Every Breath You Take

36

Leaning back against the door, Kaden smirked at me, his eyes twinkling brightly, "And I think you're forgetting that I'm awesome at persuasion... using certain methods, of course." He teased.

"Ha, ha, ha!" I rolled my eyes playfully, "See if you have any hands after that."

"Again, your confidence in me is just insulting. I think we've already been over the fact that even you can't resist my charms." Poking me in the stomach again, I scowled, swatting his hands away.

"Keep on dreaming." I smirked.

Isabella appeared in the doorway, a broad smile on her lips as she held out a woven basket full of Cannoli wrapped in a bunch of white linen. "Emily, please come back over whenever you like! I'd love to see and cook for you again!"

"I don't know mom, you might regret that later..." Kaden grinned.

Isabella nudged him, scowling, "Ignore him. He doesn't want to admit that he had fun." Kaden balked, glaring at his mom as his cheeks turned pink.

Giggling, I shook my head at them, walking into Isabella's open arms and embracing her. "Thank you again for dinner and the company!" 

I turned towards the two boys, "Well, according to the rules of chivalry, aren't at least one of you supposed to say goodbye to me?" I teased.

"Don't go, Emily!" Cole wailed loudly, wrapping his arms around me again.

"Dude, you'll see me at school tomorrow." I laughed, hugging him back.

Cole was such a big softie. Sometimes I wondered what kind of girl he'd eventually end up with. Not that Cole was exactly looking to settle down with just anyone, yet...

Cole's arms tightened around me and I was lifted off the floor, gently being swayed like a baby. My eyes bulged, "Um, Cole," I began, patting his shoulder gently, "You know you have to let me go if you want me to ever make it home to my family."

"That's exactly why I'm doing this." He muttered into my shoulder.

Just as I opened my mouth to protest, strong arms were going around my back and under my legs, snatching me gently from Cole's arms as he protested loudly.

"Hey!" I shrieked, my arms wrapping around Kaden's neck tightly as he carried me down the steps of his front porch. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

"Well, Miss-Know-It-All, what kind of gentlemen would I be if I didn't respond to your distress call?" He smirked, cradling my body close to his own. "That is chivalry, isn't it?"

Blood rushed to my cheeks and I held tighter to his neck and peeked over his shoulder just the slightest to find Isabella and Cole peering at us with amused looks on their faces. 

Oh god.

What if they thought I was enjoying this?! I was not enjoying this! I mean, the most logical thing to do to show that would be to demand to be let down this instant...which I should really do, like right now before they get the wrong idea...

"I'm not a damsel in distress! I can handle myself just fine and that was not a distress call!" I grumbled, my fingers curling around the back of his neck where the tips of my fingers gently brushed the curls on his upper neck.

Eh. Who cares?! Everyone liked to be carried.

Kaden's chest vibrated against the side of my body with laughter and he looked down at me, "Are you sure about that? Because it looked to me like you weren't quite sure what you were going to do with a clingy Cole attached to you?"