Page 25 of Collide (Collide 1)

"Well, you're lucky little duck. " Emily replied, trying to will herself not to throw up.

"I am, I am," Natasha smiled. She then cocked her head to the side. "So, like, really, you two are engaged?"

"So, like, we're really not," Emily quickly answered.

"Oh, wait. . . I thought," she looked to Dillon confused and smacked him on his arm. "You silly man, you had me thinking, like, you were engaged when you said she was the future Mrs. Parker. "

"Eventually she will be," Dillon smiled, looking over to Emily.

She smiled back, inwardly praying she didn't have to hear the word "like" again.

"Okay, well, like, come in. I'll let him know you two are here," Natasha laughed.

Emily sighed.

Natasha walked away to get Gavin.

"Babe, I have to use the bathroom," Dillon said, walking down a long hallway. "I'll be right back. "

Emily nodded.

At first glance, she noticed that the decor was a stark contrast from the warm setting of his house in the Hamptons. Although extraordinary in its own way, it felt cold and impersonal to her. Marble floors stretched from one end of the area to the next. Black leather couches, abstract stone sculptures, and colossal-sized pieces of black-and-white photos of the city consumed the enormous penthouse. No hint of color was anywhere. Holding a sense of business superiority throughout, it was exactly the space Emily had envisioned he lived in when she first met him. This wasn't a home; this was simply what the city expected him to look like. Another one of Gavin Blake's many layers came to her mind.

As Emily chided herself for analyzing his surroundings, Gavin stepped into view, wearing a pair of blue cotton pajama pants - shirtless. He - and his dragon tattoo curling the side of his ribcage - warmed the space almost immediately. Emily watched breathlessly as he whispered something into Natasha's ear. She giggled at whatever he said, kissed him on the cheek, and whisked down the hall into one of the rooms, closing the door behind her.

Gavin's eyes roved over Emily as he tried to mask the excitement he felt bleeding from his pores at the sight of her. He thought the last time he went without seeing her was an eternity; this longer stretch felt as if it was his certified death sentence. Feeling his body relax by her mere presence, he approached her with a smile.

"Sorry about that," he ran his hand through his hair. "She has distaste for clothing or something. "

"But she has love for the word 'like,' so it all evens out, I guess. "

"Mmm, I never noticed that," he replied, scratching his stomach.

"Are you kidding?" Emily laughed, trying to keep her attention on his face and away from the still lingering thought of where that tattoo begins.

He moved closer and whispered in her ear, "Of course I'm kidding. It's annoying, but don't tell her I told you that. "

Between the close proximity and his warm breath brushing against her skin, she thought she was going to pass out for sure. "My lips are sealed. "

In one swift motion, his gaze flicked down to her mouth then back to her face. "Do me a favor and try not to bring any attention to those pretty little lips," he whispered, his blue eyes intense.

Emily's mouth dropped opened and then snapped shut.

"Would you like something to drink?" he asked casually, slightly ducking his head to conceal the smile on his face.

"Are you going to watch me drink whatever you give to me? Because, I may be wrong about this, but I think I have to use my lips in order to do so. "

He cocked a brow and smirked. "It would be my absolute pleasure. "

"What would be your absolute pleasure?" Dillon's voice cut through the air, returning from the bathroom.

Emily backed away from Gavin, almost stumbling.

"I was just telling Emily it would be my absolute pleasure to give her a tour of my place," Gavin replied as calm, cool, and collected as could be.

"Well, before you start giving out tours, let's get this shit done first. " Dillon handed him the towering stack of paperwork. "I need your John Hancock on every single one of these bad boys. I also want to talk with you about a few risks that I feel you are taking dropping CMEX. "

Dillon walked into the kitchen to get a drink.

Gavin gazed directly into Emily's eyes. "I'm all about taking risks. I think it makes life a little more. . . exciting. Wouldn't you agree?"

Knowing exactly what he was referring to, Emily's heart tripled over into a somersault as she stared back at him.

"I just don't think it's a good idea to drop them," Dillon replied, popping the top off of a bottle of beer. He made his way back over to them. "CMEX is your security. You have so much invested in hedge funds right now; it may not be a good move. "

"You are the professional," Gavin said with a smile. "Let's take care of this in my office. " He then turned to Emily. "By all means, make yourself at home. Natasha should be out in a minute. I'm sure she'll keep you. . . like, busy. " He winked and then disappeared down the hall with Dillon.

Emily stood mute like a statue in the living room for a moment as she tried to catch her breath. She licked her lips slowly as the tingles that Gavin evoked from within her body worked their way up from her toes to the top of her head.

So. . . fucking. . . dangerous.

Sighing, she moved out to the terrace, hoping the fresh air would soothe the chaos wreaking havoc in her mind.

Being that the penthouse was a corner unit, stunning wraparound views of Central Park and the East River immediately awed her. The terrace alone was larger than her and Olivia's living room and both bedrooms put together. She cautiously peered over the edge to watch the city below her. Her hair whipped around in the wind as she breathed in the hot, humid August air. Although she was afraid of heights, Emily found the stillness, the assurance of solitude, and the lack of people that high up to be a calming force in that moment. The serenity of being outside alone was short-lived when Natasha strolled out of the French doors.

"It's, like, completely breathtaking out here, isn't it?" She joined Emily and handed her a glass of ice water.

"Thank you," she said, accepting the drink. "It truly is beautiful up here. " She studied Natasha's strapless, skintight black tube dress. "So where are you from?"

"California," she giggled.

"Really?" Emily mocked in shock. "I would've never guessed. "

Natasha kinked her head to the side, her long crimson hair blowing in the wind. "Like, I know right? People tell me that all the time. "

"I bet they do. "

The two women sat down on a plush outdoor couch. Natasha tucked her feet underneath her legs. "So, like, how long have you been dating Dillon?"

"We'll be together a year next month. "

"That's so sweet," Natasha smiled. "He's such a cutie, too. "

"Thanks. So how long have you and Gavin, uh. . . " Not sure how to ask the question, Emily brought the glass of water up to her lips and took a sip.

"Been fucking?"

Emily choked mid-swallow on her water.

"Oh God, are you okay?" Natasha asked concerned, placing her hand on Emily's back.

"Yes, it. . . " She cleared her throat several times. "It went down the wrong pipe," she said, pointing to her throat. "I'm alright now, thanks. "

"So, like, I was saying, let me see. . . " Natasha paused in thought and tapped her finger on her chin. "I met Gavin, like, two years ago when Blake Industries was running an ad campaign for a modeling company I worked for. We're by no means in a serious relationship at all, but we've been fucking around off and on ever since. Like, when he calls me, I come," she giggled again. "And I mean, literally. God, do I come. That man knows what he's doing in the sack. Like, the best I've ever had - no joke. And those lips and tongue. . . they are so, like, not only good for kissing. I mean, when he goes down and - "

"It feels like it just got hotter ou

t here, right?" Emily interrupted and quickly stood up. She started fanning her face with her hand. "Yeah, it definitely feels hotter out here. "

Natasha furrowed her brows. "Hmm, I don't feel it. "

"I do. I'm going to go back inside to hang out in the air conditioning. "

"Oh, okay, like, I'll join you," Natasha exclaimed, hopping up a little too eagerly.

Please don't. . .

Walking into the penthouse, Emily found Dillon sitting on the leather couch.

"You alright, babe?" he asked. "You look pale. "

"Yeah, I'm okay. " She walked over to him. "I need to use the bathroom before we leave. "

Natasha pouted her lips and slumped into a chair next to Dillon. "Oh, no. I was, like, hoping we could all go get some lunch together. There's, like, this posh little Greek restaurant that opened up, and I'm so wanting to try it out. "

"That sounds good to me. " Dillon rose to his feet and walked into the kitchen to grab another beer. "I'm actually starving. "

"Dillon, we're supposed to go shopping, remember?"

"We'll go afterward. Fifth Avenue will still be there when we're done," he replied, sliding open his phone to call someone.

Emily stared at him, her eyes fuming as he started his conversation with the person on the other end.

"Oh goody!" Natasha clapped her hands.

Gavin walked into the living room, still lounging in his pajama pants. He started massaging Natasha's shoulders from behind her. "What are you clapping for?"

"She's, like, really excited because we're all, like, going out to lunch together. " Emily shot him a wicked smile, her eyes narrowing on him. "So, like, I need to use your bathroom before we go. Can you, like, tell me which one of these halls I need to go down to get to it?"

Natasha beamed a smile from ear to ear.

The corner of Gavin's mouth turned up. "It's, like, at the end of that hall, last door on your right. " Pointing down the hall, he tried to stifle a laugh.

Without a backward glance, Emily headed in the direction he pointed. She shut the bathroom door behind her.

"Un-fucking-real," she murmured to herself as she studied her reflection in the mirror.

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