
Dash pulled back. “Why did you have to tell me that in the middle of this fucking case?”
