Page 58 of Courting Trouble
‘Cheeky.’
‘You snooze, you lose,’ Cassie said.
‘I haven’t quite lost yet.’ Delilah wiped her finger through the remaining sauce, then licked it off. Cassie had to look away. She hoped her cheeks weren’t doing that stupid pink thing they’d started doing of late.
The plates were cleared. Neither of them moved.
‘Do you want to… walk a bit?’ Cassie said eventually. ‘It’s a nice night.’
Delilah hesitated, then nodded. ‘Sounds nice.’
There was a brief dispute then, over who would pay the bill. Delilah argued that she’d suggested dinner, and Cassie pointed out she’d picked the place. Cassie had to consciously tell herself not to be competitive for once in her life and let Delilah pay. Though Cassie, not being able to becompletelyun-Cassie, insisted on getting the tip.
They stepped out into the dark. The street was mostly empty, lit by streetlamps that gave the country road an ethereal glow.
They headed out into the almost silent village, where narrow lanes curved between stone cottages and the faint glow of lamplight spilt across the cobbles. The only sounds were the distant bark of a dog and the soft crunch of their footsteps in the cool night air. They fell into step, shoulders just brushing.Cassie shoved her hands into her jacket pockets so she wouldn’t do anything stupid like reach for Delilah’s.
‘You’re very quiet,’ Delilah said.
Cassie laughed, embarrassed. ‘Sorry. I think I’m just—’
‘Nervous?’
Cassie looked over sharply. Delilah was watching her, but there was no mockery there.
Cassie wanted to say,What, me? Nervous?Maybe laugh. The idea of admitting any vulnerability was mildly horrifying to Cassie. But somehow, she managed to admit, ‘A bit.’
Delilah’s lips curved. ‘Good.’
Cassie didn’t know what to do with that, so she looked ahead and tried to stop herself from visibly sweating.
They walked a little farther, the tension growing, it seemed to Cassie, with every step.
Cassie dared a glance sideways. Delilah caught her looking and didn’t look away.
Fifty-Seven
She caught her.
Cassie, mid-glance, wide-eyed and sheepish and very un-Cassie.
Delilah didn’t look away. She held Cassie’s eyes just long enough that Cassie could know Delilah had her in her sights and then released her.
It was nice being the one who wasn’t flustered. Usually, it was the other way around. Delilah was the one fumbling, second-guessing. But something about Cassie’s nerves brought out her mischievous side. She wanted to play with Cassie, like a cat playing with a mouse. Before the inevitable pounce.
They passed a closed florist. Delilah slowed to look at the roses in the window, shaped into a heart for whatever reason—they weren’t close to Valentine’s. Delilah didn’t think she was going to get a better sign from the universe than that.
‘So,’ Delilah said, coming to a stop, turning to face Cassie. ‘Is this the part where you kiss me?’
Cassie blinked. ‘Is that allowed?’
‘Allowed?’ Delilah repeated.
‘I’m still your coach,’ Cassie said, but the protest was faint, worn down by the quiet pull between them.
Delilah took the tiniest step in Cassie’s direction. ‘Not right now, you’re not. I think we both know that.’
Cassie hesitated. Just stood there, her hands still stuffed in her jacket pockets, looking like she was weighing the risk of something enormous.
