Unlikely You (Sapph in the City #5)

Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty-Three

Honey

Bren was different than I predicted, but that wasn’t a bad thing at all. She was more hesitant. More unsure. At least when she wasn’t kissing me. When she was doing that, she was assertive and aggressive in a way that made my pussy pulse and my toes curl imagining how she’d be once I got her naked.

And then she’d pulled back and given me these weak and gentle kisses, as if she was afraid to break me and I knew something was off and I needed to know what it was.

Communication was key, and I wouldn’t let her sidestep it and distract me.

We were doing this right, and the first step was understanding each other.

Sex was totally off the table for tonight, which made me want to scream, but I didn’t want to make a mistake with her. All of this might blow up and we might crash and burn, but I wouldn’t let it happen over something we could have sat down and had a discussion about.

We made our way to the couch, accompanied by Arson the cat. I loved the name. It was just the kind of name that Bren would give a cat.

Bren and I sat on the couch together and I kept my hand in her hair because she seemed to like it so much. If she could have purred, I bet she would have. She probably didn’t even know that she was leaning into my hand, her eyes fluttering closed every now and then.

She and I fell back on something we’d had in common since the beginning: books.

Her shelves were organized, I could tell. Pulling out my phone, I took down a few titles to check out for myself.

“I just wanted it to be better,” she said about one book we’d both been excited about, but which she said had been a letdown. “It was so disappointing. I’d been looking forward to it so much.”

“Well that’s a bummer,” I said, scratching my nails along her scalp close to the back of her neck. Bren leaned toward me, like a cat begging for me to pet the right spot.

“I know,” she said with a sigh. “Is there anything else you need? I could make some snacks or something.”

She looked tired and I wanted to help. “Let me.”

Bren sat up. “You don’t have to do that.”

I pressed my hand on her shoulder. “I want to.”

Rising to my feet, I moved to her kitchen. Bren got up and followed me.

“Go sit down. I can figure this out.”

Her kitchen was small, so it didn’t take a genius to find out where everything was.

Bren hovered as I looked through her fridge and cabinets and started pulling things out.

Crackers and some cheese and prosciutto and oranges and some cookies. I set everything up on plate.

“The only thing missing is some Holloway Apiary hot honey,” I said.

“I still have it,” she said, going to one of the cabinets and taking down a jar. She hadn’t opened it.

“Did you try it?” I asked.

She shook her head. “I was saving it.”

“For what? If you decided you really liked it, I’d give you more. You can have as much honey as you want.” I realized the double meaning just as Bren started laughing.

“I can, can I?” she asked, putting her arms around me from behind and resting her chin on my shoulder.

“Yes. You can.”

She could have everything.

Bren and I had our snacks on the couch as we snuggled together with the cat. It was sweet and domestic and what I’d always imagined with her. And with Bibliofile, to an extent, even if I hadn’t known what she looked like. I did now and I could insert Bren in all those fantasies I’d had.

I fed Bren a cracker topped with prosciutto, cheese, and a drizzle of the hot honey.

“It’s really good. The honey, I mean,” she said.

“Thanks. The jalapenos were an experiment and I had no idea if they were going to grow or if they were going to work with the honey, but it all turned out well.”

“It was a good idea,” she said, and I smiled at the praise.

“Thanks.”

“Did you do your logo?” she asked.

“Yeah, I did. I also painted the bee.”

She sat up, surprised. “Really?”

“Yeah. Watercolors are one of my hobbies. I’ve been doing them since I was a teenager. Partially inspired by Beatrix Potter.” I’d wanted to feel closer to my namesake and wound up loving the medium. Water was unpredictable. You could have all the skills and control in the world, but it would do what it was going to do. I liked that. There was also a softness to watercolors that made me happy.

“You’re talented,” she said.

“Wow, you’re full of praise tonight. My ego is going to start swelling.”

Bren looked at my chest.

“That’s not my ego, Bren,” I said, laughing.

She licked her lips. “No, but they’re spectacular.”

My chest had always been large, and when I was younger I’d hated it but over the years I’d grown to accept my body the way it was, and I liked the way Bren looked at me.

“You’re pretty spectacular yourself, Bren.” Everything about her was incredible.

Her cheeks went pink. “Thank you.”

God, her blush was so cute. Bren was incredibly sexy, but she also had these adorable moments and all of it mixed together was dangerous for my heart and my libido.

If she wasn’t careful, I was going to throw caution to the wind and press her back on the couch so I could show her just how much I appreciated her body.

“You’re welcome,” I said, holding myself still so I didn’t attack her.

Bren yawned.

We both had a full day at the marketplace tomorrow, and it was going to be rough when my alarm went off, but I’d miss some sleep in exchange for time with Bren like this.

Just the act of being able to touch her felt indulgent. Almost like I was getting away with something.

“I should go,” I said, but didn’t move at all.

Bren nodded. “Yeah. If we’re not careful I’m going to fall asleep like this. I don’t think I’ve ever been this comfortable.”

“That’s good to hear.”

Bren burrowed into me and I wrapped my arms around her, breathing in her scent. It was rich and dark and made my mouth water and want to lick her skin to get a taste of it.

I needed to go before I did something like that.

“Okay, I’m going,” I said, stretching out my legs and pushing to my feet. Bren followed me, as well as Arson, who’d woken up and seemed upset about it.

“Oh, sweet kitty. It’s okay. I’ll be back.” I scratched Arson’s head as she purred against me.

Bren just walked into my arms and I embraced her as she held me.

“Thank you,” she said.

“For what?” I asked, one hand brushing her hair. I couldn’t stop touching it.

“For giving me time and space and just…for being you .”

“You’re welcome. And thank you for moving past your fear and letting me in.” I meant to her apartment, but I also meant her life.

“I’m going to walk you out.”

She locked her door grabbed my still-damp umbrella, followed me down the stairs, and out to the sidewalk. I wanted to hold her hand, but that seemed like it might be too much for tonight.

We reached my truck and I unlocked the driver side before turning and facing Bren.

She melted into me and I held her close.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” I said. I couldn’t wait.

“See you tomorrow.” Bren let me go and then smiled slowly.

“Good mice, Honey.”

Letting out a laugh, I had to lean forward and give her a kiss before I said, “good mice, Bren.”