She woke hours later curled up against him and so incredibly happy and content. Her head was throbbing and if Aaron was awake she probably would have asked him to hunt down some drugs for her, but for now, she was content to snuggle closer, wrap the blankets around her and just absorb him. She'd been honest when she'd said she'd never spoken about Steph before and it had taken so much to be able to open herself up like that. Because Emily was used to getting hurt, getting left behind by those she loved. And though she probably would never admit it this early, if on the show at all, she was starting to wonder if falling for him was actually something she could easily do. Of course, that was if she wasn't already.
Emily knew she was surprisingly awake for how ill she'd been feeling and it took her brain a few minutes to wonder what time it was. She tried to move as little as possible, not wanting to wake him. Midnight! She'd been here for almost twelve hours. "Aaron?"
He woke up quickly, pulling her tighter before releasing his grip. "Are you okay?"
"It's midnight," she said, almost panicked.
He looked at the clock and sighed. "I meant to have you back to the house so you could relax and sleep."
She bit her lip. She didn't want to move. She was still groggy and she was comfortable. He was warm and he was right when he'd said body head was a big help in warding off the chills. "We were sleeping a minute ago."
For a minute, he just looked at her. Then he tightened his arms around her carefully. "Do you need anything?"
"I've been considering whether taking another Aspirin is a good idea," she replied. "But... I'm too comfortable to move."
"I'll get it."
But she held on. "I'm okay without it," she said.
Aaron chuckled as he wrapped her tighter. "Are you sure?"
"Positive," she said, pillowing her head back on his chest, curling into him. "Human warmth works better than any of the pills."
His hand was rubbing her back again, trailing up and down her spine until it threaded up into her hair. He scratched at her skull and Emily had to bite her lip to keep from moaning in pleasure. It was making her headache dull significantly. Instead, she sighed in contentment. "Is this what it's going to be like?" she asked after a minute.
"What what's going to be like?" he asked, pressing a kiss to her hairline.
"Actually being with you," she answered. "Is this what it's going to be like actually being with you?"
His hand moved, starting to twist through her hair. "Well, I'm not one for big parties," he said. "But some women deserve to be spoiled."
"I don't think that answers my question," she replied with a chuckle.
"You're one of those people who deserves to be spoiled, Em," he said. "So would this be every day? No. But my job keeps me on the go almost all the time. When I get home, I don't want to go out at all."
"Understandably," Emily agreed quietly. Her finger started tracing over his t-shirt-clad chest.
"I'll take you back in the morning," he said softly. "Let's try and get back to sleep."
The next morning, Emily woke to an empty but still warm bed. She felt herself smile involuntarily as she rolled into his pillow. It was terrifying how content she felt, wrapped up in blankets that weren't even technically his. She tried to take a deep breath and calm herself down, but she couldn't seem to make the butterflies disappear. The bed dipped beside her and she pulled her head up from the pillows. Aaron was smiling at her.
"How are you feeling?" he asked.
She tried stretching her limbs, wondering if pain would be following. But there was no ache this morning, and she knew she had been able to keep light things down. She sat up slowly and was thankful to find the dizziness was gone. She wasn't as strong as she wanted to be, but she felt much better. "Better."
"I'm glad. Breakfast?"
She blinked. "You're offering me breakfast?"
"I can't send you home hungry," he replied.
"You're a sweet man," she said.
He pressed a lingering kiss to her cheek. "And you're an amazing woman."
Emily knew she was blushing as he stood.
"One breakfast, coming right up."
And sure enough, ten minutes later he was returning to the bedroom with a tray and dry toast. She eyed his cup of coffee longingly as he pushed tea towards her.
"No way," he said with a laugh. "Not until you can keep solid food down."
She pouted, feeling much more comfortable and playful. He hadn't said anything about their conversation the night before and he really hadn't changed the way he'd been acting towards her. Nothing had changed except for that hum of tension that now existed between them. "It's just coffee."
"Not until you can keep solid food down," he repeated, gently climbing back onto the bed so as not to disrupt their breakfast.
It was then she noticed the rose sitting near her plate. He seemed to know exactly what she was looking at and picked the flower up off of the tray. He twirled it in his fingers for a moment, and Emily watched the blood red of the petals, unsure what to think.
"Emily, will you accept this rose?"
She bit her lip. "Are you sure?"
He smiled. "You're a terrible patient, stubborn as hell, but I want you to accept the rose. I'm sure."
The smile that erupted over her face was wider than she could remember giving him. "Yes," she said. "And someday, I will get over this insecurity complex."
"Not too fast," he replied. "Your insecurities are what make you who you are."
She'd never had anyone tell her that and she had to look away as her face heated. "I've never had someone tell me that before. It's always been about-"
"Being better, being happier, being whatever your parents need you to be," he finished with a nod. "Not here. Not with me."
"It's going to take a lot of getting used to," she answered. "I know I've told you that, but it's not easy to just turn yourself into this open person, Aaron. Not when I've protected myself for most of my life."
He still held the rose, but he cupped her chin in his other hand. "I'm not asking for the world, Emily. I'm asking for a real chance to get to know you. All of you."
Her hand came up, brushing his as her fingers closed around the stem. "Of course I'll accept the rose," she whispered.
Then he did something she had not been expecting in the slightest. Though the tension between them was thick, but she was in competition with seven women, and of all of them, she hadn't expected to be the first. Because the determined look in his eyes as he pulled her chin forward told her exactly what he was going to do and she was powerless to stop it. Not that she actually wanted Aaron to stop before he kissed her.
And that's exactly what he did, sealing his mouth to hers gently. Emily's eyelids fluttered closed, just as he pulled away. When she blinked them open again, she was glad to see he hadn't gone that far. She initiated the next kiss, though it was his tongue that made the next move. She whimpered slightly in the back of her throat as she parted her lips, her free hand coming up to grip his t-shirt. Eventually he pulled back.
"That will be worth getting sick."
Emily laughed.