AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“No, I can’t.” I approach the bed, bending down to brush her hair from her face. “Just one night. Remember, demon?”
She nods, her face falling slightly. “It was a good night, Nick.”
“Yeah.” I offer her up a small smile. “It was. But now it’s over. This thing between us? It’s done. You got me?”
“I got you,” she whispers. “I know the deal.”
Turning over, she severs our connection, allowing me to take my leave. And though I should be relieved, I’m surprisingly unsettled.
I’m unsettled when she comes to pick J up the next day and honks instead of coming inside.
I’m unsettled when my sister remains none the wiser because for the first time in the history of their friendship, Daph withholds information.
And I’m unsettled two days later when I find myself scratching at her window in the middle of the night, like a dog begging to be let inside.
CHAPTER 21
NOW
DAPHNE
I sit perched on one of the barstools at my kitchen island when the sound of the doorbell echoes into the apartment.
“Luc!” I call out as I continue to roughly sketch ideas for the remodel Shannon wants me to do in the bedrooms. “Door!”
“Can you get it, sweet cheeks?! I’ve got one more set left! Can’t break up my flow!”
Slamming my pencil down, I roll my eyes as I hop from the stool and pad across the room. I don’t know why he bothers to lift weights. The man hasn’t done an ounce of anything resembling manual labor a day in his life.
I reach the door just as the bell sounds out once more, followed by what sounds to be several kicks.
“I’m coming!” I grind out just as I tug at the handle.
The door swings inward, bringing me face to face with a billowy cushion of white. I blink several times, stepping back to take in the sight of the expansive fluff when I realize it’s actually a large arrangement of bright white dahlias.
A throat clears behind the large mass, bringing me out of my stupor and prompting me to step aside. “Sorry. Come in.”
“Thank you.” The arrangement shifts to the side, allowing an older gentleman’s face to peek through. “The vase and the water make it all just a bit heavy for these old arms.” He smiles.
“Looks like you’re managing just fine, sir.” I chuckle. “But yeah, those look heavy as hell. You can place it down right over here.” Gesturing toward the kitchen, I lead him to the island, where he places them carefully atop the marble. “Sorry you had to lug ‘em all the way up here.”
“Aw, that’s okay, ma’am.” He reaches into his back pocket, withdrawing something resembling a smartphone. After swiping at the screen several times, he holds it out for me to sign. “Somebody’s gotta bring flowers to all the pretty girls of Queen City.”
“Seems like you’re just the man for the job.” I smile brightly at him.
“That I am, ma’am.” Looking to the flowers, he reaches over and plucks the small white envelope from within the blooms, handing it over to me. “Someone’s clearly very smitten with you.”
Lifting the flap, I slide out the plain piece of pale cardstock to reveal two simple words followed by a single letter.
I overstepped.
-N
“I don’t know about all that,” I murmur as my fingers run atop the indents made by the pressure of his pen. Images of last weekend swirl in my mind, and even in the presence of my still-lingering shame, I tremble at the memory of his body pressed against my own.
What we did was wrong. My head knows that. I just wish my heart would catch up.
Glancing up, I find the delivery man eyeing me curiously. I school my features, allowing an easy smile to slip back into place.
