Page 76 of The Fiancée Farce
“Says who?”
“Says... I don’t know,people.”
“Well, thosepeople, whoever they may be, don’t get to define our relationship. Only we do.”
“Wait. Are you serious? You want to—to date me? Be in a relationship with me?”
Obviously.“Why would I joke about something like this?”
Tansy looked away and shrugged, and all at once it hit Gemma, her chest tightening with fury. Fucking Tucker.
“I’m not my cousin, Tansy.”
Tansy’s eyes rounded. “I know that.”
“Good.” At least they hadthatcleared up. “So?”
Tansy’s mouth opened and shut. “You told me you weren’t looking for romance.”
“You’re right.” She nodded. “I wasn’t looking. But lo and behold, lucky for me, I found you anyway.”
For one terrible, tense, stomachache-inducing moment, Tansy simply stared at her. Then her lips twitched. “That was really—”
“Corny?” She rolled her eyes. That’s what she got for deciding to wing her speech.
“I was going to sayromantic, but now that you mention it”—Tansy smiled—“yeah, it was pretty corny.”
Gemma laughed, and some of the pressure inside her chest abated. Tansy was smiling. That had to be a good sign. “Points for effort?”
Tansy’s smile waned and—Gemma didn’t realize how terribly she could miss someone’s smile.
“If this is because I won’t”—Tansy glanced around the storefront, peeking over her shoulder, voice dropping to a whisper that Gemma had to lean across the counter to hear—“sleep with you—”
“No.” Gemma shook her head, ardent. Absolutely not. “That’s not it at all.”
“Then what? You just changed your mind?”
She could see how it looked like that, and maybe the revelation that she wanted to date Tansy had been sudden, but her fondness for Tansy was anything but. “I like you, okay? I went home and, I don’t know, I realized how little sense it makes. You liking me and me liking you and us not, you know, doing something about it. Going for it. Giving it a shot, at least.”
Tansy nibbled on her lip. All it would take is leaning a little farther across the counter and she could reach out, free her lip from between her teeth.
Gemma clutched the counter, patience fraying. “Tansy?”
“Hmm?”
“Come on,” she pleaded. “Say yes.”
Heart pounding against the cage of her chest, Gemma held her breath. Waiting. Hoping.
Tansy smiled. “I wasn’t aware I’d been asked a question.”
Oh thank God. Gemma exhaled roughly, slumping against the counter. “Shit.You scared me.”
Tansy snickered softly, the sound like music to Gemma’s ears.
“Correct me if I’m wrong, but Ithinkthis is where you’re supposed to promise me that if I say yes now, you’ll spend as much time on your knees as I want later.” Tansy’s blue eyes were bright, sparkling.
For a moment, Gemma couldn’t breathe.
