“What?” Eddie asked. He couldn’t have heard her correctly. There was no way she said what he thought she said.

“I said, ‘me, too’ Eddie. I want you too.”

Eddie crushed his mouth to hers without waiting for her to say anything else. His head spun as he drew her scent into his lungs, filling himself with her just in case it was a dream, or a trick, or she changed her mind. He cupped her cheeks and tilted her head, his tongue darting out to taste her. She parted her lips for him and allowed him in, her tongue tentatively searching for his.

Eddie filled his other hand with her, wrapping it around her waist and pulling her toward him. Her body molded to his, her breasts tight against his chest, her thighs welcoming him in. He groaned and pulled away, cursing himself for not being able to just push forward with her, but he knew he couldn’t just drag her off to his bed. It was Emily. She wasn’t a random woman.

“Why did you come here?” Eddie ground out, needing to know what brought her to his door.

Emily gazed at him, her eyes heavily lidded, her lips plump and soft and wet from his kiss. He wanted to lean in and kiss her again, but he waited for the fog to clear her head so she could answer him.

She shook her head then focused on his face. Her hand stroked his cheek and he nuzzled into her, aching for any touch from her. She smiled softly at him then released him to lift the bag that was at their feet.

“I realized tonight that my relationship with Nick has basically been a lie. Throughout all of it, I’m fairly certain, you’ve been keeping him in my good graces, getting me things and letting him give them to me. I brought some things here, to ask you.”

Eddie wasn’t sure how to answer her. She was right, of course, but he hated to throw his friend under the bus. “Does it matter, Em?”

She smiled at him again and nodded. “It matters to me. Not because I want to think badly of Nick, but because I know it’s further proof of how much you’ve cared about me over the years. Can I show you?”

Eddie nodded, knowing exactly what was going to be in the bag she held. As she pulled out each item he nodded, letting her know that yes, he had carefully chosen the item for her, selecting something he knew she would love, something that would make her smile or would touch her heart. He knew what gifts she’d saved and which ones she’d thrown away from Nick. He’d complained that Emily only liked what Eddie had gotten her, but it had always made Eddie smile.

“I knew it was you,” Emily said softly as she returned the items to her bag. She shook her head. “I don’t think I would have stayed with him as long as I did if I had realized these were from you. I was so stupid.”

“No, sweetheart, you weren’t. Nick made me swear I wouldn’t tell you. I didn’t want you to be hurt that he sucked at picking things for you.”

“But you never did. You always knew exactly what to give me.”

“I have a few ideas of what to give you right now,” Eddie said suggestively.

Emily grinned and pulled him back toward her. “I wonder if I stripped today if you would be able to hold back again,” she teased. Eddie growled. “Maybe we should see.”

Emily stood and stripped off her shirt, tossing it over Eddie’s head. He was on his feet before she unbuttoned her jeans, chasing her down the hall. Then he proceeded to show her just how little he was willing to hold back.