Chapter 10 - Fraternizing
It was just movie watching amongst friends – that’s what they both told themselves – and what they continued to tell themselves even as Emma ended up curled up against Trent’s side, cheek pressed against the crook of his neck. His hand absentmindedly slid through her curls at various points, leaving her to try not to shiver at the feelings firing through her every time.
By the time the credits of the movie rolled, Emma was certain they’d finally turned a corner, that Trent had decided he was ready to be more than friends, and she shifted, resting one hand over his heart and pushing up a bit to be able to brush her lips over his.
But instead of kissing back, she felt him stiffen immediately, his face and especially his mouth like a stone wall, no reciprocation at all. And after an embarrassed moment, Emma pulled back and rested her forehead against his – feeling him relax just a bit as she did so – and asked him in a very soft tone, “Are you just not into women, Trent, or is it me?”
“It’s not like that.” He whispered back just as soft, his hand starting to go through her hair again before dropping down to his side, still that odd mix between a bit relaxed and tightly tensed. “I’m just, not there yet.”
Frowning as she pulled back, to be able to better look at him, Emma just shook her head a bit. “How long, Trent? How long are we going to circle around, playing these games, only for you to freeze if I try to initiate anything?” And eyes darkening a bit when he refused to meet hers, her voice lowered, coming out as a growl, “Dammit, just give it to me straight, will you? You’re not interested in me like that and never will be, but you’re too much a gentleman to be able to just send me away, because you do like having me around.”
And when Trent didn’t respond at all and lowered his eyes, Emma growled again, pushing back enough to stand and move towards his door, stopping halfway through his kitchen at his soft voice. “It’s not like that.”
“I’ve lost the faith I had in believing that to be the case, Trent. And I’m tired of offering my heart to someone who doesn’t want to accept it.” With another head shake, she added softer, “Goodbye. Your friend will still be around, but give me time to get over this.” And without waiting for an answer, Emma let herself out of Trent’s apartment, to make the trek back to her own apartment.
~*~
Ryan was so engrossed in his book that he never heard Emma approach, until he heard her sarcastic voice tell him, “Sure, you can use my chair, thanks for asking.”
Looking up to give her a sheepish smile, and immediately noting the tightness around her eyes that she tried to hide – not to mention the rather large shadow quite a distance back, watching her every move – Ryan answered smoothly, “I tried, but you weren’t here. And I came with a peace offering too.” And he pushed himself up off the chair to show her that he’d acquired cushions for the chair.
He was pleased to notice a flicker of a smile on her face, a voice that still was a bit on edge, but much more friendly telling him, “That was thoughtful of you, thank you.” And after another moment, she added, “Hang out there if you want, but I’m headed back inside. Have the frame of an article on your large teammate ready to go for your open tryout sessions, may as well try and get it done in advance.”
Letting her get a few steps away, Ryan waited several beats before asking her softly, “Are you okay?” And almost against his better judgment, asked even softer, “Did he hurt you?”
She stopped in her tracks at his questions, and he fully prepared himself for a snarled ‘none of your business’ but he was quick to realize how raw she still was when her only response was to shrug her shoulders a bit and mumble, “Doesn’t much matter.”
Tossing his book aside, Ryan climbed to his feet, and hazarding a quick glance back to see if Trent was still watching from the shadows, Ryan rested a hand on Emma’s shoulder, murmuring at her, “How ‘bout instead of dwelling on him and that, you come on up to our place, see how much of a big crybaby the Frenchie gets when I kick his ass in video games.”
And though she did flinch a bit at the touch and soon shrugged out of it, Emma took a slow, deep breath, seriously debating his offer, and finally telling him after a moment, “Maybe that wouldn’t be such a bad idea. I think I could use the distraction.”
Nodding, Ryan glanced back towards the shadows for a half-beat before turning back to Emma, telling her, “Why don’t you get comfortable and then just head on up. Don’t worry ‘bout food or drinks, we’ve got plenty. And believe it or not, the jackass that I’m better looking than? He can cook, quite well in fact. Bat those eyelashes at him enough and I bet he’ll show off and cook you up something good.”
That at least got a small, if somewhat insincere laugh out of Emma before she turned to meet Ryan’s eyes, giving him the tiniest of smiles. “I want to shower, then I’ll head up, okay? I promise I won’t stop and get lost in writing.”
Reaching to squeeze her shoulder but quick to let go before she could escape the touch, Ryan nodded, teasing her softly, “I don’t know what inappropriate French my sister has managed to teach you, but I promise you’ll learn significantly more watching – or joining – us play video games.” Leaning in conspiratorially, Ryan added, “Don’t tell him I told you, but he cheats!”
This time the laugh was more sincere sounding and Emma gave Ryan a small smile. “Somehow, that doesn’t surprise me. So. Shower, clean clothes, and then come up to watch you kick his ass and try to bribe him to feed me. Got it.”
Giving her a wink, Ryan waited until Emma had ventured into her apartment to turn back towards the distance where he could still make out the outline of Trent’s shadow. And even though he knew Trent couldn’t hear him, he murmured softly, “Stupid man. She adores you. And teammate or not, I have no qualms about making right whatever you did wrong.” And with one more shake of his head, Ryan headed around to the side of the building, book tucked under his arm, to head back into his own apartment and let Luke know of the change of plans.
~*~
Punctuating her words with a head shake and a drink from her beer bottle, Emma informed both Perrault cousins, “Men. Are. Assholes.”
Smirking in her direction, Luke wiggled his eyebrows a bit, telling her, “You just haven’t met the right men.” And before Emma could tell him that he sure as shit wasn’t the right one, he laughed and added, “As you have reminded me, mon cherie, you are out of my league. Besides, I’m the love ‘em and leave ‘em type, and I fear you’d cut my…” And he paused a moment, having a quiet conversation that had Ryan barking out a laugh before Luke continued, “My balls off and shove them down my throat, if I tried that with you.”
Giggling as much from the drink as the words and the need for translation, Emma just gave them both a bit of a shrug and the smallest of sad smiles. “Maybe so. Maybe I’m not the best judge of character. I think at this point I’m going to honor that non-fraternizing clause in my contract, even if Gabi says they can’t legally enforce it. I don’t need to be accused of favoritism.”
Brow furrowed, Luke gazed at Emma, though his words were without a doubt directed at Ryan. “Que se ‘non-frat-nizing clause’?”
“Fraternizing,” Ryan corrected out of habit before explaining, “Sounds like the paper has said she can’t date the players while covering us. Is that ‘bout right, Em?”
“Precisely.” And she thought about pointing out that she’d never told him he could call her anything other than Emma but instead she just took another sip of the beer and turned a smile over to Luke, “You’re still an ass, but you can cook.”
And at that he laughed, loudly, telling her, “You are neither the first nor likely the last to tell me that. It’s a curse and a gift, I guess.”
Ryan snorted immediately, shaking his head. “Listen to him try and get modest for the first time in his life. He’s taken plenty of classes, and that is something he takes pride in. You were too busy inhaling mac and cheese to see how much his eyes lit up in delight that you were enjoying it.” And avoiding his cousin’s swat with minimal effort, Ryan gave Emma a grin even as she blushed, “And yes, we’re sending you home with some of that. And clause or not, you’re always welcome to dinner.”
Making a snort noise akin to the one Ryan had, it was Luke’s turn to shake his head a bit, eyeing his cousin and reminding him softly, “Vous l'êtes sur l'épaisseur. Donnez-lui un peu de temps pour guérir.”
“Ferme ta gueule,” came the immediate response from Ryan before he blushed sheepishly, telling Emma softer, “No pressure though. It’s just nice to have female company that isn’t trying to hop his bones or threatening to kick our asses.”
Eyebrows still cocked at the side conversation in French, Emma shrugged a bit, telling them, “We’ll see. Let’s get the weekend’s tryout session out of the way and all the paperwork that’ll bring me, and then go from there.”
Emma was just a bit too tipped to notice the delighted look the cousins exchanged.