I See You

CHAPTER 6 - Feels Like Home

When they returned home, Wyatt helped her bring in all the bags just as she had teased him about earlier in the day. Once everything was stashed in the den, he encouraged Emma to finally explore the upstairs of the house. While he had nothing to do with building it, Wyatt still held a sense of pride and ownership that swelled with every smile and word of praise from her lips. No other tenant had expressed as much love for the details as Emma. She truly enjoyed the odd shapes of the roofline, and since she barely cleared five feet, the low ceilings didn't bother her.

Wyatt was most amused when she asked what room he would prefer, and Emma felt a bit silly for checking, but perhaps a ghost needed his own space as well. Regardless, she was delighted to have her pick, and for the first time in years, Emma felt like she had a place to finally call her own.

Around eleven, Emma made another meal Wyatt considered gourmet. She told him it was chicken piccata, and he tried to recall if he had ever eaten a caper in his life. After dinner, Emma cleaned the kitchen, thanked Wyatt for his assistance, and put in her earbuds. Guessing she needed time to herself, he watched as she scrubbed one room after another.

"The house of a king is never dirty and sometimes that's as close as we can get, right Momma?" she muttered without noting if he was nearby. She most likely thought he had gone off to do something on his own.

From what he had seen, Emma was rather compulsive about cleaning, but when she knew someone was coming to the house, a dust mite turned her into an anxious mess. By her private monologue, he assumed this was something that started when she was young and no doubt continued with her ex.

When she finally finished, Emma took a long shower, and he smelled the same lavender cream she used every night. It was quickly becoming his favorite scent. This was the first time she didn't walk out in only her underwear, choosing, in his opinion, an equally sexy tank top and pajama pants that hung low on her hips. Emma knew he had to have seen her practically naked for the past several weeks, but her humiliation didn't allow her to ask, and he didn't mention it.

Wyatt had grown accustomed to Emma's routines, so when she woke the next morning, or afternoon as it was, he kept to himself as she completed her yoga and meditation, followed by a quick shower and dressing in clothes that he considered fancy for hanging out at home all day. Emma was still thrilled to not bother with stockings, heels, and a full face of make-up. The corporate look had always made her feel like a fraud, but there was something reassuring about dressing for work even if it was only down the hall. She prepared an easy Greek omelet, her preferred americano, and headed to her new office.

Wyatt mulled over her complete lack of interaction with him. She hadn't addressed him at all, and he wondered if that was another trained habit from life with her ex. Maybe he wasn't a morning person. Despite the hour, Emma definitely was. Each day she woke with little fanfare and hit the ground running. The woman was dedicated, seemingly honest to a fault, and could really use a little fun. He would have to find ways to bring that to her. All he could think of at the moment was setting up her new speakers and projector. She had mentioned he could watch games in the den, so he brought up an old sideboard that he had stowed in the basement back when he bought the place.

He stored it knowing it wasn't Lisa's style, but he had a hunch it was something Emma would like. The piece was understated with a small cabinet on each side and two narrow drawers in the center. One look at the brass knobs made him think they were original. Wyatt placed it between the two windows on the back wall and set about connecting the cables for Emma's new home theater system.

A little after two, a truck pulled in the drive, and Wyatt popped into the small office, knocking to avoid startling his jumpy little bird.

'Your furniture is here.'