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“Emily, you deserve more than just words. You’ve been working all day. Let me take you out.”
There was a time in my life where those words would have me on my feet, buzzing, grinning like crazy, ready to do anything. That time was half an hour ago, about when I sat down on this couch and felt the depth of my fatigue. Now, as the man I desperately want and who makes me feel great in a way I thought no man ever would, offers to take me out on what might actually be a date, the best I can manage is to mumble, “Sounds nice.”
Then I fall soundly asleep.
Chapter Eighteen
Hunter
Something changes the moment she shuts her eyes and drifts away. I see her differently. I see the stress, the worry, the fatigue she’s carried for so much of the time I’ve known her — from the moment that asshole in the store was harassing her to now, when something’s been eating at her so much it’s obvious she’s hardly slept — melt from her and what’s left behind is a woman who takes my breath away. I sit beside her on the couch and pass a moment just watching her as her chest rises and falls in a sleep so deep I’d need a submersible to get down to her level.
Charlie coos in a way he never does unless Emily’s around, and I nod at him. We’ve spent a lot of time together, except for the past two days when Emily’s been watching him, and I like to think we’ve developed a good rapport.
“You got it right, little man. She’s exceptional.”
He giggles and plays with his toe like he’s seeing it for the first time.
“Yeah. Feeling’s mutual. I don’t know how the fuck it’s taken me so long to realize it.”
Charlie laughs, then burps, then puts his whole foot in his mouth. Kid’s flexible, easy to talk to, and he’s right.
“True. I haven’t been treating her right. She does all this, and I’ve been more than happy to take advantage of the fact that she knows how to care for you better than me, even though I’m a grown fucking adult and your goddamn uncle.” Charlie blinks and lets out a gurgle with a downswing on the tone. “Sorry about that, kid. It’s a bad habit and I’m working on it. I’ll watch my tongue better when I’m around you.” Another disappointed gurgle. “OK, I’ll watch it in general. Jeez, lay off a bit, all right? I’m doing my best.”
He stills a little, and I watch him be enthralled by his own foot, even though it’s been right under him the entire time.
“So, what do I do about her? I don’t want to scare her off. I need her, man. It might shock you to hear this, but I got a fuc — freaking, sorry, I’ll do better next time, Charlie — lot on my plate and handling all of it might be too much to do alone. I don’t want to sacrifice caring for you to go after Moretti. You’re important, little man. You’re all I’ve got left of my brother and my family. But I can’t give up killing Moretti, either. He killed Tyler, and he killed Katie. He’s got to pay. And now there’s Emily… I don’t just want her around to help with you — not saying you’re a burden, little man, you’re better than that — she makes me feel like I can have something more.”
Charlie frowns.
“I know, I know. Moretti’s still out there, and if I get closer to Emily, that makes her more of a target. I’ll have to keep my eyes open, make sure none of that gets to her. It’ll be a lot of freaking work, and dangerous, too, but I think it’ll be worth it. Never thought I’d have a point in my life where I felt like I have a home,” I pause, look around at the living room of this vacant house, where the walls are bare, and there’s not much furniture to speak of except for this old sofa. “But it’s feeling that way. Thanks to her. This could be something. We could be something. Assuming I don’t fuck it up. What can I do?”
Charlie’s quiet for a long while. I don’t know what he’s doing. Thinking, maybe. Calling up some hidden wisdom gained in all his four-months-and-change life experience. While he does, I wait and watch Emily sleep, appreciating just how much having her around has made life better.
Then Charlie scrunches his face, as if pulling some secret from the deepest part of him. He even groans a little from the effort, and I look at him, hoping that my semi-silent listening partner might have something worthwhile to offer.
“What is it?”
A deeper frown; a deeper gurgle; a deeper secret, maybe?
“Charlie, what is it? I could use a hand figuring this out, you know. Oh—”
I sniff.
“I suppose that’s one answer. Thanks for the advice, little man. Now, let’s go change your diaper.”
Chapter Nineteen
Emily
I wake up sunk into the embrace of the couch cushions and covered by a blanket that feels like a warm hug. Every ache, every knotted muscle, every ounce of stress is all gone — this couch may be magic. Morning light is coming through the window and I sit up suddenly.
“Sleep well?” Hunter’s voice comes from the kitchen. It’s warm, inviting, a different side of him than the standoffish-military-man-in-search-of-a-respite tone that I’m used to.
“I did… But you let me sleep the entire night here on your couch? Why?” My words come out slow, groggy. I might feel refreshed and relaxed, but I’m still clawing my way out of the depths of a deep sleep.
“You were tired. Seemed like you needed it.”
“And Charlie? Is he OK?”
