Page 26 of Sweet Heart

“It’s just a name for a simple dish.”

But the sparkle in her eye tells me it is much more. And so does the fluttering in my chest.

***

It is already past midnight by the time I get home, and my whole body is still buzzing. Maybe it is the wine—I don’t drink often, so I am considered a lightweight—but every nerve is singing to me in the best possible way. This dinner might just be the best I’ve had in a shamefully long time, and nothing even happened.

The spark was definitely there. I could sense it in how she hovered instead of touching me, see it when her gaze dipped to my lips and back, and feel it by the end of the night when she leaned in slightly as if she was going to kiss me. A part of me wishes she had, but another part is grateful that she didn’t. For the first time in my adult life, I want to move slowly. Not because I am not longing for her—gosh, it’s kind of shameful how quickly she got under my skin—but because I want this to be meaningful. No. Because it is meaningful.

That is what makes this connection so different from anything I’ve ever felt before. The way the air crackles between us, how I feel a tug toward her when I lay eyes on her, how I can’t get her out of my head. Even now, the thought of her is enough to make my heart stutter. Fuck, you got it bad.

Before I can stop myself, I grab my phone and type out a message. Sure, I might want to take things slow, but that doesn’t mean I have to move at a snail’s pace either, right?

00:39 a.m. – Mary Mary

Tonight was amazing. Thank you for a wonderful time. I hope we can do this again soon?

I bite my lip and press send. Maybe I should worry about looking desperate or coming on too strong, but for some reason, I don’t think Catherine is wired to think that way. The fact that the three dots pop up almost instantly confirms that thought and makes me hold my breath.

00:40 a.m. – Katherina

I had a wonderful time. Thank you.

I smile at the message and wait for the bubbles to return. When they don’t, I frown slightly. Tonight, I saw glimpses of the warm personality that she hides so well behind her titles and that big wall of ice, but this message makes it feel like we are back at the start. And that push and pull is really starting to get old.

A frustrated sigh escapes me, and I put my phone away. Now that the buzz has worn off, exhaustion is seeping into my bones. I kick off my shoes, strip off the dress, and brush my teeth, all while the clipped answer plays on repeat in the back of my mind. Did I read too much into this, after all? Was she just being friendly?

When I slip between the covers, my screen lights up, and I instantly reach for it. My breath catches when I see Cat’s name on the screen, and my fingers twitch slightly as I unlock it. The message pops up instantly.

00:48 a.m. – Katherina

Tú eres una pequeña bruja. I can’t stop thinking about you.

I frown and open a new tab in my browser. When I translate the sentence, everything in me stills. A little witch… I’m on her mind.

I didn’t imagine it. I didn’t read too much into it. She is thinking about me. I stare at my phone until the screen goes dark, and then I scramble to unlock it again. My fingers go cold from the sudden rush of adrenaline.

00:50 a.m. – Mary Mary

Funny, I could say the same thing about you…

00:51 a.m. – Katherina

I’m not usually like this.

00:51 a.m. – Mary Mary

Like what?

00:51 a.m. – Katherina

I don’t pursue former patients.

00:52 a.m. – Mary Mary

I know. But I also know you feel this pull.

The dots appear, disappear, and then appear again. My stomach flips every time, and I can’t help but bite my hand as I wait. Did I go too far? Too soon?