my concentration to the warmth now spreading up to my chest.
“Hi,” I spluttered, shocked to hear from him again.
“Hi,” he replied softly. I could hear his smile. “How are you?”
“Good…thanks.” I shook my head, hoping to clear the alcohol fuzz.
“I’m glad you’re all right. You should’ve let me take you home the other night. I worried about you.” His concern made me unsteady on my feet. After a beat, with his voice low and teasing, he added, “Taking a ride with me would’ve been far more enjoyable.”
“I imagine so,” I replied dreamily, forgetting to engage the slightly inebriated brain as an image of a very different ride came to mind.
“How’s the weekend so far?” Nate asked cheerfully.
“Fantastic!” I giggled at my over-enthusiasm.
“You sound happy.” I stopped and squinted up at the Chateau Marmont hidden behind the trees opposite. I was happy. Because I was talking to him.
“I’ve just had lunch with a friend. It usually entails alcohol.” With another sip of coffee, I headed towards home.
“You’re not driving are you?” he demanded.
“Of course not!” I was startled by the authority and concern in his voice, unsure why he deemed it necessary to ask.
I heard him sigh with relief. “Good. Any plans for tomorrow?” he asked in a tone far too composed for my liking.
“No. I might spend all day in bed.” I rolled my shoulders, realising how tiring the past week had been. Right now, I could think of nothing better than not getting out of bed for the day.
“Sounds like heaven. Let me keep you company,” he murmured gruffly. The tone rippled through me, my skin breaking out in goose bumps.
“You’re very persistent.”
“Do I strike you as being easily deterred?”
I remembered the steely determination in his eyes from before. “No.”
“So let me pursue you.” An image of his face from Thursday night flashed through my mind, reminding me of how, with one momentary lapse in composure, he’d appeared so bare and susceptible. As much as he wanted to bed me, I’d seen a glimpse of something deeper hiding beneath the surface. The pounding of my heart confirmed I liked what I’d seen.
“What are your plans? Apart from trying to gate-crash my private slumber party?” I grinned, unable to resist flirting.
“That depends.”
“On?”
“You. You’ve turned me down more times than I care to admit, but I hoped you’d reconsider my offer?”
“What offer?” I tossed my empty cup into a bin and pushed up the sleeves of my white shirt.
“Of dinner.”
I damn near fell over my own feet. “Are you serious?”
“Kara, never doubt me. I mean every word I say.” The seriousness in his tone reinforced his statement. My stomach twisted desirously, as I imagined his inexorable gaze sliding over me. “If not dinner, maybe something less formal instead?”
“Like what?” I asked, nervously.
“If tomorrow afternoon works for you, I’ll pick you up at one-thirty.”
“I need to know what to wear.” That sounded pathetic, as if I cared more about my appearance than what we could be doing. Together.
Nate laughed quietly. “Casual’s good.” Was he expecting whatever I wore to end up discarded on the floor?
Two men passed me, holding hands as they walked a beautiful Schnauzer. They flashed me matching mega-watt smiles. I sighed. Why did everyone make being in love seem so easy?
“C’mon,” he coaxed playfully, “no dinner. I promise.”
“Why do you want to see me again?” Over the past year, I’d been racked with insecurities, concluding I wasn’t good enough for anyone, let alone someone like Nate Blake.
“You really have to ask?”
“Yes, I told you I’m not interested in what you’re offering.”
“I know, but…” He sighed quietly. “I can’t keep away. I have to see you again to know if what I felt the other night was real.”
Hearing that he’d sensed the odd connection too made my pulse race. Neither of us
“Hi,” I spluttered, shocked to hear from him again.
“Hi,” he replied softly. I could hear his smile. “How are you?”
“Good…thanks.” I shook my head, hoping to clear the alcohol fuzz.
“I’m glad you’re all right. You should’ve let me take you home the other night. I worried about you.” His concern made me unsteady on my feet. After a beat, with his voice low and teasing, he added, “Taking a ride with me would’ve been far more enjoyable.”
“I imagine so,” I replied dreamily, forgetting to engage the slightly inebriated brain as an image of a very different ride came to mind.
“How’s the weekend so far?” Nate asked cheerfully.
“Fantastic!” I giggled at my over-enthusiasm.
“You sound happy.” I stopped and squinted up at the Chateau Marmont hidden behind the trees opposite. I was happy. Because I was talking to him.
“I’ve just had lunch with a friend. It usually entails alcohol.” With another sip of coffee, I headed towards home.
“You’re not driving are you?” he demanded.
“Of course not!” I was startled by the authority and concern in his voice, unsure why he deemed it necessary to ask.
I heard him sigh with relief. “Good. Any plans for tomorrow?” he asked in a tone far too composed for my liking.
“No. I might spend all day in bed.” I rolled my shoulders, realising how tiring the past week had been. Right now, I could think of nothing better than not getting out of bed for the day.
“Sounds like heaven. Let me keep you company,” he murmured gruffly. The tone rippled through me, my skin breaking out in goose bumps.
“You’re very persistent.”
“Do I strike you as being easily deterred?”
I remembered the steely determination in his eyes from before. “No.”
“So let me pursue you.” An image of his face from Thursday night flashed through my mind, reminding me of how, with one momentary lapse in composure, he’d appeared so bare and susceptible. As much as he wanted to bed me, I’d seen a glimpse of something deeper hiding beneath the surface. The pounding of my heart confirmed I liked what I’d seen.
“What are your plans? Apart from trying to gate-crash my private slumber party?” I grinned, unable to resist flirting.
“That depends.”
“On?”
“You. You’ve turned me down more times than I care to admit, but I hoped you’d reconsider my offer?”
“What offer?” I tossed my empty cup into a bin and pushed up the sleeves of my white shirt.
“Of dinner.”
I damn near fell over my own feet. “Are you serious?”
“Kara, never doubt me. I mean every word I say.” The seriousness in his tone reinforced his statement. My stomach twisted desirously, as I imagined his inexorable gaze sliding over me. “If not dinner, maybe something less formal instead?”
“Like what?” I asked, nervously.
“If tomorrow afternoon works for you, I’ll pick you up at one-thirty.”
“I need to know what to wear.” That sounded pathetic, as if I cared more about my appearance than what we could be doing. Together.
Nate laughed quietly. “Casual’s good.” Was he expecting whatever I wore to end up discarded on the floor?
Two men passed me, holding hands as they walked a beautiful Schnauzer. They flashed me matching mega-watt smiles. I sighed. Why did everyone make being in love seem so easy?
“C’mon,” he coaxed playfully, “no dinner. I promise.”
“Why do you want to see me again?” Over the past year, I’d been racked with insecurities, concluding I wasn’t good enough for anyone, let alone someone like Nate Blake.
“You really have to ask?”
“Yes, I told you I’m not interested in what you’re offering.”
“I know, but…” He sighed quietly. “I can’t keep away. I have to see you again to know if what I felt the other night was real.”
Hearing that he’d sensed the odd connection too made my pulse race. Neither of us
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