Beckett leaned back in her chair and propped an elbow up on its back. That felt uncharacteristically relaxed based on how she had seen her interact earlier in the evening. Beckett gazed at her intently.
“I’m sure it’s been rough transitioning back here from New York City in other areas, you know.”
Rowan paused. She knew she wasn’t hitting on her, but was she really hinting at what she thought she was?
“You mean, in terms of lifestyle?” She ventured cautiously.
“Yes,lifestyle,” Beckett emphasized with a smirk.
“You?...” This was not at all how Rowan expected this interaction to go, but here they were.
“Clearly.”
Rowan let out a knowing sigh. “Yeah, same.”
“Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, we should grab a beer sometime. Trade notes.”
“Trade notes?” Rowan laughed. This interaction was full offucking surprises.
“Yeah, you know. On how to survive.”
“I don’t have too many notes to share on that front. That’s why I moved away the first time.”
“I hear you. I did too. I went the military route, but I found my way back here after all. And I’ve been back about seven or so years now.”
“Then I should probably read your notes, huh. A beer it is.”
“Could be helpful,” she said, tipping her glass of ice water in her direction before standing up to leave.
Rowan glanced back at Juniper, who was down to what looked like her last conversation of the night. Rowan was content to rest her chin on her hand and watch. Watching how animated Juniper was, with her hand motions, body movements, her infectious laugh, even tone inflections that could be heard from across the room, was the clearest indicator she was deep into discussing her passion. Rowan was oblivious to everyone else. She hadn’t even noticed the last person had left until Juniper made eye contact and waved her over.
“I left some of my stuff upstairs, so I have to go grab that. Gloria and the staff want to lock up the building soon.”
“Do you want me to go with you?”
“If you want. It’s okay if you want to head out.”
“No, I’ll walk you.”
Juniper flashed a brilliant smile and pushed through the double doors into the hallway. Once inside the dark stairwell, she stopped.
“My feet are killing me. I’m taking these off,” she huffed.
She grabbed Rowan’s forearm and bent down to slide her heels off. She stretched her feet before letting go.
“Feel better?” Rowan asked softly.
“So much better.”
Juniper looked up and smiled with a softness that made Rowan feel like that was the real win of the evening, that she could relax Juniper to the point she could let herself indulgein little comforts like that. Without asking, Rowan took her shoes from her hands, and they silently ascended the stairs and walked the rest of the way to her office side by side.
Once in the room, Rowan watched Juniper flit around the room barefoot to gather her things. She, however, pressed her back against the door frame. Earlier during all of that talk about fucking her against a desk, Rowan had experienced a very real battle with her self-control as she gripped Juniper’s ass in this same door frame. It was like all the memories held in her fingertips activated at once. She had shoved her hands into her pockets so they could burn in private.
Now, after everything they’d gone through, after their major win that night, she felt even more raw as she stood in that spot. The way everything seemed to be falling together perfectly was ever-present in her mind. But that was nothing compared to how Rowan could envision the rest of their lives fitting together.
Silvery moonlight spilled in through the large windows at the back of the office, and she felt it created a little too intimate of a setting to trust herself not to slide her arms around Juniper’s waist, draw her body fully against hers, and press another kiss into those soft lips.
I’m in love with you.
