“Absolutely not!”
Keena glanced over at her and Brice rolled her eyes as another giggle escaped her. Apparently the woman must be able to sniff out a lie.
“Okay, maybe a little,” Brice sighed dramatically. She would never admit to Carmella that her worldly advice was always right. If she did, Carmella would never let her live it down.
Brice glanced over at Keena and saw that hint of a smile again. She pointed at Keena.
“Look at that. You do smile!” She exclaimed.
“No I don’t.” Her expression immediately transformed to something guarded.
“You just did. I saw it.”
“I didn’t.”
“You did!”
“Brice.” The way Keena said her name did something strange to her stomach. It was low and quiet with just enough warmth that sent a shiver down her spine. She bit her lip and even felt a warming sensation between her legs that felt way too intimate.
Brice swallowed hard. The snow continued to fall around them. The silence that followed didn't feel awkward and she was grateful for the few moments she’d been given to learn a little about the beautiful enforcer.
Heart and Story appeared ahead and its front windows glowed softly in the dark. The garland around the railing sparkled with tiny white lights and the gold lettering on the sign above the door gleamed beneath a dusting of snow. The apartment windows on the second floor were dark, except for the small lamp Brice had left on in the front room.
Home.
For the first time in years, the word felt right.
Keena pulled the wagon up beside the door and stopped.
“Well.” Brice cleared her throat. She offered a small smile to Keena. Trying to get back to the shop alone probably would have been a disaster. Nandi had helped her lug all of the stuff to the market earlier, but even with as much as she sold, it probably would have taken her longer to get back on her own. “You saved me and my books from a dramatic sidewalk tragedy.”
“Glad to help.” Keena’s amber eyes settled on her. The way the woman looked at her stole Brice’sbreath. There was an intensity in them that made her stomach flutter.Did she look at everyone that way? Or onlyher? She bit her lip and pulled her keys out of her coat pocket.
“I should probably repay you,” she said.
“You don’t owe me anything.” Keena’s gaze sharpened slightly.
“I know.” Brice took in a deep breath and drew up courage from the depths of her belly. “Would you like some coffee?”
Keena went very still.
Brice’s courage nearly abandoned her. She didn’t want the woman to bolt from her like she had the last time. She motioned to the wagon.
“To repay you. Not because I’m trying to lure you into my bookstore with caffeine. Although to be fair. I’m told that I do make really good coffee.” She pointed up to her apartment. “I live upstairs. I mean—not that you have to come up stairs… Unless you want to. The coffee bar is downstairs and everything is clean and shut off, but I could make us coffee upstairs. Unless that’s weird. Am I being weird? You probably don’t want coffee. You probably don’t even like coffee.”
Brice knew she was babbling, and it didn’t help that Keena was staring at her.
“I’m just going to stop talking now.” Brice closed her eyes for a moment. She was bombing. It had been a while since she had even tried her shot at any woman and this one right here was looking at her as if she had grown an additional head.
A soft sound escaped Keena.
Brice opened one eye.
Keena was smiling. Not almost. Actually smiling. It was small, as if she hadn’t used those certain muscles in a long time.
But it was there.
An actual smile.
