Blurred Lines

22. the coffee

A/N: Sorry it's been a while... I had writer's block. But... it's fixed now, partially, so hopefully we will get back to our regularly scheduled programming. To make up for the absence, here's a chapter! It's cute. ALSO fun fact, I forgot that 'Brian' was actually Emily's neighbor in the show... so that works out great for the plot. Enjoy the chapter, and see you next week on Thursday... be ready to touch grass 🤭 Y'all deserve it, you've been so patient.
________________________

Emily guides me out of the elevator, and into the lobby. Much to my surprise and dismay, Brian, the man I'd met the day before, is just so happening to be walking into the building as we head out. "Oh, hey, Y/n!" he sees me immediately and breaks into the widest grin, sauntering over to Emily and I. Emily's hand surreptitiously snakes around my waist, pulling me into her. 

"Hi, I don't believe we've met," she says cooly, offering a hand and an extremely calculated smile to him, "I'm Prentiss. Emily Prentiss. You must be new to the building." This moment sends me back to the club when Emily took it upon herself to greet my friend Charlie similarly. She was warm and welcoming with him though, very much unlike her behavior right now. I have to say, it gives me a sense of satisfaction as I subtly step behind her, using her to shield me from him. This man makes me nervous, and on edge, and I'm overly grateful that Emily can sense it too.

"Well, I'm just visiting, my mother is sick, I'm helping her out," Brian grins, and stupidly reaches out to take my mistress's hand, all the while not breaking his gaze from me, "I met Y/n yesterday in the elevator." Emily simply pulls her hand away, tucking her hand back into her pocket without even attempting to touch his hand. It leaves him so confused, and I grin slightly, pressing my mouth gently against her shoulder as I peer over it to gaze at Brian.

He glances between the two of us and then gives another bright smile to us. "Well, I guess I'd better be off to see my mother, it was good to see you Y/n," he gives me a wink, and then glances at Emily, "Emily." He steps around us and scurries off to the elevators. "What a weirdo," I mutter to Emily. "Yeah," she growls softly.

"Hey, you do realize that people are going to talk to me, right?" I ask, slightly hesitant as she guides me out of the lobby. "Yeah, but that doesn't mean I have to like it... or let it happen when I'm right there," she grumbles, her voice laced with the littlest bit of possession. I'm about to roll my eyes and tell her I'm not hers to possess over... but then I realize... I am. It makes me grin slightly.

"Okay, you're riding with me," she announces, gently pressing her fingers on my lower back as she opens her car door for me. "Oh, okay," I furrow my brow slightly, "Won't the team see us driving in together?" She just shrugs.

"We'll just say you had car trouble," she says lightly, getting into the car on her side. "Uh... Yeah, but if I had car trouble, I would literally call anyone else on the team before I called you," I say, tilting my head at her, "Of course, no offense..." I trail off as my words hang and linger in the air, heavy and thick like cigarette smoke. It's true, I wouldn't have called her first, because I have friends on the team that would drop everything to help me out in a time of need, and Emily knows it. She sighs softly and turns her gaze from her hard grip on her steering wheel. "Okay, fine, you can drive. Just, be safe, okay?" she says, her voice soft.

I can tell that Emily doesn't want me to be away from her, but she has to accept it. We have to keep this new development hidden from the team, and even though we barely talked about that part of this dynamic, we both have a silent understanding of it. I nod and go to slip out of her car, but she reaches a hand out, lightly grabbing my arm. I look back at her, as she gazes at me, studying me, as if to memorize my face, take in this moment. I give her a soft smile and brush my fingers over hers. "I'll see you at the office," I murmur.