Exposed

Chapter Nine

I stare after the door, in shock, unsure as to what to do. Finally, when I start hearing movement in the living room, I figure there is only one thing I can do. I step out into the soft kitchen light and Danny glances up from the couch. He's folding the sheets I laid out last night. I cross my arms over my body and he groans, holding up his hands.

"Em, just... I'm going, alright?"

"Why do you have to test him like that?"

"Because the man who deserves you should be a goddamn eleven in a spectrum scale from one to ten. That man comes nowhere near that."

I stare at him, pursing my lips. "You're right... he's way above an eleven."

He groans. "You're deluded."

"Just go, Danny."

He shakes his head angrily, running his hand through his tousled sandy hair but doesn't protest, leaving the makeshift bed the way it is on route for the door. I hear it shut behind him loudly and finally relax, letting my arms dangle at my sides.

I walk to the couch, grabbing the spare comforter and begin to fold, praying no one in my family heard their argument. I clean up in aggravation before I finally garner enough courage to walk back into the bedroom.

I don't know what I'm in for.

I open it slowly, glancing inside. Matteo's by the window, arms crossed over his body. He looks at me and then back out towards the rising sun. I shut the door and go to where he is, wrapping my arms slowly around his stomach.

"He's gone."

"I'm sorry," he mutters, after a moment of silence, shaking his head angrily. "I tried to hold my tongue..."

"I'm glad you didn't. He was a dick yesterday."

He nods, rubbing his hand over mine. I sigh, pressing a kiss between his shoulder blades.

"We don't have to do this again, the next holiday. I told my mom-"

"I'm not keeping you from them, Emma. We'll go to see them until they like me, simple as that."

"And I just have no say in it?"

"No."

I roll my eyes. "You're incorrigible."

"Emma, they are important," he presses gently. "And while it sucks that they haven't taken to me, I have to be okay with it. I don't deserve any better in their eyes. And I'd like to earn their trust."

I shake my head in disbelief, my chin against his back. "Jesus, you are a completely different man than the one I met."

"I hope that's a good thing."

"Well, you're pretty wise now."

"Apart from the rash mess I was?"

"Oh, stop."

He chuckles, clearing his throat. "I hate losing control like that. That man brings out the worst in me."

"Well, he's not coming back."

"Not for good, Em. I think he's pretty stuck on you."

"Only because he's been encouraged by my mother. I haven't heard from him in months."

He shrugs, sighing. "Well, I think he was simply giving you space. I'm beginning to think he expected you to go back to him."

"Well, I'm not, so there's no point in talking about it."

"No. There's not," he says.

He kisses me to make that true.

***