The Forbidden Throb (Emma and Daniel) novel Chapter 109

Chapter 109

Olivia guided me through racks of clothes I’d never normally consider-form-fitting dresses, soft cashmere that begged to be touched, colore that made my eyes pop.

“This one,” she said decisively at Anthropologie, holding up a deep emerald wrap dress. “Try it on.”

“Olivia-”

Emma. Trust me.

The dress was nothing like my usual style-form-fitting where I usually chose loose, sophisticated where I typically went casual. But when I emerged from the fitting room and saw myself in the full-length mirror, I barely recognized the woman staring back.

The emerald fabric brought out the blue-green of my eyes. The wrap style accentuated curves I usually hid under oversized sweaters.

I looked… grown up. Confident.

“This is the you he needs to see,” Olivia said.

We left the store with two shopping bags-the dress, a new pair of heels I’d probably never wear, and a cashmere cardigan Olivia had insisted *completed the look.”

Outside on the sidewalk, Olivia checked her phone and groaned.

“I have to get back-professor moved up our group meeting to three.” She gave me a quick hug. “Good luck tonight. Text me updates!

‘I will,” I promised, watching her hurry toward the T station.

Alone now, I stood on Newbury Street with my shopping bags, afternoon sun warm on my face.

My mind drifted to Grandma Grace, to lazy Sunday mornings in her kitchen in Portland, the smell of blueberry pancakes and her weathered hands guiding mine as she taught me to cook.

“Emma, sweetheart,” she’d said once, flour dusting her apron, “if you want to capture a man’s heart, you first need to capture his stomach. Good food, made with love-that’s a language everyone understands.”

I looked down at my shopping bags, then pulled out my phone to check the time. Two-thirty.

I could make dinner first.

The thought made my heart race with a mixture of excitement and nerves.

Haymarket. The farmers market would still be open for another hour or two. I could get fresh ingredients, take them home, and have everything ready by the time Daniel got back from the hospital.

My fingers moved before I could second-guess myself, typing out a text to Daniel:

Don’t worry about picking me up today. I have something to take care of

ctri

8:48 am P

Chapter 109

Olivia guided me through racks of clothes I’d never normally consider-form-fitting dresses, soft cashmere that begged to be touched, colo that made my eyes pop.

“This one,” she said decisively at Anthropologie, holding up a deep emerald wrap dress. “Try it on.”

‘Olivia-

“Emma. Trust me.”

The dress was nothing like emerged from the fitting

emerald fabric b

sual style-form-fitting where I usually chose loose, sophisticated where I typically went casual. But when I

saw myself in the full-length mirror, I barely recognized the woman staring back.

blue-green of my eyes. The wrap style accentuated curves I usually hid under oversized sweaters.

looked… grown

“This is the v

Olivia said.

We left the

‘complet

opping bags-the dress, a new pair of heels I’d probably never wear, and a cashmere cardigan Olivia had insisted

Outs

Olivia checked her phone and groaned.

professor moved up our group meeting to three.” She gave me a quick hug. “Good luck tonight. Text me updates!

watching her hurry toward the T station.

d on Newbury Street with my shopping bags, afternoon sun warm on my face.

d to Grandma Grace, to lazy Sunday mornings in her kitchen in Portland, the smell of blueberry pancakes and her weathered mine as she taught me to cook.

theart,” she’d said once, flour dusting her apron, “if you want to capture a man’s heart, you first need to capture his stomach. Good with love-that’s a language everyone understands.”

own at my shopping bags, then pulled out my phone to check the time. Two-thirty.

make dinner first.

hought made my heart race with a mixture of excitement and nerves.

market. The farmers’ market would still be open for

ything ready by the time Daniel got back

fingers moved before I could sec

‘t worry about picking

or two. I could get fresh ingredients, take them home, and have

8:48 am P

Chapter 109

The response was almost immediate-my phone lit up with an incoming call. Daniel’s name flashed across the screen.

My heart jumped into my throat.

I took a breath and pressed the green button, lifting the phone to my ear.

“Hello?”

“Emma.” Daniel’s voice was warm but carried a hint of concern. “Is everything alright?”

“Everything’s fine,” I said quickly. “I just-I need to run a few errands. I can take the T home.

A pause. “Are you sure? I can rearrange my schedule-”

“No, really. You don’t need to do that.” I glanced at the sky. “I’ll see you at home.”

Another pause, longer this time. I could almost hear him thinking.

“Alright,” he said finally. “But text me when you’re leaving, okay? I want to know you got home safely.”

Something warm bloomed in my chest. “I will.”

Three hours later, I stood in Daniel’s kitchen-our kitchen-surveying my work with a mixture of pride and panic.

The apartment smelled incredible.

Roasted garlic and herbs from the chicken I’d prepared, the rich aroma of the mushroom soup simmering on the stove-Grandma Grace’s recipe, the one she’d taught me when I was twelve. Fresh bread warming in the oven. A simple arugula salad waiting in the fridge.

I’d changed into the emerald dress, my hair falling loose around my shoulders instead of pulled back in my usual ponytail. The cashmere cardigan was draped over a chair, ready if I lost my nerve.

My heart hammered against my ribs as I stirred the soup one more time, adjusting the heat.

What if he thinks this is too much? What if he reads too much into it? What if

The sound of a key in the lock froze me in place.

The door opened.

Daniel was home.

ctri

8:49 am P