Page 27 of Her Former Bear Mate

"What is?"Aditi asked, playing dumb.

"Me.Coming inside."

"It's just for a little bit.Isn't it?"That last bit almost sounded like a dare, like Aditi was challenging her to refute it.

The cold air made Lena shiver.If she were sensible, she would say no and walk away.If she were sensible, she shouldn't have invited Aditi out for this evening.If she were sensible, she would stop staring at Aditi's lips.

But Lena wasn't sensible.She just nodded wordlessly and followed Aditi into their old home, desperately chasing after the tiniest flame of hope that they hadn't fully burned out yet.

SIXTEEN

Aditi

Aditi carriedtwo glasses with her favourite wine to the living room where Lena was sitting on her usual spot on the couch like they'd been transported back in time.The sight was enough to make her heart stop but she carried on like normal, handing over the wine and settling on the opposite side of the couch.Far, far away from Lena's long legs and with a pillow between them just in case.

Just in case of what?

Aditi quickly took a big sip of wine.She felt foolish for inviting Lena inside and hoping that something might happen.Then again, Lena had said yes.And she'd said yes to a glass of wine too.

Did any of that mean something?

It was impossible to tell.

"When is your taxi arriving?"she asked.

"It's still trying to find a driver," Lena said, twisting her phone around to show the screen."Maybe I should've got a taxi from near the station after all."

"Maybe," Aditi said but she didn't mean it.Any extra moment she got with Lena was so very precious."I had a lot of fun tonight."

"Oh, good.I worried it might be awkward."Lena put her phone on the coffee table and stretched out into the pillows, groaning when she did."I missed this couch.The one in my flat is shit."

"Is the couch all you missed?"Aditi asked before she could stop herself.

Lena drank some wine before she answered."No, I miss all sorts of things."

She couldn't stop herself."Like what?"

A long sigh escaped from Lena's lips."Do you really want to go there?"

"Why not?"

"I don't know, it sounds like a bad idea."

Aditi gritted her teeth."Yeah, you're probably right."She got up from the couch, not wanting to show the emotions threatening to spill out.She knew she was being silly, that this whole thing was foolish, but it still hurt to have it confirmed.

The screen of Lena's phone changed colour.

"They found a driver, by the way.Lucky you," Aditi said, her voice catching in the back of her throat.

"Aditi.Wait."Lena chased after her."Adi."

"Don't," Aditi warned, her hands trembling so much, she had to ball them into fists.

Lena easily caught up with her with those long strides of her and caught her wrist, her touch so soft and deliberate at the same time."I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For tonight.For everything.I don't know."

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