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A twinge of guilt for stealing Frankie away from her, especially since it’s fake, eats at my gut.
“Come on, we better order.” Frankie leaves me to Lauren’s mercy, striding toward the barista who’s been patiently waiting for us.
“She’s pretty special, huh?” Lauren says under her breath. “I’m glad you see it. Maybe you’ll show her how to be a little more badass, yeah?”
I speak softly, watching Frankie read off her list. “She’s already badass. She just doesn’t know it.”
She reaches out to show the barista something on her phone, her jacket riding up to reveal the slight swell of her ass. My eyes lock on it, not caring that Lauren’s watching me watch her.
“God, I wish someone would look at me the way you’re looking at her.”
I glance down. There’s definitely a hint of sadness in Lauren’s smile. “How do I look at her?”
“Like you can’t decide if you want to fuck her, carry her around in your pocket, or fall at her feet in worship.”
I don’t answer. I can’t tell her the truth, that I want to do all three. So instead, we wait in silence until Frankie comes back, tucking her phone in her pocket.
“What are you two talking about?”
Lauren shrugs. “I was just pointing out that Julian keeps staring at your ass.”
Frankie ducks her head, failing to hide the smile on her face. A glimmer of hope that maybe I can convince her we can be more than friends, for real, builds in my chest.
Without warning, Frankie takes hold of my arm, tugs me down, and plants a kiss on my cheek. “You were checking me out, huh?”
I return the favor, not letting myself linger, even though I want to. “You know it, Rocky.”
“If you two don’t kiss for real, I’m going to cry. How are you so adorable? And you’re so tall, and she’s so small. You’re just…ugh! Can you please make some adorable babies already?” Lauren throws her hands up at her last exclamation.
Frankie’s eyes are wide with panic, or because she’s trying not to laugh, I can’t tell. “Uh, Lauren? Are you okay?”
“For God’s sake, just kiss. I won’t even watch.” She turns her back on us, crossing her arms and tapping a toe. “I don’t hear kissing!” She calls out after Frankie and I stand there staring at each other for a moment.
I think Lauren’s actually lost her mind, but I scoop Frankie up so her face is level with mine anyway. “Should we humor her?”
Frankie’s eyes sparkle down at me. “I think we better or she’ll never let it go.”
With that, Frankie leans in, her lips claiming mine for a moment. The same way she melted into my embrace earlier, I melt into her kiss. The touch of her lips to mine settles everything that’s been on edge inside me back into place. Every cell in my body exhales with relief to have her back.
I just wish I knew for sure if Frankie felt that same way about me.
Sixteen
Frankie
I’ve never related to the post-credits scene of a Marvel movie harder in my life. The scent of hot shawarma drifts up while I fumble with the car key, the restaurant’s overhang doing nothing about the rain except aiming it all down the back of my neck. I’m so fucking tired I can barely see as I struggle to get the key fob in my fingers to unlock the door.
I haven’t saved a city from attacking aliens, but I have been at work past midnight every day this week fixing the bug we discovered on Monday afternoon. Even Mr. Sutton stayed to help us fix the issue in time for next week’s launch.
Remembering how it felt to kiss Julian in the middle of Two Birds is the only thing that’s gotten me through this hellish week.
At least there’s no traffic at three in the morning, and I’d missed the bar-closing rush at my favorite halal place down the street. If I was going to come home from work this late on a Friday night, I better be getting something out of it.
A car door slams in the street as I finally get the door open, but I ignore it. I reach in to put my food on the passenger seat before straightening up to crack my back. Leaning my shoulder against the side of the car, I yawn, reaching my arms up to stretch with it. My back and hips are wrecked from days hunched over my keyboard. Eyes closed and watering from the yawn, I take a moment to breathe in the misty air.
Large hands grip my shoulders, steadying me. A scream rips free from deep in my chest as my eyes fly open. For a split second I think it might be Julian—broad shoulders and a familiar face look down at me. It’s not Julian.
“Careful, Frankie.”
