Chapter 5
PAIGE
The Raven family is well known, but it’s a stretch to refer to them as royalty.
After they were featured in a national travel magazine’s top ten small town inns—they ranked seventh—five years ago, and having some big-time professional women’s soccer players stay a weekend, they’re famous in and around Haynes County, Michigan.
“I’m not a princess?”
Remi waves a hand in the air dismissively. “Sure, not of a country or a throne or whatever, but in the sense that you are the heir raised to take over your family business. I saw that video online about you guys.”
She means the reel that went viral sharing the inn’s history and how Paige’s great-grandparents opened the Raven Woods Inn nearly sixty years ago, and it’s been run by a Raven ever since.
“Well, yes, technically,” Paige admits. “It’s kind of what I meant the other day. Since I’m the eldest and my sister is … well, she’s Amelia.” Paige gives a tight-lipped smile. “The inn is mine.”
“Damn.” Remi whistles. “How do you feel about that?”
Their server sets down a bowl of French onion soup in front of Paige and a Caesar salad for Remi. They thank him, and Paige asks, “What do you mean?”
“Like, do you want to take over?”
“Of course. The inn is my life. I love it. It’s just a lot of responsibility and pressure.”
Lettuce crunches as Remi digs her fork into her bowl. “I can understand that.”
Paige tries her soup—damn, that’s good—then says, “What made you want to be a teacher?”
“I worked as a camp counselor a couple summers when I was in high school. I didn’t realize the impact I could have on the kids. The small ways I can make a big difference in their lives.”
“I love that.”
“Some summers I still help out at the camp.”
“Really? That’s so cool. Your students are so lucky to have you.”
Remi shrugs before their server sets their entrees down in front of them.
“Damn.” Remi whistles. “This looks amazing.”
“Great call on splitting,” Paige says as they dive in.
The rest of the date flies by. They get lost in conversation, first discussing their favorite foods—beyond snacks—before moving back into the familiar topic of climbing. Their meals are better than Remi promised. By the time their plates are empty, Paige isn’t ready for the night to be over.
“Ready to head out?” Remi asks after paying.
Paige hesitates, not sure how to answer. They’re both beyond full, so dessert isn’t an option, but … Paige doesn’t want to go home. Remi’s so easy to talk to, and she looks so damn good in that turtleneck. Her curly hair is perfectly tousled; Paige wants to run her fingers through it.
Or, shit. Maybe that’s the glass of wine she spontaneously ordered to settle her first date jitters talking.
She doesn’t think it’s the wine that has her wanting to spend more time with Remi though. But this is only a practice date. She doesn’t want to overstep if Remi’s ready to go home.
Remi must pick up on Paige’s indecision, because she offers, “There’s a bar I really like around the corner if you want to grab a drink?”
“Yeah?”
Remi grins. She takes Paige’s hand and interlaces their fingers. Remi’s body is warm, and Paige leans into her side as she leads them back to her car. Remi opens the passenger side door for her just like she did back at her apartment, and Paige flushes.
“Again? Wow, I’m impressed,” Paige teases.
“What can I say? I’m a gentlewoman.” Remi winks and softly shuts the door behind her. The air between them has a new charge as they make the short drive to the bar.
Paige nearly whistles when they walk inside. With the low lighting and music playing softly in the background, the vibe is perfect. Remi is impressing the hell out of Paige with her choice of restaurant and now this? She thinks Remi has ruined her for all future first dates.
And this one isn’t even over yet.
It has an upscale kind of vibe that Paige trusts to make her favorite drink correctly. After ordering an amaretto sour for Paige and a raspberry ale for Remi, they take their drinks to the back corner where there’s an open booth they slide into.
“Okay, I won’t lie, I’ve never heard of someone putting an egg white in their cocktail,” Remi says as she points at Paige’s drink.
She chuckles. “The first time a bartender asked me if I wanted it, I was horrified and imagined an actual egg in my drink.”
“Thank you! ’Cause that’s what I thought when you said it.”
“The bartender insisted I try it, and I’ve been hooked ever since,” Paige says. “It makes a little foamy texture that is rich and smooth and perfectly pulls together the flavors in the drink. Do you want to try it?”
Remi hesitates.
Paige waggles her eyebrows.
“Okay. If you insist.”
Paige slides the glass toward Remi, and she takes the world’s smallest sip.
“Are you a cat? Come on, you can’t even taste it doing that.”
Remi laughs, then takes a second, bigger pull from the drink. Her eyelids flutter shut, and she leans back in the vinyl booth. “Damn, that is good.”
“See?” Paige takes the glass back from her. “But you can’t order this from just anywhere, you have to get it from bartenders who know what they’re doing.”
“Order from fancy bars only. Got it.”
Paige giggles. “Basically.”
Remi smiles. “So, are you having a nice first sapphic date?”
“I am. But … I do have one complaint.”
Her face drops.
“We’ve been fake girlfriends for two weeks and are on our first date, but, aside from your earlier tip, you haven’t really taught me how to flirt.”
Relief loosens Remi’s features. “Well, good thing the date isn’t over yet.”
“Oh, yeah?” Paige cocks one taunting eyebrow. The liquid courage has her acting bold, but Remi doesn’t seem to mind.
Remi licks her lips and leans closer to Paige. “Flirting is all about expressing your interest in someone. You’ll want to use a lot of eye contact. Ask them questions about themselves.”
“That sounds easy.”
“It is. In the beginning, flirting is an intentional conversation as you figure out if you are compatible and want to pursue something more.”
“Okay. So, what about after … the beginning?”
Remi hides her sly grin by taking a slow pull from her drink. She delicately sets the glass down and meets Paige’s eye. “Can I sit next to you?”
Paige’s skin tingles, and she nods.
Remi slides in the booth, her arm grazing Paige’s. She smells good, like bergamot and rosemary. “After, when two people know they are interested in one another, flirting can be about more than what is said.”
“What do you mean?”
“For example, when I’ve been talking to a woman at a bar after a little while, I’ll subtly move closer to her. I’ll find small reasons to touch her.”
Remi’s hand moves to Paige’s knee.
“I’ll pay attention to how she responds. Does she move away or does she seem to welcome my touch?”
Paige glances down at where her leg is pressed flush to Remi’s. Remi sees it too, and when she meets Paige’s eye again, there’s a sparkle in her blue irises.
“If that goes well, I’ll find an excuse to lean in”—her tone is low and sultry—“and whisper in her ear.”
Heat spreads from Remi’s touch on Paige’s knee to between her thighs, and a small gasp parts her lips. Paige’s body edges closer. Remi’s fingers move in soft strokes that tease up Paige’s leg until she reaches the hem of her skirt.
Paige’s breath catches.
“If she’s into it,” Remi says. “She might touch me back, or maybe she’ll whisper in my ear.”
Remi looks down at where Paige’s hand is on her leg, then up to her face. They’re impossibly close; their lips only a few inches apart. Paige nearly stops breathing.
“If that happens, then I’ll think about kissing her.”
Paige’s mouth is impossibly dry.
“I’ll stare at her lips and wait. I’ll give her time to see if she wants me to lean in or if she’ll turn away. If I’m lucky, she’ll meet me halfway when I …”
Remi’s face angles to the side as she eases forward. The whole world fades away as all Paige’s focus narrows in on Remi. Her plump, full lips. The adorable freckles dusting her nose and cheeks. The hunger in her gentle cerulean eyes.
Paige never once wanted someone to kiss her at the end of a date. Not until now. Tucked away in this dark corner, Remi’s body so close to hers, her skin hot as desire floods her. She might die if Remi doesn’t kiss her.
Remi leans in and—
“Well, that’s flirting.” Remi scrambles back and throws her thumb over her shoulder. “I’m going to use the bathroom real quick.”
Paige is left staring at where she once was, as she disappears down a narrow hallway. Her mind reels to catch up with the unexpected turn. All she can think is …
What. The. Fuck?