Chapter 23

Millie

"You really need to go to work," I laugh, my voice light but with a hint of reluctance as I gaze at Tripp, who’s still sprawled out on the bed, looking every bit as comfortable as he’s been for the past two days.

"I can call in for one more day," he murmurs, reaching for me with a lazy grin, his green eyes twinkling mischievously.

I chuckle and shake my head, giving him a gentle push out of the bed. "You've already called in for two days in a row. I’m pretty sure your family is going to start a search party if you don’t show up soon. Besides, I’ve got to open up my shop today." The words feel almost foreign after the blissful cocoon of my apartment, where time seemed to stop and the outside world ceased to exist.

The past two days have been a whirlwind of tangled sheets, whispered secrets, and the kind of laughter that makes your sides ache. We’ve barely come up for air, losing ourselves in each other as if the rest of the world didn’t matter. And for a while, it didn’t.

"I don’t want to go," Tripp groans dramatically, reluctantly gathering his clothes from the floor, where they’d been discarded in haste. He holds up his shirt with a rueful smile. "But, I guess I do need to check in with my family. Maybe go home and grab more clothes. I’m running low."

I can’t help but smile at the thought of him coming back. “You’d better come back after work. No disappearing on me.”

His face lights up with that boyish grin I’ve come to adore. "There’s no place I’d rather be," he says earnestly, the warmth in his voice making my heart skip a beat.

I finally get out of bed, stretching languidly as I squint slightly at the golden light streaming through the bedroom windows. The sun is already high in the sky, reminding me that the world has kept turning outside our little sanctuary. But even as I step into the day, I know part of me will be counting down the hours until he’s back.

He crosses the room, his footsteps soft against the hardwood floor as he steps up next to me. The warmth of his presence lingers, and I can feel the hesitation in the air between us. "I’m going to miss you," he murmurs, his voice low and sincere, as if the words hold more weight than they should for just a few hours apart.

I look up into his eyes, losing myself in the depth of that gaze that has somehow become my safe haven in such a short time. "I’ll miss you too," I reply softly, my hand brushing against his arm as if trying to hold on to this moment just a little longer.

He leans down and presses a lingering kiss to my forehead, and then, almost reluctantly, he begins to get dressed. I watch him, memorizing every movement—the way he pulls on his shirt, the way his fingers fumble slightly with the buttons as if they, too, are reluctant to part. He gives me one last smile, a crooked, endearing thing that tugs at my heartstrings, before turning and heading for the door.

The sound of the door clicking shut echoes in the quiet of the apartment, and I let out a deep sigh, feeling the emptiness settle around me. The space that had been so full of life just moments ago now feels achingly still.

"What am I thinking?" I mutter to myself as I start tidying up the apartment, picking up the scattered remnants of our time together—his coffee cup, a discarded sweater, the pillows we’d tossed aside in our late-night conversations. My heart is a tangle of emotions as I move through the space that now feels so much bigger without him in it.

As I straighten up the cushions on the couch, I pause, my hand lingering on the fabric. "I’ve never felt anything like this before in my life," I admit out loud, the words hanging in the air. It’s new, it’s exhilarating, and it’s terrifying all at once. There’s a giddiness in my chest that I’ve never known, a spark that’s been ignited deep inside me, and I can’t help but wonder if it’s too good to be true. Can something this fun, this intense, really last? Or is it just a fleeting moment of magic, destined to fade as quickly as it arrived?

With those thoughts swirling in my mind, I finish tidying up and head down to the bookshop, the one constant in my life that feels solid and real. But even as I unlock the door and prepare to start the day, a part of me is still back in that apartment, replaying every touch, every laugh, and every word.

"You look like you’re glowing," Violet says with a knowing smile as she steps into my shop, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. She’s barely through the door before she’s zeroed in on me, and I can’t help the wide grin that spreads across my face in response.

"I feel like my body could burst with happiness," I admit, unable to contain the sheer joy bubbling up inside me.

Violet raises a brow, her expression shifting into something more mischievous. "Good sex, huh?" she teases, her voice laced with amusement.

My eyes widen slightly at her bluntness, and I can feel a blush creeping up my cheeks. "Umm," is all I manage to stammer out, still caught off guard by how easily she cuts to the chase.

Violet steps closer, unwrapping her scarf and hanging it over the back of a nearby chair. "It’s okay," she says with a wink, leaning in as if we’re sharing a delicious secret. "You can tell me. Was it with Oliver, or the Atwood boy?"

My smile hits hard, and I can’t stop it from spreading like wildfire across my face. The memories of the past few days flash through my mind, and I feel a warmth flood my chest. "His name is Tripp," I finally confess, the name rolling off my tongue like a sweet melody. "And oh my god," I say, letting out a breathy laugh as I roll my eyes to the back of my head in exaggerated bliss. "So good."

Violet bursts out laughing, the sound filling the shop and wrapping around us like a cozy blanket. "I knew it!" she exclaims, her eyes twinkling with delight. "You’ve got that post-coital glow that no amount of makeup can replicate."

I can’t help but laugh along with her, the two of us caught in the joy of the moment. "It’s more than that," I admit, my voice softening as I think about Tripp. "It’s like… everything just clicked. It was fun, and exciting, and… real. I don’t know how to explain it."

Violet nods, her expression turning more thoughtful as she listens. "Sounds like he might be something special," she says gently, her eyes searching mine for confirmation.

I bite my lip, a mixture of hope and excitement swirling inside me. "Yeah," I whisper, almost to myself. "I think he might be."

The rest of the day passes by in a blur, the hours slipping through my fingers as I go through the motions at the shop. Customers come and go, books are shelved, and yet all I can think about is the clock ticking down the minutes until Tripp is back at my place. Every time I glance at the clock, a flutter of anticipation stirs in my chest, making it harder to focus on anything else.

The usual rhythm of the day feels different, like I’m on autopilot, my mind drifting back to the way Tripp’s arms felt wrapped around me, the sound of his laughter, the warmth of his smile. I catch myself daydreaming more than once, and by the time closing time rolls around, I’m practically buzzing with excitement.

As I lock up the shop and make my way back to my apartment, my steps feel lighter, quicker, as if I’m racing toward something I can’t wait to embrace. The anticipation builds with every step, until finally, I hear the familiar knock at my door.

When I open it, the sight of Tripp standing there, a playful grin on his face, makes my heart skip a beat. I can’t stop the smile that splits my face, so wide it almost hurts. It’s as if all the waiting, all the longing, melts away in an instant, replaced by pure, unfiltered happiness.

“Hey, you,” he says, his voice full of warmth as he steps inside, pulling me into a tight hug. I bury my face in his chest, breathing in the familiar scent of him, feeling like I’m exactly where I’m meant to be.

“Hey,” I reply, my voice muffled against him, but I know he can hear the smile in it. The rest of the world fades away, leaving just the two of us, wrapped up in this perfect moment.