Clay pulled up to the Hayes Household. He knew Emma was inside and he had just over 45 minutes to spend with her. He planned on using every single second of it. He was going to make up for the fact that he was already breaking promises and cancelling dates. He had prepared a small speech on the way over to swoon her so she wouldn't possibly change her mind while he was gone. If he could just get out of the damn car.

He didn't know why he was so nervous. He had spent alone time with her before. But for some reason he couldn't get his body to move. Now that they had somewhat of a blessing from Jason, it made the whole thing real. He needed to impress her. He needed to win her over and let her know that he was a good guy and that he would make for a good boyfriend. And he wasn't the type to get nervous like this. But he was a goddamn United States Navy Seal and he wasn't afraid of anything. He stared down barrels of fully loaded weapons, facing a girl that he really liked was nothing.

He also was a little confused with himself because now that he thought about it, he found himself already deeply invested in whatever was going on between them. Clay wasn't one to get attached quickly but there was something about her that he felt drawn to. He didn't know if I was her knowledge on the life. The life of a Navy Seal. Stella couldn't handle it and broke his heart because of it. Maybe this was him being drawn to someone he knows wouldn't hurt him like that. In the future, she might cringe every time his phone pinged him for a spin up but she would kiss him goodbye and tell him to be safe. And then she would be waiting for him with a kiss and a hello when he got back.

He took a deep breath and opened the car door. With each step toward the front door of the house, his heart started pounding a little bit faster. He reached his hand up to knock on the door when it flew open, and he was met with the sight of the most beautiful girl in the world. He barely had time to register her beauty because before he knew it, she was pulling him inside the house by his hand. She pushed the door shut and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Their lips met with fervor, and he couldn't help but let a small moan slip from his throat. He grabbed her by the hips and moved their bodies further into the house. He had long forgotten about his nervousness, and it was replaced with passion. His heart pounding was no longer due to anxiety but because of the beautiful girl running her hands up and down his torso.

She broke the kiss and laid her forehead against his chest for a moment. Then she looked into his eyes and smiled, and it was the biggest smile Clay had ever seen from her. With her blushing red cheeks and panting breath. He caressed her cheeks and ran his hands through her hair. Neither of them said anything. They just embraced the moment between them.

"That was one hell of a kiss." Clay said with a smile.

"You're one hell of a guy." Emma replied.

Clay continued to caress her all over and thought of his next words. "I'm really sorry."

Emma shook her head and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Don't be. I'm just glad you're here."

"Me too. I didn't want to leave without seeing you. Your dad gave me the go ahead to come over."

"He's coming around to the idea of us."

"Yeeaaahh, I'm not sure what spell you cast on him to make him magically be okay with us seeing each other but whatever it was, he seems to be a lot better than he was this morning, He said he wanted to talk when were on the plane, which I'm fine with. I just feel terrible that I'm already breaking promises to you." He put his head down with a little shame.

She put a finger under his chin and lifted it up. She gave him a short, light kiss on the lips. "Don't worry about disappointing me, breaking promises, or missing dates. I promise you there is no hard feelings coming from me. I just want you to focus on doing your job, staying safe, and coming home to me."

Those words again. Come home to me. For some reason it sparked something inside him. It made him feel tingly in his stomach. Butterflies, he supposed, is what they were. But it made something inside him snap.

He quickly pressed his lips to hers once again, bent slightly and picked her up. Wrapping her legs around his waist, he pushed her gently up against the nearest wall. They explored each other's mouths with their tongues and moaned together. This wasn't what Clay had planned to do when he came here to say goodbye, but he also didn't have any protests in his head about it. Sure, Jason said no funny business, but Emma was just to goddamn irresistible to him.

They slowed the kiss down to a stop and Clay let her feet drop to the floor. "Nothing will stop me from coming home to you Emma."

She smiled and put her hand against his cheek. "Good. That's what I like to hear."

He kissed her one more time before walking out the door.