Page 77 of At First Catch

Hadley clears her throat.

“Barely.”

Bailey’s grin widens.

“Excellent.”

I shake my head, laughing under my breath while Hadley shoots her friend a look that promises revenge later.

A few customers drift into the store, pulling Bailey toward the front register.

Neither of us seems particularly interested in saying goodbye.

“So...” she says, wrapping both hands around her coffee cup.

“So.”

She smiles down at the lid before looking back up at me.

“I should probably let you get back to work.”

“I probably should.”

Neither of us moves. The silence settles between us. Not awkward, but comfortable. Like we’re both searching for one more reason to stay.

I take a slow step closer.

“If I leave without doing this...”

She tilts her head.

“Doing what?”

We drift farther between the shelves without either of us seeming to make the decision. By the time we stop near the back of the store, Bailey and the register are mostly hidden from view.

I reach up, tucking another strand of hair behind her ear. My fingertips skim the curve of her cheek, and she goes still beneath my hand.

“So impatient,” she whispers.

I smile.

“You have no idea.”

Before I can overthink it, I lean down, and my lips brush hers. Just once. Soft enough that it barely counts. A question more than a kiss.

The bell above the bookstore door jingles. Somebody laughs downstairs. A customer asks Bailey a question. None of it reaches me until she smiles, her forehead almost resting against mine.

“I’ve been wanting to do that since the marina,” I admit.

Her cheeks bloom pink. “Only since the marina?”

I laugh.

“Okay.” I brush my thumb lightly along her cheek. “Since long before the marina.”

Her smile grows softer. “Were you going to keep pretending you weren’t?”

“I was trying.”