Falling for Fallon (Oak Hill 2)

“What do you mean… for me?”

Emmett tilted his head to the side, eyeing me. “Surely there is somewhere you’d like to go because you want to go. Not some stupid vacation your friends drag you to because there’s a beach or something. Somewhere you want to go. Somewhere you’ve always wanted to go.”

“Well…” I paused, biting my lip.

“Don’t do that.”

I looked over at him. “Do what?”

“Hide yourself from me. Tell me where you want to go, even if you think it’s dumb. Fallon, I’d take you down to Wills Creek if that was where you wanted to go. I don’t care.”

Confused, I asked, “What’s Wills Creek?”

He laughed. “It’s a small creek in Oak Hill. Nothing special. I used to fish there with Dawson when we were younger. I was just making a point that no matter where you say you want to go, it’s not going to be stupid.”

My heart softened, and a smile weaseled its way onto my face. “Okay… well, there’s more than one place I want to go, actually,” I said thoughtfully, looking up to the ceiling. “And it would probably make sense for a road trip.”

Emmett shifted beside me. “Well, get on with it. Where are we going?”

I giggled, pulling the blanket up a little tighter. “Well, you know how I like interior design, right?” He nodded. “Well, I have this old notebook of places that I’ve always wanted to go to admire their interior design ideas. I mean, the architects and interior designers were just amazing in the places that I’ve researched. I’ve basically obsessed over them. I have magazine after magazine of these amazing homes all over the U.S. I narrowed it down to five that I promised myself I’d visit sometime in my life. They are all so beautiful, and they each give me so much inspiration. In fact, I have a bajillion sketches in my notebook from all the inspiration.” I laughed and then shrugged. All of a sudden, I felt embarrassed, so I put my hand over my face. “I’m totally rambling. Sorry.”

Emmett’s cheek lifted more and more as the words spilled out of my mouth. “That sounds like the perfect road trip.”

My chest expanded as I whipped my attention over to his. “Really?”

He looked appalled. “Yes, Fallon. Really. When are you going to start getting it through your head that I don’t think anything you say or do is stupid? I think you’re amazing. Perfect. I think it’s badass that you’re completely enthralled with interior design.” He paused. “Do you still sketch stuff?”

I smiled. “I do. I didn’t for a long time, but over the last

few weeks, I’ve started to get into it again.”

“Why?”

I pushed a strand of hair out of my face. “Why what?”

“Why have you just started to get into it again? What made you stop?”

“Oh, um.” I took a deep breath, blowing it out slowly. “Because my parents make me feel like it’s stupid, and they don’t really approve of me ‘sketching my life away.’ I didn’t see a point in it anymore. It’s not like I’m going to get to start up my own business doing interior design after…”

Silence passed between us, and I suddenly felt even more stupid, but then Emmett spoke up. “Look at me, Fallon.”

I turned my head slowly, meeting those midnight eyes. He reached his hand up and cupped my chin. “Promise me something.” I barely nodded my head. “Don’t lose yourself along the way while you’re busy pleasing everyone else, okay?”

I swallowed, just staring into his eyes.

He opened his mouth once more, but then shut it and released his hand. His broad shoulders relaxed after a few seconds, and he looked back over at me. “Can I see your sketches?”

The smile was stretching on my face before I even nodded my head. I felt like a little kid on Christmas, my heart bursting with joy and excitement at the thought of someone actually wanting to see my work. I nodded my head vigorously, causing Emmett to chuckle. Right as I was crawling out of bed to grab my book, Emmett’s hand snagged onto my arm, and he dragged me back over the sheet and pulled me on top of him. I laughed because we were completely tangled up in the blankets together, but he kissed me anyway.

He kissed me senseless, stealing my breath with every peck. “We’re leaving first thing in the morning, okay? No second thoughts.”

I swallowed, inching my body closer to his, my bare breasts resting on the tangled sheet in between us. “What about the shop?”

He slid his hands up my back, goosebumps covering my entire body. “They can handle it without me for a few days. For as long as we need.”

I smiled along his lips. “Okay.” Then I leaned in and kissed him like my life depended on it.

???