Page 128 of The Stolen Moments Trilogy

Chapter 7

Carter

I’m quiet as I walk into my house late at night. I’ve been unable to focus on work all day, much to Asher’s dismay. All I’ve been able to think about is Emilia. Just the thought of seeing her again makes me nervous. I’ve been overthinking everything. I have no idea how she feels about me, how she’s feeling about her dad’s diagnosis, how hard it might be to be back here, to see my family again. I don’t know what to say to her, how to even greet her. Do I even still have the right to call her Minx?

The entire house is silent as I walk to John’s treatment room, and I check my watch. He should be finishing his dialysis right about now. I hesitate before I enter the room, my hand against the doorknob. I freeze in the doorway, my eyes finding her immediately. I stand there and just stare at her speechlessly. Emilia is fast asleep in the chair beside John’s, and I can’t tear my eyes away from her. She’s even more beautiful than she used to be, even with those dark circles underneath her eyes. My heart races yet aches at the same time, a thousand different feelings slamming through me.

When I finally manage to tear my eyes away from her, I find John looking at me with a knowing smile on his face. I inhale deeply and shake my head. I’m willing to bet that the only reason he finally agreed to move in with me was because he knew she’d be coming back soon. I don’t know what he’s thinking, that crazy old man.

“She’s asleep,” John whispers. “She sleeps like the dead, but she’ll hurt her neck if she spends all night here. Why don’t you carry her to her room?”

It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell him that the chair she’s in flattens to a full-on bed, but I shake my head instead. It’s not like I’d actually leave her here anyway. I nod at him and approach her silently, my heart hammering in my chest. It’s been years since I’ve seen her. This all feels so surreal. I always thought I might run into her again one day, but never like this.

I sigh and lift her into my arms carefully. Emilia stirs in my arms, but then she sighs and rubs her head against my chest. I smile down at her subconsciously. Just having her back in my arms messes with my heart. All these feelings that I thought were gone came rushing back the second I touched her, and I wish I could just keep her in my arms. I wish the walk to her room was just a little longer.

I carry her to the room I prepared for her, the one right next to John’s, and she moves in my arms restlessly. Emilia drags her nose along my neck and a delicious shiver runs down my spine. I freeze, my eyes falling closed. She sighs and presses a soft kiss to my neck, and I bite down on my lip to suppress a groan.

I’m about to put her down on her bed when she wraps her arms around my neck, holding on tightly. For a second I think she’s woken up, but she hasn’t. She’s still asleep, but she’s restless, a frown on her face. I sit down on her bed with her in my lap.

“What has you frowning like that in your sleep, Minx?” I whisper. She sighs at the sound of my voice, and her expression softens. Within seconds she’s calm and fast asleep again. I look at her for a couple of seconds, her beautiful face, those lips that I’ve always loved, her blonde hair that’s still in the same style she’s always had it. Looking at her like this, it’s so easy to imagine her the way she used to be. Back when she was still mine.

I turn to put her down, and Emilia stirs. Her lashes flutter and she smiles. I inhale sharply, my heart racing. It’s been years since I’ve seen her smile. The countless pictures I have of her can’t compare to the real thing.

Emilia sighs and tightens her grip on me, her palm flat on the back of my neck. I wonder what she’s dreaming of. I wonder what’s making her lips tip up in a faint mischievous smile like that.

She pulls me closer and my eyes fall to her lips. How long has it been since I kissed her? I still remember the way she used to groan every time I’d tease her by withholding a kiss, my lips hovering over hers the way they are now. She’d glare at me and then she’d pull me in, kissing me like there’s no tomorrow.

I bite down on my lip and tear my gaze away from her. I’m so tempted to steal a single kiss from her, but I can’t. I won’t.

I’m surprised when Emilia pulls me closer, her lips brushing against mine. Emilia kisses me softly, gently, her lips soft against mine, and I freeze, my entire body tense.

Emilia pulls away, a dissatisfied frown on her face. Her lashes flutter, and she blinks lazily, her eyes finding mine.

Not even the videos I’ve got of her do her eyes justice. They can’t capture the beautiful specks of golden brown in her eyes, or the way her lips turn up just slightly when she looks at me.

“Carter,” she whispers, and my heart starts to race. How long has it been since I last heard her say my name? She smiles up at me dreamily, and I’m taken right back to the countless times I’ve woken up to her, this exact same expression on her face.

Emilia blinks a couple of times, disoriented, and then she stiffens. She sits up, still in my lap, and looks at me in shock. “Carter,” she repeats, her tone entirely different. She pushes away from me and rises to her feet, practically jumping off my lap, her eyes wide.

“Emilia,” I murmur, leaning back on her bed. My eyes roam over her body and I bite down on my lip. I knew seeing her would impact me, but this is unreal. My heart races, and I’m oddly nervous. When is the last time I was nervous?

Emilia stiffens as she wraps her arms around herself, and I tear my eyes away from her.

“I…” she says, clearly uncomfortable. I take her in, truly this time, and I can’t help but frown. She just got here, so why is she wearing a pencil skirt and a blouse? She can’t be comfortable in that, and the Emilia I used to know never would have travelled wearing something like that.

I rise to my feet and smile at her. “You fell asleep in your dad’s treatment room,” I tell her, and she nods.

The way she’s got her arms wrapped around herself screams discomfort, and I hate that I’m someone she feels uncomfortable around.

“Your dad asked me to carry you to your room,” I explain, wanting to reassure her, and Emilia nods again. She clears her throat and looks at me, and it’s like I’m some stranger she’s only just meeting for the first time. There’s no familiarity in her eyes, and the physical distance she’s keeping from me speaks volumes.

“Thank you,” she says, nodding politely. “I understand you’ve taken great care of my father, and I’m beyond thankful, Carter. I had no idea you’ve been doing so much for him. Truthfully, I had no idea you two were close at all. I have no idea how to repay you for everything you’ve done.”

I shake my head, my heart twisting painfully. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but I thought that when we finally ran into each other again, it’d be different somehow.

“I’m happy to do it, Emilia. Over the years your father has become someone I consider to be my family. You don’t need to be thankful in the slightest.”

She nods and tightens her grip on her upper arms, her skin turning red just slightly. “I don’t know what to say, truly. I’ll do my best to stay out of your way. I know Dad wants me to stay here, but it’s probably best if I stay at my old house. I don’t want to inconvenience you in the slightest.”

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