THATCHER
We all swim in the lake again after dinner, but Emma keeps her sexy ass as far away from me as she can. I know she's pissed that I'm not telling my family about finding Ted Stag on his deathbed, but fuck if I'm going to bring that up two weeks from my brother's wedding. He should be focused on his bride, on starting a life and a new family with this woman.
I sigh and think back to fucking Emma this morning. I'm not used to the idea of sticking around--I do not do relationships with women--but I definitely want to go at it again with her. I need to get her to stop being mad at me first. Maybe knowing we have an expiration date makes sex with Emma feel more comfortable. Not comfortable. Explosive. Searing. Addictive. Fuck. I'm forced to float on my back in the water and stare at her, remembering the look on her face earlier when I made her come with my tongue and, later, my cock.
Juniper wants a Sushi Go rematch after the sun sets, but I try to send signals to Emma to wrap things up early so we can go to pound town again. She seems oblivious, and kicks my foot away when I try to stroke her calf with my bare toes. I was kind of a dick to her all day, but I know I can make up for it. I make a point of rattling the ice in my glass, making eyes at her over the top, but she scowls. All right, enough of this shit.
"Emma, can I talk to you for a second?" I rise from the table and head toward our room.
"I'll be back in just a few minutes," she says, not moving her eyes from her hand of cards. "I'm about to kick Tim's ass again."
I feel myself getting angry, and that just pisses me off further. This is why I don't get into relationships, damn it. I don't understand what's pissing her off right now, but I know it all definitely changed since we had sex. I kick the bedpost in our room, yelping when my bare foot connects with the iron. I'm hopping around howling in pain when Emma comes in, crossing her arms and looking pissed off.
"What the hell is with you, Emma?" I hiss, sitting down to rub my foot.
"What the hell is with you, Stag? You give me the silent treatment all day, refuse to tell your family that you're thinking of giving a major organ to your father, and expect me to keep this secret from them all?"
"You have no problem keeping the fact that we barely know each other and are pretending to be engaged a secret," I whisper-yell at her. "I gave you the scoop you needed to keep your job, and now you have the access you need to my family for these other articles, so mind your fucking business. Play your part."
Her eyes flare at me and she puffs out her cheeks. I can tell she wants to deliver an earful, but is trying to contain herself. We stare at each other for a few minutes until she says, "I'd prefer it if you slept on the floor tonight."
"Fine!" I throw all the pillows from the bed down onto the braided rug on the floor. I yank off my shirt, grab the quilt from the trunk at the foot of the bed, and flop my ass on the carpet. She huffs out of the room, I guess to finish her card game, and I pretend to be asleep when she comes back a few minutes later.
I close my eyes and listen as Emma gets herself ready for bed. She turns off the light and we listen to each other breathe until I eventually fall asleep.
In the morning, Alice sends us off with a huge cooler of snacks and sandwiches, as if it's a six-hour drive to Emma's parents house instead of an hour and a half. Tim tells me to give Senator Cheswick his best and I grit my teeth when he asks if I can slip him Tim's card. Emma looks fucking amazing in her fancy dress for this country club party. She's even wearing pearls. She looks me up and down--I told her dark jeans and a button down with wingtips is the most I'll nod toward that square lifestyle--and I can't tell if she approves or not, but she sniffs and hugs Alice and Juniper.
Ty gives her a high-five, then pulls her into a hug. I stand leaning against my truck with my arms crossed while the five of them act like they've known each other a lifetime, and are parting ways forever more. "Emma," I say, "We don’t want to be late for your sister's thing."
She waves and climbs into the truck, her good mood fading as the door slams shut. After a few minutes of driving, she says, "Ok, we need to make a plan for today."
"I plan to deflect every question to you, Chezz," I tell her, shifting into fourth gear and letting the sound of the tires on the highway drown out her voice. By the time we pull into the party and I toss my keys to the valet, I think there can't possibly be anything colder than Emma's mood. And then, of course, we encounter her parents.