“C’mon you two. Settle down,” Mrs. Santiago chastises them as she leaves us to go back to the stove. “Keith, go wash up; dinner will be ready in a few minutes.”
“This was…” I shake my head, not even knowing what to say.
“That bad?” Emmett chuckles as he leads me up to my front porch, hand in hand.
At first, I wasn’t sure what it was about him and touching people. But after meeting his parents, I see where he got it from.
Both his parents embraced me with open arms, and the way they interacted throughout dinner was mesmerizing to watch. I’ve never seen anything like it before. The little looks they shared when they thought nobody was watching, the way his dad always seems to find a way to put his hands on Mrs. Santiago, and not in a sleazy way. It was the little things. His hand on her waist as he was passing her by, a kiss on the top of her head, his fingers touching hers as they exchanged the bowls with food across the table.
Yes, I could totally see where Emmett got it from.
His hand is warm and steady, holding onto mine tightly. Our fingers are intertwined, and the way he rubs his thumb over the back of my hand has tingles pricking my skin.
“Not bad,” I protest instantly, not wanting to give him the wrong impression. “Your parents seem really nice.”
Since my interactions with parents were close to none, I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but they were both really welcoming. I expected them to protest that we were alone at the pond earlier, but they barely mentioned it. Instead, they spent the whole evening getting to know me, all the while teasing Emmett.
“They’re the best,” he agrees. “And they loved you. I knew they would.”
Emmett pulls me to a stop before we get to the stairs that lead to the porch. Just out of the reach of the sensors, which I’m grateful for since my cheeks are burning.
“You think?” I look down, unsure. I thought I wouldn’t care, but I realized that I do. Emmett loves and respects his parents a lot, and I want them to like me.
“I know.” He tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear. “Come to my next game.”
“I already saw you play,” I point out, looking up at him.
“Not as my girlfriend, you haven’t.”
His words make a chill of excitement run down my back. There is that word again.
Girlfriend.
I’ve never been anybody’s girlfriend before. Oh, I kissed a few boys here and there. I wanted to know what it was about them that made girls go all crazy. What I found were slobbery kisses, wandering hands, and lines that made me roll my eyes.
Not Emmett, though. He can get cheesy too, but he’s also fun and caring and kind. And the way he kisses me takes my breath away. Emmett’s kisses leave me wanting more, and when he touches me, all I want to do is curl my body around his and never let go.
“C’mon.” He nudges me. “Say you’ll come. Bring Penny with you, too.”
I chuckle at his boyish excitement. “You know she can’t actually see you play, right?”
He shrugs. “No reason not to tell her how freaking amazing I am out there on the field.”
I shove him away lightly. “You’re incorrigible.”
“Charming,” he counters instantly.
“Insufferable.”
“The word you’re looking for is irresistible.” He grins, moving closer.
“Ugh, you drive me crazy.”
He leans down, placing his mouth on mine. The kiss is short, so damn short it shouldn’t be legal, giving me just a tease and leaving me wanting more. So. Much. More. Maybe that’s his plan, to drive me crazy with want for him.
“But you like it.”
Yeah, yeah, I do. There is no sense denying it.
“I’ll come. And I’ll talk to Penny, too. See if she wants to come.”
“Great, now that’s settled, there is another thing…”
Emmett takes a strand of my hair and twirls it around his finger.
“Another thing?” I ask, suddenly wary of his tone and the way he avoids making eye contact.
“The next game?”
“Yeah?”
“That’s rivalry week.”
“Okay…” I say slowly, not knowing where he’s going with this. What the hell is rivalry week anyway? And what does it have to do with anything?
“Rivalry week?” He repeats as if that should mean something to me. When he realizes I still don’t get it, he just shakes his head. “We’re playing against our rival on our home turf. Homecoming?”
“Oh.”
Homecoming, right.
His brows furrow. “You don’t seem excited.”
“I’m not really sure what to tell you.”
Emmett shakes his head. “Any other girl, and she’d be jumping in my arms right now.”
“I think we established I’m not like any other girl.” I quirk my brow at him, biting down the words I want to say.
Just the idea of Emmett with another girl has my stomach rolling uncomfortably.
His tongue peeks out, sliding over his lower lip. “No, you’re way better.”
This time when he kisses me, his mouth lingers. My lips part under his assault, our tongues tangling in a dance that melts me from the inside out. My hands wrap around his shoulders, and I lift to the tips of my toes to deepen the kiss.
“Say you’ll be my date, Kitty,” he whispers as he breaks our kiss, his forehead pressing into mine. “Say yes.”
“You don’t play fair,” I moan in protest, my fingers clenching his shoulders.
“I warned you,” Emmett chuckles, his fingers skimming over my cheek. “I play to win.”
Did I even have a chance?
No, definitely not.
“Fine,” I whisper my surrender.
“Fine, what?” His finger slips under my chin, lifting my head so I look him in the eyes.
“Fine.” I glare at him. Smug asshole. “I’ll be your date, but only if you kiss me again.”
“My pleasure,” he says, his grinning mouth covering mine.
After a few more long kisses that are not nearly enough, Emmett lets go of me and pushes me up the stairs. He waits as I get my key out and unlock the door.
“Get inside, Kitty,” Emmett says when I give him one final look over my shoulder. His arms are crossed over his chest as if he’s trying to hold himself from coming closer.
I bite the inside of my cheek to prevent a smile from forming. With one final wave, I step inside and close the door behind me.
As the bolt clicks in place, I lean my back against the door. My heart is beating rapidly against my ribcage, and I know I have a goofy smile on my lips. But I can’t help it. Emmett just has that effect on me.
Sighing, I push away from the door. The light is on in the hallway, and I can hear the sound of TV coming from the living room.
“I’m home,” I say as I slip out of my shoes and go to look for Penny and Mabel. I texted Mabel that I’d be staying at Emmett’s for dinner, and she just texted back with a quick okay.
Penny laughs, and my smile instantly widens.
I stop in my tracks when I get to the doorway and see people sitting on the couch. Mabel is in her old, trusty armchair that’s probably seen better days, and on the couch opposite her is Penelope and my—