After my dad and uncles came to help me with Emma's dilemma, things got better between the rest of the family and us. Liam promised not to screw things up, and I promised not to throw him into any more mirrors.
Emma and I continued our daily runs and studied together. Thanks to dad and my uncles, I couldn't invent needing help with the assignments: way to kill my vibe there, guys.
On the plus side, we became friends. Emma hung out with all of us from time to time, including me hanging out with her and her roommates. They were a little too enthusiastic about my taste, but they were friends with Emma.
One night I walked her home, and we were talking until I said, "I want to show you something."
"RJ, it's dark, don't you think?" She asked me.
"Well, we can do this the easy way or the hard way," I said to her.
"What do you mean the hard way?" Emma asked me.
With that, I picked her up and tossed her over my shoulder. "Not again! What is with you and your dad?" Emma yelled.
"It's an effective move," I said, carrying Emma somewhere.
When we arrived at the creek surrounded by woods, I set her down. She looked around and then started rambling, "Okay, if you plan on killing me, please let my roommates know so my parents can have a proper burial for me. Don't. I don't need them freaked out, but they would need to find my body again."
She went back and forth. I walked over to her and grabbed her by the face. I crashed my lips into hers. At first, she struggled until I moved my arms down around her arms. She finally gave in and kissed me back. Her lips were so soft, and they tasted like strawberries.
Finally, after a minute, I stopped kissing her and looked at her. "Sorry, you were rambling." Emma's eyes got enormous, and I said, "Emma, I like you, and I don't want to be your friend." Emma looked at me with confusion as I continued, "I want to be more. I want to call you mine."
"I don't know what to say," she whispered to me.
"Say you'll be mine," I said to her. "I don't want anyone but you. There is something about you. I have never felt this way about anyone the way I feel about you. The first time I saw you, I knew you differed from any other girl, and the fact you didn't fawn all over me made me want you even more. Please say you'll be mine," I whispered.
She looked at me. "On one condition that we take it slow. I've never done this."
"Huh?" I asked with confusion.
"A boyfriend, you dink. God, what did you think I meant?" She asked, rolling her eyes.
"Oh, yeah," I said, trying to ignore the whole sexual inexperience.
"Really? Is that all you guys think?" She asked me, catching me by surprise.
"What? No," I exclaimed.
She shook her head, laughing at me as I pulled her lips to mine once more. She wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me back.
I pulled back and looked at her. "Did you refer to me as your boyfriend?"
"Well, isn't that what it means to call someone yours?" Emma questioned.
"I guess so," I replied.
"Although, it would be nice to go out on a date," she said to me.
"Now that I can do," I said to her as I gave her a quick peck on the lips. I let go of her and slid my hand into hers, interlocking our fingers. Holding hands felt so natural and right.
I walked her back to her place, then went home. Sometimes you have to take the bull by the horns.
She went into the house and closed the door, leaning against it.
"Wow, it seems someone had a good night," Maggie said to her, standing with Leslie.
"You could say that," she said with a smile.
"Why are you so stupidly happy?" Maggie asked her.
She walked by them as she said, "Maybe because RJ kissed me and asked me to be his girlfriend."
"What?" They both said as they grabbed her before she went upstairs and yanked her into the living room.
"Ow, you guys," she said, rubbing her arms.
"What do you mean, he asked you to be his girlfriend?" Maggie asked.
"Forget that. How was the kiss?" Leslie asked.
"Well, he kissed me first. Let me tell you, it was amazing. Then he asked me to be his," Emma said.
They squealed in unison.
"Do you realize how many girls will be jealous that you bagged the most eligible guy on the planet?" Maggie asked her.
She walked over and sat on the couch, realizing what just happened. "Oh, god, what will I do?"
Leslie took a seat next to her. "Forget what Maggie said. RJ likes you. How many guys would go through the extremes for a girl?"
"I don't want the drama," Emma said to Leslie.
"I'm pretty sure RJ doesn't want drama either. Doesn't he have an extensive family?" Leslie asked her.
"Yeah, RJ is cousins with the hellions and the double troubles," Emma said.
Their jaws dropped when she said that.
"Then girl, you have nothing to worry about," Leslie said.
"God, I hope not," she sighed, leaning her head on the couch's back. Maggie took a seat on the other side of her as the three leaned their heads back.
"So, I wonder if he's the built like the rest of them," Maggie said.
Emma and Leslie looked at her, "Maggie!"
"What? Not that, I mean muscular," she said, rolling her eyes.
They all laughed.
The next morning I went for a run and there she was. Her ponytail was bouncing as she kept an even pace. I picked up the pace until I reached her, grabbing her from behind and whispering, "Give me all your kisses and no one gets hurt." She spun around, and I pulled her into a kiss. "You couldn't wait five minutes?"
"I knew you would catch up eventually," she shrugged.
"How about after our run, we head to Kate's bakery?" I suggested.
"Shouldn't we take a shower first?" Emma asked me
"Well, if you insist. I'll wash your back, and you wash mine," I smirked at Emma.
She smacked me. "Separate showers, you perve."
"Okay fine," I sighed, and we started running, which ended up us racing each other until we reached her house.
"I won," she said.
"You cheated!" I yelled playfully.
"Aww, is someone a sore loser because they lost to a girl," she said, laughing.
"I'll show you sore loser," I said, pulling her into a kiss.
Then the door opened. "Aww," we heard Maggie and Leslie say.
We stopped to see Maggie and Leslie there with enormous grins on their faces. I swear they are as bad as my family.
"Okay, I'm going back to get cleaned up. I'll be back in a bit," I said, giving Emma a quick peck and running back to the house.
She turned and rolled her eyes. "You guys are unbelievable." They laughed as they followed her into the house.
After I showered, I quickly dressed and left. I walked over to Emma's place and knocked on the door. Maggie answered it. "Emma will be down in a few minutes."
I walked inside and stood there, waiting on Emma.
"So, what's your deal?" Maggie asked me.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"I mean, do you like Emma, or are you playing with her?" She asked me. Okay, that's an odd question.
"I like Emma, and no, I don't play girls. Not my thing," I said.
"Okay, but if you hurt her, I will hurt you," she said. Okay, what happened? Maggie is usually pretty friendly, but she seems more overprotective of Emma.
"I don't plan on hurting her," I said.
"Good, then we agree," Maggie smiled.
Emma came down a few minutes later, and we left. Leslie walked over to Maggie. "What was that?"
"That was about protection," Maggie said.
"Mags, you can keep chasing off guys every time they take an interest in Emma," Leslie said.
"I can if they plan on hurting her," she said.
"If you interfere with this one, she will not forgive you. She likes this one," Leslie said.
"We'll see," Maggie said, walking away. Leslie rolled her eyes.
"So, what is up with your roommate?" I asked Emma as we walked to the bakery.
"Who?" Emma asked me.
"Maggie," I answered.
"What about her?" Emma questioned me.
"She was asking if I liked you or not," I said to her.
"Maggie is overprotective over me," she said.
"Dare I ask why?" I asked curiously.
"Any time a guy would ask me out, it would be a joke, and I would end up sitting at home waiting. After a while, I got used to being stood up," she said with a shrug.
I stopped her. "Why would you allow yourself to have some douche stand you up?"
"It's easier than admitting that guys don't want you," she said somberly.
I looked at her and lifted her chin with my finger. "Their loss is my gain." She smiled at me. I leaned in and kissed her.
We headed to the bakery. I ordered Emma a chocolate chip muffin and a French vanilla coffee along with something for myself. I took it over and set it down in front of her while I took a seat.
Two minutes later, Nik walked in with Leo, followed by Liam and Mel. They joined us.
"I thought you guys had class," I said to them.
"We did, and now we're here," Liam said as he handed Mel her food and took a seat next to her. He looked at Emma and said, "You know, you have done the unthinkable here."
"What do you mean?" Emma asked him.
"Well, our dear cousin here has been avoiding the whole dating scene for so long, we thought he was going to turn into a monk," Liam remarked.
"It's true," Nik said as he drank his coffee.
"Not that being a monk would be a dreadful thing, but for a girl to capture his attention, she has to be special. You, my dear, are that something special," he said, narrowing his eyes and smirking at her.
I leaned over and whispered, "That's Liam's way of welcoming you."
"That's a strange way to do it," she whispered back.
"Yeah, he's strange anyway," I smiled, making her laugh.
We all hung out for a while; then I walked her home. I kissed her, then left. She went inside, and Maggie asked, "Well."
"Well, what?" Emma asked.
"How did it go?" Maggie questioned.
"It was good. RJ told me about the conversation you had with him," Emma said to her.
"Emma, I'm looking out for you. That's what family does," she said.
"I know sis, but RJ is different," Emma reasoned.
"How so?" Maggie asked.
"I can't explain it, but there is something about him that seems familiar, like I met someone like him. It's weird," Emma said. "Well, I will get some studying done before bed."
"Night Em," Maggie said.
"Night Mags," Emma said.
Leslie walked in. "So, how did it go?"
"She said well. Let's hope RJ's not like the others," Maggie said.
"Oh, come on, RJ differs totally from the rest," she said.
"Maybe, but you know if he hurts her, mom and dad would hurt him," Maggie told Leslie.
"Oh, please, mom and dad couldn't care less. I mean, look how involved they were with our upbringing," she said to her.
"Maybe until they find out she's dating a member of the Jones family," Maggie said.
"Then we won't tell them," Leslie said.
"How do you expect us to keep this a secret?" Maggie questioned.
"You keep it carefully. You know our family has had a beef with that family for years," she said.
"I know, but not as bad as the Frazier family has had with them. Those people are crazy," she said.
"Yeah, well, our family doing business with them hasn't been too smart either," she said.
"Well, we'll keep our mouths shut and our ears opened," Maggie suggested. Leslie nodded as they headed upstairs to their rooms.