Dexter was always in love with Emma

I just discovered this show and immediately rewatched it. It’s so easy to fall in love with the characters, the storyline and whole production. It gives you everything you need, but leaves you wanting more.. and traumatized. I initially saw it through the lens of Emma secretly pinning for Dex, but Dex was too self centered and conceited to care, notice or acknowledge ( while being lovable and tragically handsome). After my rewatch, I think the love was, for the most part, always mutual.

In the Christmas flash back we see him sneak into her room with a bottle of wine, when he finds her asleep he is disappointed. In the first London scene, he didn’t want her to leave even asking her to stay the night. Yes, he brought his flavor of the week into the restaurant but she knew it wasn’t serious.

In Greece, I think he asked her to the beach so he could express his true feelings. Dexter said he fancied her and still fancies her. Emma was silent with a blank stare, he takes it back after fearing it wasn’t reciprocated. She accused him of “keeping her warm”, and he says it’s not true, actually surprised by the accusation. I think his last glimmer of hope was asking if she did twinkle for him and she basically answered no.

When it all clicked for me was in Paris. Emma mentions the irony of the situation when he is practically begging her to be with him, Dex asked “How?”. To him the irony was nonexistent because he was the one secretly pinning for her. To him Emma was the uninterested one, and Dex was never confident or thought he was good enough to be with her.