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Nick and Emma found their way to the ballroom and to the table they had been placed at. Thankfully, the other guys would be sitting with them and she wouldn’t have to get to know too many people. It was her first time out with Nick and she wasn’t really sure exactly what this whole thing was or would become. She just hoped everyone would be welcoming.

Addie and Howie were waiting for them along with AJ and Rochelle.

“Wow.” AJ whispered as they sat down. “If Nick doesn’t behave tonight, I’m pretty sure you could find someone in here to dance with. In fact, I think you just sent a few into heart palpitations.”

Emma laughed and Nick gave AJ the middle finger when no one was looking.

“Thanks AJ. I didn’t know what to buy.”

“Well you did great. I think…”

“I think we need to get these ladies some drinks.” Howie interrupted and beckoned for the other two men to follow him.

“You picked out a beautiful outfit.” Rochelle assured her after the guys’ departure. “Nick’s going to have his hands full trying to keep all these guys away from you.”

“Do you think it’s too much? I don’t want to…”

“It’s fine.” Addie replied. “It’ll do Nick some good to see that he has a little competition. Maybe it’ll help him focus on what he has.”

“But…”

“Addie’s right. You two are just figuring out what to call what you two are, and he should know that if he screws it up again, that you won’t be sitting around moping.”

The girls sat around talking while the guys were waiting for the drinks. They had just returned when Leighanne and Kristen arrived at the table. Apparently, Brian and Kevin had the same idea about the bar. The two women sat down and the table got quiet for a few moments until Leighanne finally had to say something.

“You know I’m not one for beating around the bush...”

“No shit.” Addie mumbled under her breath and Emma elbowed her.

Leighanne glared at Addie and continued. “I just don’t understand why you’re here.”

Nick’s face turned beet red and AJ’s back was going up. They were ready to defend Emma but she beat them to it.

“I’m here because Nick asked me to come.”

“But you’re not part of this group anymore.”

Brian and Kevin arrived at the table and could instantly tell there was an issue.

“Maybe I am and maybe I’m not. Either way, it’s really none of your business. Whatever road Nick and I choose to take is up to us, not to you and not to anyone else. I’m sorry if you don’t like it but that’s the way it is.”

“Excuse me?” Leighanne hissed.

“You heard me, I didn’t stutter. I don’t know what your problem with me is but it’s your deal and not mine. We’re obviously never going to be friends and I know that I don’t meet whatever standards you hold everyone else to. I can’t help it if you don’t like me but I am not going to tolerate being berated by you every time we may have to be in the same room together.”

“How dare…”

“And frankly, this is not the place to discuss this. If you want to talk to me any further about this, we can step outside and have a chat.”

Emma stared at her almost daring Leighanne to say something. They all waited with baited breath until Leighanne slammed her napkin down on the table and took off to the ladies’ room.

She turned to Brian and the rest of the table. “I’m sorry Brian. I don’t…”

“Don’t worry about it; I’m kind of used to it by now.”

He smiled faintly and headed in his wife’s direction. Nick leaned over towards Emma’s ear as the rest of the table tried to break some of the tension by talking about Kevin’s new baby.

“I’m so sorry, I should have known…”

“Don’t apologize, you didn’t do anything wrong. Leighanne’s going to have her opinion of me no matter what anyone else says.”

“I know but…”

“No more.” Emma said and stood up. “I wanna dance and if you don’t come with me, I’ll take AJ’s suggestion and find someone else to…”

Nick leapt out of his chair before she could finish her statement and she laughed as he dragged her out on the dance floor. The music had just turned slow and Nick wasn’t exactly sure how to hold Emma; he slipped his arms around her waist and waited to see how she’d react. He was pleasantly surprised when she wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled. She laid her head on his shoulder and he pulled her in tighter as they began to sway.

The party lasted a few hours and the couple spent most of it dancing with each other and their friends. They were some of the last people to leave the party and Nick walked her back to her room. The two spent the entire trip upstairs deciding what they should each do now that the night was winding down.

They finally made it down to Emma’s room and Nick knew that he had to do something before he lost the chance. When Emma unlocked the door and turned around to say goodnight, Nick leaned in and kissed her before she could speak. She was caught off-guard but she quickly kissed him back and pushed the door to her room open. Nick pulled back only long enough to get them in the room and then pulled her as close as he could get.

Emma’s head swam as Nick increased the intensity of his kiss and she wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him as close as she could. Her fingers ran through his hair and he groaned quietly as she pushed him towards the wall. He wasn’t thinking with his head anymore and he fumbled trying to find the zipper on her dress. He started to pull it down when she pulled back.

“Oh my God.” she whispered.

“I know.” Nick said with a smile and tried to pull her closer.

“Wait.” she said. “I don’t know if I can do this.”

Nick looked crestfallen; he thought everything was going fantastically up to this point and didn’t understand what was wrong. Emma noticed the look and shook her head.

“It’s not that I don’t want to do this Nick but I’m afraid to go jumping into this so fast.”

Relieved to hear that she was telling him to take a hike, Nick leaned down and kissed her gently.

“We don’t have to.”

“I’m sorry Nick, I really am. I’m just scared.”

Nick dragged her over to the couch and pulled her down next to him.

“Ok. We won’t tonight. But if you’re gonna keep shutting me down, you need to stop wearing dresses like this one.”

Emma laughed. “I promise. I just want to make sure we’re both in this before we take it any further.”

“I get it, I do.” he paused. “Do you think I could at least spend the night?”

“Um, do you really think that you and I are going to be able to sleep in the same bed and not tear each other’s clothes off?”

“Definitely not.” he replied. “But I figured it wouldn’t hurt to ask.”

He leaned in and kissed her again. Unable to help himself, he pushed her back into the couch and his hands started to roam down her sides as he increased the intensity of the kiss. She gently pushed him back and stuck a pillow in between them.

“I think you need to go.”

Nick sighed and pulled himself up off the couch. She followed him as he made his way to the door and gave him a small kiss before he left. He stepped out into the hallway but turned as she was about to shut the door.

“I am gonna see you again right?”

Emma smiled. “Absolutely. I think we have some unfinished business.”