That’s all? A simple nod? What else did Sherry want to hear? Damn, if only she were better at this emotional stuff. Frustrated by the situation and by herself, she switched off the light, lay back down, and turned away from Sherry. “Good night.”

There was no answer from Sherry, but then, suddenly, she touched Madison’s shoulder.

Madison jerked around to face her.

Sherry was very close to her, but because of the darkness, Madison couldn’t make out her features very well. “What is it?” She whispered because speaking louder would have felt wrong somehow.

“You are a lovable person. I just wanted to tell you that.”

If life would have been a cartoon, a huge question mark would have appeared above her head.

“A while back, you said you don’t think of yourself as a lovable person. You’re wrong.”

Sherry adjusted her pillow as if settling in for a longer conversation. “You’re not very easy to get along with, and sometimes you drive everybody crazy with your antics. But you’re trying. With the Archer, with Jake…and with me.”

Sherry’s warm breath on her face felt like a gentle caress. Madison didn’t dare move.

When Sherry started to turn away, Madison held on to her arm. She had no idea what to say or do. Sherry’s words weren’t over-the-top flattery but genuine praise, so they touched her deeply. Sherry thought she was lovable? As much as she searched, she couldn’t come up with the words to express her feelings. So she did the only thing that would convey to Sherry just how much her words had meant to her. Slowly, giving Sherry the chance to draw back if she wanted to, Madison leaned closer and gave Sherry the softest of kisses on her lips. It wasn’t a passionate or even possessive kiss. She wanted the kiss to express what her words couldn’t, and while she felt Sherry’s soft lips on hers, she realized how much she had wanted to do this.

Sherry didn’t move away—nor did she deepen the kiss.

Uncertain as to whether she might have done the wrong thing, Madison drew back, ending their kiss.

Sherry still didn’t react, and her face was far too hidden in the darkness for Madison to read it.

A lump formed in her throat. She had gone too far. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

“You didn’t,” Sherry whispered. “Good night, Madison.”

Before Madison could think of an answer, Sherry turned over but didn’t put any distance between them.

That had to be a good sign. But what of?

What the hell had just happened between them?

An hour later, Sherry was still lying awake.

Madison had kissed her. Not because of their sham relationship and it hadn’t felt as if Madison was taking advantage of the situation.