Page 9 of More than Enough
“Nathanael.” He looked startled, then smiled ruefully as he shook his head. “Nate Murphy.” Sketching a short bow from his seat, he held his palm out and waited until she reached to grip it, shaking her hand up and down twice. “Pleased to meet you.”
“Jennifer Campbell.” She gave his fingers a squeeze. “My friends call me Jenn.”
“Well, since I’ve already been doing that, I guess you’ll have to let me into your friend circle. Foregone conclusion.” Blade picked up his sandwich and gave it a scowl as he poked sliding pickles back into place. “Jenn.”
“Nate.” She responded in kind as she lifted half her sandwich and took a bite.
“Who’s the boyfriend?”
She choked and coughed, his hand giving her a couple of solid thumps between her shoulder blades. “What?” She recovered, and he turned away. Head down, he didn’t look at her as he bit into his sandwich. He hadn’t answered her reflexive question either, but she knew she’d heard him correctly. “Boyfriend?”
Blade nodded, shoving approximately half the sandwich into his mouth at once. He still wasn’t looking at her, which gave her a chance to study him. Ruddy color had crept up his neck and into his cheeks, and she had a feeling the blurted question mattered more than he’d wanted to give away.
“I don’t have a boyfriend.” His head jerked slightly, eyes glancing in her direction before zeroing back in on his plate. “No boyfriend, no manfriend, no husband or significant other. I mean—” She gestured around the kitchen at the curtains and decorative kitchen towels hanging from the drawer handles. “You think a man would want to live in this ruffled paradise?”
The corner of his mouth curved up as he shook his head side to side.
“Why did you think I had a boyfriend?”
Blade gestured down his body, and she struggled to not let her gaze get stuck on his chest and abs, defined pecs and six-pack on full display.
“I don’t know what that means, Blade.”
“Sweats. These aren’t yours, woman.” He plucked at the waistband, the tug on the elastic creating a delicious shadow on his belly, exposing a tiny trail of hair leading down. “If they aren’t yours, then, with a woman like you, boyfriend is the next logical choice.”
“Woman like me?” She turned sideways in her chair, elbow on the table. “What does that mean?”
He gestured vaguely towards her, the color in his cheeks deepening. “You know.”
“No, I don’t. What did you mean?” Now Jenn was intrigued. She had an idea, because he’d made it clear he reacted to her physically, but at this point, she wanted to see if she could make him admit it. “Tell me, Blade. What is a woman like me?”
“Jesus, you always talk everything to death?” Another enormous bite of his sandwich was sliced off by an aggressive bite, and she watched him chew. “What?” Muttering through the food, he didn’t sound like he was willing to give on this.
“It’s a weekend evening. Don’t you have better things to do than rescue me?” She gestured towards him, using the same vague motion he had. “You know, a man like you?”
“The fuck’s that mean?” Only after the words had burst from him did Blade seem to realize what he’d done, and he hung his head, shooting her a sheepish look. “Okay.Fuck. I just meant how pretty you are. No way on this green earth you’re available.”
“Are you asking me, or telling me?” Jenn smiled at him. Exhaustion flooded back in, having been pushed aside by the thrill of flirting with a handsome man. Elbow to the table, she slumped over, head in her hand. “Sorry.”
“Tired?” His lips thinned when she nodded. “You done eatin’ then?”
“Yeah.” She laughed softly. “Chewing is so much work, you know?”
He looked at her for a moment, then apparently came to a conclusion, because he nodded firmly and shoved his chair back. “Okay, up you get. Come on.” Blade bent and gripped her hand, pulling Jenn to her feet and leading her away from the table. She followed him to her bedroom and watched in bemusement as he folded down her covers, each movement automatic and precise, as if he did this for her every day. “Come here,” he called without looking up, making a final adjustment to the folded sheet.
“I’m here.” She touched his shoulder. “You don’t have to do this, Blade.”
“If I did, I wouldn’t. I’m contrary like that.” He tipped his head sideways and smiled at her. “Lie down for a bit. We’ve got you cooled down, hydrated, and fed. Time to let Mother Nature do her recovery work.”
The bed looked so welcoming she didn’t argue, crawling up and tucking her feet under the sheet as she curled against the pillow. Blade drew the covers up to her shoulders, leaning over her.
Jenn smiled up at him. “Thank you.”
With a hand on either side of her, he paused, seeming conflicted over something. She could see the moment when he mentally saidfuck itand bent closer, his lips brushing her temple.
“Sleep well.” He hadn’t shifted backwards, and the movement of his lips brushing her skin was sensual and sweet. “I’ll be here.” Another soft kiss as her eyes drifted closed. The bed moved, and she snuggled deeper into the pillow. “So fuckin’ pretty.”
His words flashed through her head, the last thing she remembered before falling asleep with a smile on her lips.
