Page 60 of Secrets in Love
My heart began to race. I took my chance, grabbing her wrist, pulling her into me, and letting my hands slide over and cup the curve of her ass.
Looking up through her long lashes, she bit her lower lip and ran her fingers across my chest.
“Look, I would never call Blossom—”
“Snort. Of course that’s her name.”
“A skank,” I laughed, “but yes, I have changed. And yes, I meant what I said. I love you, Evie. I want you to be mine. There’s no one else for me. It’s always been you.” I leaned in, was seconds from tasting her lips, when suddenly, she gasped and turned away, leaving my kiss to land against her soft, tear-stained cheek.
“Shit! I’m sorry, I just… I mean, yes, I mean I’m sorry. I think I did exactly the same thing at the airport, and I’m pretty confident that I said, ‘Shit, sorry,’ then too. But I don’t want our first kiss to be in a bar at a hotel. God, that sounds so stupid. I’m such a freaking child.” I was still close enough to stop her rambling with my lips, but I didn’t. Instead, I traced the exposed part of her collar bone with my nose, then kissed the tiny spot thrumming in her neck.
“You’re not a child, Gidge. You’re a stunning, intelligent, brave woman who is also annoyingly right.”
“Stop talking!” she yelled and pressed her index finger against my lips, then dropped it slowly as she spoke. “Say that again.”
I knew what she wanted to hear, and it wasn’t how fucking brilliant she was. “You”—I kissed her cheek—“are”—I kissed the other—“right.” I finished with a lingering kiss to the top of her head. “When we do have our first kiss, it has to be special, and it will be special because you will be ready. In fact, I swear to you right now, I will not try and kiss you again, as long as you promise me that you will kiss the living shit out of me one day.”
“Promise.” She said it without delay and while hopping excitedly onto her toes. “And I want to. I really, really want to, Nate. Especially since you’ve admitted that I am right and noble and wise.” My whole body shook with laughter, and I pressed her tightly into my chest. “I just have to sort a few things out here first.” She tapped against her temple and snuggled deeper into me. “Are you sure you can wait?”
“For you, Evie. I can wait forever.”
Evie
Friday came too quickly—just like I had done, while alone in my bed, a remarkable number of times since Nate had arrived in New York. There was a good chance I would develop a repetitive stress injury if I kept rubbing it out at this pace. I might just make it into theGuinnessBookofStupidNateRecords, but for female wanking, not just idiot hurling.
Thursday had been another day spent lying to my family—who still had no idea Nate was in town—sightseeing, eating, and laughing our way around Long Island. I literally drove Nate to the end of the world—Montauk Lighthouse. That was what New Yorkers call Montauk, as it was the most eastern point of the state, just like the lighthouse that stood over Byron Bay was for New South Wales. The similarities between the two were kind of uncanny, and I found myself spending a lot of time here while Iris was at school, hiding from people, and writing with my toes buried in the sand. It was the closest thing to home, and it wasn’t until I stood on the rocks of Turtle Hill, with Nate’s hand in mine, that I realized how often I thought of him while I was here.
We came achingly close to kissing several times as we gazed out over the rolling waves of the Atlantic, but unfortunately, we possessed the ability to attract cock-blockers to our side. And it wasn’t just Canadian ones. It seemed a representative of each NATO nation stopped by and asked us to take photos of them at exactly the wrong time.
Iris returned to dance class Thursday evening, which meant there was no sneaking out to see Nate later that night. I was keen as mustard and knocked on his room door at six am Friday. I’d ashamedly been up for hours, aiming to make myself look as appealing as I could while seeming to have made no effort at all. After loosely braiding my long locks, I chose army-green overalls over a white crop top that showed just a flash of boob and belly, threw on my favorite cardigan and, of course, my go-to white Converse. I had hoped for casual sexy but realized what I was working with, gave up, and settled with cute.
“It’s open, Gidge.” Just hearing his voice sent a bolt of energy to my core. “I’m in the shower. Won’t be a sec.”
I don’t know why, but I tiptoed in and waited at the end of his bed. “What sort of idiot leaves their room unlocked when they’re showering?”
“This one.” Hot breath tickled my neck and set stray little hairs beside my ear to flutter, just like my heart. l turned to find him directly behind me, bare chested, his white towel sitting arrogantly low across his hips. In this light, I could see the dusting of sandy hair trailing from his belly button down, and I had the most urgent need to trace its path with my fingers…or tongue. “Take a photo next time, Gidge.” He winked and brushed past me, letting his fingers slide across my stomach as he did.
“Pfft. I was looking at the towel if you must know. I’m curious what brand it is. It looks plush.”
“Plush?” Nate giggled so cutely I nearly died. I couldn’t help but laugh along with him. “You want me to take it off so you can have a feel?”
“Of the towel or…” I raised my brow.
“Evie Mary Austen. I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but I like it. Oh, and the answer is both, by the way.”
“Let’s—” My phone ringing stopped my witty comeback. I shushed Nate and answered as calmly as I could while he slipped his jeans beneath the towel sans underwear.
“Hi, Jocie… Yes, I’m on the way to the airport…Yes, I’ll drive carefully.” I turned my body away from Nate, stepped into the bathroom, and whispered, “No, I won’t throw myself on him and humiliate myself in arrivals… Yes, I promise to keep my knickers on… What?! Geez, Jocie, give me a bit of credit… Yes! I swear I’ll be good. Now leave me alone, you weirdo… Also, thanks for taking Iris for me. Love you.”
“A few months off the land hasn’t changed Jocie much, by the sounds of it. Do I dare ask about the knickers?”
Part hiding my shame, part pretending to avoid the hopefully still half-naked Nate, I threw my hand over my eyes as I exited the bathroom. “Heard that, did you?”
Damn it, he has pants on.
“You were in a room three steps away with floor-to-ceiling tiles and the door open. Yes, I heard you,” he deadpanned. “I’m guessing you told her I was coming today?”
“Yep, your secret holiday is over. In a few hours, you’ll be covered in Iris’s glorious wet kisses and squishy hugs.”
