I watched as Emma undid the zipper of her cocktail dress and gracefully stepped out of the pooling fabric. I would have offered to help her, but she clearly had it in hand and a part of me doubted she wanted me anywhere near her.

I undid my tie and slipped out of my jacket, which I mindlessly hung in the closet. Still in her silk slip, Emma padded into the bathroom and immediately began to run the faucet.

I tossed my tie on the bed and followed her.

She was leaning toward the mirror as she used some special wipe to take off her makeup. I shoved my hands into the pockets of my slacks and leaned against the doorframe.

"I don't want to go to bed fighting."

Emma stilled as she glanced at me through the bathroom mirror. "And if I need time to think about it?"

I inhaled a deep breath, but respecting her wishes, turned on my heel to leave.

"No—wait!"

I slowly turned back to face her. Emma was worrying her bottom lip and she fidgeted with the wipe she still held in her hand. Eventually, she glanced up at my reflection through the mirror but still, she hesitated.

"Ems?"

"Am... am I the only one trying to figure things out..." With a huff, she rolled her eyes at her own awkwardness. "With our trial contract, I mean."

I rubbed at the back of my neck as I considered my options. After a moment, I opted for the straight truth. "Last time I mentioned wanting to marry you, I got in trouble."

Emma nodded as she turned to lean against the bathroom counter. "Well, I'm already mad at you, so..."

I smirked at her attempted humor, but sobered quickly and sighed. "I know what I want, Ems."

"Does it..." She cleared her throat and looked down at her bare feet. "Does it hurt you that I don't?"

I shook my head adamantly. "Means the world to me that you're trying to figure it out."

She nodded at her feet and I took her silence as my cue to leave. I tapped my hand once on the doorframe and turned to change in the bedroom.

"We're not," she said suddenly before clearing throat again and raising her now glossy eyes to meet mine. "We're not going to bed fighting."

The strain in my neck lessened as her words sank in. I nodded once and then hesitated, afraid what I might say could reignite her anger.

"For the record," I said slowly as her eyes again found mine. "I do respect you, Ems. Immensely, I do. And I do see your strength, I just... I know my world can be a bit... I know it's not what you would've chosen for yourself is all."

With a tight smile, I headed back into the bedroom to undress. When Emma finished in the bathroom, we swapped places. By the time we finally crawled into bed, I was physically and emotionally exhausted.

I switched off the light and just as I settled back into the sheets, fully prepared to stare up at the ceiling until I finally dropped off into unconscious oblivion, Emma pushed my arm up and nestled her head onto my chest.

I sighed as I wrapped my arm tightly around her waist and pulled her closer into me.

"I did choose it, Tom." She murmured sleepily in the dark. "When I chose you."