Chapter 23
Chapter Twenty-Three
Milo
Every time Eden gave me a glimpse at the softness she hid inside, I fell a little more in love with her.
I understood that we weren’t at a place where she could handle a conversation about the future—not even about moving in together.
The last thing I wanted was to prompt another panicked response from her, especially since things returned to normal after our pre-dinner chat.
My parents, unsurprisingly, adored her. I’d told them a little about her own family, mostly as a warning not to ask about them during dinner, so their usual warmhearted charm was dialed up to the max. As a result, Eden slipped straight into chatting and joking with them throughout the meal.
And that night, after we got home, every trace of the shell she’d tried to retreat behind was gone. My sweet Eden was back, both vulnerable and bold.
I wasn’t sure whether she and Adelaide had smoothed things over, but Eden was still planning to come hang out during Olivia’s game night at Dueling Dragons, so I figured they must have made up one way or another.
Addie and Olivia were the first to show up, holding hands and sending covert-but-heated looks at one another, and Eden slipped in just before I locked the front door.
The first thing she did was curl one hand around the back of my head, fingers threading through my hair, and kiss me. The kiss was everything Eden—daring and intrepid, yet exposing the tenderness underneath.
I didn’t hear the chorus of cheers until she drew back.
Eden’s cheeks were pink, but she grinned up at me as Liv and Adelaide whooped and whistled behind us.
My arms had shifted around her as soon as she got close enough to initiate that fiery kiss, though I’d been justifiably distracted.
The thing she was wearing—a romper or jumpsuit, I couldn’t remember if there was a difference—was simple and black, but the fabric was impossibly soft under my hands.
“Hi,” Eden whispered.
I threw back my head and laughed, tugging her closer against the front of my body. “Hi. Can I just say you have a permanent invitation to greet me like that any time you wish?”
“Noted. So, nerd mentors, is there anything that needs to be done before you get started?”
Olivia and Addie were in the midst of setting up the table, but Eden and I jumped in to help bring folding chairs out from the storage closet. Eden found little ways to brush up against me, running her fingers over my arm as she passed or nudging me with the sweet curve of her hip.
As the handful of players arrived, Liv introduced everyone to Eden and Adelaide.
I watched for any signs of discomfort, but Eden was her usual charming self through the short stretch of small talk before the game got started.
The two of us then retreated to a corner of the store, though Eden refused my invitation to make out where no one could see us.
“Hands to yourself,” she whispered, attempting to scowl through her quiet laughter. “I want to check out the store. You’re usually too distracting for me to look around.”
“And that’s a bad thing?”
“Hmm. Well, it did prevent me from admiring this,” she mused.
I grinned as she lifted a heavy pewter dragon statue from the shelf by the front window.
The statues weren’t a top seller, but they were eye-catching, each one holding a twenty-sided die in its claws.
The one Eden picked up had mother-of-pearl scales inlaid within its wings, glittering opal eyes, and a die made of iridescent resin that sparkled like Eden’s eyes.
“These are gorgeous,” she said, inspecting it carefully.
“I met the creator at a Comic Con a few years back—she isn’t from Spruce Hill, but she lives close enough to deliver new stock every so often.”
“It weighs a ton.” Eden hefted it in her palm, then set the dragon carefully back on the shelf. “What’s your favorite item in the store?”
I tilted my head, considering. “That’s a hard one. I like the t-shirt that says ‘Bard Kitty’ with the cat playing the lute, but Liv’s artwork is probably my favorite. That watercolor of Carrie Fisher, in particular. I have a poster-size copy at home that I need to frame and hang up.”
Eden’s gaze lifted to the art, positioned throughout the store, and she said, “Maybe I can commission her to do something for my shop. There’s another artist Addie introduced to me who did the stuff I have hanging up, but I could diversify.”
“Milo? I hate to interrupt, but do you have a Player’s Handbook copy that Addie could borrow? I meant to bring mine and must’ve left it on the table at home,” Olivia called.
“Coming right up.” I leaned in to nuzzle Eden’s cheek, saying, “Be right back.”
“No worries, I’m sure I’ll find something to entertain myself,” she replied, turning back to the pewter dragons.
As I headed toward the shelf of Dungeons I just wrapped my arms around my girlfriend so she knew I was there for her. I’d let the medical professional handle this.
“I know you don’t, but the bleeding isn’t slowing down,” Libby said gently. “I’ll give you a local anesthetic to numb the area before we do anything, okay? Milo can stay right here with you. I promise it will be over quickly.”
Eden gave a quick, reluctant nod, and Libby set to work. By the time the anesthetic kicked in, though, the police had arrived at the clinic to take our statements. I was about to refuse to leave Eden’s side, but my mom appeared in the doorway and gave us both a warm smile.
“Hi, honey,” she murmured, moving toward us. “The police are here and need to ask you both some questions.”
“Can it wait until this is done?” I asked quietly.
She winked at me and made her way to Eden’s other side. “With three boys, I’m sure you can imagine how many injuries I’ve tended over the years. Would you let me take Milo’s place here while he gives his statement? That way you can both get out of here sooner.”
I thought Eden would panic, but she nodded against my shoulder, so I pressed a kiss to her temple, offered a grateful nod to both Libby and my mom, then whispered into Eden’s hair, “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“Okay,” she whispered back.
I gave her a gentle squeeze, then stood and left Eden in the care of my family, hoping to hell she would feel safe and loved in the arms of the other two most important women in my life.