Page 112 of The Golden Scoop

“Really?” She blinks up at me. “You’d do that for me?”

“I’d do anything for you, Mills.”

The movie ends. It’s almost midnight, but neither of us move. We slip back into that limbo. Both a little scared to make the wrong choice again.

I sit up and pull her into my lap.

“Do you want me to go?” I ask quietly.

“Do you want to go?”

“No. I don’t.”

If I’ve learned anything, it’s not to keep my feelings to myself.

“But it’s your call. I don’t want to pressure you into anything. If you need space, I get it. Showing up unannounced was already a risky choice.”

Emma goes quiet long enough I start to wonder if she’s passed out.

“I want…” Her words drag, sleep-heavy. “I want you to carry me to bed. And I want to fall asleep in your arms.”

A breath I didn’t realize I was holding slips out. Tomorrow will be a different day. For now, I’ll take what I can get. And, luckily for me, it doesn’t get much better than spending the night with my girl.

“I got you.”

I stand, lifting her easily, and carry her to the bedroom.

It’s exactly what I’d imagined. Simple. A little messy but organized in her own way. There’s a vintage wooden surfboard in the corner. On her nightstand, with a bookmark half-way through, the book I got her a couple of weeks ago.

She kept it…

Well, that will be fun when all these work issues are behind us.

“Bathroom,” she mumbles against my neck. “I have an extra toothbrush you can use.”

We stand side by side at the sink, brushing our teeth. Our eyes meet in the mirror. Emma blushes. It’s so stupidly domestic. I already know I won’t be able to live without this.

“Do you mind if I take a quick shower?” I ask.

The heat was blistering today. Even with the AC at full blast in the car, I didn’t stand a chance.

“Of course,” she says, leaning up for a kiss. “I’d join you but I’m exhausted. There are fresh towels under the sink.”

The warm water finally loosens the last of the tension in my body. Or maybe it’s being here, with Emma, her cherry blossom shower gel clinging to my skin covering me with her scent.

Nothing’s burning yet. I keep telling myself everything’s fine. Regardless of how much I want to take care of this for her, not pushing is the right move. She’ll let me in when she’s ready.

When I walk back into the room, she’s already fast asleep, slightly turned on her side. Her laptop is dangling from her stomach, still glowing. She looks so peaceful, for a second I debate whether I should take the couch so I don’t disturb her.

I move quietly, reaching for her laptop to put it away before it slides off. The screen isn’t locked. An email thread is open, the last message fully visible.

I don’t mean to look, but the words are right there.

Make it bleed.

I don’t care what it takes.

I expect the same level of quality… you do for every other Golden Scoop article you’ve written.