The Proposition (The Proposition #1)(72)
When Aidan snickered at Grammy’s admonishment, Emma nudged him in the stomach with her elbow. “Don’t make me tell her the way to your heart is through your dick,” she whispered.
Aidan’s eyes widened, and he made a strangled noise. He glanced left and right before hissing, “I cannot believe you just said dick in your grandparent’s house!”
Emma laughed. “And I love how you’re not even trying to argue that it isn’t the truth!”
He scowled before easing down into one of the dining room chairs. On her way into the kitchen to help Grammy, she ruffled his hair playfully. He glanced at her over his shoulder and grinned.
Two of her uncles along with their wives and families sauntered in, filling the massive antique table to its capacity. Emma edged Mary out of the way before she could plop down next to Aidan. Even though she had won the bet, Mary seemed hell-bent on continuing to see how far she could get with Aidan, and Emma was happy to draw the line. Mary scowled at her before stalking down to the “kids” table.
At the scuffle between the two, Aidan chuckled. Emma responded by rolling her eyes. “Wipe the sexy little smirk off your face, or you’ll keep encouraging her.”
“Nothing wrong with her stopping by to say hello.”
“Oh really? Last night you didn’t seem too taken with her attention.”
“And last night, you were encouraging her, not me.” Leaning over, he nuzzled her neck before she shoved him away. “Besides, I’m still not taken with her. It’s just hilarious seeing you get your panties in a twist over a fawning nineteen year old girl.”
“My panties are not in a twist,” Emma huffed, smacking her linen napkin down in her lap.
He took her hand in his and brought it to his lips. Kissing her knuckles, he gave her his best puppy dog expression. “You know you’re the only one I want, right?”
Emma struggled to breathe. Even though he was joking around with her, his words hit straight home. “Yes, I know.”
Her heart melted when he winked at her. They were interrupted by Earl taking his seat at the head of the table. “All right everyone. Let’s return thanks.”
After Granddaddy gave the blessing, they started passing the bowls and plates of food around. Filling hers to the brim, Emma let the familiar portions melt on her tongue. Glancing over at Aidan, he seemed to be enjoying the meal and conversation just as much as she was. For a moment, she tried to imagine what it would be like if this were every Sunday. Even if she didn’t move back to the mountains, it was comforting to think of Aidan being by her side for future Sunday dinners or family events. She just didn’t know if that was getting her hopes up too high.
When the main course and dessert were finished, Grammy and her aunts started gathering up some of the dishes. Emma rose out of her chair. “Here, I’ll help you clean up,” she said.
“Thanks, honey,” Virginia replied.
While the rest of the men started vacating the table to duck-out of cleanup duty, Earl nodded at Aidan. “Come on out on the porch with me and the boys, son,” he suggested.
“Are you sure?” he asked.
Earl nodded. “We can leave the women folk to the dishes while you tell me a little more about yourself.”
Emma couldn’t fight the smile spreading across her cheeks. She knew if Granddaddy wanted to know more about Aidan, then he had really made an impression. At his momentary hesitation, she gave him a gentle nudge. Aidan finally put one foot in front of the other to follow Granddaddy outside.
Once the dishes were done and the kitchen cleaned, Emma hurried to check on Aidan. She skidded to a stop at the sight of him lounging in the porch swing with a pocketknife in one hand and a piece of wood in the other. Her mouth gaped open. Before she could ask what the hell a city boy like himself was doing whittling, he grinned. “Your granddaddy is teaching me.”
She laughed. “I see.” She motioned towards the gleaming knife. “Just be careful, okay?”
“Aw, he’ll be fine. He’s not quite the sissified city boy I originally thought he was,” Earl replied.
“High praise indeed,” Emma mused, easing down next to Aidan. In a hushed voice, she murmured, “Don’t even think about taking up chewing tobacco to impress Granddaddy. I won’t let you anywhere near my mouth with a chaw of nastiness.”
He chuckled. “You have nothing to worry about.”
As the afternoon wore on, Aidan put aside his whittling and wrapped her in his arms. A happy sigh escaped her lips as she snuggled against his chest. She tried ignoring the flashback that assaulted her of sitting the same way with Travis after Sunday lunch many years before.
While Grammy filled her in on some of the local gossip she had missed in the last two weeks, Emma watched as Aidan’s eyes grew heavy. It wasn’t long before the heave and sigh of the porch swing caused him to nod off. She kissed his cheek and rose out of his embrace. There was somewhere she wanted to return to before they had to leave.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Aidan woke up to Beau’s tongue slurping across his face. Rubbing his eyes, he peered around the front porch. The rest of Emma’s extended family had left. Only Virginia sat in one of the rockers, working on a quilt for the baby while Earl read a newspaper. Aidan fought the urge to shake himself at how he felt like he was in a scene straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting.