Page 156 of Branded
I shook my head.
“Now,” she whispered. “Can I wash my hands?”
“You weren’t just eating pancakes.”
A blink.
“You were reading.”
Now her cheeks went a little pink, and I began to wonder what she had been reading at that table.
I didn’t have time to focus on that because she was frowning, spinning out of my hold, and moving to the sink. “Yeah, I was.” A shrug. “I like to read.”
I knew that, too.
I’d heard her and Pru and Hazel talking about books enough times during nights out to know that, to understand why my mention of reading had her blushing.
“What were you reading?” I murmured, sliding close, my voice dropping about three octaves.
I knew that, too.
Why it was happening, the slippery slope I was creeping toward, that I couldn’t stop myself from approaching.
“I need to go,” she murmured, reaching past me for a paper towel. “I have plans.”
I tore off the towel for her, passed it over, watched as she dried her hands.
When she was done, I took it from her, dumped it into the trash. “What plans?”
Her eyes had been on her feet, deliberately avoiding mine, but my question had her glancing up. “Plans,” she said, reaching toward me, her body moving close.
I sucked in a breath.
But she wasn’t reaching for me. She was reaching beyond me again. For another paper towel, which she folded up as she moved toward the door, wrapping it around the handle and using it to tug the heavy wooden door open.
Then she waved a hand at me, directing me to precede her.
I should have opened the door. I should have held it for her.
I—
“Raph?”
A quiet question that drew my eyes to hers.
“You should probably leave the women’s restroom now.”
That had me jerking into motion.
I slipped out the door, moved to the side, letting her go ahead, watching her move, something relaxing in me when her gait was even, and her pace was steady.
Right.
I should probably go before I made even more of a fool of myself.
But I couldn’t pry myself away from Beth’s side, even as we made our way out of the restaurant, as I pushed the door open for her, as I followed her to her car.
“Raph?” she asked again as she dug in her purse for her keys.
