Page 56 of Courting Trouble

Cassie had to laugh at that.

‘Was your dad proud of your success?’ Delilah asked.

‘He died just as I was climbing the ranks, but I think he was.’

‘I’m sorry.’

Cassie shrugged. She never liked dwelling on it, but Delilah’s voice was gentle enough that it didn’t feel like pity. Still, she didn’t want to dwell.

‘What areyourparents like?’ Cassie questioned.

‘Oh, well, they’re both accountants, so you can imagine how they feel about my career choice.’

‘I see.’

‘Yep. I think they wanted me to do that too, but I barely know what two plus two is, so it was never on the cards.’

‘It’s four. In case you need to know,’ Cassie told her.

Delilah sighed dramatically. ‘The mystery is solved!’

The way Delilah talked was mesmerising to Cassie. She talked with her whole body, her face animated, her eyes soft when she listened. Cassie could have watched it forever.

Fifty-Five

Delilah watched Cassie study the dessert menu.

They’d been tossing glances and little sparks back and forth all evening, but maybe she’d been playing it too safe. Did Cassie even realise how much Delilah wanted her? That all she wanted was to drag her out of here, press her up against the nearest wall, and end this guessing game. Cassie seemed calm as you like, while Delilah was hanging by a thread.

Maybe it was too much. She needed to slow down. It wasn’t a race. She’d waited this long. No pointin blowing it by lunging too fast.

Delilah forced a slow breath, fingers tightening around the stem of her glass. She told herself to match Cassie’s calm, to let things unfold at their own pace.

What happened next would be telling. If Cassie wanted dessert, she was in no rush. If she wanted to skip it, Delilah knew it was on.

‘You want to split…’ Cassie began.

Delilah stopped breathing.

‘…a sticky toffee pudding?’ Cassie finished.

Delilah nodded, trying not to read Cassie’s sweet tooth as a sign that Cassie had realised, as the evening progressed, that she didn’t really fancy Delilah. ‘Sure.’

They ordered the pud, and when it arrived, it was a mess of golden syrup and steam. Cassie took the first bite and let out a quiet, involuntary sound of appreciation that made Delilah wonder if it was a preview.

Jesus, she was horny. Or was it just Cassie doing this to her? Maybe she was just starved, maybe it was nothing more than months of frustration catching up to her… but no. It was Cassie. It had to be Cassie.

Tough on the outside, quick with her dry comebacks, yet underneath it all so disarmingly kind. That long black braid trailing down her back, that lean, honed body shaped by years of discipline. Delilah wanted her because she was strong and soft at once. It was easy to see that now she was maybe allowed to.

‘You’re going to ruin me,’ Delilah muttered, reaching for a spoon.

Cassie grinned. ‘I doubt that.’

‘Other than the occasional Jelly Baby, I’ve been sticking to the lodge menu. I think it’s helped with my fitness.’

‘You’re in excellent shape. You can afford a pudding.’

Delilah gave her a sidelong glance. ‘That a professional opinion?’