Page 59 of Courting Trouble

Delilah realised Cassie wasn’t going to kiss her. She couldn’t do it. Something was standing in her way. Delilah needed to make the call.

She leaned in first. Just enough to make it clear. Cassie met her halfway.

The kiss was brief, a little shaky. Their noses bumped. When they pulled apart, Cassie still had her eyes closed.

‘You really are nervous,’ Delilah said softly.

Cassie opened her eyes. ‘It’s pathetic, isn’t it?’

Delilah shook her head. ‘No,’ she said. ‘I like it.’

Cassie was wide-eyed. And Delilah liked that too.

Fifty-Eight

Cassie had kissed women before. But not like that. Not with her heart thudding wildly over one soft brush of lips.

As they walked on, the urge to hold her hand was increasing, but she still didn’t. She wanted to push her up against the nearest tree and kiss her properly, but she didn’t do that either.

They were back at the car now, and they climbed in, Cassie aware she’d missed about a million opportunities to take things further.

But she didn’t know the rules of this yet. Didn’t know how far Delilah wanted to go, or how much of tonight was real and how much was just the right time, the right place, the right collision of drama.

Delilah’s career was thundering towards her like an articulated lorry, while Cassie had never been more aware that hers was fading fast in the rear view. It was a strange, uncertain moment for them both. Was Delilah only swept up in the chaos? Was Cassie?

She glanced sideways as she started the car.

Delilah was calm. Or seemed it. Her mouth set in something that was neither a smile nor a frown. Cassie wished she could read her better.

***

They pulled into the car park back at Larchfield, and Cassie was acutely aware they were heading back to the cabin together. There was no ‘Your place or mine’ needed. Cassie didn’t know if that was good or bad.

The trouble was, she was getting too terrified for logical thought. And she could have done with some. That clear sense that the ball was coming and she was going to hit it. She had none of that.

They walked to the cabin at a quick pace. At the door, Cassie cleared her throat. ‘We’re here.’

Delilah looked at her. ‘Yep.’

There was a long pause.

‘You have the keys,’ Delilah pointed out.

‘Oh, right,’ Cassie said and unlocked the door noisily.

As she walked across the threshold, Cassie’s brain was struggling with the basics of putting one foot in front of the other.

‘It was a nice walk,’ she said, just to try and get some synapses firing.

Delilah stepped in and smiled. ‘Mmm.’

‘Food was nice too.’

‘You really like that word tonight,’ Delilah said, with a bemused half-smile. ‘Which is weird, because I don’t think I’ve ever heard you use it before.’

Cassie’s mouth opened, then shut again. Delilah was standing close now, too close.

‘You’re cute when you’re freaking out,’ Delilah said softly.