Is she about to cry? No, I'm imagining things.
But I feel an inexplicable need to reassure her, so I smile and lean in to peck a kiss on her cheek.
Her expression becomes more pained, and I swear her lips tremble, though only for a moment.
I tilt my head to the side, studying her for clues as to why she's unhappy. Her mother has noticed Erica's melancholia too, so I'm not imagining that. "Sometimes I think you're not here, you've gone somewhere else in your head. Those lovely eyes are seeing things far away that I can't see. Unhappy things." I grip her hand more firmly, surprising myself with the fervency in my voice. "I don't like it."
She shuffles closer, her hand floating up to rest on my shirt, her thumb grazing my skin where I've left a button undone. Her gaze connects with mine. "Why do you care what I think about?"
I look away, my throat suddenly tight. Why do I care? Not a sodding clue. I shouldn't care, and I don't want to, but the more time I spend with Erica…
"Don't know, it just bothers me," I say, glancing at her sideways, then I stare straight ahead at nothing while I search for a way to avoid answering more questions. "Is there a gift shop here?"
"Museum store, yeah."
"I'd like to buy souvenirs for my sisters." I lead her away from the dinosaur display and down the gallery. "Which way?"
"All the way down to the other end."
I capture her hand as we stroll away from theT. rexdisplay and straight into the museum gift shop. Just as we cross the threshold, entering the store, I realize I'm holding Erica's hand again and release it. Then I browse the store's offerings and let choosing gifts for my three sisters distract me from everything else. Fiona, Catriona, and Jamie always love it when I bring home trinkets for them after I've been away.
Erica trails behind me but doesn't speak.
I grab a stuffedT. rexthat has mottled green skin and red eyes but that still manages to be friendly and sweet thanks to its broad grin. I hold the stuffed animal up for Erica to see, waggling its puffy wee arms. With a smile and a wink, I say in a silly voice, "Wouldn't you like to hug me? I love to cuddle."
Her lips twitch, almost forming a smile.
She snatches the toy from me—and then seizes the back of my head to kiss me.
A child shrieks in delight somewhere behind us.
Erica pulls away, hopping backward, and fusses with her blouse as if it needs fixing, though it looks fine to me. She must be embarrassed by her sudden impulse to kiss me.
I cup her cheek with one hand. "No need to be embarrassed. I love your impulsive side."
"Not appropriate here." She straightens, rolling her shoulders back. "You said you wanted souvenirs for your sisters. Brothers don't rate gifts?"
"Their tastes aren't this refined." I glance down at the grinning dinosaur toy, feeling like a fool for telling her I love something about her. Christ, it's not like I said I loveher, but I can't shake this unease. "I'll find gifts for them somewhere else."
For the next twenty minutes, we roam through the store selecting items for my sisters With Erica's advice, I buy an embroidered purse for Catriona, a scarf with bicycles on it for Jamie because she loves biking, and souvenir spoons for Fiona because she collects those. We even find a spoon that features Sue's image. On the way out of the museum, I insist on buying Erica lunch at the museum's bistro. It seems like the least I can do considering…everything.
The least isn't good enough. I need to buy a gift for her. She deserves much more than a trinket, but right now, this is what I can give her.
A few yards from the museum's exit, I halt us both.
"Hold this." I thrust my shopping bag at Erica. "I need to run a quick errand."
"I'll go with you."
"No." I try to soften my tone since that word sounded too sharp. "Won't be long, I swear."
Taking my bag, she shrugs. "Fine, I'll just…stand here."
I jog off down the gallery, skirting around the imposing skeleton of Sue, and head straight for the gift shop. Maybe I shouldn't have left Erica alone. It seems rude, but I can't choose a surprise gift for her if she's standing right here next to me. I'd seen an item in this shop that I want to buy for her, one I hope she will appreciate. I think she will. It seems like an appropriate thing to give to the woman who is letting me ravish her at will. Once I've purchased the item, I rush back to Erica.
She is not alone. Erica is chatting to a young couple while their two children huddle around their father's legs. I assume they're a family, at least. The wee ones resemble the man and woman, so they must be related.
Erica wears that pained expression again, though she tries to hide it with forced smiles. The pair she's chatting to doesn't seem to notice her discomfort.