Page 28 of Between Here and There

“Thanks,” she says. She angles her body to face me, and squints. “You know, Josh, for someone who doesn’t want to catch feelings, you’re being purposefully charming.”

I cough, taken aback by her straightforwardness. I suppose there’s no point lying to her. “Well, you are admittedly pretty, I’m sure you know that,” I say. Her breath hitches at my revelation, like it did when we were standing in front of her apartment in Manhattan. “So forgive me if my natural charm slips out every now and then,” I say, winking at her as she rolls her eyes.

“As for the dress, it’s a shame if you don’t get to wear it. You should,” I quip.

“You’re right. I should wear the dress so I won’t have to associate it with Rob anymore,” she says. “I should wear it because I deserve to feel beautiful in it.”

“Damn right you do,” I say, chuckling, hoping to ease the heaviness. “In fact, one of these days, I’m gonna take you out to dinner, and you can wear that... what is it? Black?” I raise a brow.

She shakes her head with a playful glint in her eye.

“White?” I guess again, enjoying the way her lips curl into a teasing smile. Another shake of the head.

I narrow my eyes. “Don’t tell me it’s red.”

“What’s wrong with red?” she asks, mock-offended, her frown far too adorable to be taken seriously.

“Makes me weak in the knees,” I admit with a grin. There’s just something about the color red on a beautiful woman like Emily. Call it preference.

She bites her lip, clearly enjoying the moment. “Let’s just say,” she leans in slightly, her voice dropping to a playful whisper, “it’s a color that makes people stop.…”

I look at her and say, “That sounds suspiciously like red.”

She laughs softly, the sound both teasing and warm. “Fire-engine, head-turning red,” she confirms with a wicked smile, her eyes daring me to respond.

“Well then,” I say, unable to resist the playful challenge, “I’ll take you out, and you can wear that red dress... and kill me right there at the table. I’ll be a goner.”

Emily crosses her arms, tilting her head as she considers. “Too bad, I kinda wanted you around a little longer,” she says, feigning a pout.

I laugh, and she chuckles with me. She smiles genuinely, and my heart swells. I don’t know why, but I suddenly feel protective of Emily again. I want to make sure she gets what she deserves. I’m definitely going to take her out and show that scumbag Rob what he missed. I can’t believe ever being loved by Emily and just throwing it all away. If I were in his position, I’d… probably mess it up in a whole different way.

“Thanks,” she says.

“Anytime, Tantrum.” I wink at her.

As we plan more ways to make Rob jealous, my mind shifts. I can’t believe something so fake can bring out something so real in me. But Emily has a certain lightness, like talking to her can cure every problem.

Too bad our whole dynamic will be over before I know it.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Emily

“Spooning at Lily’s? Really?” Bon’s face appears in front of me, her voice tinged with amusement.

I blink, rubbing my eyes as they adjust to the morning sun filtering through the store windows. My brain is still catching up, groggy and confused. Did we really fall asleep here? And why does my shoulder feel so warm? I shift, realizing my head had been resting on Josh’s shoulder. Worse yet, we’re holding hands—fingers intertwined like it’s the most natural thing in the world.

How the hell did this happen?

One moment, we were talking about getting back at Rob and wearing my dress, and the next... Well, I must have dozed off. Now, the whole situation feels more intimate than it should, and Bon, being Bon, is all over it.

I adjust my position and stretch my arms out. “We weren’t spooning,” I try to convince her. I smack Josh’s lap as he, too, wakes up and realizes what’s happening.

Josh stirs beside me, his own expression sluggish as he blinks awake. He frowns, clearly trying to make sense of the situation, and reaches up to rub his face. A faint mark creases his cheek, probably from where his head had rested against mine. His hair is a mess, sticking up in every direction, but somehow, he still manages to look ridiculously good. Seriously—who looks this handsome first thing in the morning?

I smack his leg lightly to snap him out of his daze. “Wake up, Sleeping Beauty.”

“What—” he starts, his voice thick with sleep, before he notices Bon standing there, her grin wider than ever.

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