Chapter 129
Gemma laughs and walks away, her focus shifting to some customers who’ve come in, while Harley leads me to the front of the store to a small seating area with a small coffee table. I then take a seat across from her, finally giving her a bit of space after our playful exchanges.
I can’t help but notice the subtle change in her demeanor as she looks over at the flowers again. Her smile is softer now, more genuine. The delicate petals shimmer under the warm light streaming in through the front window, and there’s a vulnerability in the way she looks at them, something tender that I don’t see often in the people that surround me on a daily basis. It’s refreshing.
“You really do have a smile that could light up a room,” I say, as I carefully watch her. My words are almost a whisper, but it’s a truth I can’t keep to myself.
She looks up at me, the softness still lingering in her eyes. “They’re just flowers,” she hedges, but her words come out with a tenderness I wasn’t expecting.
I lean in slightly, the corners of my mouth twitching upward. “You sure? They seem to be doing wonders for you.”
She lets out a soft laugh, but there’s a hint of something more, something vulnerable even, hiding behind her usual sharpness. In the short while I’ve come to know Harley, I’ve noticed the way she guards herself, keeps things close to her chest, not wanting to give too much away. It’s something I can relate to, but I also want to push her to let me in. To let someone in. If she’s planning on joining our world, she’s going to need someone in her corner who’s not her mate. O
“I guess so,” she mutters, her gaze dropping down to where she placed our lunch on the coffee table between us, as if she’s trying to hide what just flashed across her face. Then, to change the subject, she asks, “So, what brings you to my humble little bookstore? Besides bringing lunch, of
1 let out a breath, glad she’s shifting the conversation, but not wanting to let go of the moment between us. “Well, I just wanted to make sure you’re getting along with your flowers.” I wink, and she gives me a half simile, shaking her head in mock exasperation.
She then rolls her eyes halfheartedly, but the smile lingers on her lips. “You’re really hung up on those flowers, huh?”
“I’m just making sure they’re living up to expectations,” I reply with a playful grin. “You know, It’s not every day someone gets flowers, especially not from a guy who’s not exactly Mr. Romance,”
Harley huffs out a short laugh, and it’s clear she’s trying to downplay the situation. She shifts her weight and then starts pulling our club sandwiches from the bag, before she deadpans, “Well, I’m not sure I’d call it ‘romantic gestures. More like a surprising level of thoughtfulness for someone who doesn’t exactly do this kind of thing.”
Chapter 129
Gemma laughs and walks away, her focus shifting to some customers who’ve come in, while Harley leads me to the front of the store to a small seating area with a small coffee table. I then take a seat across from her, finally giving her a bit of space after our playful exchanges.
I can’t help but notice the subtle change in her demeanor as she looks over at the flowers again. Her smile is softer now, more genuine. The delicate petals shimmer under the warm light streaming in through the front window, and there’s a vulnerability in the way she looks at them, something tender that I don’t see often in the people that surround me on a daily basis. It’s refreshing.
“You really do have a smile that could light up a room,” I say, as I carefully watch her. My words are almost a whisper, but it’s a truth I can’t keep to myself.
She looks up at me, the softness still lingering in her eyes. “They’re just flowers,” she hedges, but her words come out with a tenderness I wasn’t expecting.
She lets out a soft laugh, but there’s a hint of something more, something vulnerable even, hiding behind her usual sharpness. In the short while I’ve come to know Harley, I’ve noticed the way she guards herself, keeps things close to her chest, not wanting to give too much away. It’s something I can relate to, but I also want to push her to let me in. To let someone in. If she’s planning on joining our world, she’s going to need someone in her corner who’s not her mate. O
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