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Back The Companion Project Save as PDF
Chapters (89)
  1. Dedication
  2. AUTHOR’S NOTE
  3. ONE
  4. HENRY
  5. TWO
  6. EMMA
  7. THREE
  8. HENRY
  9. FOUR
  10. EMMA
  11. FIVE
  12. EMMA
  13. SIX
  14. SEVEN
  15. HENRY
  16. EIGHT
  17. NINE
  18. TEN
  19. HENRY
  20. ELEVEN
  21. TWELVE
  22. EMMA
  23. THIRTEEN
  24. HENRY
  25. FOURTEEN
  26. HENRY
  27. FIFTEEN
  28. SIXTEEN
  29. EMMA
  30. SEVENTEEN
  31. HENRY
  32. EIGHTEEN
  33. HENRY
  34. NINETEEN
  35. HENRY
  36. TWENTY
  37. TWENTY-ONE
  38. EMMA
  39. TWENTY-TWO
  40. EMMA
  41. TWENTY-THREE
  42. HENRY
  43. TWENTY-FOUR
  44. EMMA
  45. TWENTY-FIVE
  46. EMMA
  47. TWENTY-SIX
  48. EMMA
  49. TWENTY-SEVEN
  50. HENRY
  51. TWENTY-EIGHT
  52. EMMA
  53. TWENTY-NINE
  54. HENRY
  55. THIRTY
  56. HENRY
  57. THIRTY-ONE
  58. HENRY
  59. THIRTY-TWO
  60. EMMA
  61. THIRTY-THREE
  62. HENRY
  63. THIRTY-FOUR
  64. EMMA
  65. THIRTY-FIVE
  66. EMMA
  67. THIRTY-SIX
  68. HENRY
  69. THIRTY-SEVEN
  70. EMMA
  71. THIRTY-EIGHT
  72. HENRY
  73. THIRTY-NINE
  74. HENRY
  75. FORTY
  76. EMMA
  77. FORTY-ONE
  78. HENRY
  79. FORTY-TWO
  80. FORTY-THREE
  81. EMMA
  82. FORTY-FOUR
  83. EMMA
  84. FORTY-FIVE
  85. HENRY
  86. EPILOGUE
  87. ALSO BY CHELSEA CURTO
  88. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  89. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

“Speaking of, I don’t think we should live together yet. My mother might outright disown me if she learns I have a live-in partner and this is the first she’s heard about it. Fake live-in partner. God, this is confusing.”

“Who’s saying I’d agree to move in with you after four months, anyway?” I challenge. Another foot. Another step. Another inch. I have to tilt my chin to look at him, and I’m met with another grin in return. “I’m very independent.”

“Tell me something I don’t know. I’m not going to introduce you to everyone as, ‘My girlfriend, Emma.’ Are you kidding? You’ll always be Emma first. Whatever title you want to tack onto it after is up to you.”

My pulse speeds up. “Really?”

“Really. You’re your own person. Fake dating doesn’t change that. Hell, even real dating shouldn’t change that.”

“I’m not sure anyone’s ever treated me like that before. Like I exist as my own person outside a relationship with someone.”

Henry’s eyes darken. “Sounds like you haven’t been with the right men, then.”

We’re standing too close. My chest is pushing into his stomach and my entire neck is bared to him. A not-so-gentle reminder how dominating his presence is and how it’s still not enough.

“We should get to the cookies,” I whisper.

It’s the only rational thing I can say without confessing that no, I obviously haven’t been with the right men, because standing inches away from him, looking into those destructive eyes, a half-dimple peering at me from his cheek, I feel more of a desire than I have with any of my long-term relationships in the past. I feel more at peace. I feel more cared for and seen. I feel more… at home.

A fleeting, unreadable look flashes across his face and he retreats backwards, away from me, the distance feeling like miles.

“Right. Cookies.”

I may not be able to decipher what his face is conveying, but the disappointment in his tone is all I can hear, ringing in my ears as I follow him to the kitchen.

TWENTY-TWO

EMMA

Henry is an abysmal sous-chef.

It’s so bad, it’s comical.

I’m doing my best to not laugh at him, because he’s working really hard, but I can’t help it, tucking my chin into my shoulder to smother the fit of giggles racking through me.

His determination and perseverance, however, is astonishing. I thought he would have given up 20 minutes ago when raw egg ended up on his foot. He’s persisted, sticking out the treacherous task, biting his lip in concentration as he finishes rolling the last ball of raw dough, refusing to be a quitter.