I smile, trying to ignore how close he is to me. My pulse quickens under the weight of his dark amber eyes trailing up and down my face. “It wasn’t a big deal. I saw myself in her. It’s hard not to want to help when you know what it feels like.”
Henry nods, and I can see his Adam’s apple bob up and down as he swallows hard. “It is a big deal. Don’t minimize yourself. You have a gift, Emma. You see and notice things about people that most people could care less about. That’s rare. Have you considered looking into counseling or something similar after graduation?”
I glance down, pretending to adjust my blouse and laugh. “That would require grad school, and that’s a much bigger time commitment than I have now.”
“Maybe,” he says, his tone thoughtful. “It may seem like a lot now, but if it means doing something you enjoy and not settling, then I think it’s worth it. And if not, we can figure something else out.”
The wordwecatches in my throat. I look up at him, tilting my lips into an innocent smirk. “You think I could do something like that?”
He tilts his head slightly. Studying me with that steady, unshakable confidence he seems to carry so effortlessly. “I don’t just think it. I know it.”
I meet his gaze, and the intensity in his dark eyes makes my chest tighten. Henry’s hand moves beside me and reaches out to caress my cheek. I tilt my head, leaning into his touch.
My eyelids flutter close before gently opening up to see his gaze on my lips. My tongue darts out to moisten my bottom lip before pulling the light pink skin between my teeth.
His stare turns a shade darker as he watches the motion. His breath hitches, and the sound sends a shiver down my back. I lean back on the bookshelf and invite him to step closer.
“Oh, Emma,” he whispers. His voice is low and rough, causing my stomach to do somersaults in the quiet of the library stacks. “What am I going to do with you?’
Henry’s thumb reaches up and gently traces my bottom lip. The motion was so simple, and yet, it made my insides feel like Jello.
“I have a few ideas,” I say without thinking. A deep shade of red settles on the top of my cheeks and sends a hot flash across my skin.
The corner of Henry’s lips forms a lopsided smirk, telling me he knew what I meant by the comment. He doesn’t hesitate before leaning in close. I close my eyes, anticipating a kiss, but it never comes.
His hot breath tickles my neck as his lips brush against the shell of my ear. I have to swallow the noises threatening to spill out. “Careful,Pajarito. I might take you up on those dirty little thoughts swimming through your head.”
Henry’s voice is teasing, but there’s an unmistakable heat behind each syllable. I clench my thighs together, trying to make my body realize I’m at work.
He straightens and steps away with a grin. The darkness in his eyes is replaced with his usual playfulness. It feels like whiplash. “So, dinner at my place Friday night. What do you say?”
I push myself off the bookshelf, my heart beating with excitement and a little of something else. “I think I can make that work.”
“You better,Pajarito,” he says with a wink.
A smile burns on my lips. I can feel my cheeks tightening from all the smiling I’ve been doing lately. It felt good.
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
CHAPTER 21
Istep into Henry’s apartment, and the smell of simmering spices and roasting vegetables immediately wraps around me like a warm embrace. The air is rich with the aroma of onions, garlic, and something faintly citrusy. Thankfully, Henry isn’t close enough to hear my stomach rumble.
“Something smells amazing,” I say, letting the door click shut behind me.
Henry appears from the kitchen, a towel slung over his shoulder and a tiny shadow at his feet. I smile when I see a dark green apron wrapped around his body, emphasizing his broad shoulders. Add that to the list of things I now find attractive.
“Hello, Mr. Darcy,” I say, crouching to pet the cat sprawled at my feet. The creature’s purring is comforting as I glide my hand across its thick coat.
“I should’ve named him Gatsby. He loves attention.”
“I’m going to pretend I recognize that reference.” I smirk before standing up. Mr. Darcy curls around my feet in protest, trying to trip me as I move farther into the room.
“You never readThe Great Gatsbyby F. Scott Fitzgerald? I feel like that’s a staple in most high school English courses,”Henry says, crossing his arms and leaning against the door frame.
“I might have, but I don’t remember. I told you I’m not much of a reader,” I shrug. “But I did finally finishPride and Prejudice. I would return it to you tonight, but I forgot it downstairs.”
I still couldn’t believe I finished it, but the look on Henry’s face made it all worth it.
