𝓦𝓱𝓮𝓷 𝓜𝓻𝓼. 𝓘𝓷𝓯𝓪𝓶𝓸𝓾𝓼 𝓜𝓮𝓽 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓜𝓪𝓼𝓸𝓬𝓱𝓲𝓼𝓽...

Chapter 68

Nina's POV

I swear its like I fall more and more in love with Emerson as we spend more time together. I learned more about his passion for art and philosophy and why its so important to him. He learned more about my youth trapped in only classical music and refined art and never being able to discover anything new until I got into college. He showed me some of his drawings and creations and they looked like they belonged in an art museum. I didn't have my own piano at home which is why I played a lot in the music hall, so I practiced at his house in their basement as I learned new songs and improved my skills. I was fascinated to know we both starting learning piano at the age of 2, and he joked about how he was jealous of my gift to imitate what I hear but he loved it nevertheless. Said it made me unique and extraordinary. I said his other-wordly style and old-fashioned mentality made him exquisite and revolutionary.

There were times I still felt guilty about me holding in unreturned feelings for Remington for years and how it made me closed off and scared. I haven't told Emerson about this, but I feel like I should so I could clear my conscious and be honest with him. I'm just afraid he'll think I still have a crush on Remington which isn't true anymore. I love Emerson with all my heart and I love his brothers like they were my own, and I would rather Rem be happy with a girl like Carina because she is so kind and selfless and cares so much for the people she loves. But when I look at Remington now, I don't wonder anymore about what would happen if it was me and him instead. I just hope that he's happy and he knows I would never hurt his brother when he makes me so happy and feel so loved.

"Moon child?", I heard Emerson ask me as I zoned out thinking these thoughts as we had lunch at the dinner one day. "Is everything alright? You seemed to disappear", I blinked and nodded as I remarked, "Yes, Emerson, I'm okay. I was just thinking." He didn't take his eyes off of me, "About what?", I looked into his eyes then, and they were full of both  concern and anticipation. "I need to tell you something, and I hope you understand nothing will ever change the way I feel about you", I said to him with dread coursing through my system. He took my hand and said with an understanding smile, "I love you, Nina. Whatever you might say won't make me judge you because you don't judge me. I trust you." He kissed my hand, and I smiled briefly before taking a deep breath and telling him.

"When you came into my life, I had never been more happy to find someone to love me back entirely. But you weren't the first person I had feelings for." He seemed confused when I said that, and I hesitated for a moment before continuing. "Before I met you, I used to have a crush on your brother, Remington, for a few years even before I was in college. I never told him because I was already too scared to try to talk to him and afraid he wouldn't return my feelings which made me feel worse." I looked at him to see his reaction and he just seemed to be lost in what I was saying. I did my best to conclude and make my point, "But now I realize why I never believed we would ever be together and that's because I was waiting to meet you and I'm not saying you're better than your brother, but you were better to make me happy. I just wish I had met you sooner and I probably wouldn't have felt so lonely for so long and I'd know that I would find someone to love me for who I am and erase my doubts of not being loved back."

When I finished speaking, I hung my head in shame, not wanting to face him and see disappointment in his expression. He was quiet for a while and I feared the worst. When I looked back up, his seat was empty and I panicked for a second before I felt two hands from my blind side take my face and bring my lips to someone else's. My eyes widened as I saw Emerson kiss me with such passion in his face, and I kissed back as I melted in his gentle grasp and warm lips. I stood up from the booth and wrap my arms around his neck as he held my waist close to him. When he pulled away, I looked into his eyes and found intense love and longing for me only, and I started getting emotional. "What's wrong, love?", he asked in concern when saw me silently crying, "Did you really think I would turn you away because you had a former crush on my brother? I'm pretty sure you're not the only girl who's had one." I slightly giggled at his joke and started to feel better and he continued speaking while holding my face in his hands.

"All I care about is that you love me as much as I love you, and you'll love my brothers because you're a part of my family. I've never felt this way about anyone and I've never felt so blessed to be loved by someone so divine and perfect for me. I've seen many masterpieces in my short life, but you outshine them all, not just by your beauty but by your heart and soul. I hope that-" I cut him off by pressing my lips against his, and he kissed back with a smile. I kissed him for a little while longer, and then rested my head on his chest as he held me tightly in his arms. "Thank you, Emerson", I whispered to him so that only he could hear, "I will never stop loving you." He cradled my head as he responded with, "Now will I, my beautiful moon child."

AWWW!!! Wasn't that just so cute? Yeah, I thought it had been a while since there was an Emerson and Nina moment so I wanted to make up for it with this chapter I just made on the fly. I'm having a bit of writer's block and hope that I don't fall flat in my story. Please excuse me if updates get slow because I'm trying to find ideas to use for chapters in between future major events. Thank you again! 😘😘😘