Someone Like You

Chapter Five

Simon wasn't aware of how it started but, at some point while he was kissing Emmy, there was music in his head. He couldn't identify what piece it was, but it was violent and passionate and it almost matched the beat of his heart.

Emmy's arms were wrapped around his neck and she kept pressing closer and closer to him, her clothes were already half off but he couldn't stop, his hands were running all over her body, discovering the curves and planes and the softness of her skin.

Simon was no stranger to women, or to an illicit rendezvous but there was something about Emmy that made everything different. But then, just as he was about to completely remove her nightgown, some shred of propriety asserted itself and Simon pushed Emmy a little away.

"We have to stop." Simon said.

Emmy was dazzled and breathless, with barely enough sense to pull the edges of her nightgown closed. "I-I don't know what happened." She shivered.

For a moment, Simon imagined wrapping his arms around Emmy, just to keep her warm but he shook his head and cast aside the idea. "Just go back to your room. We'll talk in the morning."

Shakily, Emmy turned and left without saying another word.

-000-

The next morning, Emmy was still feeling dazzled. After leaving Simon in the music room, she hadn't been able to sleep, she kept tossing and turning in bed, her body yearning for something she couldn't name, and her lips still felt puffy and swollen from kissing him so much.

Emmy was half dreading facing Simon at the breakfast table, but she had never been a coward and she wouldn't hide and pretend it had never happened. Simon had made her feel things Emmy had thought she would never feel again, not after Mathew broke her heart all those years ago.

Emmy wouldn't fool herself into believing she had romantic feelings toward Simon, but she certainly liked his kisses and part of her just wanted to live a little.

Simon, however, did seem determined to act like nothing had happened at all. He was quite circumspect during breakfast, barely looking at her from behind his newspaper and muttering a "Good morning,"

"Good morning," Emmy said, her cheerfulness just a little bit forced. "Did you sleep well?"

"As a matter of fact, no." Simon said, sending a glare in her direction above the edge of the paper.

"Me neither." Emmy sighed as she took a piece of toast from the platter in the middle of the table. Simon nodded but, again, wouldn't say anything further.

Emmy tried to engage him in conversation a few more times, but Simon was decidedly monosyllabic.

"Aren't we going to talk?" She asked finally.

"About what?"

"Last night."

"No." He said quickly.

"We should." Emmy said. "You can't pretend it didn't happen. That I'll go away. You can't pretend I will go away."

"No, I gave up hope of you going away a long time ago." Simon sighed.

"We can talk about this right here… or we can talk about it in private."

Simon pushed his newspaper away irritably and stood up. "Come." He said shortly and guided her toward the library, remaining silent until she was inside and he had closed the door behind her. "So, talk."

Emmy took a deep breath. "I know what happened last night was unexpected, but I'm not holding it against you."

"That would be hard to do as I know for a fact you enjoyed it." Simon said, just a touch too arrogantly for Emmy's liking.

"For what I felt last night, you were enjoying yourself just fine." Emmy said archly. "And that's part of what I wanted to talk to you about. I liked when you kissed me. I know I should act all mortified and embarrassed and the like, but I think we are quite past that." Emmy said, warming up to the idea that had come to her as she was tossing and turning in bed the night before.

"Go on."

"I'm not in love with you. Half the time I'm not even sure I like you. But I like your kisses. I did the starry-eyed in love thing once before and it didn't work… I'm almost six-and-twenty and I don't think I will go down that path again." Emmy said. "But I would like to kiss you again."

Simon stared at her dumbfounded. "I admit I liked kissing you, as you said before, it was quite plain to… 'notice' last night. But, what are you proposing, exactly?"

"Kisses, maybe a bit more. I don't really know much about these things, I assume you do." Simon smirked at that, but Emmy ignored him. "I'm not saying I want you to rid me of my virginity I just… I want to have fun." She finished in a rush, surprised as the words rushed out.

In the years since her parents died, she had had so little fun. She had stopped being young at 18, having to take care of two, grief-stricken girls. Emmy's life had been about survival, not about fun.

Simon was quiet for a little longer than Emmy would have liked, and he was looking at her quite intently, as if weighting the pros and cons of her proposition. Finally, he shook his head, "Interesting proposition. But how can I be sure you won't make demands later?"

"I'll give you my word." Emmy said indignantly. "We'll even keep it a secret if you do something for me."

"I don't respond well to being manipulated."

"It's not manipulation, just terms of agreement. I want you to teach me to play the piano."

"No."

"I know music means a lot to you," Emmy said. "It also means a lot to me. There has always been this part of my soul that only comes alive with music. I don't know why, no one in my family likes it as I do. I guess is my own thing… I never was able to truly learn… but I wanted it so badly, even though I knew it wasn't practical and…"

Emmy had begun to babble, and her voice took in such a tone of longing that it bothered what passed for his conscience these days.

"I suppose that if you don't want to-" Emmy babbled nervously but was cut off when Simon crossed the room in three strides and kissed her.

End of Chapter Five