delicate | ethma

16

Ethan

It was around 12:30 when Emma knocked on my door that night. I was just watching tv, so I was still awake.

I opened the door to find her crying. "Emma?" I asked.

She didn't say anything. She just buried her face in my chest and continued to cry. I wrapped my arms around her, nudging the door to my apartment closed with my foot as I held her.

I hated seeing her like this. It broke my heart.

"Do you wanna talk?" I asked.

Emma shook her head no. "I just need you to hold me right now."

"Okay. Come on, let's sit down."

I led her to the couch, and once I sat down, she laid down next to me and buried her face in my shirt again. I put my arm around her back, rubbing my hand up and down the back of her hoodie to soothe her.

"He made me choose," she said, still buried into my chest.

"What do you mean?"

"He said that I couldn't be friends with you or else we had to break up, so I broke up with him."

"Emma," I said, pulling her closer. "I'm so sorry."

"He's not worth losing you," Emma said, still crying into my chest. "I didn't even think twice. I just left. I did it in a heartbeat, and I know I made the right decision because I can't live without you being in my life, Ethan. I can't."

"I know, Emma. I know. It's okay. I'm here. I'm always here," I said, nuzzling my nose into her neck to comfort her. She seemed to relax a little, but she was still crying. "We're gonna get through this, okay? I'm right here with you."

"You always are. That's what makes you my best friend,"

"Do you need to stay here tonight?" I asked.

"If that's okay."

"Em, you're always welcome here no matter what. Always."

"I'll take the couch," she said. "It'll only be for a few days. Olivia said before that I could always move back in with her."

"No, Emma, you're gonna take my bed. I'll take the couch."

"Can we just share your bed?"

I chuckled. "If that's what you want, Em."

-

So, I gave Emma some comfy clothes to sleep in, and I changed into a pair of sweats before climbing into my bed. I heard the bathroom door open and the light shut off, and a few minutes later, I felt Emma climb under the covers with me.

"Are you still awake?" she whispered.

I turned around to face her before pulling her closer. I knew she needed to be held.

"I'm awake," I told her.

In her already seemingly half-asleep state, she said "Can I ask you a question?"

"Go ahead, Em."

"If I'm ever getting married to someone that's not you, will you stop me?"

"Only if you want me to."

"You know I would," she said. "You know I would want you to."

"Emma, you need to go to sleep. We can talk about this another time, okay?" I said, knowing damn well that the answer to her question was a big 'hell yes'.

She buried her face into my bare chest, and her nose was cold against my skin. "You're the best friend I've ever had," she said. "You have no idea."

I kissed the top of her head, and it felt like such normal thing, yet it was a big deal to me. I hadn't been able to in two years.

"I care about you so much, Emma," I whispered.

She planted a small, yet important kiss on my skin. I couldn't help but dip my head down to her neck and press my lips to her skin. Immediately, Emma leaned her head back to give me better access.

We needed each other. I was beginning to sense that she's needed me as much as I've needed her for the past two years.

Her lips met mine, and our mouths hungrily danced together, just the way I've been dreaming about since the last time it happened.

Emma took the initiative to start palming me through my sweatpants, so I started lifting her shirt over her head. She must've taken her bra off before she changed into this shirt, because she didn't have one on.

I planted kisses down her chest as she started pushing down my sweats and my boxers. It didn't take much longer for the rest of our clothes to find the floor.

I finally had her back. My Emma. At least for that night. She was all mine.

Not to mention how good it felt to be with the one person I truly needed all this time.

She disappeared under the covers, and a few seconds later I felt her mouth around my shaft. I nearly hit my head on the headboard, but I missed it by a centimeter.

As Emma moved her tongue around me, I was reminded of everything I've been missing since our previous fling ended.

There's no one like Emma.

She crawled back up to kiss me, and her lips tasted so sweet. It took me back to our first night together when we first met.

She's still just as sweet.

Feeling her against me again was the greatest feeling ever. Her skin was warm and soft against mine, and so were her lips.

She was the one to take a condom from my bedside drawer, but I stopped for a minute.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"I've never been more sure," she whispered, looking right into my eyes.

That was good enough for me. I rolled the condom on before slowly slipping myself inside of her, and then starting to roll my hips against hers.

Everything about it—the way she felt around me, the way she sounded, and the way she looked, could've sent me over the edge a million times.

I knew I never wanted this night to be over, but it had to be eventually.

We fell next to each other once our second round of the night was over, and Emma buried herself against my chest.

She fell asleep almost as soon as my arms were wrapped around her, and before I fell asleep I kissed her on the forehead.

One night gave me everything I've been missing. I wanted it to last a million lifetimes.

Maybe this time it would.