Page 67 of Don't You Dare Marry Me

“Is this an actual relationship?”

Abagail shook her head. “I don’t do relationships, remember?”

“Yeah, but this seems like more than just a fling.”

“It is,” Abagail admitted before she could stop herself. But she wasn’t lying to anyone. Nicola had waltzed into her life full of confidence and bravado, and she’d stayed because she’d shown her soft underbelly. Abagail was damn sure that Nicola didn’t do that often for anyone, and she was privileged to have been the one to see it.

“So are you two in a relationship?”

“You’re the one who said I was aromantic.” Abagail shook her head, giving Elia a hard stare. “Doesn’t that mean I don’t do relationships?”

“Sort of. It means you don’t generally do them, but it doesn’t mean that a romantic relationship is impossible. Or whatever it might be in the form that you find it in. For you, it might just be a really deep friendship with sex on the side, even if the other person has deeper feelings for you.”

“I do have an affinity for her.” Abagail froze as Nicola locked eyes with her from across the room.

“An affinity?” Elia’s voice reached her ears. “Well, that’s more than I ever expected from you, and it’s something I think you’d say about me.”

Abagail nodded her agreement, unable to look away from Nicola as she came closer with just a glass in her hand this time. She slid it onto the table and gave Abagail a look that she couldn’t quite decipher.

“Can we talk about this at home?” Nicola asked.

“Of course,” Abagail answered, reaching out and brushing her finger against Nicola’s before letting go. “I’ve got company anyway.” She didn’t even look at Elia, knowing full well that Nicola was aware there was someone else at the table with her. “We’ll talk tomorrow evening.”

Nicola nodded her understanding. “Thanks.”

When Nicola was gone and Abagail turned back to Elia, she knew she was in trouble. “What?”

“I think you need to seriously think about what it is you feel for her. Becausethatwasn’t the Abagail that I know and love.”

Abagail scrunched her face up. “I don’tfeelanything.”

“And there we go again.” Elia picked up her wine glass and took a sip.

“Again?”

“Oh yes, right down into denial.”

twenty-five

“When were you going to tell me that you got a job at my bar… again?”

Nicola froze at the sound of Abagail’s voice coming at her from the library. It seemed to be Abagail’s preferred place to hang out in her home, and Nicola had almost walked the long way around to avoid it, thinking Abagail wouldn’t be home.

Guess she was wrong.

Now she really had no choice except to talk to her. Last night, Nicola had eyed Abagail every chance she got, their eyes locking on more than one occasion from across the room while she and Elia had talked. And Nicola had watched as she’d walked out the door to get in the car and have Cal take her home.

“Nicola, I expect an answer.”

She couldn’t escape now. Nicola plastered on a smile as she slipped into the library and found Abagail with reading glasses perched on her nose and a book on her knee. Was there ever a time that woman wasn’t reading?

Right, when she was getting her brains fucked out—which they hadn’t done in a while. Nicola slid into the chair right next to Abagail and crossed her legs. She’d slept in after coming home late, and she still needed to get to work early that day.

“I did go back to the bar and ask for my job back. After some explanation of Warren, they were willing to try to work with me again.” Nicola folded her hands and put them in her lap.

“Without talking to me first?” Abagail pulled her glasses off and pressed the earpiece to her lower lip, locking her gaze on Nicola.

“You don’t own me.”

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