“Yeah,” Emery said, unable to find adequate words herself. “It really was.”
Eveline shifted to look at her, dark eyes serious. “This isn't just…”
“No,” Emery said quickly, knowing what she was asking. “Not for me.”
Eveline's breathed out. “Good,” she said, pulling Emery closer. “Because I don't think I could bear it if it were.”
Emery rested her head on Eveline's chest, listening to the steady beat of her heart. The secret she carried felt heavier now. But as Eveline's fingers traced lazy circles on her bareshoulder, Emery couldn't bring herself to shatter this moment with confessions.
Tomorrow, she promised herself. Tomorrow, she would find the courage to tell Eveline everything. Why was it always tomorrow?
Chapter Twenty-One
Emery woke up feeling slightly disoriented. It took her a moment to remember where she was, in her own flat, in her own bed, after reluctantly leaving Eveline's place sometime after midnight. She had wanted to stay, to wake up wrapped in Eveline's warmth, but the nagging voice of responsibility had reminded her that she had no clean clothes at Eveline's and couldn't exactly show up to work in last night's rumpled outfit.
So she'd slipped away with whispered promises to see Eveline in the morning, collecting a lingering goodnight kiss that had nearly convinced her to stay despite all practical considerations.
Now, stretching in her own sheets, Emery felt a smile spreading across her face that she couldn't have held in if she'd tried. Her body still hummed with the memory of Eveline's touch, and her lips still tingled from their kisses. She buried her face in her pillow, letting out a small, giddy laugh.
“Pull yourself together,” she muttered to herself. But how could she when, just hours ago, Eveline Auclair had touched her, kissed her, whispered her name like it meant something?
She finally arrived at the bookshop early, even though she'd changed outfits about a million times, settling on a blue dress after a hurried video call with Jax.
But when she unlocked the shop door, the familiar bell jingling overhead, for a moment, panic seized her. What if last night had been a mistake? What if Eveline regretted it? What if…
“Good morning.”
Emery turned to see Eveline behind the counter, and all her anxieties fled. She looked beautiful in a simple green dress, her dark hair loose around her shoulders instead of in its usual bun. And there was a soft, almost shy smile on her face that made Emery's heart skip.
“Hi,” Emery said, feeling like a teenager with her first crush. “Um, good morning.”
They stood looking at each other for a long moment, neither quite sure how to act. Then Eveline moved forward.
“I missed you this morning,” she said quietly, reaching out to brush her fingers against Emery's.
Emery felt a blush warming her cheeks. “I wanted to stay,” she said. “But I thought it might be a bit obvious if I showed up today in yesterday's clothes.”
“Everyone would know exactly what we'd been up to,” Eveline agreed, her lips looking swollen with kisses.
“And we can't have that,” Emery said, heart starting to race again.
“Not yet, perhaps,” Eveline said, her fingers entwining with Emery's for a brief, electrifying moment before she stepped back. “Not that everyone we know doesn’t already assume we’re… well, we’re starting something.” She cleared her throat.“We should probably open the shop before anyone sees us standing here like love-struck fools.”
“Probably,” Emery said, though she made no move to do so. She was too busy memorizing the way Eveline looked in this moment, slightly flushed, eyes bright, lips curved in a smile.
Then the bell rang and the phone rang at the same time, and the first customers arrived, Emery finding herself smiling so much that her cheeks hurt. She couldn't help it. Everything felt lighter, more vibrant. Books she'd handled a hundred times before now seemed brand new.
The bell above the door jingled again, and Abe shuffled in, looking considerably recovered from his recent illness. His sharp blue eyes took in the atmosphere, and a knowing smile spread across his face.
“Well, well,” he said, making his way to his usual chair by the window. “The air feels different in here today.”
Emery busied herself straightening a display that didn't need straightening. “Does it? I hadn't noticed.”
“Mmm,” Abe hummed, clearly unconvinced. “Must be my imagination then.”
He settled into his chair, then reached into his coat, bringing out a small, leather-bound volume. “Found something while organizing my library,” he said. “Thought you two literary souls might appreciate it.”
Eveline came closer, curious. “What treasure have you unearthed now, Abe?”
