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“No, I want you to. I mean, if you want to,” Quinn added, a hint of uncertainty crossing her face.
Rebecca studied Quinn’s expression, seeing the genuine warmth in her eyes.
And so, with a small smile, she accepted. “I’d love to. What time?”
“How about eight?” Quinn suggested.
“Sounds perfect. I’ll bring a bottle of wine.” A thought occurred to her. “Do you have popcorn?”
“I do,” Quinn said, her lips curving into a grin.
Maybe it was because Rebecca knew what Quinn was going through right now, but she found herself drawn to Quinn in a way she hadn’t expected.
She caught herself staring at Quinn’s smile, the way it lit up her entire face, and she took a deep breath, steadying herself. “Great,” she said, her voice sounding strangely husky to her own ears. She cleared her throat. “I’ll see you at eight, then.”
Quinn said goodbye and got into her car, and Rebecca watched her drive away. When she went back inside and sat at her desk, Rebecca struggled to concentrate.
She knew what the problem was. She felt guilty, because she was in the middle of Sarah and Quinn. Sarah wanted to know what was going on with her daughter, and even though Rebecca knew, she couldn’t say anything to Sarah.
She also felt a bit strange about spending more time with Quinn lately than Sarah, but at the same time, she was so glad that she was there for Quinn.
Even though Quinn had Piper Emerson, Rebecca hoped that after last night, Quinn could trust her and ask her anything.
11
Quinn settled into the couch and placed the large bowl of popcorn between her and Rebecca, the salty smell wafting up and mingling with the scent of wood smoke from the fire. Her glass of wine, almost full, sat on the coffee table in front of her. She picked it up and took a sip.
She reached for the remote to start the movie. Quinn knew that this was a bad idea. Spending more time with Rebecca would only make her feelings harder to ignore. But she pushed the thought aside. She really hadn’t been looking forward to watching this movie on her own, and she wasn’t going to break her tradition with Piper, no matter how scary this movie was.
The rain outside hit the windows in a rhythmic patter, a soothing background noise that seemed to grow louder as the night wore on. What had started out as a beautiful day shifted into a miserable evening as the sun was setting, and now the rain continued to fall.
Quinn glanced over at Rebecca, who was watching her with a relaxed smile. “Ready?” Quinn asked, trying to sound casual.
Rebecca nodded, and Quinn hit play.
Rebecca reached for a handful of popcorn, seemingly unfazed by the ominous music swelling from the television.
“I can’t believe you voluntarily watch horrors,” Quinn said, shaking her head in disbelief.
Rebecca let out a lighthearted laugh, her eyes crinkling at the corners. “I remember the trailer for this. It’s not going to be that bad,” she assured her, settling back into the couch.
As the movie began, Quinn found herself on edge, jumping at every creepy moment. She glanced sidelong at Rebecca, who was engrossed in the film, seemingly unperturbed by the early scares unfolding on the screen.
Quinn’s hand brushed against Rebecca’s as they both reached into the popcorn bowl, and she felt a jolt of electricity run through her. Quickly, she withdrew her hand, her heart pounding in her chest. Needing a distraction, she stood up and added another log to the crackling fire, then returned to the kitchen to refill their wine glasses.
Settling back onto the couch, Quinn found herself drifting closer to Rebecca, drawn in by her calm presence and the warmth radiating from her body. As the movie continued, Quinn jumped several times, her nerves heightened by the suspenseful soundtrack and the increasing sense of dread as Piper’s character struggled with the demonic forces taking over the old house she’d inherited.
Quinn’s heart raced as the movie reached its climactic moments. She glanced over at Rebecca, whose brow was furrowed in concentration, completely engrossed in the film. Quinn couldn’t believe how calm and collected Rebecca seemed, while she felt so on edge.
Sinking deeper into the couch, the empty bowl on the floor beside the couch, Quinn tried to focus on the movie, but her mind kept wandering back to the woman sitting beside her. The warmth of Rebecca’s arm brushing against her own made Quinn very aware of their proximity.
Quinn’s thoughts drifted to the night before, when she had confided in Rebecca about what had happened on set. Her attention was no longer on the movie, and it was impossible to ignore just how much Quinn wanted to lean into those innocent touches.
The slamming of a door on screen startled her so much that she instinctively reached for Rebecca’s hand.
Rebecca looked at her, surprise flickering across her face before she gave Quinn a reassuring smile. Rebecca held onto her hand, her thumb brushing gently over Quinn’s knuckles.
Quinn’s breath hitched in her throat as she felt the heat radiating from Rebecca’s touch. She looked down at their intertwined hands, feeling a strange mix of fear and excitement coursing through her veins.
