Atramentum

by MJ Duncan

  Joss froze, and then fell on top of Maeve laughing. “Oh my God.”

  “Do it right and I’ll be saying that, too,” Maeve quipped, laughing with her.

  Joss licked her lips and cleared her throat as she pushed herself back up onto her elbow to look at Maeve, and was struck speechless by the amused affection that was staring so plainly back at her. She shook her head as she pressed a hard kiss to Maeve’s lips, and sighed as she rested their foreheads together once the kiss finally broke.

  It really would be so easy…

  Her hand was still nestled intimately between Maeve’s legs, and she took a deep breath as she slid two fingers lower and gently eased into soft, clinging warmth. “How’s this?”

  “Perfect,” Maeve sighed.

  Joss' eyes fluttered shut as she dipped her head to capture Maeve's lips in a slow, sweet kiss. Yes, you are.

  Twenty-Four

  Guess who just finished revisions on her eighth chapter of the day?

  Joss smiled as she typed out a quick reply. George?

  How’d you guess? She’s feeling quite proud of herself and is looking to get out of the house for a while to celebrate. What are you doing for dinner?

  Joss yawned and looked around the bookstore. Perhaps it was because it was a Tuesday and three different New York Time’s bestselling authors released new books that day, but Atramentum had been crawling with customers, and the stream of people flowing through the door did not look to be easing any time soon. Probably order a pizza. And a two-liter of Mountain Dew to help me stay awake. Somebody kept me up all night. ;) How about you?

  Maeve’s reply came a few seconds later. I’ll figure something out. Hold off on ordering that pizza for a few?

  From the corner of her eye, Joss saw the elderly woman Scott that had been helping shake her head and motion toward the register. Even if I wanted to do it now, I couldn’t. We’re swamped.

  “Hey, hickey,” Scott teased for the thousandth time of the day as he set the stack of books he had carried up for the woman on the front counter.

  Joss rolled her eyes and self-consciously tugged at the collar of her shirt. She had noticed the faint pink mark low on her neck earlier that morning, and by the time Scott arrived after noon to begin his shift, it had blossomed into a full-blown bruise. The memory of how she acquired it—Maeve’s fingers digging into her back, the strangled cry of pleasure that trumpeted her orgasm muffled as she bit roughly at her neck—made her smile, but she knew that a giant hickey was not the most professional accessory to wear at work. She had noticed a few customers staring at it over the course of the afternoon, and, of course, Scott commented on it every chance he could get.

  Because, apparently, they were back in high school when shit like this was fucking hilarious.

  “Hello, soon-to-be-former-employee,” Joss retorted. She smiled and looked at the customer Scott had been helping. “I’m sorry. Did you find everything you were looking for?”

  “That’s fine, dear,” the woman replied with a grin. “That is quite the impressive hickey though.”

  “Yes, thank you.” Joss sighed as she pulled the books toward her and started ringing them up.

  “I’m sorry,” a new voice called out. Joss, Scott, and the older woman all turned to look at a thirty-something father with two tow-headed boys at his side that looked just like him. “Can you tell me where I might find the Spirit Animals books?”

  Scott nodded. “I’ll show you. Follow me.”

  Joss smiled at the man and then redirected her focus on finishing the transaction she had been working on.

  “You guys are really busy,” the woman commented.

  Joss nodded. “It’s been a good day for business.” She looked at the register screen. “That’ll be sixty-two forty-eight.”

  “Here you are,” the woman said, handing Joss her credit card.

  Joss took the card and swiped it through the point-of-sale terminal beside the register. She glanced at the back of the card before handing it back to the woman, and then drummed her fingers on the counter as she waited for the charge to go through. She ripped the slip from the machine and turned it toward the woman. “If you could just sign here, please,” she said as she pulled a plastic bag from beneath the counter. “Receipt with you, or in the bag?”

  “The bag is fine.”

  Joss nodded and tucked the woman’s books and her copy of the receipt into the bag and traded it for the signed receipt. “Here you go. Have a good night.”

  The woman smirked and winked as she collected her purchases and turned toward the door. “You too, dear.”

  “Everybody’s a comedian,” she grumbled under her breath, forcing a tight smile as three people wandered into the store before the door could close after the old woman.

  The next hour passed in a blur, and Joss groaned when the grumbling protests of her stomach became too loud to ignore any longer. She reached for her phone. She needed food.

  The bell above the door jingled as she pulled up the number for the closest pizza joint, and she froze with her thumb hovering millimeters from her screen as she saw two familiar faces walk in.

  “That dog is as big as a horse!” a little kid screeched from across the room.

  Joss shook her head in disbelief and smiled as her pulse tripped over itself at the sight of Maeve standing only a few feet away in a pair of jeans and the Columbia hoodie Joss knew she liked to wear when she wrote. She had a large bag from DiAmico’s—the best Italian place in town—in her left hand and George’s leash in her right, and she arched a playful brow over the rim of her glasses as she announced, “I come bearing gifts.”

  “I see that,” Joss replied as she turned off her phone and slipped it into her back pocket.

  “Have you eaten yet?” Maeve asked as she set the bag of food onto the counter.

  Joss shook her head. “I was just getting ready to order a pizza. That looks a lot better, though.”

  “Hey, Carmilla!” Scott greeted with a grin as Willy Shakes jumped up onto the counter and bumped noses with George. “And Georgeasaurus Rex.”

  Carmilla? Maeve mouthed to Joss.

  “I’m a little disappointed in you right now, Maeve Dylan,” Scott chuckled. “Nineteenth century, ridiculously Sapphic vampire novella…”

  Maeve was adorably confused even with his explanation, and Joss rolled her eyes as she turned her head and motioned at her neck.

  “Oh.” Maeve cringed and flashed an embarrassed smile. “I didn’t realize… I’m sorry.”

  Joss just smiled and shook her head. While she could have done without Scott’s sophomoric teasing all day, there was not one thing from the night before that she was sorry about.

  “Anyways…” Scott dramatically began as he leaned against the edge of the counter. “How’d the big date go?”

  Recovering quickly from her embarrassment, Maeve gave him a disbelieving look. “If you need to ask after seeing that”—she pointed at Joss’ neck—“then I’m afraid you don’t deserve an answer.”

  Joss flushed bright red and reached for the bag of food. “You’re as bad as he is.”

  Maeve laughed. “Sorry. It was just too easy to pass up. Can I take George off her leash, or is it too busy for her to do that?”

  “Go for it.” Joss waved a hand in the air. “Her and Willy can go entertain everybody and hopefully buy us a few minutes to eat. What’d you bring?” she asked as she rifled through the bag. There was a crimped bag of what was most likely breadsticks on top of two cardboard cartons, which were balanced on top of something else.

  “Lasagna, salad, bread sticks.” Maeve unhooked George’s leash and set it on the counter. She gave George’s head a quick pat, and then smiled as she watched the Dane—with Willy on her heels—amble over to the little kid who had trumpeted her arrival. “I brought enough food to feed a small army,” she said, looking back at Scott, “if you’d like some too.”

  “I would love some,” Scott moaned, staring longingly at the takeo
ut bag. “But,” he continued with a disgruntled sigh, “Michelle is making some new ginger chicken something she saw online, and she’ll kill me if I eat before I get home.”

  “Such a good hubby,” Joss teased. It was a bit of a low blow since she knew exactly how much Scott loved DiAmico’s lasagna, but after putting up with his shit all day, she would take any shot at him that she could get.

  “Shut up.” Scott laughed and discreetly flipped her off. “Look, why don’t you guys take that back into the office so you can enjoy your mouthwateringly delicious dinner that I really wish I could share, and I’ll hold down the fort up here.”

  “You sure?” Joss asked as she glanced around the bustling store.

  “Yeah. Go for it,” Scott said. “Just, you know, don’t take forever.” He glanced at his watch. “I need to be home by eight.”

  Joss checked her watch. It was ten till seven, which meant he still had another forty minutes on his shift. Plenty of time for her and Maeve to have dinner before she had to get back to work. “You’re awesome.”

  “Save me some leftovers?” he asked.

  Maeve gathered the bag of food in her hand and nodded. “Any leftovers are yours. I’ll leave them in the fridge here for you to have tomorrow. Joss, can you grab a couple of the waters you keep in there?”

  Joss nodded and pulled two bottles of water from the fridge as she and Scott switched places. “Thanks, man.”

  “Yeah, yeah. Go, eat your delicious dinner with your girl,” Scott grumbled as he dropped onto the stool.

  “Your sacrifice is much appreciated, Scott,” Maeve assured him with a small laugh as she hefted the large bag of food in the general direction of the office.

  Joss nodded and motioned for her to go on ahead. “Call me if you need help up here.”

  “I will. But I won’t need you. Me and the monsters have this shit covered.” He tipped his head at George and Willy, who were both belly-up on the rug, soaking up the attention they were getting from their adoring public. “Just make sure you save me some food.”

  “I’ll try,” Joss said, saluting him with the water bottle in her right hand. She laughed at the loud raspberry he blew at her in response, and turned on her heel to hurry after Maeve, grateful for the few minutes Scott was giving them together.

  Maeve had pulled the top two cartons from the bag and set them out on the desk by the time Joss stepped into the office, and she smiled as Joss closed the door behind herself. “Hey, you.”

  “Hey, you, yourself.” Joss returned Maeve’s smile with a gentle one of her own as she made her way over to the desk. She licked her lips as she ran a tender hand over Maeve’s jaw, and sighed as she leaned in to kiss her. The taste of Maeve’s lips made her stomach flip, and Joss hummed as she wrapped her arms around Maeve’s waist and pulled her closer. Heaven. Pure heaven. “I’m so glad you came by.”

  “Good.” Maeve nuzzled Joss’ cheek, and laughed at the sound of Joss’ stomach loudly making its presence know. “Hungry?”

  Joss smiled against Maeve’s lips and shook her head. “Not at all.” She gave her a quick peck and then reached past the cardboard cartons on the desk to retrieve one of the aluminum ones with a steamed-over plastic lid that was inside the bag. Salad could wait. Right now, she wanted real food. “You’re an angel for doing this,” she enthused as she wheeled her chair around the edge of the desk so she could sit next to Maeve.

  Maeve laughed as she lowered herself gracefully into the lone visitor’s chair and picked up one of the salads. “So the way to your heart is through your stomach, huh?”

  “Tonight it is,” Joss admitted as she pried the lid from her entrée. Steam wafted from the container, carrying the heavenly scent of cheese and sauce and spices, and she licked her lips as she reached for the package of utensils that Maeve nudged her way. “God, I am so hungry.”

  “Did you eat lunch?”

  Joss shook her head. “Was too busy. Had a protein bar, but that didn’t help for long,” she said as she shoved a piece of lasagna that was so big, it just barely fit past her lips into her mouth. She moaned happily at the taste and smiled at Maeve. “Thank you for doing this.”

  Maeve set her salad back onto the desk and reached for her entrée, clearly swayed by Joss’ reaction to the lasagna. “It was my pleasure.” She grinned as she tossed her lid into Joss’ discarded one on the desk and added, “Maybe, if you’re lucky, I’ll do it again Thursday night.”

  Joss smiled at the idea of being able to spend time with Maeve on the nights she had to work late—something she had not even considered a possibility until this moment. They could have peanut butter sandwiches for all she cared, she just liked the idea of this becoming a thing. She licked her lips and tipped her head in a small nod as she admitted, “I’d like that.”

  “Me too.” Maeve’s gaze softened as she stared at Joss, and after a few heartbeats, she took a deep breath and shook her head. “Stop looking at me like that.”

  Joss arched a brow in mock confusion. She knew what she was doing, and she rather liked the way Maeve was responding to it. “Like what?”

  “Like you want to kiss me."

  “I do want to kiss you. Do you not want me to want to kiss you?”

  “Oh, Joss.” Maeve’s eyes sparkled mischievously. “I want you to do so much more than that.”

  Joss’ breath left her in a whoosh as Maeve’s words landed wetly between her thighs. “God…”

  Maeve laughed and used the side of her fork to cut into her lasagna. “But, since that’s not an option, how about we just eat dinner instead?”

  “You’re mean.”

  “You are more than welcome to come by the house tonight after you close up,” Maeve pointed out with a smile.

  It was clear that she meant it, but Joss still asked, “Really?”

  “Yes.” Maeve nodded. “Though if you’re too tired or need to do something at home, I understand.”

  “What? No. I’d love to. I just…” Joss rolled her eyes. “I don’t want to be too clingy. Or whatever.” She shook her head. “I was actually going to ask if you wanted to come down to the cottage tomorrow night for dinner. It’s the only other night this week Scott’ll close, and—”

  Maeve leaned forward in her chair and silenced her with a kiss. “That sounds great.”

  Joss nodded. “Okay, then.” She took a deep breath and let it go slowly. “So, you said your edits went well?”

  “They did.” Maeve used the side of her fork to cut into her lasagna. “Do you really want to talk about that, though?”

  “Sure. Why not?”

  “Most people find it boring.”

  “I’m not most people,” Joss pointed out with a smile.

  “Yes, I’m staring to see that,” Maeve murmured. “Okay, then…”

  The shift in their relationship did not affect the ease with which conversation flowed between them as they shared the details of their generally unremarkable days, which led to tangential discussions about books, grammar, and dog bones, of all things. Long before either of them were ready to call their makeshift evening to an end, the real world descended upon them as Joss’ phone buzzed with a text from Scott asking how much longer they were going to be because he did “kinda sorta have to get home for dinner at some point this evening.”

  “I’m sorry, but I have to get back out there,” Joss apologized. She shook her head as she looked at the emptied cartons littering the desk, genuinely baffled at how they had all become that way. It seemed like only a couple minutes ago they sat down together, and yet it was already fifteen minutes past the time Scott’s shift should have ended.

  “It’s fine. I didn’t realize it had gotten so late.” Maeve began stuffing the empty cartons back into the bag.

  “Me neither,” Joss chuckled. Once the desk was cleaned, Joss took the bag from Maeve and pressed a quick kiss to her lips. “Wait a second, okay?”

  Maeve nodded. “Of course.”

  “Thank you.” Joss winked and duc
ked out of the office and down the hall to the rear entrance they pretty much never used. She tossed the bag of trash into the dumpster and wiped her hands off on her jeans as she hurried back inside to find Maeve waiting right where she had left her.

  “I wasn’t sure if you meant here, or…”

  “Here is perfect,” Joss interrupted with a smile. They did not have much time, but that did not stop her from closing the distance between them and capturing Maeve’s lips in a slow, deep kiss. She cupped Maeve’s face in her hands as they kissed, and took a deep breath when she forced herself to pull away. She stroked her thumbs over Maeve’s cheeks as she took a moment to just look at her, and she sighed as she leaned in and kissed her again. “I am really glad you came by tonight.”

  Maeve smiled, pure happiness lighting her eyes as she nodded. “Me too.”

  Joss’ phone buzzed again, and she chuckled as she reached for it, knowing who the message would be from.

  “Scott?” Maeve asked.

  Joss nodded and turned the phone around so Maeve could see his text.

  “Don’t make me send George in there after you two…” Maeve laughed. “No. We certainly don’t want that.”

  Joss dropped a quick kiss to the tip of Maeve’s nose and nodded as she forced herself to take a step back toward the door. “I’ll call you later.”

  “I’d like that,” Maeve admitted as she followed Joss from the office.

  “So you are alive!” Scott crowed when they made their way back to the front of the store.

  “Yes, Scott,” Maeve chuckled. “I’m sorry we lost track of the time.”

  “Eh, it’s fine. Michelle says congratulations, and she wanted to know if you’re coming to the game Sunday.”

  Maeve blinked in confusion and looked at Joss. “I…don’t know. Am I?”

  “Only if you want to,” Joss said, not wanting Maeve to feel pressured. She liked the idea of Maeve being at the game, if only because she could duck out of the dugout to say hi to her between innings and stuff, but she had no idea how comfortable Maeve was with being out with their relationship, either.