I nudged his knee with mine. “I think they’re done,” I whispered.
He handed me the stick, his eyes only briefly settling on mine. I slid the first marshmallow off, hissing at the hot surface.
“Want one?” I asked.
He watched me blow on the surface of the sugary treat. “No, thanks. I rarely eat stuff like that.”
“Your loss,” I said feelingly, popping the entire thing in my mouth. I moaned when the flavor hit my tongue.
“I’d rather watch you eat it anyway.”
My fingers were sticky, and the husky tone of his voice had my stomach quivering while I sucked the marshmallow off.
I finished my bite. “What time do you have to be at the airport?” I asked.
His thumb came up, gently touching the corner of my mouth. Emmett wiped a fleck of marshmallow from my lip, his slowly darkening eyes unmoving from that spot. “About a day earlier than I’d planned,” he admitted with a wry smile. “This isn’t…” His voice dropped in pitch. “I’d hoped for more time.”
Then he brought his thumb to his mouth, eyes on mine, and sucked off the spot of marshmallow.
I blinked slowly, trying to get my bearings at the exchange, heavy with unspoken longing, dripping with the idea of crossing an invisible line.
“So we have tonight,” I said.
His gaze never wavered from mine, and finally, he answered with a slow nod.
I didn’t need him to say it because it was plain as day across his face. Emmett didn’t want this night to be wasted either.
I didn’t need him to promise me anything because it would only make it worse if he did.
I carefully set the roasting stick aside and stood from the bench. “I think I need more chocolate.”
Emmett’s brow furrowed.
Cameron gave me a weird look. “There’s an entire package right—”
Greer sat forward and slapped her hand over Cameron’s mouth. “I think there’s more in the house.”
Parker covered his face with one hand. Poppy laughed into her margarita.
I looked down at Emmett. “Help me look for it?”
Understanding lit his expression, followed very, very quickly by heat.
Before I could change my mind, before I could talk myself out of it, I made a sharp pivot and walked back to the empty house. Emmett was right behind me, and when I paused briefly at the back door, he crowded behind me, holding the door open with his arm above my head.
Like he had at the ball, he dropped his nose to the crown of my hair and inhaled deeply.
I breathed out a laugh, and my knees felt a bit jelly-ish.
One of his big hands slid around my waist, anchored over my hipbone, and his pinky pressed hard into the skin underneath the waistband of my pants. My whole body was trembling.
Why did that surprise me? The sure touch without a single word spoken between us.
It was exactly what I needed, though.
If this was my one night to see what I’d been missing all these years, then I was ready for that night to start now.
He spoke against my ear, a delicious rumble that had my eyes fluttering shut. “Go inside, Adaline, unless you want them to see this.”
Emmett
I didn’t know what had changed.
I didn’t care.
My blood screamed hot, and dimly, I registered that if she really hadn’t moved, I might have pushed her against the wall of the house in plain sight of her brothers and sisters.