Page 14 of The Luminosity of Loriana Harper

She disarmed the alarm, and he opened the door for her.

“Do you mind if I follow you home? Or is that too creepy?”

She didn’t hesitate. “Of course you can follow me home. I mean, I don’t need you to, but I get the feeling you’re someone who might worry, and I don’t want to be the cause of worry to anyone.”

“So you’ll remember to call Marnie?”

She guffawed. A truly magical sound. “Just how much did you overhear?”

“Is there a safe answer to that question?”

“No, probably not.”

Her face was partly in shadow due to their distance from the streetlamp, but he couldn’t miss her smile.

“Thank you for following me here, tonight. And thank you for following me home. And thank you for the work you’re doing at the library. I guess that’s about all the thanks. Unless I’ve missed something.”

“No, Loriana, I believe you’ve covered everything. And all of it was my pleasure. I was happy to get the job, but now I’ve gotten so much more.”

“Yeah, like you can check cuddle party off your bucket list.”

“That’s very true.” A bucket list that’d shrunk in size relative to his new reality. He didn’t believe in reaching for the unattainable anymore. Better to stick to reasonable goals and keep expectations low.

She met his gaze for a moment, then leaned toward him.

He reciprocated, unsure of where she was leading, then his eyes widened when she pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek.

She tucked herself into her car, closed the door, and turned the engine on.

He quickly sprinted over to his van and climbed in. He gunned the engine and set defrost on full while he watched her car closely. She didn’t pull out right away so was likely having to defrost her car as well. Something he definitely missed about California—few nights below freezing and little snow. Little precipitation at all these days.

The southern coast of British Columbia had been rainy the past few months, and winter precipitation was forecasted to be heavy. Rain down in Vancouver and snow in the mountains.

He had his humble van with newly installed snow tires. Hopefully that’d get him through the winter without any major incidents. He hadn’t had a car when he lived in Vancouver all those years ago. He’d taken enough lessons to pass his test, then had hoofed it everywhere while in school.

In California, everyone drove. Or at least where he’d been living. Mission City was too small to support a major transportation hub, and his work often took him farther afield. And carrying multiple computers on the bus wasn’t practical, so he’d traded in his sports car and bought this boring and eminently practical van.

Fortunately, when Loriana pulled out, his windshield was clear. He followed her closely, careful to keep just the right amount of distance. They exited the subdivision, and she headed back toward the city center. As they drove down Cedar Street, he gave thanks there was no ice.

She made another turn, onto 7th, and then a couple of blocks later, down James Street.

By the time she pulled up to her little house on Fourth Avenue, he was stunned. Mere blocks from his condo, and well within walking distance of the library.

She pulled up her into driveway and tucked her car under the carport. She exited the vehicle, gave him a wave, unlocked her door, and slipped inside.

The light in the living room came on.

The sheers were drawn, and he debated waiting until she pulled the drapes, but she might look out and then he would be like the voyeur he professed to not wanting to be.

Putting the van in gear, he headed home.

Chapter five

LorianagazedintoMarnie’sblazing green eyes and sighed inwardly.

Shit.

Yep, I’ve messed up.

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