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One thing she did understand though, was that every part of her wanted to kiss Evelyn again. The thought had lingered in the back of her mind all day. Actually it had been ever since Evelyn had surprised her by accepting the invitation to the car show.Don’t forget the surprise kiss,Jo thought. That tiny, fleeting brush of lips had been enough to rattle Jo in a way she wasn’t used to. As they rode along toward the wayside, with the two of them alone, the air thick with unspoken possibilities, Jo knew she could make a move. She could simply pull the car over into a secluded spot at the parking lot, cut the engine, and turn to Evelyn with her signature smile that usually made women melt. She could lean in, let her fingers trail over Evelyn’s knee, and give her an infamous line, “Do you want me to kiss you?” Jo swallowed hard, gripping the wheel tighter. But the thing was, Jo couldn’t decide what she would do if Evelyn said no.Hell, I’m not even sure what I will do if she says yes.

The road curved, and Jo spotted the parking lot up ahead. It was emptier than usual, with only a handful of cars scattered near the front. The sky was quickly growing heavy with clouds again, blocking out any blue and dimming the sunlight. The smell of salt and distant rain was thick in the air. It wasn’t storming yet, but Jo had a feeling it might be before the day was over. She pulled into a space near the edge of the lot, where the view of the ocean stretched wide and uninterrupted. Cutting the engine, she exhaled slowly, trying to steady herself.

Evelyn shifted beside her. “It’s beautiful here,” she murmured, looking at the water.

Jo turned her head enough to watch her. Evelyn’s face was soft, her lips slightly parted, her hands lightly holding her coffee cup on her lap. She looked kissable. So damn kissable. Jo wet her lips.Now’s the time, she thought.Say something. Do something. She felt the weight of Evelyn’s attention shifting toward her, the air between them tightening.

For a moment, time seemed to stand still. Jo sensed the question in Evelyn’s posture, the slight tilt of her head, the way her breath hitched just enough to be noticeable.She knows, Jo realized.She knows I want to kiss her.And she’s waiting for me to do it.Jo licked her lips. She could do it. She could lean in, close the space between them, and finally…

Nope, she thought.Not yet. Jo cleared her throat. “You want to go for a walk?”

Evelyn blinked, clearly caught off guard. A flicker of something crossed her face.Disappointment?Jo wondered.Amusement?She wasn’t sure. But then Evelyn offered a small smile and nodded. “Yeah,” she said. “I’d like that.”

Jo nearly groaned.What am I doing?she asked herself.Why can’t I just kiss her? It’s not like we haven’t already.Yet, as she stepped out of the car and walked around to meet Evelyn, watching as she wrapped her arms around herself against the cool breeze, Jo knew it was for the best. Because this thing between them was worth taking slow. Even if it killed her.

Evelyn pulled her arms tighter against her body. A gust of wind kicked up, carrying the scent of salt and something else. Something crisp and electric, like the promise of rain. She inhaled deeply, trying to steady herself.That was almost something, she thought. She wasn’t imagining it.Jo was going to kiss me.Evelyn had felt it, seen it in the way Jo’s body had gone still, in the way the air between them had thickened with unspoken possibility. And then…nothing. Nothing but an offer to go for a walk. Evelyn wasn’t sure if she was relieved or disappointed. Maybe both.

Standing beside her, Jo’s hands were shoved into her pockets, her posture easy but her eyes unreadable. “You good?” she asked, tilting her head slightly.

Nodding, Evelyn forced a small smile. “Yeah,” she said. “Just it’s colder than I expected.”

Jo’s gaze flicked over her, clearly assessing the situation. Evelyn knew she had made a mistake by not bringing a sweater at least. The wind was sharper here, cutting through the fabric of her dress, sending a shiver down her spine. “Here,” Jo said, shrugging out of her leather jacket. Evelyn opened her mouth to protest, but Jo was already holding it out to her. “Take it.” Jo’s voice was soft, considerate. “I don’t want you freezing.”

Hesitating only for a moment, Evelyn reached for it. The leather was warm from Jo’s body, carrying her scent. Somehow, Evelyn found it rich and familiar, like cedarwood and the smallest hint of motor oil. She pulled it on, and it was exactly like she remembered. The sleeves were too long, the shoulders too wide, and the weight of it settled around her in a way that made her feel safe. Jo watched her for a beat, her eyes darkening slightly. Evelyn swallowed. For a second, it felt like the moment was back. The one they had barely missed in the car. The wind whipped around them, Jo standing close, waiting like she was debating something. Evelyn’s breath held, and she half closed her eyes, ready for the kiss.

Suddenly, Jo took a step back. “Come on,” she said, jerking her head toward the sand. “Let’s walk.”

Exhaling slowly, Evelyn nodded. “All right,” she said, hearing the mix of confusion and relief in her voice. “Let’s walk.”

They made their way down the short path to the beach, their footsteps muffled by the soft sand. The tide was low, leaving behind a stretch of damp, darkened earth littered with bits of driftwood and scattered shells. The waves rolled in steadily, white foam curling at the edges before retreating again. Evelyn let herself relax into the rhythm of it, the steady push and pull of the ocean. Jo walked beside her, hands in her pockets, her gazescanning the shoreline. “You ever go looking for shells as a kid?” she asked after a moment, and Evelyn smiled a little.

“Yeah,” she admitted. “Jasmine and I used to come to the coast with our mom. We would spend hours digging in the sand, looking for the perfect ones.”

“Bet you found some good ones.”

“Mostly broken pieces,” Evelyn said with a small laugh. “But I didn’t care. I liked the idea that they had a history. That they had been whole once, and then the ocean had shaped them into something different.”

Glancing at her, there was something unreadable flickering in Jo’s expression, but she didn’t respond, and they walked together for a while, their feet sinking slightly with each step. Evelyn found herself scanning the ground, old habits resurfacing. She slowed when something caught her eye. It was a small, smooth piece of green sea glass half-buried in the sand. She bent, brushing the grains away before picking it up. The surface was cloudy, the edges soft and rounded.

Jo watched her curiously. “What did you find?”

Holding it up, Evelyn let the dim light catch on the hazy surface. “Sea glass,” she said. “It used to be a piece of a bottle, probably. But after years in the ocean, the sharp edges wear down, and it turns into this.”

Tilting her head, Jo studied it. “You’re saying that the ocean takes something broken and makes it beautiful?”

Evelyn’s fingers curled around the glass. She hadn’t thought of it that way before. “Yeah,” she murmured. “I guess it does.” As they stood there, Jo didn’t say anything, but she looked at Evelyn’s treasure like she saw something more than simply a piece of glass in her hand. It made warmth spread through Evelyn’s chest. Then, without warning, a drop of water landed on her cheek. Evelyn blinked, glancing up. Another drop. Then another.

Checking the sky, Jo groaned. “Ah, hell,” she said. “This is not good.” Within seconds, the drizzle turned into something heavier, fat raindrops splattering against the sand, the wind picking up as the storm rolled in faster than expected.

As the rain came down harder, Evelyn gasped as the cold hit her skin. “We should go back to the car.”

“Run,” Jo yelled, taking her hand. They took off, feet kicking up sand as they sprinted toward the car, laughter bubbling out of Evelyn despite the chill. The rain became a downpour, drenching them within moments, soaking through Evelyn’s hair and Jo’s T-shirt. By the time they reached the car, they were both breathless. Jo fumbled with the keys, cursing as she yanked open the door. Evelyn dove into the passenger seat, shivering as water dripped from her hair, her chest rising and falling rapidly. Jo raced around the front of the car before sliding in, slamming the door shut as the rain pounded against the roof.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. They were both soaked, breathing hard, the air thick with something that had nothing to do with the storm outside. Evelyn turned her head slowly, meeting Jo’s gaze. Jo was looking at her like she wanted to say something.Or do something, Evelyn thought as her lips parted. The rain continued to fall, the world outside blurred and distant. Inside the car, everything felt impossibly close, and this time, neither of them moved away.

The rain drummed steadily against the roof of the GTO, blurring the outside world into streaks of gray and silver. Jo’s breath was still uneven, her pulse thrumming in her ears as she sat there, soaked, staring at Evelyn. The woman was a mess in the best possible way. Her hair clung to her face in damp strands, and she had pulled the wet leather coat around her. Her lips were parted slightly, her chest rising and falling as she tried to catchher breath. Jo swallowed hard as she flicked her gaze toward the parking lot. The other cars were gone.We’re alone, she thought.It’s just us. The realization sent something electric down Jo’s spine.

Her entire body tensed with the need to close the space between them. She realized she had been holding back since she first laid eyes on Evelyn inSapphiretwo nights ago, second-guessing herself in a way she never did. Even at her home, when the kisses had been red-hot, Jo had restrained herself, a part of her wanting to take it slowly for once. But now, with Evelyn looking at her like she was waiting, like she wanted everything as much as Jo did, there was no room for hesitation. She leaned in slowly, enough to give Evelyn the chance to pull away if she wanted to. She didn’t. Instead, Evelyn met her halfway, and Jo could swear her heart was about to beat out of her chest.