Page 106 of The Golden Scoop

I can see Emma’s head turning the same way until we both have one tile left. It’s her turn, but she can’t play. Instead, she draws. I could’ve won two rounds ago, but I follow her move. When she places one down, I do the same. She draws again, and so do I.

Then I notice it. The exact moment she realizes what I’m doing.

“Matthew…”

“Oh no,” Julia groans.

“… have you been letting me win this whole time?”

Julia gasps, as if the dots are connecting for her too.

“I plead the fifth.”

She studies me from across the table with such an intensity it makes my skin buzz with every ounce of desire I’ve been bottling up.

“I can’t believe this,” she whispers, before grabbing her two tiles and slamming the rack flat on the table. “I win again. No surprise now.”

“Quit your fussing,” I say. “You’re happy you won.”

“I am,” she mumbles, frustrated.

“Alright then,” I tell her. “That’s all that matters.”

The night winds down slowly after that. We play some lazy UNO until Julia starts to crash. Everyone begins cleaning up even though I keep insisting they can leave everything as is. No one listens. Emma stays beside me, drying glasses and dishes while the other two bicker about one of the trivia questions.

I catch myself watching her constantly. The way her hair falls over her face when she looks down, how the strap of her overall drops every so often, those perfectly manicured nails—and how they’re going to feel being dragged across my skin.

She’s stealing bites of food, pretending she isn’t hungry, moving around the kitchen while mumbling the lyrics to ‘Summer of 89’ like she belongs here.

Probably because she does.

At least, I want her here all the time.

“Alright friends, I should take this one home before she falls asleep standing up,” Harrison announces a few minutes later.

They head to the living room to grab their things. In a split-second decision, I reach for Emma’s wrist.

“You can stay… If you want,” I whisper.

“I thought you’d never ask,” she answers, giving me a chaste kiss. I didn’t realize how stressed I was about her rejecting me until the tension in my shoulders lifts off me.

“Em, you coming?” Julia asks.

“Um, I’m actually not.” She tries to play it cool but the blush creeping up her neck betrays her.

Julia comes over and gives us both a hug. Then smirks.

“Don’t forget to use protection,” she says.

“Oh my god, Jay.” Emma gasps. “Are you drunk? That’s so out of character for you!”

“Just looking out for you,” she adds, with a wink. “I’ve been watching this simmer for a long time… bound to get heated.”

“Jesus,” I mutter under my breath. “Are you trying to ruin the mood?”

Harrison chuckles, grabs her hands and heads to the door.

“Put the blinds down!” she yells.