Page 50 of When You Smile

Taryn grinned and did just that. She caught Charlie’s mouth with hers, and their lips clung in delicious fashion. Dammit, their hands were too well behaved for their own good. Taryn wanted to touch Charlie, push the boundaries of decency, and act on the impulses she’d only dreamt about. Patience, she told herself, to little result. As they kissed, an unfamiliar zing moved through her, from her fingertips to her shoulders to the roots of her hair. Every erogenous zone she had, even ones she hadn’t been aware of, shot to life. When they pulled apart, Taryn’s entire world was different. Their first kiss had been wonderful, but laced with uncertainty and fear. This kiss came with purpose, intention, and a promise of more to come. There had honestly not been a more invigorating moment in Taryn’s life. “I could do that all day,” she confessed softly. Somehow her hands had made it to the small of Charlie’s back, the bark of the tree pressing against her fingers.

Charlie ran her thumb along Taryn’s bottom lip as if memorizing it. “I definitely see where people could lose time.”

Taryn knew one thing for certain. She would never regard this tree the same way again. She’d think of Charlie and her amazing mouth every single time she passed it. Bring on the walk to Spanish class because Taryn wanted to relive these tantalizing moments over and over again. Charlie in her arms, her warm lips moving over Taryn’s. Maybe they’d even revisit it someday. The fact that they now had the potential of a someday was logic-annihilating, but she wasn’t about to argue.

“When I see you tomorrow, will it be a date?” Taryn asked.

Charlie smiled. “Um, yeah. Is that okay?”

She jokingly looked unaffected. “I guess so or whatever.”

Charlie gasped and kissed her again. “That shut you up.”

“You will steal my words every time with those kind of moves.”

“Pocketing that information for when I need it. Now come on, youngster, I need to get you home.”

“Five years is literally nothing.”

“You and I both know it’s close to six.”

“If you say so…”

Charlie squeezed her hand and walked her dutifully to the doors of Alexander Hall. “Delivered, safe and sound.”

Taryn took a deep breath. She didn’t want to say good night but assured herself in the knowledge that she had more to look forward to. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Newsflash: you may hear from me much sooner.”

“I better.” Charlie kissed the back of her hand. It felt conservative after what they’d just done, but they were new, and a display in front of the building might be premature. Taryn understood. Charlie was also likely still coming to terms with her sexuality, and Taryn certainly didn’t want to apply anything close to pressure. “Good night, Taryn.”

“It really was,” she said before slipping inside the glass doors and offering a final wave.

The manner in which the evening began and ended was startling. She’d not shared with Charlie that she’d had an unfortunate run-in with Danny. She’d have to do that at some point. She’d also not asked for too many details about the last three days. What she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt was that she and Charlie were on the path they were destined to be on. She had no clue what lay ahead for them, but she was more than eager to finally, at long last, find the hell out.

* * *

What was this life, Charlie asked herself, as she checked her watch the day after she’d taken the terrifying leap. Her shift at the library had twenty-two minutes remaining before she planned to hurry home, change her clothes, grade a couple of essays to decrease her stack, and finally head to dinner with Taryn, who she couldn’t wait to lay eyes on. Taryn, she’d found, made every day so much better. She calmed Charlie’s storm with that soft, soulful gaze of hers. Just thinking about those eyes sent an enjoyable shiver.

“Where are you right now?” Emerson asked, leaning back against the counter. Caught again. This time, Charlie didn’t mind as much. They were manning the main desk that afternoon. “Because it looks pretty good. Danny again?”

Charlie smiled politely, not quite ready to show her cards to the world. Yet it was probably important for her to share her relationship status with those that were close to both her and Danny. “I do need to tell you something.”

“Juicy? Because you know I have to live through you. The single lane is trash these days.”

“Well, depends on your definition, but Danny and I aren’t together any longer.”

Emerson blinked. “I’m sorry. I just hallucinated. I thought you said you and Danny broke up, which I know is not cosmically possible.”

This would be difficult for someone like Emerson to digest. She turned off news broadcasts because she couldn’t face hearing anything negative. Her writing was squeaky clean to a fault. Charlie was not surprised that hearing of her friends’ breakup would be startling.

“Unfortunately, it’s true. We’re going our separate ways but most definitely going to remain friends. It was my choice.”

The smile dissolved on Emerson’s face. “Did he cheat on you?”

“No. He didn’t. Danny’s a good guy, just not right for me.”

“What’s he going to do with the ring?” Emerson immediately covered her mouth, realizing her error.

“What ring? What are you talking about?”

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