Something About Emmett (Billionaire Romance) [COMPLETED]

Chapter 17 - Something Unsuspected

"That was the first time since I've been back that I've heard you laugh," Emmett spoke, driving under a darkening sky.

"You're not that funny," I told him, keeping my eyes absentmindedly on the road ahead.

"You wound me, Jules." And I could hear him rolling his eyes, a disbelieving smile in that sexy voice.

I was still recovering from kiss number two, and I didn't want him to notice the fact, not when he seemed so perfectly composed. So I did my best to avoid his eyes, and to keep from giving away any bit of my emotion.

"Jules," he said, pressing for my attention. I must have spaced out, because his voice came in the distance beside me.

I looked to him, and he looked at me as he stopped at a stop sign.

"Yes?" I asked, staring into green eyes that were demanding and beautiful. Beautifully demanding in their own authoritative kind of way.

He surprised me when he parked the car right there, in the middle of a quiet, deadened road.

"What's going on in that beautiful mind of yours?" he asked, taking my hand.

I pulled it away to push back a fallen lock of my hair, or at least that was my excuse.

"Nothing worth a penny, keep driving," I smiled.

I hadn't noticed that the strand of hair kept falling down, so I inhaled sharply at the initial shock of his hand brushing softly along my cheek, through my hair and behind my ear.

"Not a penny. A million dollars. Tell me or we're spending the night in the middle of a darkened road, vulnerable to serial killers."

I laughed at that, and he gave me that blinding smile, fracturing my heart into a hundred pieces just to try and piece it together again with the touch of his hand on my fingers.

"I can be funny," he winked, looking at me with such deliberation that I felt exposed. When I noticed that he wasn't wavering, and still very much expecting me to answer his question, I opened my mouth to speak.

"I was- I was thinking of you. And how you kissed me. Again... Meaning a second time, which arguably could be counted as the third time, if you were keeping count." I was rambling, which was altogether not a good sign of my state of mind.

He was fighting with himself in order to restrain a smile, but it broke through, and it tainted his voice when he spoke. "So I haven't lost my touch, because you're thinking still, of me."

"No, you haven't," I said dismissively. "But that's not the matter. Emmett, what do you want from me? I don't know what it is you're expecting in all this, or why you're here with me right now. Or why you kiss me. What do you want from me?" I was surprised by the sudden insistence in my voice, but I couldn't bring myself to try and disguise it. It was much too important for me to know.

"Come here," he beckoned for me to come closer.

Hesitantly I moved, propping my hand on the console. Before I could protest his hands moved up my arms, sliding to cup each side of my face. They were warm, strong and big, but they held me tenderly and with care. It was a frightening contrast, the hardness and softness of him, but it caused a gracious heat to settle at my heart, and somewhere lower than that, deeper than that.

"I expect to make up for the way I left," he started, "by saying I'm sorry. And I expect to make up for the time I lost with my best friend, my only girl. I'm here with you right now because I'm one hell of a persistent man that doesn't like to read the signals, especially not when they're against what he wants. I could've listened to you and stayed away but that wouldn't have been me. I can't not get what I want."

He stopped, taking a moment to look down as he thought of something.

"No," he continued. "No, that's not true. I can fail to get what I want and I'll be fine. I'll get over it. But I can't get over wanting you, Julianne, because I've wanted you for as long as I can remember. And as for what I want from you... everything. Does that answer your questions?"

My mind was in a tangle of incoherent thoughts, and I couldn't feel my body after hearing his words. I had to clear my throat to speak, because it had become unbearably dry.

"Everything..." I repeated.

"Everything. But for now let's make it whatever you want to give me. And that will slowly become everything, if I make you fall in love with me again." He grinned.

"No, never."

He bent down to have a taste of my mouth, and left so quickly that I was left aching and yearning, tempted to pull him back down again.

"If I fail, I'll leave you alone forever. If it's what you want. But for now, let me try."

"Don't try..." I whispered, nearly begging him. He did not know the power he had over me. Did not know that I was clinging to my life now that he was holding me.

"Answer me this one other question, and I'll stop pestering you for the night."

"Yes?" I questioned, breathless.

"What do you feel when I touch you?"

Fire. Sweet and burning fire, so hot that sometimes I mistake it for ice.

I shook my head at him, closing my eyes. "I can't tell you that yet."

"Fair enough," he chuckled, starting the car once more. We made the rest of the drive to my house in silence, and I could feel my heart slipping away already, much quicker than he would ever have suspected.

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It's short, but it had to be short because if not that little ending there would've lost its touch. I'll upload soon! Love you and a million thanks ❤️