Elinor and Edward both nodded.
“Okay, well, get off the side of the highway then. I’ll follow for a little bit and make sure you’re good.”
“Thank you, sir.” Edward waited until the cop retreated before raising his window and turning to look at Elinor. “Hey there,” he said softly.
“Hey.” It wasn’t that she suddenly felt shy, but things would be different now. They could no longer ignore what had been simmering between them for quite a while.
Edward checked his mirrors and glanced over his shoulder before merging back onto the highway. They both watched the cop in the rearview mirror until he finally passed them up a half-mile later. Elinor leaned down to pick up stray Skittles, but Edward protested.
“Please don’t. I’ll get them cleaned up later. How’s your head?”
“I’m okay. It’s just a bump.”
“Are you sure? Don’t fall asleep.” He reached over and took her hand, rubbing his thumb into her palm. The feel of it was both comforting and distracting, sending tingles up her spine.
“What are you thinking about?” she asked. He was concentrating on the road now, but that didn’t mean his mind wasn’t chewing on something.
“I was thinking about the night we met. I wanted to kiss you then. I was debating about whether I should’ve just gone for it.”
“Before or after our game of twenty questions?” She sighed. “I’m sorry to say, I’m glad you didn’t. I would have thought you were a scoundrel.”
“A scoundrel. Wow. I kind of like the sound of that.”
She laughed. “Well good, because maybe you’re a scoundrel now. You’re still my boss, and you’re still… engaged.”
“Minor details. Besides, if I recall, you asked me to kiss you.”
“I did not.”
“You grabbed the front of my shirt and twisted. If that’s not asking, I don’t know what is.”
Elinor covered her face with her hands, not that she could put out the fire rushing over her skin. “Thanks. For that.” She was discovering just how much Edward liked to tease when he felt comfortable around a person.
“Elinor.” He said her name like a caress. “I’m sorry. I’ll shut up about it now. Or we can analyze it to death. Whatever will make you happy. I’m just not sure what that is.”
“If I figure it out, I’ll let you know.” She bit her lip and stared out the window. “I don’t regret it, truly. I’m just… trying not to freak out right now. I’ve spent a lot of effort convincing everyone I’m indifferent to you.”
“But you’re not.” He said it with such a smile in his voice, she didn’t even have to look to know how happy that made him.
She was happy, too. Joyously happy. She’d been reliving the last few minutes over and over in her mind, while her stomach did pleasant flip flops and her heart skipped ahead to what time together might look like in the future. But that meant the potential to be unhappy was there too. With some alarm, Elinor realized that was no better than Marianne’s tendency to jump in with both feet. Instead of living the highs and lows as they came, Elinor worried about whether she should feel them at all.
