Page 59 of Shy Girl
Last night while I waited for her to come out and explain what was going on had been torture. Watching the door. Checking my watch. Wondering if I’d made a mistake in giving her some distance. Then I couldn't handle waiting anymore and I found her asleep on the floor. A single tear sparkled in the well of her eye.
But had that tear beenjustabout my ridiculous comment?
I couldn’t discount my instincts, which told me that something else was happening here.
Her fingers tapped gently on my chest, almost a song-like staccato, as we lay together in the quiet. The fact that she hadn’t run away from my honesty was a win. I’d expected her to friend-zone me and be awkward the rest of the time. What I hadn’t expected was a willing snuggle, and it felt like a chance. With Dagny, I had a feeling I’d have to play this carefully and slowly. Despite all the time we’d spent living around each other, I hardly knew her at all.
The insecure tones of her question played back through my mind.
Why?
Why not?I should have countered, and then given her a list of all the reasons why I couldn’t stop thinking about her. A list of all the reasons I regretted my obvious blindness for the past how-many-years and why that wouldn’t be the case moving forward. Her wide eyes and slack lips had been enough of a reaction. No reason to push her too far now. Let her soak up what I said, think it over, then we’d talk about going home later. For now, I had a wedding to get through.
Yet . . . cuddling her waswaymore my speed, so I’d soak it up for a few more minutes, then try to figure out how to make it happen again tonight. Maybeaftersome of those hot kisses like we had on the beach.
As if she read my mind, Dagny lifted her head. “D-d-do you need to d-do stuff for Grady? C-can I help with anything?”
She shifted, but I didn’t let go of the lock of hair that I toyed with between three fingers. A sly grin overtook me—I couldn’t help myself. Bastian and I had kept our secret under wraps for so long, there was almost no holding back now.
“You can,” I said and stacked an arm behind my head. Her not-so-subtle glance at my bicep, and then quick jerk back to my face, wasn’t unnoticed. Would she pass out if I flexed? She looked ready now. The thought almost made me laugh, but I shoved it back. I could torture her later. It would be worth the wait.
“Oh, n-no.” She straightened, head cocked to the side. “Y-you have s-something planned. I kn-now that face.”
My grin stretched further. “What are you talking about?”
“Wh-what are you doing t-to poor Grady?”
“He has it coming.”
“J-Jayson!”
Laughing, I held up two hands in a show of innocence. “Look, Grady tortured us in high school. It’s payback time.”
“N-nothing to Helene!” she cried, finger jabbing my direction. “Don’t you d-dare m-mess with a bride on her w-wedding day!”
“I’m not a monster.”
Her expression was far too serious for such a beautiful morning, so I put an arm around her shoulders and curled her back into me. She didn’t protest, so I kept playing with her hair. This time, she ran a tentative finger along the edge of my rib. Even through my shirt, it sent lines of fire through me. In fact, it felt far more intimate than anything I'd experienced before. This quiet touch and gentle connection was far more powerful for me than it could be for her. In my world, physical touch often meant danger. Such a calm expression of it healed something hot inside me.
“Wh-what are you s-sup-p-p-osed to do today?”
“Mostly wrangling the other Merry Idiots and getting them places on time. Sounds easy, but it will be like herding cats.”
She made an amused sound in her throat.
“The wedding is at 5:00, on the beach near the hotel. Grady and I are meeting at 9:00 this morning to review a few things, then again at 11:00 with all the boys.” My lips twitched again. Oh, the anticipation of this day was almost too much. Grady would rue the day he ever decided to let us run amok with a little bit of power. “The bride’s luncheon with her girls starts at 11:00, and I think they’re doing spa stuff, or whatever. So we’re . . . we’re having a boys . . .lunch.”
“Oh d-dear.”
She had the right sentiment.
“He’ll come back in one piece,” I said lightly. “I swear it.”
“Sh-she will k-kill you if you m-mess up her wedding.”
Although sweet, Helene had a tough streak in her, and I didn’t doubt Dagny’s prediction for a single second. I released her hair to trail my fingers up her arm, enjoying the silky feeling of her skin under mine. Goosebumps rose under my touch on the second pass.
“Never,” I said. “The officialsee the bridemoment is at 3:00, and then they’re doing pictures until 4:30, then the ceremony. Dinner is at 6:30, and we party all night.”
