Page 104 of The Fiancée Farce
Gemma clapped a hand over her mouth, trying hard not to laugh and failing miserably. “Are you okay?” She slid her fingers through Tansy’s hair, praying to God she wasn’t about to find an egg back there. “You didn’t hit your head, did you?”
“Don’t think so.” Tansy giggled. “Pretty sure my butt took the brunt of it and softened the, uh, blow.”
Gemma’s plan had been to back Tansy up against the wall and kiss her senseless as soon as they’d stepped inside Tansy’s apartment. But in a move that was far from being smooth, she’d then tripped oversomething—it was too dark inside to see what exactly—and they’d both careened forward, momentum sending Gemma crashing into Tansy and Tansy then crashing into the door.
“You poor thing.” Gemma sidled closer, pinning Tansy to the door with her hips. “Want me to kiss it better?”
“My butt?” Tansy snorted. “You’re offering to kiss my ass?”
“I don’t see why not. Seeing as I was already planning on putting my mouth all over you.”
Tansy turned her head and pressed a featherlight kiss to theinside of Gemma’s wrist. She smiled against Gemma’s skin. “Try not to trip on the way to the bedroom.”
Gemma pinched Tansy’s hip, making her shriek and sputter out another laugh. “Brat.What did I trip over, anyway?”
“Books, probably.” Gemma’s eyes had adjusted to the darkness just enough to witness the flush creeping up Tansy’s jaw. Fondness gripped her heart. “The place is kind of a mess right now. I’ve been moving things around. Making room. Be glad you can’t see.”
“Won’t be able to say that in the morning when the sun’s out, will I?” she reminded her. “And making room for what?”
Tansy took her hand and led her down the hall, guiding her through a minefield of cardboard boxes and past stacks of books. “You, obv—eep!” Tansy stumbled over a roll of packing tape and pitched forward.
Gemma wrapped an arm around her waist, keeping her from falling. “Careful,” she cautioned, dragging Tansy back against her, taking the chance to press a kiss to the hinge of her jaw. “No giving yourself a concussion. Not before I make you come.”
Tansy huffed, skin growing hotter under Gemma’s mouth. “Oh, but concussions are fair gameafter?”
“Hey, I don’t know what your headboard’s made out of.”
Tansy laughed and her hand swept the wall, looking for the light switch. “Come see for yourself.”
If the hall was a minefield, Tansy’s bedroom was ground zero, looking like a bomb had exploded. Packing paper everywhere, piles of clothes on the floor, scarves spilling out of dresser drawers, knickknacks wrapped in bubble wrap that had yet to make it inside boxes.
“It’s not normally such a mess, I swear.” Tansy tucked her hair behind her ears, suddenly shy. “Like I said, I’ve been trying to make room for your things. Anyway”—she gestured around theroom with a vague sweep of her hands—“this is my bedroom. Or, well,ourbedroom, I guess?” Her eyes flared. “Unless you changed your mind and don’t want to share! Which is fine. I just thought—”
Gemma leaned in, cradling Tansy’s face in her hands and quieting Tansy’s protests with a kiss.
All of this—this mess—was to make room forher. In a matter of meredaysthose dresser drawers would be filled with Gemma’s clothes, her picture frames hanging on the walls, her precious keepsakes sitting on the nightstand beside Tansy’s.
First Tansy had given Gemma hope, and now she was offering her a place to call home. She’d given her so much, and—how was Gemma supposed to repay that?
She had no fucking clue, but she had a decent idea of where to start.
“If you think I plan on sleeping anywhere but right beside you every single night, you aren’tnearlyas bright as I thought you were.” She swept her thumbs against Tansy’s cheeks. “Just try and get rid of me.”
Tansy’s teeth sank into her bottom lip, tempting Gemma to pry it free. “Is that how you usually get girls into bed? Insulting their intelligence?”
“Girls, guys—”
“You aren’t picky?” Tansy arched a brow.
“Maybe I wasn’t before I met you.” Gemma let her hands fall to Tansy’s hips, let her fingers sneak beneath the hem of her hoodie—Gemma’shoodie—finding skin. “But you, Tansy Adams, have raised the bar.”
And ruined Gemma for anyone else. For the rest of eternity.
Gemma was far from sorry.
She was fucking ecstatic.
But she’d be happier if—
