Page 13 of Breaking the Rules

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Yeah, I'm obvious. But I can still spin this. "You finish studying?"

"Yes, Dad, thanks."

"Usually, I save the daddy shit until date three."

She fights a smile. "Gross."

"Don't knock it till you try it."

Emma laughs as she moves down the stairs. "You are not into that."

"You sure?" I follow her to the living room.

She grabs the remote and plops onto the couch. Her eyes fix on me. They study me.

Her eyes are lighter than Brendon's, but they have the same intensity.

"Mostly." She taps the remote a few times. The DVD menu loads.Hercules.

A Disney cartoon.

Not what I expected.

"Why?" I ask.

"Why am I sure you're not into the Daddy thing?"

I nod.

She tilts her head to one side, studying me. "It's a vibe."

"That's it?"

"That's it." Her eyes flit to the TV then back to me. "Are you gonna stand there?"

"Yeah."

"Don't. It's weird." She pats the spot next to hers. "Sit down and watch the movie or go back to your room."

"What if I want to stand here and watch the movie?"

"Then I'll blast Bayside all night."

"What if I like shitty emo music?"

"Then you wouldn't enjoy something as quality as Bayside."

I chuckle. "You're the one using it as a threat."

"Used to Brendon's reactions."

Truth be told, I enjoy that particular style of music. But it makes me think of my older brother. And that's a minefield. "I have better taste."

"That's setting the bar low."

My chuckle gets louder. Heartier. Fuck, there is something about her. This spark. She's always had it. But it's different now.

Or maybe it's that I'm different now.

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