23

ALY

I couldn’t sayno to seeing Emmett’s apartment after the game. I had work in seven hours, and we still had a commute back to the Hamptons, but I couldn’t resist.
I was suddenly in a place where I wanted to know everything I could about Emmett.
It was definitely a hell of a one-eighty since a few weeks ago. Instead of bitter now, I was more so amazed by Emmett, and appreciative of him in a way I’d never been in my life. I could feel that it made me happier, too. Even lighter – as if this whole time, I’d been dragged down by the weight of the grudge I constantly held in my heart. I had always been certain that I never let it affect me day-to-day, but now I wasn’t so sure – especially since now, there was an actual skip in my step as I waltzed out of the elevator and into Emmett’s beautiful loft.
“Holy shit,” I said, my gaze instantly drawn to the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking downtown Manhattan. I felt the breath hitch in my throat as I drifted over to the glittering view, exhaling when I felt Emmett come up behind me and wrap his strong arms around my waist.
“We can stay here tonight if you want. Julian’s already back in the Hamptons, so I’ll have him take Ozzy for the night. And then I’ll get up early with you so we can head back to the Hamptons together.”
When I turned around with my brow arched in question, he laughed.
“In the helicopter. Yes.”
I bit my sheepish grin. God, it all sounded so amazing but I still couldn’t bring myself to pull the trigger.
“I don’t know. I obviously want to but I have to get to work early tomorrow to take care of this stupid thing.”
“What stupid thing?”
“My liquor license. It’s about to expire and the new application got delayed, so I need to take care of that before we have to shut down our booze program. The brunch people would pretty much lose their minds if they couldn’t order their Bloody Mary’s,” I said, getting stressed out just thinking about it.
“Hey. Easy.” He wasn’t even facing me, but Emmett could feel my tension. He buried his lips in my hair as he held my tighter. “I know people at the liquor authority. I can just make a call and push it through,” he said, grinning when I turned to give him a stunned look.
“Are you serious?”
“Yeah. Sound good?” he asked, cocking his head as I chewed my lip. “Why even hesitate about this if it makes your life easier?”
“I don’t know. Because I’m not used to getting things so easy. It makes me feel guilty. Like I didn’t earn it.”
“You’ve busted your ass for everything in your life so far,” Emmett said with a gentle laugh. “So cash in on my luck for once. You know you deserve it. Especially if it means we get to spend the night here instead of heading back now,” he murmured, brushing my hair back. “It’s just so late already and I want us to be able to relax for a bit before bed.”
A little smile wiggled onto my lips. I wasn’t sure which part of his sentence gave me butterflies. It might’ve been the word “relax” or the word “us” – I wasn’t sure, but whatever it was, it had me suddenly caving.
“Okay,” I nodded, my heart fluttering as he exhaled and grinned. “Let’s do it then. Let’s just stay here tonight.”

There wassomething distinctly more intimate about being at Emmett’s apartment in the city.
For starters, it was his actual home – the place he spent most of his year – and it showed. It was sleek and sexy, but unlike the Hamptons house, it was thoroughly lived in. As he he opened a bottle of wine, I wandered around, noting the shoes by the door and the little stacks of mail on the kitchen counter.
Surprisingly, there was also an office with piles of folders and papers on the desk, but after a second-long glance inside, Emmett came up behind me and shut the door.
“Don’t look in there. It’s a mess.”
“Really? That’s a mess to you these days?” I laughed as he handed me a glass of white.
He had changed into my favorite outfit on him – sweats. And just sweats. Especially these sweats. They were worn in and hung low on that sculpted V of his hipbones, giving me such a long, full view of his drool-worthy torso that I legitimately forgot what I was saying.
“I don’t know how to talk anymore,” I said bluntly, making him laugh.
“You were expressing surprise for the fact that I’m not a teenaged slob anymore,” Emmett smirked as I followed him into the living room.
“Oh yeah! Oh God, you used to shed your shoes and socks while going up the stairs and leave like, a trail of your clothes down the hall. I also remember never being able to see more than a few inches of floor in your room.”
“Well, we’ve established that I’ve changed a pretty good amount since high school,” Emmett snorted. “Plus, living in the same building as Julian means him dropping by unannounced all the time, which means I gotta keep this place looking good.”
“Oh, and you’re going to have to start baby-proofing a couple rooms too,” I couldn’t help but coo, especially as I watched the realization hit Emmett in the form of two blinks then a giant grin. God, his excitement over this baby was way too cute. It was definitely doing something to my ovaries.
“Yeah. Man. We definitely got a lot to do,” he said, his blue eyes gleaming as we nestled into the couch. “I wonder if it’s a boy or a girl,” he murmured, staring out at nothing.
“Do you have a preference?” I asked as I studied his gorgeous profile. Shoot. I didn’t know what it was, but my hormones were in overdrive and forcing me to imagine his blue eyes and perfect cheekbones on a child of mine.
Jesus, Aly. Dial it back, I told myself. But it was hard when he was still glowing about the prospect of his niece or nephew.
“I know Julian wants a girl,” he said. “So I’m gonna root for a girl, too. But either way, it’s going to be awesome to have a baby Hoult around.”
“Mm-hm. Fun uncle’s gonna be a pretty natural role for you,” I giggled.
“Definitely,” he said as he pulled my legs onto his lap, kissing me as I ran my fingers along the ridges of his eight-pack. “Though it kind of sucks that my kids won’t have their own fun uncle,” he said, laughing when I pulled away to flash a quizzical look. “Because Julian’s so serious,” he explained. My eyes fluttered.
“No, yeah, I got that. I think I was just… surprised that you wanted kids,” I realized aloud. And suddenly it was my turn to explain myself. “Because you’re so against relationships?”
Emmett’s eyebrows pulled tight. “I’m not,” he said so easily I got even more confused.
“But you won’t let yourself have one. Not after that one girlfriend in college,” I said quietly, fearful that I was treading onto a sensitive subject. But the quieter it made Emmett, the more curious it made me.
Who was she? What did she do to you?
I was so desperate to ask those questions, but I didn’t want to obliterate the moment, so I just waited for Emmett to speak.
“I didn’t let myself commit to anyone because I didn’t think I could,” he finally said, his words measured. “Even if I wanted to, I had… reasons for why I’d have to up and leave out of nowhere. And that wouldn’t be fair to her.”
What? I felt lost as I stared into my wine glass, trying to figure out the puzzle of his words. But I couldn’t, and as Emmett went on, I only got more confused.
“I made that whole ten-day rule so I wouldn’t be tempted to get attached to anyone. I know it happens when you’ve been with someone long enough, and I didn’t want to risk,” he said before tipping my chin up so I looked him in the eye. “What’s that face, Aly?” he asked softly. I swallowed.
“I don’t know. I guess I don’t like hearing about your no relationships rule.”
“Fair. But like I said before, you’ve always been the exception to any one of my rules,” he murmured, making my heart skip a beat. “I don’t have a choice when it comes to being attached to you,” Emmett laughed softly. “I am and I’ve been. For as long as I can remember. You’re just a way of life for me that I don’t want to give up again.”
I wet my lips.
“What exactly are you saying?” I asked quietly. I had a suspicion but I didn’t want to get it wrong. Since last night, I’d felt like I was in a dream, and I could barely trust my own head, even if it sounded clearly like Emmett was asking me for a relationship.
“I’m saying that I’ve been waiting twelve years for you, and I don’t want anyone else. I want to be with you, and only you,” he said, melting me right into the couch.
I had no clue what mushy, girly reaction took over me, but it made Emmett laugh and pluck the wine glass from my hand, setting it safely on the table.
“So you in?” he asked, looking like a vision from my dreams. Every muscle on his torso rippled as he angled towards me, grinning as he cupped my jaw and watched me nod.
“Obviously,” I breathed out as he pressed the sweetest kiss to my lips. “I’m in.”