Dirty (short stories)
She picked up *The Adventures of Benny the Bookworm*, her voice shifting into the warm, animated tone she used for the little ones.
Damien leaned against a shelf, arms folded, clearly planning to observe like this was some tedious board meeting. But as Elena read, doing the silly voices and making the kids giggle, something shifted. One of the boys near the front—maybe seven, missing a front tooth—leaned forward, eyes wide with wonder. Damien’s expression flickered. For half a second, the hard line of his mouth softened. Almost a smile.
Elena caught it mid-sentence. Her stomach did a stupid little flip she immediately hated. She finished the chapter, closed the book to applause, and handed o