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Chapter 7
Blake
“Here,” Emma says, handing me a protein smoothie when she walks into my apartment.
“Thanks,” I say. When I sip it, it’s Chocolate Peanut Butter. My favorite.
Emma collapses on my couch and groans. “Everything hurts.”
“How?” I ask and sit down next to her on the couch.
“I pushed the limits in a big way today.”
That’s saying something. Emma is the fittest woman I’ve ever seen. She trains like a machine. Pushing the limits for her would write any normal person off.
“I did it,” I say.
“Did what?”
“I employed Rachel.”
Emma blinks at me before she bursts out laughing. “What the hell?”
“Hey, you’re the one who kept saying I should contact her.”
“Yeah… for adate,” Emma says and laughs again. “You can’t employ her. That will just tell her that you don’t want her, you know, physically.”
“I don’t want her physically.”
Emma rolls her eyes. “That’s a blatant lie and you know it. What the fuck, Blake?”
I laugh and shake my head, taking a gulp of my smoothie. “It’s better to keep her at arm’s length. I met her last night at Lavande to settle it, and she drives me crazy. I can’t have that.”
Emma’s face softens. “I think it’s a good thing you did this.”
I nod. “I know.”
“I mean it,” she says. “And not just because you’re reaching out and connecting with someone—albeit in a cowardly way—I really think you’re doing the right thing.”
“Did you just call me a coward?” I ask and punch her lightly in the shoulder.
Emma’s a woman, but she’s one of the bros to me. Her muscles are bigger than most guys I know. And she’ll hit me back three times as hard if she loses her shit with me. I can be comfortable around her.
I can be myself.
Although, last night with Rachel, I felt like I could be myself, too.
“I’m glad you did it,” Emma says with a laugh. But her face sobers. “You’re allowed to allow yourself to fall in love, you know.”
“Let’s not go there,” I say. “Getting a new wardrobe is hardly what I’d call love.”
“Maybe. But spending time together is the first step. Don’t fuck it up just because you’re scared about the bigger picture.”
Emma is the only one that can call me out the way she does. I would put anyone else on their ass if they called me a coward or told me I was afraid.
“We’ll see how it goes,” I say. “I called her to set it up because I can’t stop thinking about her, and I want to get to know her better.” I glance at Emma.
“Wow,” she says. “You never usually put it to words that you’re into someone.”
