Sometimes he loves me

Chapter 42

EMMA

Finn's strong grip on my hip calms the nerves I feel when a handful of paparazzi come running to us and start taking pictures. With the camera's on me I feel like I can trip and fall at any moment, but Finn walks past them like a king. He doesn't smile at them or even acknowledge them, which somehow makes him that more attractive.

"If you want to leave, just say the word. No explanation needed." He says and safely leads me over the red carpet to the entry doors.

"What about the bird?" I whisper.

"I'll find another way." He says calmly.

A man in a tuxedo, familiar to the one Finn is wearing, stands at the door, hovering above a list of names with his pen. "Good evening Sir, Miss. Can I get your names please."

"Finn Taylor Evans and Emma Mayberry-Wilson." Finn says. I feel tingles throughout my body at the way he stated my full name. He remembered all these years...

It takes the man a second to find our names and nods to two guards to open the glass doors for us. "Enjoy your evening." He warmly smiles at us and I do the same. I quickly look up at Finn to see if he makes anything out of it, but he also smiles at the man and then looks at me.

"Don't look so nervous, darling." He whispers into my ear. "I'm not as insecure as him and it's not a crime to be polite to other men."

Of course he reads me like an open book, but I feel relieved that he doesn't think I'm flirting with people I look at or smile at. I hate Vincent for making me feel like a slut for being polite when we were together.

Finn's hand is still on my waist as we walk through the ballroom that is filled with people. They are all beautifully dressed, chatting and laughing with each other. I let my gaze move between all the women wearing expensive gowns and feel myself become a little insecure in their presence. They have obviously been to these kinds of events more often than I have.

"How do you want me to introduce myself to others besides the bird?" I whisper so nobody hears.

He lets his eyes wander to my lips and I hardly notice when we stop walking and stand still next to an open bar. "How about we introduce you as my girlfriend?" He asks and leans on the counter with one arm, fully facing me.

Girlfriend? My stomach flips, but in a good way. We have been close the past week, but we haven't talked about what we are. If we are anything at all besides employer and employee...

It would feel weird though, if we became something official all of a sudden. We went from everything to nothing, back to everything and then nothing again. Only to end up like this. Cuddling in bed after my nightmares and fucking on his desk. And this is— I don't know. It just feels perfect the way things are. I don't want to ruin things, but I need to know what he means by it. "Just for tonight?"

I feel his hand move from my waist, up to my face. He gently places two fingers underneath my chin making it impossible to look away. "Until I can call you my wife."

I swallow hard as he looks down at me. "What are you asking me?" I say and feel my cheeks become red.

He moves his thumb over my lower lip slowly, without ruining my lipstick. "Be mine."

A long minute passes as I look up at him. I'm wondering if we're moving too fast, but a voice inside my head tries to drown out all my doubts and tells me we've waited three years to be together and that I belong with him. Always have and always will.

"What if I'm too much?" I finally whisper, thinking back to all the things Vincent said to me. Most of his words I can't remember, but the feeling and pain they caused still haunt me.