Page 385 of Ruthless Court
Just enough to taste the smile still on her mouth.
The room erupts behind us.
Someone whistles.
Someone else pounds on the counter.
Vale calls out, “Locked down!”
Hannah pulls away.
“Don’t encourage him.”
I rest my forehead against hers.
“You sure?”
She knows what I’m asking.
Not about us.
The post.
The attention.
Being seen.
Her fingers tighten in my shirt.
“Yes.”
Then she looks over my shoulder.
“Can we eat now?”
Vale immediately steps forward.
“Thank you.”
I block him with one arm.
“You're last.”
“What?”
“You posted without permission.”
“Hannah forgave me.”
“I didn’t say that,” she says.
Vale turns.
“You didn't?”
“I said leave the post.”
“That feels adjacent to forgiveness.”
