Adapting Desires (Endangered Heart Series Book 3) by Amanda Lance Page B

rare to go wrong with baby steps.”
    Emilia popped a piece of cheese into her mouth. “Speaking of baby steps.”
    “Your hubs is in the bedroom, I think.” Claudette smiled widely but said nothing else. And silently, Emilia was grateful for the lack of judgment, that reliable mix of loyalty and secrecy that came with friendship.
    Emilia squeezed herself between Mrs. Levkin and Paula, excusing herself and making promises that the pizza would arrive shortly. After knocking on her own bedroom door, she let herself in.
    Surprised, but not shocked, the first thing Emilia saw was Kasper sitting at her dressing table, staring into the mirror with his mask and prosthetics completely removed. Clearly he was fascinated by the appearance of his newly repaired nose. And while this wasn’t a behavior that hadn’t been entirely unexpected, Emilia was keen to admit that she hadn’t anticipated him to be so unguarded about it. Had he somehow forgotten there were people in the room and hall just next door? Or had he just forgotten to lock the bedroom door? Emilia didn’t want to alarm him by pointing out how anyone could have walked in and seen him “exposed” at any moment, so she remained silent, watching him from afar while he stared at his own reflection.
    Even Emilia had to agree that Dr. Taylor had done a fine job with the rhinoplasty. While she was alarmed at the intensity of the swelling in the first week, by mid-November even most of the bruising had gone down, and everything from the shape of his nose to the amount of his snoring had improved.
    There would be two more weeks of healing and another check-up before the first “non-essential” surgery. Emilia hadn’t brought up the topic of adoption since their last conversation, yet she would have been lying if she said she wasn’t hoping that her open-mindedness towards Kasper’s surgeries might work in her favor later on.
    When he poked himself in the nose and sneezed, Emilia couldn’t help herself. She giggled, giving away her position.
    Kasper smiled wryly, turning away from himself for the first time since she arrived. “You are turning into quite a spy, my dear.” Still smiling, he turned back to the mirror to properly affix his mask.
    “Either that or you’re losing your hearing.” Laughing lightly still, she flung herself on the bed stomach first so that the lower layers of her hair fell forward.
    “Poking fun of my age now?”
    “Never.” She giggled. “Though I will make fun how terrible you are at hide and seek.”
    “I beg your pardon?”
    “Hide and seek. That is what you’re doing in here, isn’t it? Hiding in here while everyone is out there?”
    Kasper sighed and finished putting on his ear. “In a year’s time this will be different. I will be able to blend in with your friends.”
    “They’re your friends too, Kasper. And this is your apartment just as much as it is mine—more so, technically. I want you with us.”
    When he didn’t respond, Emilia tried again. Rolling over so she was on her back, she mildly hoped to convey her confidence straight into him.
    “No one out there cares what you look like, Kasper.” She slipped her shoes off and continued to stare. Clearly this would require more concentration than she had originally anticipated. “That is one of many benefits of a small group.”
    Kasper only sighed and stared at the ground—unable, it seemed, to meet her gaze.
    “All right then, if you won’t eat with us, then at least make the appearance you promised to say hello to everyone.”
    The clamoring of feet down the hall interrupted her mid-sentence. Before the door was open, Kasper was on his feet. Emilia shortly followed, nearly falling off the bed to meet Claudette at the door.
    “Em!” she huffed. “You’d better come quickly. I—”
    “Claudette? What is it?”
    Smiling nervously, Claudette shifted her feet, glancing from side to side as though she did not know what to say. “It’s, ah, it’s your