Free What The Heart Finds by Jessica Gadziala

tugging
at a strand of Emily's hair playfully. She watched them with a sort
of fascinated detachment. They acted like siblings. Like people who
had played on playgrounds together as children. Even though she knew
from Eric that Emily hadn't shown up in town until they were
teenagers. Maybe it was because they were so similar. Both exuded a
sort of raw sexual energy and had very dry, sarcastic senses of
humor.
    Or maybe they had dated.
    The thought crept up on
her suddenly, grating and unwelcome. They would have made a good
couple- light and easy going. No pressure. Both too detached to pull
off an actual long term thing. It would have been fun and passionate
and over quickly.
    She looked at Emily then,
really looked at her as a woman, not just an innkeeper. She was tall.
Taller even than herself. Her body was slight, waifish, the kind of
body models starve themselves for. She wore a black cocktail dress,
form fitting like her own, and short, showing off her long legs. But
it was her face that was mesmerizing with it's sharp features and
piercing blue eyes. Her shiny auburn hair was loose for the first
time since she had met her, flowing straight past her shoulders. The
kind of hair that was begging to have someone's fingers run through
it.
    “Earth to Lena,”
Emily said, her brows furrowed.
    Lena shook her head,
hoping she hadn't been caught gawking. “Sorry. I was just...”
    “Considering all
the ways that taking this one,” she said jerking her head in
Eric's direction. “on a date is a horrible idea?”
    “Exactly,”
Lena agreed, smiling. “Sorry you missed out on Alec,”
Lena said, watching him get led off stage by a girl who couldn't be
much older than eighteen.
    “Oh, him,”
she said, waving a hand dismissively. “we have been playing
this game for years. I'm gonna get him one of these days.”
    “Heaven help any
man who thinks they can turn Emily down,” Eric said, smiling at
her kindly.
    “You turned me
down,” she added with a raised brow as she took a sip of her
iced tea.
    “But just because
it wouldn't be fair to the other townspeople if we got together. I
mean... just think of the children,” he said, his eyes bright.
“Future generations would be helpless to defend themselves
against Emily-Eric offspring.”
    “True,” Emily
smiled. “they would be too gorgeous. See?” Emily said,
turning to Lena. “we would never work out.”
    “Apparently,”
Lena agreed, her ludicrous jealousy slipping away. What was wrong
with her? Eric's hand felt heavy on her hips, possessive.
    “Go on,”
Emily said, nodding toward the door. “get him out of here
before the hens decide to organize and come at him with pitchforks,”
she said, letting her gaze fall for a long moment on a group of
young, pretty women who were starting at them, and especially Eric,
with open malice.
    “She'll protect
me,” Eric said, his fingertips digging into her hipbone hollows
in a way too intimate way.
    “Or throw you to
them, already trussed up.”
    “You want to tie me
up, baby?” Eric asked, his voice low and sensual.
    “Oh my god. You're
impossible,” she said, pulling away from him and quickly making
her way toward the door.

Eight

    She was barely ten feet
out of the gym doors when she heard Eric running up behind her,
reaching down and casually grabbing her hand, and falling into step
beside her.
    “What is with you
and physical contact?” she asked, feeling uncomfortable with
the uncertainty that was the rest of their night.
    “What is with you
and your aversion to physical contact?” he countered, his tone
without any emphasis. His fingers squeezed hers. Reassuring, almost.
    “So what are we
supposed to do now?” she asked as they walked out the front
doors of the school. The night air hit her, blessedly cool against
her overheated skin.
    “Well that
depends,” Eric said, looking down at her with mischief in his
eyes. “Ladies choice,” he said with a shrug. “Some
ladies choose to have you back to