Page 50 of Capture The Moment

“What’s wrong? I thought you’d be happy.”

“Happy. Yes. I’m…happy. It’s just been a long day, and I’m tired. That’s all.”

Finn pushed his chair back from the table and stood. “I’ll get out of your hair then. Are we good? No hard feelings?”

She started to shake her head again but corrected it to a nod instead, even though, inside, she was still reeling. How had it become so easy for him to dismiss what had happened between them? The way he’d touched her, kissed her, gazed at her. She was sure that he’d felt the same things she had that night, but now it was like the kiss had never happened.

She followed him to the front door in a daze and watched as he pulled on his boots and flannel jacket. He started to leave, but then turned back around, one hand still on the doorknob.

“Promise me something,” he said solemnly.

“What?”

“Promise me that you won’t shut me out like that again. You’re my friend, and I care about you. You can always talk to me. About anything. I mean it.”

Gazing into his clear blue eyes, she almost caved and told him what she’d been thinking on her way home from the bookshop. But she couldn’t. Not after what he’d just said. And she had no one to blame but herself. She’d asked him to forget about the kiss, and he had. Just like that.

Not trusting herself to speak, she just nodded and gave him a tentative smile.

And then he reached out and cupped her cheek with his warm palm, just like he had that night at his house in front of the fireplace. Only, this time, when he leaned in, he barely brushed his lips against her forehead instead of capturing hers in a passionate kiss.

She stood there like a zombie and waved goodbye as he drove away with a satisfied smile on his face. When she went to bed that night, she replayed their conversation in her head, trying to make sense of it. And he’d thought she’d be happy with the news. Little did he know, he was dead wrong.