Falling for Fallon (Oak Hill 2)

“To give you this.” Emmett pulled his wallet out of his back pocket. He tossed a small card on the counter, and I glanced down, realizing it was my ID. My mouth opened, but nothing came out. Shit. I didn’t even realize it was missing. I must have left it at the bar.

“And…” Emmett began. I looked up from the ID and met his steely gaze. “And because I just can’t stop thinking about you, Fallon.”

My heart fell to the floor, grew wings, and then flew up to heaven.

He can’t stop thinking about me?

My mouth opened before I could wire it shut.

“I can’t stop thinking about you, either.” More importantly, the kiss.

A devious smile formed on Emmett’s face, and I instantaneously felt like I’d just made a deal with the devil.

“Is that so?”

My face flamed, and I turned around so he couldn’t see me.

I could hear him walking toward me, but I clenched my eyes shut and twitched my nose, hoping I could finally fulfill my Bewitched fantasy of disappearing with the mere wiggle of my face.

“What are you doing?” Emmett prodded, his voice much closer.

My eyes sprung open, and I realized he was only a few inches away from me. All the words disappeared from my brain. He was close. Reallllly close. I loved his scent because it was so normal. He wasn’t overpowered with some fancy cologne; he just smelled like a man who had quickly showered and threw on clothes fresh from the laundry.

I loved the normalcy of it.

“Okay, I have an idea,” he stated, whipping around my body and leaning over the counter.

I laughed nervously. “I don’t know you well enough to know if your ideas are usually good or if they’re stupid.”

“Oh, I can promise it’s a good one,” he said, his back still turned toward me.

He had a broad back, wider at the top and narrowing down toward his waist. Suddenly, that back was out of my vision as he spun around. “Oh, and the other night when you said that it wasn’t worth it and then stormed out of Ships… I can promise you that it is worth it.” Emmett winked and then turned back around casually. I was at a loss for words. My mouth continued to gape as I stood there and watched him take a nearby pen and scribble something down on my ridiculously immature “About to Be Married” bucket list.

He turned back around and held the pen and notebook to his chest. “Okay, before I show you this, I have to ask…”

I squinted. “Ask what?”

“Is your non-fiancé slash boyfriend going to try to kill me if he finds me hanging out with you?”

“He’s not really my boyfriend, Emmett.” Or is he? That was the thing with Derek. He felt like… nothing to me.

“And yet, you’re afraid of him finding me. Right?” I’m more afraid of my parents finding you.

I swallowed.

“I’m not into cheating and all that drama bullshit, Fallon. Are you taken? Right now? Is he some possessive asshole who won’t even let you be friends with another guy? Even one that isn’t openly trying to pull moves on you?”

My mouth twitched, and before I knew it, a smirk was forming on my face.

I breathed out a heavy sigh, holding in a giggle. How does he make me smile so much?

“I’m not taken right now, no, but I will be. I’m marrying him… and I don’t really want to explain that story because it’s messy and complicated. But you need to know that I will be married to him… one day.” And unfortunately, that day seems to be approaching faster than I’d like.

Emmett frowned at me, his eyes staring intensely into mine. I felt like he was sucking my soul into his—or something totally terrifying like that. He was studying me, trying to understand me. I had assumed he’d turn around and say, “See ya, psycho.” But instead, he placed the pen down on the counter quietly and held the notebook out for me to read.

I took it apprehensively and read what he’d written in red pen:

OPERATION “LIVE MY LIFE -- and let Emmett help” BEFORE BEING WHISKED OFF TO MARRY DEREK FOR ALL THE RIGHT (If it’s right then why do you have this list?) REASONS.