The Rise of Emery James

by Scott, Shae

  We grab a table just off the dance floor. It's one of those round booths covered in red worn plastic. It provides a nice nook to people watch, which is good since there is a good chance that is what I'll be doing for the majority of the evening. It's all about baby steps. Just being here feels like an accomplishment. Fighting through the anxiety of the loud crowd and pulsing music is a battle. But it's one I'm determined to win.

  I slide into the booth, sandwiched in between Annie and Kelsey. A young college guy comes over to take our drink order. He winks at us and kneels down at the edge of the table to engage us. I can't help but smile as he works every angle to ensure a larger tip at the end of the night. We all order a beer and Annie orders us all a shot to get the night started. She's on a mission and I'm pretty sure that part of that mission is to get me drunk.

  I can't help but feel a little out of my element, but the girls are good to me. They don't push too hard. They've adapted to the new Emery and the fact that they still seem to like me is a relief. I don't have the energy to put on a show for anyone and I'm glad they don't expect me to.

  College Boy brings us our shots and beer and Annie raises her shot glass for a toast. We all follow her lead and wait for her to speak. "To real friendship. The kind that can't be dimmed by distance, time or loss. To friends like us. May we be kicking ass until we're ninety." We laugh and clink glasses before tossing back the fiery liquid. The burn seeps all the way down to my toes, warming me.

  "We could dance," Annie suggests as she scopes out the dance floor. I'm pretty sure I'll need another shot before I venture out to dance. It's not like dancing at The Lodge with Cole, surrounded by all of Nana's friends. This place becomes a meat market and I'm not interested in shopping.

  "Maybe later," I offer casually. Kelsey snorts beside me.

  "Yeah, right."

  "Not believable?" I ask laughing.

  "Not even a little bit," she says.

  "Fine. No dancing yet. We'll just scope out the goods from here,” Annie says.

  I relax in my seat a little and listen as the girls point out people and give me their story. Some of the names I recognize, but mostly it all gets lost in a blur. Partly because I'm overwhelmed and partly because College Boy keeps bringing over shots. These girls mean business.

  I hesitate for just a moment before downing the shot of Fireball that Kelsey ordered up. It tastes like redhots and burns all the way down. I shake my head as it leaves goose bumps over my flesh making the girls laugh.

  "Ready to dance yet?" Annie teases. I shake my head.

  "No. I'm people watching. Feel free to go out and show me how it's done though," I offer.

  "Oh, no. I'm waiting for you, angel," she smiles leaning in and kissing me on the cheek before erupting in a fit of giggles. It's contagious and I let myself give in.

  Maybe this is what it feels like to be young.

  Cole

  I WALK INTO THE BAR, my eyes automatically searching for Emery. Sure, it's probably a shit move to show up on her girls’ night out, but I don't really care. I tell myself that it's because she might need me and I like being there for her. I like rescuing her. I guess I have some sort of hero complex. I tell myself that's why I came, but deep down I know it's so I can beat down any jackass that decides to talk to her. God help any asshole who asks her to dance.

  I see her immediately, she's sandwiched in between Annie and Kelsey looking warily at the line of shot glasses in front of her. It makes me smile, just watching her reason out whether to take them. She's so used to fighting against herself these days that she's forgotten what's it's like to just live for the moment. I hope she takes the shot.

  As if my silent encouragement from across the room gives her the push she needs, she raises the glass and downs the clear liquid. She scrunches her eyes and shakes her head against the bitter, burning taste as Kelsey gives Annie a high five.

  I watch her as I stop at the bar and get a beer, torn as to whether or not I should interrupt. She looks like she's having fun. I don't want to take that away from her, but I also can't help but want to be a part of it.

  I make my way to the table casually. "Ladies," I say in greeting. I can't lie. The surprised look followed by the genuine smile that covers Emery's face has my heart doing somersaults. Shit, I'd do anything to have her look at me like that all the time.

  "What are you doing here?" Emery asks. Her cheeks are pink, flushed and beautiful.

  "Crashing your party of course," I tease.

  "Cole, this is girls’ night. You don't get to crash," Annie scolds me as she takes a long drink from the glass in front of her.

  I ignore her and keep my gaze on Emery. "What do you think, James? You mind if I crash?"

  I watch as she swallows hard. The movement of her throat has me wanting to crawl over the table and kiss the hell out of her. "Free country," she says simply. She's trying to play it cool. After all, no one here is supposed to know that we are fighting a losing battle of friendship. No one here is supposed to know that I laid her out across her kitchen counter and made her come against my mouth until she lay limp and spent. She drank tequila that night. I can remember the taste of it on her tongue so vividly that I'm feeling a little tipsy just from the memory. Maybe I should buy her a shot to remind her.

  "Did you hear that, Annie? Free country." I give Emery a wink. I can't help it. Maybe I like to play with fire.

  "Whatever. I'm going to grab us another drink." Annie rolls her eyes and slides out of the booth allowing me to slide in in her place. I inhale the scent of Emery immediately. Grapefruit mixed with the soft smell of gardenia flowers.

  "Hi," I say quietly as I move in beside her.

  "Hi," she returns.

  "Are you drunk?" I tease, eying the empty shot glasses.

  "Only a little," she admits.

  "You don't mind me crashing do you?" I ask, leaning in, my voice low in her ear.

  She shakes her head no and I feel better. I glance over at Kelsey who is on her phone and has stopped paying attention to us.

  "You want to dance or something?" I ask.

  She looks doubtful, so I push a little. "I'll behave," I promise.

  "Alright. One dance," she agrees.

  "I'll take anything you want to give me," I smile, taking her hand and pulling her from the booth. She raises her eyebrow and I smile. Okay, maybe I meant more than a dance with that statement.

  Kelsey looks up as we slide out of the booth and gives Emery a knowing smile. "Guess it just takes the right offer to get you on the dance floor."

  "She can't resist my charms," I throw over my shoulder as I take her hand and lead her to the floor.

  I lead her right to the center, so that we are surrounded by other dancers, but as I pull her close to me they all fade into background noise. Emery is smiling up at me, her arms sliding around my neck as I pull her against me.

  "You look amazing," I say. "It's going to be really difficult for me not to stare at you all night."

  "Maybe you should have stayed home then. So you wouldn't be so tempted," she suggests. She's teasing me and I love the easiness of her sass. I've missed this side of her.

  "Couldn't do it. The idea of you out here looking like that had me going more than a little crazy," I admit.

  "Crazy, huh?"

  "Certifiable."

  "I like it," she admits.

  I tighten my hold as I smile down at her, "Me too."

  Having her in my arms with the music swirling around us has my body feeling warm. I haven’t even had a shot and yet I’m already feeling dizzy from her presence alone. It’s not surprising. I’ve been drunk on Emery James for years.

  Emery

  MY HEART IS BEATING like crazy, slamming against my chest in an unsteady rhythm. My pulse thrums with anticipation as Cole holds me close against him. His body is hard and warm and more intoxicating than the shots I’ve had tonight. I swallow hard as his thumb runs across the strip of skin left bare where my shirt has risen up. It sends elect
ricity through me.

  It only takes a moment before I’m completely lost in him. The rest of the world around us fades away so easily. It’s just us. Emery. Cole.

  "Are you having fun tonight?" he asks, his voice low and sultry in my ear. It’s dangerous when he talks to me in that voice. It’s deep and dark and full of promise. It sends memories flashing through my brain of panted breaths and kitchen counters and the way it sounded as it drifted down my body before settling between my legs. I shiver against him.

  "Yes," I say. It comes out sounding breathy, the memory too fresh to sound casual. He smiles, because he knows. He knows and he feels it, just like I do. We suck at being friends.

  "I probably should have stayed home and let you have your night out with the girls. But I just kept thinking of you here looking like this and knowing that some asshole was going to ask you to dance. I decided I wanted to be that asshole. I hope you don't mind," he smirks.

  "There's no other asshole I'd rather dance with," I tease, smiling up at him.

  "I'm a lucky bastard," he says.

  As far as I'm concerned there's no one else around and I know if I'm not careful I'll get caught up in being with him and there will be a hundred questions to face when we go back to the table. The girls already suspect that something is going on between us. Apparently I’m not the best liar. Or maybe it’s just the way I feel lighter when I talk about him. He’s changing me and I can’t help that other people are starting to notice.

  But I can’t go there. Not yet. I can’t be the girl who buries her husband and falls into another man’s bed like it never happened. No one here knew Gabe and no one knows our history, but even if they did, it wouldn’t matter. He was my husband. He was my choice and our circumstances didn’t give me any liberties. Still, I’m really glad that Cole showed up tonight. The girls are great, but I feel more at ease when Cole is around. He brings out something inside me that no else does.

  The song drifts around us, drowning everything else out. I let him pull me closer to him and I can’t help how my focus lingers on the way his thumb rubs soft circles across the hand that he holds in his. He holds it to his chest, watching me with those eyes that make my stomach tumble.

  "So, it's been good?" he asks, confirming my earlier answer. I smile at the real concern there. He knows it’s hard for me to step out of my comfort zone. He knows it’s a struggle to find a new normal, one outside of the house, with real people and real situations.

  "I'm doing better. Each time it gets easier," I admit.

  He gives me a reassuring smile, like he’s proud of me. I like the way it makes me feel.

  "I forgot to tell you something," He says. I look up into his face, his eyes dark, yet playful with mischief.

  "What is it?" I ask.

  He smiles, "You look really pretty tonight."

  I feel the smile tug at my lips at his compliment. “You actually already said that,” I point out.

  He cocks his head as if trying to remember, “You’re sure?”

  "I couldn't forget," I say.

  "Hmm, either way, you're beautiful. Sometimes it still surprises me. It takes my breath away." He says it so calmly, like he didn’t just stop my heart with his words. He holds my gaze, but I can’t find words. "Too much?" He asks quietly. His voice slides over my skin, leaving goosebumps in its wake.

  "No. It's nice to hear actually," I admit.

  “You should hear it every day,” he says.

  I can’t help the blush so I try and hide it by resting my cheek against his shoulder.

  I end up giving him three dances before we make it back to the table. When we get there it's clear that girl's night is turning into a free for all. The table is surrounded with people and Cole and I join the group falling into the constant chatter.

  He holds my hand beneath the table, my constant lifeline. Listening to him banter back and forth with his friends, seeing him throw his head back as he laughs has me wanting to hold on to this night and this moment for dear life. It has me wanting to hold on to him. Ready or not.

  Cole

  THIS NIGHT HAS BEEN amazing. So much more than I had hoped for. I’d only wanted to see Emery and make sure she was okay. The added bonus of watching this amazing girl have fun, seeing her eyes light up and hear her laugh justifies crashing this party. I would have hated to miss this. Call me arrogant, but looking at her, the flush in her cheeks as she smiles at me, I like to believe she's having this kind of fun because I am here. I hope that's the case anyway.

  I look down at her when she taps my shoulder. "Dance with me?" she asks.

  I wink and move to slide out of the booth, bringing her with me. Everyone is in a debate about the upcoming football season so no one really pays us any attention as we move back towards the floor.

  "I just wanted a breather," she says.

  "You want to leave?" I ask.

  She shakes her head no. "This is good."

  I pull her to me, the smell of her skin, her shampoo, her soft floral perfume-- it's all intoxicating. I know I probably shouldn't hold her this close. With each dance I hold her closer, tighter. Each dance has me craving her more. I should probably take a step back and try harder at looking like her friend instead of like a guy who just wants to take her home. But I’m losing the fight.

  The music drifts around us, the country song telling our own personal story as we move to the melody. My whole body thrums with energy. With want. With need. I'm not alone. I feel it rolling off of her just the same. We're dancing along a very dangerous line together. And right now all I want to do is push us both over it.

  "It feels good to have you in my arms like this," I say softly. "I hope that's okay to admit."

  "I like it too," she says smiling up at me. There is a hesitant hunger behind her eyes and just knowing that we're on the same page when it comes to whatever is happening between us makes me feel hopeful.

  I want to give her so much. I want to erase every doubt and fill her heart with new memories, the kind that fill her with joy instead of regret.

  She is pulled in so close, her head on my shoulder, and there really isn't any space between us. I would dance with her forever if it meant I could be this close to her, her warmth pressed against me, her breath mixing with my own, the intoxicating scent of her clouding my senses.

  I want her.

  I can’t help it. The need has grown steadily since I first knocked on her door months ago. I long for the moment when she’ll be ready to let go and lose herself in something other than her grief. When she’s ready to lose herself in me. If I could just take everything else away, for just one moment I wonder if she’d be able to see all of the good things ahead. If I could make her feel loved – completely would she be able to break free from the things that are causing her to doubt? Am I just a horny asshole making excuses?

  Probably.

  Still, I can’t stop myself as I brush my lips against her ear. "Emery?" I breathe against her skin.

  "Yeah?" she asks without lifting her head.

  I shouldn’t say what I’m about to say. “I want you.”

  I hear her breath catch. I feel it against my chest, but she doesn’t say anything. She doesn’t even tense in my arms. She waits for me to continue.

  I keep going.

  “We can be friends. We can go slow. We can play by the rules. We can do all it all. Tomorrow.” I feel her shiver against me and I decide to go for broke. “Give me tonight, James. Give me the rest of tonight and forget all of the reasons we’re supposed to be careful, all of the reasons we’re supposed to wait. I want tonight. You. Me. Nothing else until morning. For one night let’s pretend that nothing else stands between us.”

  I hold my breath waiting for her to say something. To tell me to go to hell or give me a look that says I’ve betrayed her. I wait through the longest moment of my life until she finally pulls back just enough to look up into my eyes, to question whether or not I am serious. I'm dead serious and as soon as she sees the fire in my
eyes she knows it.

  "Everyone would know," she says. I don't tell her that the way we are glued together probably has everyone talking as it is. I also don’t miss the fact that she didn’t say no. A fact that has my heart thumping erratically in my chest.

  "It's not about them. It's only about us. It's not even about tomorrow, only right now. I want to take you home."

  She’s thinking. I can see it all playing out in her head. “You want to take me home?” she asks, as if needing to make sure there are no misunderstandings about what I’m asking.

  “I want to take you home and spend every moment until sunrise reminding your body what it feels like to be worshiped. I want you, Emery. I want to take you home and get lost in you,” I say bluntly.

  She swallows hard and I see the slight shake of her head. I can’t tell if it’s her dismissal or just her shaking away the reservations.

  She's going to say no. For all of my promises to not push, I'm practically picking her up and throwing her off the cliff. But I can't seem to stop myself and the look in her eyes tells me she wants to say yes.

  “How? We -,” she starts.

  "Make an excuse. Tell them anything. Tell them you don't feel well. Tell them anything you need to so that they know I'm taking you home. Lie to them," I say. Her eyes search mine as she reasons out my request. I can see her mind working, trying to make it okay to accept my offer. She wants to find an excuse to leave with me, but it goes against what she thinks she's supposed to do.

  "I'm just asking you for tonight, Em," I repeat. I hold her gaze, refusing to let her look away.

  "I don't --."

  "Just say yes."

  Her teeth sink into her bottom lip as she looks up at me nervously. But then she nods. A small movement of her head that sends my heart flying and the ache in my dick throbbing.

  “Yes? I ask, just to be sure my eyes aren’t playing tricks on me.