Page 125 of The Snowball Effect

“Hmm? Oh. Eva,” Regan muttered, shaking her head softly. “To Eva… well, you’re her big sister. You’re cool and smart and funny and pretty, and she doesn’t know you all that well, and Kimberly is super proud of you,” she echoed with laughter in her voice. “Those facts mean different things at different ages; it’s complicated. But that’s what it’s like to have a sister.”

“I guess you would know,” she murmured, thinking about everything Regan had shared about her own sister.

All of the stories about her life that she’d shared, pulling Emma in, making her feel inexorably close to Regan. Before she’d kissed her.

“I would,” Regan confirmed, softly.

The sound of a camera shuttering jarred them out of the moment.

At once, Emma snapped her head to face forward, to see Kimberly standing only a few feet away with the camera she’d apparently found.

“Sneaking away for a stolen moment? Ah! I love it!” She exclaimed, smiling at them brightly.

God, what the hell was goingon? What was Emma doing? And how did she not know if she was more grateful for Kimberly coming along to interrupt… whatever this moment had turned into, or irritated by it?

Grateful, she told herself. She wasgratefulthat their moment had come to an end.

“Can I get a picture of you two, together? Being all cute and couple-y?” Kimberly asked, hopefully, as she lifted her camera. “I’d love to have that to put up in the house.”

Emma felt clumsy and frozen, which didn’t seem to matter as Regan answered, “Sure.”

Regan stepped into Emma’s side, sliding her arm around Emma’s waist and angling herself in.

She had to give Regan all of the credit in the world – she knew how to sell it. How to sellthem, as if they were really involved. Emma was fairly certain that if it was all up to her, she’d have never fooled anyone about this charade.

But with every touch Regan initiated, it felt so very natural. Maybe she couldn’t even give all of the credit to Regan, though. Maybe she needed to give their literal bodies credit, because Regan slotted against her so ridiculously perfectly.

“A little closer; you don’t have to pretend modesty for my benefit! I love how in love you are.” Kimberly urged, using the hand not holding her camera to wave them even closer.

Regan, ever the dutiful fake-girlfriend, complied.

With Regan’s whole body pressed against Emma, she felt her head spin a little. Her arm tightened around Regan’s waist, and – when had she even wrapped her arm around Regan’s waist?! She didn’t remember doing that.

Regan seemed to hesitate briefly, before she popped up onto her tiptoes and pressed her lips to Emma’s cheek, mere centimeters from her own mouth. And Emma’s breath caught, her skin tingling at the feeling of that full, soft mouth on her again. Lingering, as Kimberly snapped several photos.

Boundaries, Emma thought errantly. They should have established some boundaries, after their kiss last weekend. About what should be allowed going forward.

Becausethis– this shouldn’t happen.

“Thank you! I’ll send you a copy when I have everything printed; this is so cute,” Kimberly gushed. “Oh, Regan, honey – we’re going to cut the cake in a minute! I was wondering if you’d like to help? So many people have asked about getting your number.”

Emma dropped her arm from Regan’s waist, wishing she didn’t feel the tingle of the lasting contact so clearly.

“Um – yeah. I’ll absolutely help.”

As soon as Regan voiced her agreement, Kimberly turned and started toward the main area for the party. “I’ll let you finish up over here while I get everything ready.”

Emma had no idea what, exactly, she was going to say as soon as her mother was gone. But she knew she had to saysomethingbefore they fell back into a… moment. Especially now, while the imprint of Regan’s kiss was still buzzing against her skin.

Only for Regan to beat her to the punch. “I – look, I have to tell you something.”

There was an unfamiliar edge of nerves in Regan’s voice, as she tilted her head up at Emma. Nerves, but clearly a steely resolve, as well.

Cautiously, Emma nodded. “Okay?”

Regan tangled her fingers together in front of herself, blowing out a deep breath. “At first, being your fakegirlfriend was just something fun. Something that I thought could help us bond. Something I could do for you that seemed really simple. But… it’s not so simple, now.”

Emma could feel her eyebrows lift high on her forehead, surprise sweeping through her. Did Regan not want to do it, anymore? Did she agree that they should have boundaries in place?

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