Page 19 of Falling Madly
Teresa’s smile faded. “For real? You?”
“You quit months ago, right?”
“Almost eighteen months now.” She sounded a little hurt.
Of course. It had happened right after that night.
“So, why is it so unbelievable?” I asked. “I’ve been smoke free for nine months.”
Her eyebrows furrowed. “But… you go out for a smoke. On Fridays. I know it’s been a while since we shared the office, but it hasn’t been nine months.”
I nodded. I’d been trying to mentally prepare for this, but I still didn’t know how she would take it. “I replaced one activity with another.”
Her eyes were huge. “So, what do you do? Crossword puzzles in the rain?”
I swallowed. “I knit.”
I smiled at her shocked expression, watching thedisbelief slowly morph into sparkling amusement. “You knit? Like… socks?”
“I’m not that confident with the heel yet, so it’s been mostly scarves.”
She blinked a couple of times, then sucked in her lips as if to stop grinning. “Okay. I was thinking your skin looked healthier, but I didn’t connect the dots.”
I rolled my eyes. “You’re allowed to laugh.”
She didn’t. Instead, she looked genuinely impressed. “Why would I laugh? I mean, I’m dying to see you work those needles. I hope you brought them… but honestly, I think that’s amazing. I never thought you’d get there.”
I smiled back but couldn’t help the heavy sigh. “Never say never, right?”
Chapter Six
Teresa
Ishifted a little closer and inhaled deeply, to confirm what I’d noticed earlier. Trevor smelled different, and I was here for it.
“Check behind your seat.” He nodded behind him.
I pulled out a striped shopping bag with needles sticking out of it. “Bamboo needles? Man. This is next level.”
“They’re less noisy.” He grinned.
“So, you could knit in secret when we all thought you were having a smoke outside?” I stared at him, trying to rewrite those memories.
“I suppose.”
“I thought you might switch to vaping or something.”
I shook his head. “I’ve given Big Tobacco enough of my hard-earned quid.”
I pulled out a long purple scarf and wrapped it around my neck. “This thing is nearly finished, right?”
“Looks like it.” He gave me an assessing glance. “Suits you.”
“I love the color.” It was my favorite shade of purple—deep and royal. I was currently wearing a sweater in the exact same shade.
The scarf smelled like him. A mix of cologne and something more organic, like salt and wood. It must have been made of pure pheromones, since my body reacted by the delicious sensation of flow—blood rushing up and down, every cell alive and tuned in. I buried my nose in the wool, breathing in the feeling. It intensified, funneling between my thighs.
How easy it would be to come, inhaling him.
