When We Were Mates (Demetra and Emris) novel Chapter 64

Chapter 64

Chapter 64

Demetra.

Emris has his staff take our kids into the Jurassic World exhibit. I’m thinking we’re going to sit and watch them play when he pulls me by the hand into the adult exhibit.

76

Here, the first thing I see is a pterodactyl dinosaur! It’s got wings spread wide, mouth open, teeth that look too real, and it screeches right in my face. The sound echoes through the whole exhibit, bouncing off walls and mixes with the screams of other people.

I squeal and hide behind Emris, face buried in his back, fingers digging into his jacket.

He starts chuckling and I squeeze his biceps. College students are running past us like they made a terrible mistake coming here. Couples are turning back. A group of girls actually shoves each other trying to get to the exit. I think that’s my cue to leave now and never return.

“Oh no, I’m leaving-”

“Wait, wait, wait.” Emris pulls my arm under his jacket and drags me forward into the hall of horror.

It’s insane in here.

Dark lighting, fog machines make it hard to see. There are dinosaur sounds coming from everywhere. A T- Rex head swings out from the wall and something that looks like a raptor lunge from the corner with teeth snapping. People are screaming everywhere.

A guy in front of trips over his own feet trying to get away from a spinning animatronic.

“We’re not kids! What are we doing here–AH!”

I shove my face into his shoulder when another damn dinosaur…this one with glowing eyes lunges forward and spits fire right in my direction. Do dinosaurs even do that?

“Look.” Emris actually points at something else.

A massive snake descends from a fake tree in the middle of the floor. It’s animatic scales that glisten under the black light, fangs dripping with something that better be fake. It comes toward us with a hissing sound and I abandon Emris.

Fast!

I sprint past the arcade games, past the photo booth, past everything until I’m safely on the other side. Right after I pivot to the arcade and the snake goes back mechanically to wherever it came from, I see Emris.

He’s bent over, hands on his knees, dying of laughter like he hasn’t laughed this hard in years. Like watching me lose my mind over a fake snake is the best entertainment he’s had all month.

This is payback for calling him a Squirrel Alpha..

When he’s finally done wiping his eyes and his breath, he walks up to me. Hands in his pockets. That stupid smile still plastered on his face.

14

OOTG

O

10:31 Thu, May 14

Chapter 64

“Funny?” I ask, crossing my arms.

T

76

“No, no…” He clears his throat, trying to compose himself. “It’s not funny. It’s excruciatingly funny. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed like that-”

“It’s not funny, Emris.”

I pout at him. I didn’t mean to…it just happens. My face does the thing. Lips push out. Eyes narrow. Whole vibe shifts to annoyed child mode.

His arrogant smile widens.

I bring my finger out fast to point it at him and warn.

“Do that again.”

“I didn’t do anything.”

“No… no, that was a mistake.”

“Wow, you really are Amira’s mom. Pouting like a little kid-”

“I did not pout, I was about to hiss. I would say you’re immature but Milo really isn’t, so I don’t know where you get yours from.” I say, backing away from him still. “Maybe it’s contagious. Have you considered that? You’re like a reverse maturity vampire.”

His muscled hand comes out of his pocket.

“Watch out. Giant snake.”

“AH!”

I jump from where I am straight into him. I shut my eyes and my face is buried in his chest to the point that I can feel his heartbeat.

Slowly, I open my eyes and peek behind me to see it’s just a photo booth.

“Emris-”

“How dare you?” He completes it in a feminine voice, mocking me, hand on his chest like he’s scandalized.

I want to argue but the way he just acted is so funny and cute. He’s arrogant. Insufferably arrogant. But he can be cutely arrogant. And that might be worse. Because cute arrogant is harder to hate.

So I chuckle before biting my lips to quit doing that!

This is what I wanted when we were mates. Funny conversations and playful moments but I never got it.

“Where are you going now?” I say, watching his tall figure head toward the booth.

“Iet’s take some pictures.” He glances back at me. “We don’t have any together.”

“We don’t need any together.” I say.

14

G

O

10:31 Thu, May 14

Chapter 64

“Come on. It’s the least you could do after you made me fuck you senseless and didn’t even let me finish.”

My face ignites cause the people around us, adults, a whole group of college students turn and stare. At him first, because he said it loud enough to carry. Then at me. Like I’m the criminal. The heartless succubus who would do such a thing to a man.

A girl covers her kid’s ears and glares death at me. A group of girls whisper behind their hands, looking at me with a mix of horror and weird respect. I am being publicly executed right now.

“Okay, FINE!” I grab his arm and yank him toward the booth. “Pictures. Let’s take the damn pictures.”

“There we go.”

I punch him in his perfect hard belly.

76

The booth is really bright with white lights, cheesy backgrounds and that weird photobooth smell. The space is good enough for two people but I don’t think they had Emris’s muscular body in mind when they designed it. Once he sits, Emris‘ shoulders take up half the booth.

I’m still trying to adjust figuring out where to put my legs and my whole existence when he just… picks me up. Like I’m a teddy bear and places me on his thigh.

Now I’m seated on his giant, soft yet hard thigh, my legs kinda dangling, and because I’m so shocked, I’m just looking at him and holding his shoulders, frozen.

Emris nudges me toward the camera so I look.

Then I decide to smile for it.

This feels like we’re dating. Like we’re five years younger. Like I’m experiencing what it would be like to have a college boyfriend…the fun parts, the silly parts, the parts I missed out on.

The camera clicks for the second time and by the time I’m out of the booth, Emris comes out with the pictures.

“It looks good.” He says so I rise on my toes to look.

In the first picture…I haven’t looked at the camera yet. I’m looking down at his face and his hand is on my belly. Right where Amira grew like some part of him knows it was home to his daughter.

The next picture I’m looking at the frame, smiling, and he’s looking at me. Not the camera. With something soft in his eyes.

I feel my emotions spike. I put my hair behind my ears like a teenage girl with a crush.

Emris takes out something from his pocket. I don’t see it until his hand is in my hair, gathering it up, putting it in a bun while I’m looking up at him from below his chest.

I… I’m falling in love with Emris again. I can feel that fluttery feeling again. The same fluttery feeling that died and I thought would never arise ever again is now fluttering in my chest. Fluttering in my belly. Making me feel eighteen again.

When he’s done, he looks at my lips.

14

O OTG

111

O

10:31 Thu, May 14

Chapter 64

“I know Elena and the ladies of the Luna chapel threatened you.”

I blink at the topic.

76

“That’s why I kissed you in front of the parents. I needed a different rumor to overshadow that one they were spreading. When the news of mine and Elena’s divorce starts going around, that will change. Also, no one is gonna kick Amira out of school. Don’t even think of worrying about that.”

I blink again. Foolishly.

“Demi.” Emris says my name like it matters. “Are you taking me seriously now? Are you seeing that I’m trying to win you back? I don’t care that you had a kid with a man six feet under. Amira is a cute kid and I’d be stupid to not want her around me.

I swallow.

Where’s Emris going with this? Regardless of him not knowing Amira is his daughter, he’s open to dating a woman with a child. Is that what he’s about to say.

“I also do not…” He pushes his hand into his hair nervously. “I also do not care that you’ve been with… Alphas. I don’t care that I’m probably the worst person to give a chance out of all of them. I… I hope you… can still like me… enough to not make me reject you…?”

I have never in my life seen Emris look insecure.

He’s the one others chase. The one others hope to notice them. The one others want to look strong in front of

But now? It’s evident on his handsome face that he’s clearly suffering. Thinking he’s got competition when

there’s no one.

I want to scream at him that he’s the only one my body has ever touched. That five years later, that’s still true. But if I do, he might wonder what else I’m lying about. How would that explain Amira?

“Okay.” I say.

Emris holds my hands and the feeling of his warm hands in mine makes my face burn.

“I want to give you all of what you wanted five years ago. You asked for date nights. You never wanted to be a secret. You didn’t want gifts thrown at you.”

He squeezes my hands.

“I was focused on useless things but today, I will work every day on myself to be the man you deserve.” He takes a breath. “Will you go out with me on a date tomorrow? I’ll take you to buy a dress. I’ll take you to eat somewhere nice. I’ll hold your hand in public. I’ll open doors. I’ll be whatever you need…no more secrecy.”

I chuckle. While feeling his thumb in mine. While feeling my eyes get wet.

I know my voice is going to crack if I speak. So instead, I nod.

Emris brings my hand up and kisses my knuckles. Soft. Slow. Like I’m precious.

G

111

10:31 Thu, May 14