Page 184 of Safe With You

It took me until we were almost on the other side to realize he was still holding my hand.

His fingers were wrapped loosely around mine, warm against my palm. There was nothing hesitant about it, like holding my hand was the most natural conclusion to stopping me from stepping into traffic.

We reached the sidewalk, and Ellis still didn’t let go. I didn’t either.

I glanced down at our hands before facing forward again. His thumb brushed against the side of mine, and I couldn’t tell if he was acknowledging that we were still holding hands or quietly asking if I was okay with it.

Either way, I answered by curling my fingers more securely around his.

He glanced at me.

I pretended not to notice.

“You good?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“No reason.”

“Then stop looking at me like that.”

“Like what?”

I looked at him now.

He was smiling.

“That.”

“I smile every day.”

I groaned.

“You’re never letting that go, are you?”

“Absolutely not.”

We kept walking hand in hand, and somehow, after the first few minutes, I stopped thinking about it. That might be the strangest part.

My car was parked half a block ahead when I realized I didn’t want to reach it yet. I slowed down without meaning to, and Ellis matched my pace.

“What time are you going in tomorrow?” he asked.

“Probably around nine.”

“You usually go in that late?”

“No, but Naomi opens on Wednesdays. I just normally show up before she needs me to.”

“Could you go in later?”

I looked over at him. “How much later?”

“Ten.”

“What happens at ten?”

“You go to work.”