Neither one of us said anything, and I was so fricken grateful. If he asked me if I was okay, I’d dissolve into a heap. While he gathered his bag from upstairs and locked up the house, I pulled my pajamas out of my bag with a soft laugh and a shake of my head.
When I packed, I certainly didn’t expect to be seeing him.
I’d expected to be alone. It was my only excuse. I pulled it over my head and waited for him to come down to the bedroom.
Emmett paused in the doorway, his eyes drinking me in.
“That is…” He shook his head. “Attractive.”
“Shut up.”
He strolled toward me in nothing but his black boxer briefs, plucking at the stretched-out sleep shirt that ended somewhere around my knees with long, skilled fingers.
“You could fit three people in here,” he mused, tugging at the sides. “Donut interrupt my sleep,” he read with a smile.
I yanked the shirt out of his hands. “I don’t like sleeping in tight clothes. It’s a thing, okay?”
“You slept naked the last time.” He nuzzled under my ear, dropping kisses along my jaw.
“Yeah, well, I’m not sleeping naked tonight.” I poked a finger into his chest. “It’s always cold down in this bedroom.”
“I’ll keep you warm.”
I snorted. “I bet.”
It was so very normal, the way we got ready for bed after that. Side by side, we brushed our teeth, and he borrowed some of my floss while he watched with fascination as I applied two different serums and lotion after washing my face.
“So many steps,” he said as we walked back to the bedroom.
“Not everyone has supermodel parents,” I said, pinching his stomach.
Emmett was quiet, pulling back the blanket and waiting for me to get in.
I settled onto my side and tugged at the pillow until it was in the position I liked. Emmett climbed in beside me, tucked his legs behind mine, and locked his arm around my waist.
I could practically hear him thinking.
“What is it?” I asked.
He made a humming noise, kissing the back of my neck. “Nothing. Just made me think about whether you look like your mom. But you must take after your dad.”
My throat went bone-dry as I tried to swallow. “I guess so,” I said lightly. “I don’t really think about it.”
That lie tasted bitter in my mouth. Of course I’d thought about it. But bringing it up during such a tender moment sounded like a great mood killer.
“Whoever you take after,” he said, kissing my shoulder, “you’re beautiful.”
Emmett tightened his arms, unaware of what casual comments like that did to me. How could he know?
“Good night, Adaline,” he murmured.
I said it back to him, but instead of happily fading into sleep with his arms around me, my eyes stayed open for hours. When I did fade into sleep, it was restless and light, my brain stretched tight with a rotating list of things I wished I could change.
One of the things I couldn’t change—especially after that night—was that I was in love with Emmett Ward. And I didn’t know what to do about it.
Adaline
Emmett woke me when it was dark, a gray blanket still dominating the sky, tugging one of his too-large sweatshirts over my head and kissing my sleepy mouth. Blearily, I pulled on some joggers and pushed my feet into slippers.
“Where are we going?” I asked.