Emma

The after-party buzzed with laughter and music. The garden, now bathed in the warm glow of fairy lights, held a fresh kind of enchantment.

I stood to the side, feeling the weight of my earlier realization pressing on me. Eric was right. I needed to step back from Jake—for so many reasons.

But tonight, I made a promise to myself. I would push those thoughts aside and be fully present.

For one last time, I would enjoy Jake's company, free from all the complications, secrets, and lies.

Tonight, we were simply two people—a boy and a girl with an undeniable connection between them. No con artist or FBI agent, no secrets or regrets. Just the pleasure of each other's company.

Letting out a sigh, I scanned the crowd and found him easily. His laughter carried through the air, a familiar melody amidst the chaos. He had shed his suit jacket, joining friends for an impromptu dance with Luke that was full of joy and a little disorder.

After they finished, our eyes met, and his smile was a beacon in the sea of faces, drawing me toward him. I took a deep breath and moved through the crowd, leaving my doubts behind.

"Dance with me," Jake said, extending his hand.

I smiled. "Are you asking or telling?"

He grinned. "A bit of both. You looked like you needed rescuing from that last conversation."

I laughed. "You noticed." The conversation I'd just had was with one of Jake's friends, an insurance investigator. It had been all about art theft and fraud. And well, it had gotten a bit uncomfortable, especially when he mentioned a certain piece Eric and I had acquired under less-than-ideal circumstances.

Jake took my hands and looked at me with a tenderness that made my heart ache. "I notice a lot when it comes to you."

My smile faltered for a moment, and the ache in my heart intensified, but then Dance Me to the End of Love started playing. I pushed aside the dark thoughts and squeezed Jake's hand. "Let's dance."

Jake smiled and I let him guide me onto the dance floor. The world seemed to shrink to just the two of us, the soft glow of the fairy lights creating a gentle, intimate space around us.

Jake drew me close, his hands resting gently on my back. I felt the warmth of his touch, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat against mine.

We moved together effortlessly as if we'd been dancing like this forever. The rhythm of the song was slow and tender, and we both lost ourselves in it.

"Is this what you imagined for tonight?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

He smiled, a bit wistful. "I didn't know exactly what to expect, but I'm glad it's this."

We shared a quiet laugh, and I felt my worries and doubts melting away. The earlier tension seemed like a distant memory, replaced by the warmth of this moment. I looked into Jake's eyes, and for a brief second, everything felt right.

He pulled me a bit closer. "You know," he said softly, "I've been thinking a lot about tonight. I wanted it to be special, for both of us."

I could hear the sincerity in his voice, and it made me feel a deep sense of loss. A loss of something I never truly had.

"It is special," I said, feeling a lump in my throat. "It's more than I could have hoped for."

The song reached its chorus, and Jake's hands found mine, holding them gently. We danced in silence for a while, letting the music speak for us.

As the song drew to a close, Jake and I stayed in each other's arms, savoring the moment a little longer.

I looked into his eyes. "Thank you for this. For everything."

Jake looked at me with a glimmer of mischief in his eyes. "Tonight's been more than amazing, but I promise, it's not quite over yet," he said, a hint of something mysterious in his voice.

I tilted my head. "What do you mean?"

Jake just smiled, his eyes twinkling. "You'll see."

Before I could say more, Luke and Chloe joined us, their faces beaming with the joy of the evening.

"Congratulations," I said warmly, hugging Chloe. "You both look so happy."

"Thank you," Chloe replied, returning the hug. "You were wonderful just now."

I chuckled. "Oh, it's nothing compared to you two."

I turned to Luke and gave him a friendly hug.

"I'm thrilled to finally meet the infamous Emma," he said, giving Jake a playful side-eye. Jake rolled his eyes but smiled.

Luke's gaze softened as he looked back at me. "You've really made this night special for us. I haven't seen Jake this happy in ages. He's more comfortable with you than he's been with anyone else."

Jake and I exchanged a glance, words unnecessary as the moment spoke for itself.

Chloe's eyes sparkled as she joined in. "We're heading to the Caribbean for our honeymoon. I'm so excited to hit the beach and unwind. Our flight's about to board, so we need to get going!"

My heart was full of genuine happiness for them. "Have an amazing time," I said. "You both deserve it."

With a final wave, Luke and Chloe drove off in a car decorated with a classic "Just Married" sign, leaving Jake and me standing together as the party continued around us.

Jake looked at me, his eyes full of warmth. "Ready for the next part of the night? I promise it'll only keep getting better."

I smiled. "Lead the way."

***

My mind was racing with guesses, trying to piece together what Jake might be planning.

And well, I might have expected a late-night coffee or a walk through Central Park—not this. Not the Empire State Building.

When we parked outside the towering icon of the city, I turned to him, confused. "What are we doing here?"

He just smiled, that playful grin lighting up his face. "You'll see."

Inside, we were greeted by a sharply dressed man who shook Jake's hand and said, "Everything is ready."

Ready for what? I had no idea, but curiosity gnawed at me as we were led to the elevator. We rode it in silence, the soft hum of the machinery almost mirroring the buzz in my chest.

The doors opened to reveal a private floor, and I gasped. A table was set up with candles flickering in the dim light, flowers carefully arranged, and a fancy bottle of wine waiting for us. The city below stretched out in all its glowing glory, but my attention was locked on the moment.

"How did you pull this off?" I asked, genuinely stunned.

He shrugged like it was no big deal. "The manager owed me a favor," he said with a grin. "I helped him out with something a while back, and, well... this is the least I could do."

I shook my head in disbelief, completely floored. "Jake, this is... I don't even know what to say."

I was truly speechless. The effort he had gone through, the thought behind it—it wasn't just romantic. It was meaningful. He poured the wine, handed me a glass, and we sat down, the world outside melting away.

"It's just a small thank-you," he said after a sip, his voice soft. "You didn't have to come with me tonight, but you did. Plus, you've got big things ahead, Emma. I thought we should celebrate before the whirlwind of work sweeps you away."

I smiled, a warmth spreading through me, but there was a strange weight in the air—like there were things left unsaid between us.

Jake leaned back in his chair, looking out at the skyline for a moment before turning to me. "You ever think about all the things we don't say? The ones we keep locked up because we're afraid to mess things up?"

His question lingered in the air between us, heavy and real. "All the time," I replied truthfully. "I guess that's what makes it so complicated. Saying it out loud could change everything."

Like maybe you getting to know the truth about me. The thought gnawed at my heart.

"Yeah," he said, his voice low, and I noticed the hint of something unspoken in his eyes. "But sometimes, it's worth the risk."

Before I could respond, he stood and reached for my hand. "Come on. I told you the night's only getting better."

He led me to another elevator, and we ascended higher—up to the 103rd floor. When the doors opened, we stepped onto a small, secret balcony.

"Welcome to the top of New York," Jake said.

I blinked, stunned by the sight before me. The wind was soft but carried the coolness of the evening, and the view... it was like the entire city was laid out just for us. Everything seemed so far away, yet we were right there, on top of it all.

I felt Jake's hand tighten around mine, and when I looked at him, his expression was serious, intense. "Emma, I have to tell you something."

My heart pounded. "What is it?"

He hesitated, just for a second, before finally saying, "I really like you. And I don't want to keep pretending that I don't."

The confession hit me like a wave. My mind raced, trying to figure out what to say, what to feel, but I couldn't think straight. Jake's feelings were so real, so honest, and here I was, the girl who had been conning him all along.

But as I stood there, his words hanging between us, I couldn't deny the pull I felt toward him.

Jake leaned in, his gaze lingering on my lips. I felt frozen, unable to pull away. I let my eyes flutter shut, and then, softly, our lips met—gentle, as if we were both tasting the waters and trying to save this moment before it bloomed into something more.

When we broke apart, my heart raced as if it were trying to escape my chest. This wasn't supposed to happen. I wasn't supposed to feel this way about him. I couldn't.

But before I could grasp the whirlwind of emotions, Jake spoke again, his green eyes captivating in a way I had never seen before.

"I've been waiting for this," he murmured, his voice soft but sure. "But no more waiting, Emma. Whatever this is... I want it."

His words washed over me, melting away the worries I'd been holding onto for so long. And in that moment, the only thing that felt right was to close the space between us again. I leaned in and kissed him, this time with more certainty, more need.

For the first time in forever, all the doubts, all the fears vanished. And as we stood there, high above the city, I realized something, more terrifying than anything I had ever known.

I wasn't just falling for him.

I had already fallen. Hard, and with no safety net.