Forgetting Prince Charming.

CHAPTER 2

"Nothing much. We chatted, left together, had a steamy make-out session, and then you threw up." Her body went slack. "You passed out before I could get you home, so I put you here to sleep."

She turned to rest the coffee cup on the table beside the bed. She fiddled with her fingers, afraid to catch his eye and mumbled, "sorry." 

"Don't sweat it," he said with a careless wave. "You were quite entertaining."

She grabbed her head. "Oh, flying cows. Please tell me I didn't say anything stupid."

He hummed and held his chin. The anticipation killed her. She'd always been a chatty drunk, it was why she avoided excessive drinking. "Nothing too bad except, there was one thing you said that was quite scandalous."

She reached for the pillow next to her and held it against her face. "What?" 

"Not sure what it meant but you rambled something about your sisters' boyfriend." Emma froze. Dread slowed her heartbeat and abolished her headache.

Please, please, please be a joke.

She very slowly put the pillow down and looked up at the man- Henry was it? "What did I say?" she asked quietly.

He shrugged and rose to his feet. She watched keenly as he stretched. His arms rose towards the ceiling and Emma couldn't stop her eyes from staring at the small splash of his stomach that showed. There was a whisper of a treasure trail peeking through and she licked her lips.

"You may have said something about wishing he was your boyfriend." Oh, for all that was precious in the world, he better be lying. He stopped his stretching and looked at her, his arms crossed over his chest. "It's not my place to judge but, you should know that affairs seldom work out."

"It's not like that," she rushed to say. "I swear it isn't. I'm not the type."

"So, what's the deal then?" he asked.

She wrung her fingers and with a heavy sigh, whispered, "I have a crush on him. Nothing too serious, it'll pass." Her voice squeaked and even she knew how ridiculous it all sounded.

"Really?"

"No." Her head dropped into her hands. "I'm in love with him, okay. I have been for three years. Despite how desperately I want him to be mine, I'm not sure he ever will be. I'm pathetic I know."

"You are."

"Hey!"

"You said it."

"I don't need you to agree."

He shook his head and muttered, "women," under his breath. He looked to the left, out through the window as he said, "look, I need to go to work."

She stared at him, confused by his change in conversation. "The sun isn't even up yet." Only street lights glowed behind the curtain with merely a whisper of the stretching sun.

"I know. I have to be there by five so, if you can hurry up, that'd be great." His voice had hardened along with his stance. The sudden change was unnerving. His smile had run away too. She didn't have a chance to comment. He'd stormed out of the room without a glance in her direction. Weird, she thought.

She climbed out of the bed and shivered when her bare feet touched the tiled floor. They weren't quite into Spring just yet and the temperature sure showed it. She thought about making his bed but stopped herself quickly. That would be odd. She walked carefully out of the room while looking around for her missing shoes and jacket. Upon entering the living room, she found them stacked neatly on a chair next to a bookshelf by the door. She avoided the man's eyes and went to gather her things.