Page 40 of Love and Cherish

“I don’t think that’s a realistic assessment.” Cherish’s face pinched.

“Oh, please don’t apologize again.” Haylee laughed, but Cherish could see how serious she was about the plea. “I can’t take another apology from the great Cherish Barkley.”

Cherish’s cheeks burned even hotter, and she looked around, searching for something to buy that Febe would approve of so they could get back to the office. The office was her safety net, the place where all her priorities were set straight.

“Cherish.” Haylee’s fingers rested lightly on her wrist. Cherish looked up and wondered what kind of spell this blonde beauty had put on her. “I didn’t mean the dinner or the kiss. I’m just not used to being apologized to, I guess.”

“Why not?”

“I fuck up. I try not to, but I tend to anyway. I figure I deserve what I get, and normally people agree.” Haylee gave a sad smile.

“You deserve to be treated with respect, Haylee.”

Their eyes met, and Cherish wanted nothing more than to take Haylee in her arms and hold her until she believed what Cherish said. How could someone so young honestly think it was okay to be treated badly but not okay to be apologized to? And when the hell were they going to kiss again? Because right now, it wouldn’t take much to lean in and have a reprise of last night.

“So…” Haylee coughed, breaking the spell and pulling her eyes away. “What kind of dog would you get?”

“I miss my German shepherds.” Cherish took the out for what it was. As much as she wanted to talk about their kiss, they had both neatly avoided any real conversation on the topic. Perhaps they both were as adept at that as they were at masking who they really were in the real world.

“You already have dogs? Are they back home?” Haylee snagged up a small baby hat and grinned at it.

“Shaggy passed away two years ago now. My parents don’t have the time and energy to look after another dog. The farm wasn’t the same when I last visited, though.” Cherish took the hat from Haylee and smiled at it too. Febe would hate it though, so she set it back down.

“Oh, that’s so sad.” Haylee had a basket and placed items in it, including the hat that Cherish had abandoned. When had she grabbed a basket?

“What would you get?”

“For a baby or a dog?” Haylee asked with a snicker.

“What kind of dog?” Cherish chuckled. It was so easy to talk to Haylee. Easier than it had been for her to talk to anyone since she moved to the city.

“I want a beagle, and to call it Dumbo.” Haylee’s eyes lit up. This was obviously something she had put a lot of thought into.

“Dumbo? Like the elephant?” Cherish picked up a stuffed dog from the table. It wasn’t a German shepherd or a beagle, and she wasn’t sure it was an actual breed of dog at all, but it would do. She smiled and slid it into the basket Haylee carried.

“Of course like the elephant. Have you seen how big beagles’ ears are? I would also get an airplane stroller and go running with Dumbo, just so I could see their wings flapping.”

“You’re insane.” Cherish laughed lightly as she spun around a table to find something else for Baby Bernie.

“But a good kissing kind of insane, right?” Haylee lifted her eyes from the basket. The depth of hope that Haylee had in her gaze, the words that she was clinging to would no doubt change their relationship going forward.

Cherish’s breath caught in her chest, a bubble that grew as Haylee’s eyes smoldered between lowered lashes. Cherish’s entire body warmed, heat pooling between her legs, and she was once again tossed right back into last night and Haylee’s arms.

“Yes.” Cherish forced the word out in a rough breathy rush. Her nipples were hard again, and her entire body on fire for Haylee.

“I liked kissing you, Cherish.” Haylee’s voice was quiet, barely above a whisper but loud enough that Cherish could hear her from across the display table.

“Okay.” Cherish pushed aside her moment of stillness. It was one thing to hint at last night’s adventure but to say the words was too much. “Let’s work out which of these items the lucky Bernard gets.”

“Bernie? That’s such a cute name.”

“His name is Bernard,” Cherish snapped and instantly regretted it. “Please, don’t call him Bernie, especially anywhere near Febe.”

“Oh, okay.” Haylee blinked, a little stunned at Cherish’s sudden coolness. And Cherish couldn’t blame her.

“It’s complicated, but trust me.” Cherish smiled, knowing her words didn’t take away Haylee’s confusion.

“I do trust you,” Haylee said as she walked to the counter with the basket of items.

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