Page 15 of One Week With You
“What’s wrong?” she asked, glancing down at herself, tracing the low neckline of her dress before smoothing a palm down her hip a couple of times.
“Nothing. You look… You’re perfect,” I managed, voice croaky with disuse. I couldn’t admit she’d taken my fucking breath away.
“Oh, thank god. You were scowling at me again. I thought I was overdressed or something.”
“Impossible.”
“Though I suppose I’d rather be overdressed than underdressed. Nothing worse than turning up to a black-tie event wearing jeans.” She paused, startled. “Itisblack tie, right?”
“It is,” I confirmed with a smile, gesturing at my own black suit. “And I don’t believe you’ve ever done that.”
“Oh, I did. Back when I first started working for Nadia. You should’ve seen her face.” Talia visibly cringed at the memory. “Now that I think about it, I’m surprised I lasted as long as I did.”
“Don’t sell yourself short.”
She shrugged, her mouth turned down likeoh well.
I studied her for a long moment. She’d seemed so strained the other day. Even if she hadn’t drunk-dialled me, I would have known something was wrong as soon as I saw her face. “You sound more like yourself. You feeling okay?”
She forced out a laugh. “Oh, not at all. But this is supposed to be a party so tonight I’m Party Talia. Mopey Talia will take over later when she’s no longer in public.”
“Well, Party Rafe is grateful but doesn’t think you should hide your feelings. So if it’s a shoulder you need to cry on, mine’s free.”
“There’s a Party Rafe? I’m going to need some proof he exists.”
“Don’t get too excited. He only comes out when he needs to.”
Talia ducked her head to laugh. “You’re sweet. But I’m fine. Or I will be.” She frowned. “I think…”
“Iknow.” I squeezed her arm, wishing it was her hand. “Are you ready?”
“Yes, but first…” She wrestled with a tiny strapless bag she’d tucked under one arm and pulled out a silk tie, the red a shade darker than her dress. “A Christmas present. Well, part of it. I thought as I won’t be seeing you this year, you could wear it tonight. My mum and dad are always wearing matchy things. Maybe we’ll look more like a real couple?”
My pulse liked the sound of that, maybe too much with the way it throbbed at the base of my neck.
“It’s silly, isn’t it?” she added in the face of my silence, shaking her head and refolding the tie. “You don’t have to. It was just an idea. I don’t – ”
“Stop.” I touched her hand, drawing her eyes back to mine. “I want to.”
I stared at her long enough that she stepped closer and lifted the tie over my head, smoothing it under the collar of my black shirt. I wore ties usually, so Party Rafe had been going for a more relaxed, open-collar look tonight – per Henry’s request – but right then I would’ve worn anything she’d given me.
Fucking Party Rafe. What the hell.
Talia’s forehead wrinkled in concentration as she looped the tie over and under, and I couldn’t take my eyes off her lips. The space between us felt like nothing at all, and after years of enforced distance on my part, it was almost too much. I drew in a sharp breath, louder than intended, and Talia’s gaze flew to mine, hands faltering for a second. So much was volleyed back and forth in that endless stretch of a moment.
Do you still want me?
Do you feel it too?
What are we waiting for?
Talia’s throat rolled and I knew she felt it too. That awareness between us never went away, no matter how many boyfriends she had, no matter how many girlfriends I’d tried, however much I wished the attraction would die back in those early days of mine and Leo’s friendship. He’d been the closest, most honest, friend I’d ever had and fuck if I was going to ruin that. But all these years later, it was still there and wasn’t going away. If anything its presence was stronger, more feral somehow, and I wasn’t sure how much longer I could keep it locked inside.
Why was I even keeping it inside? I’d forgotten the reason.
Leo?
But he would understand. I was sure of it.
