I may have encouraged the latter.
The afternoon air was cool as I carried the last of her bags outside and placed them carefully into the back seat of the SUV. The door shut with a soft thud. When I closed the boot and turned back toward her, she hadn’t moved.
She stood at the end of the driveway, staring at the house.
Her childhood home loomed behind her—large, immaculate, and utterly lifeless.
“I never want to live there again,” she whispered when I stepped up behind her and wrapped my arms loosely around her waist.
Her body leaned into mine without thinking.
“You’ll need to face them someday,” I murmured, dipping my head to brush a kiss against her cheek.
“Not today,” she said, her shoulders sagging as she released a long breath.
There was a tremor in it.
“Come on,” I said lightly, tightening my arm around her for a moment before letting go.“I’ll buy you some ice cream.”
She twisted out of my hold and looked at me like I’d just insulted her intelligence.
“God, you really see me as a kid.”
I shrugged, refusing to take the bait.
Better she direct that irritation at me than let her mind spiral back toward the people inside that house.
“I’d rather you be angry than miserable,” I thought, though I didn’t say it out loud.
“What about a chocolate milkshake?” I said, opening the passenger door for her and gesturing her inside.
She slid into the seat, her expression still sour.
“Don’t you have diabetes or something?” she asked snidely.
I chuckled, leaning down to shut her door before walking around the front of the SUV.
By the time I climbed into the driver’s seat, I was still laughing.
Stella crossed her arms and stared out the window like she was deeply offended by the entire concept of milkshakes.
God, she was adorable when she was annoyed.
I started the engine and pulled away from the curb.
She was so fucked when we got home.
The gloves were coming off.
???
“How’s your ice cream?” I asked, because she hadn’t said a word since we stopped for it.
She sat curled slightly into the passenger seat, the small paper tub balanced in her hands as the evening light spilled through the windshield.
“Mmm. So good,” she said, closing her eyes briefly before licking her wooden spoon clean.“Do you want the last spoonful?”
“I wouldn’t want my sugar levels to spike,” I said dryly as I slowed the SUV and turned into the driveway.
