Page 64 of Secrets in Love
Me: Working late? Snort. Yeah right. I wasn’t cooking anyway. Takeaway night.
Nate ducked down and whispered in my ear, “You do know that’s the cutest thing ever, don’t you?”
“What? Finn lying his ass off about working late?”
“No. You typingsnort.”
I jumped to a halt and stomped my feet. “God, you’re such a freak. Why are you reading my messages over my shoulder? And how can you even read it from up there?”
“20/20 vision, Gidge. I don’t miss a damn thing. Who’s Scarlett?”
“That’s for me to know and you to find out. I, umm…” I had nothing. Normally, I would slay him with a witty comeback or vicious barb, but I was shooting blanks, and my mouth was as dry as used sandpaper. This was the most we had spoken since we left the beach. I wanted to do our usual sparring, but the closer we got to the house, the grumpier and more anxious I became. My game was completely off, so I shielded my phone with my hand and continued to hurl abuse at my brother as we walked.
We had one street left. This was it. We were about to enter the danger zone.
Alarm bells were ringing in my head, and I had to fight the urge to hold Nate’s hand for support. He was the imminent danger after all.
Next week, apart from the hours I was at work, we would be together twenty-four-seven. It was going to be all lust all the time. No more overnight reprieve for the agonizing want. No chance to cool off. No more “alone time” in bed to relieve the pressure unless I could be super quiet. Something I had failed to achieve since Nate had infiltrated my fantasies.
Our rooms were adjoining. Only a thin layer of plasterboard, blankets, and our pajamas would be between us as we slept and nothing more.That’s if he wears pjs. He does seem like a nude-sleeper kind of guy. God, don’t think about him sleeping naked.
I could only pray I was up to the task.
Seconds after we walked in the door, I decided I was most definitelynotup to the task.
Seeing him walk down my hall with Iris still asleep on his shoulder, smelling his scent as he bent down to lay her in bed, and sensing him follow as I walked toward my room was…indescribable, overpowering, everything I was afraid of. I entered. He walked in behind me and closed the door.
“Well, this is my room, where I sleep in my pajamas, not naked, like you might, and that’s my bookshelf where I put things to read, and that’s my desk where I write sometimes, and look, there’s my ensuite bathroom. I’m just going to duck in there for a second, and then I’ll give you a tour—a tour of the house, not the bathroom. You don’t need to go in there after me—not that I need to do anything stinky or nasty, I just…I’m going now.”
FUCK!
I ran into the bathroom, slipping on the tiles as I skidded to a halt and almost falling into my precious clawfoot bathtub. Then, realizing I left the door open, and he just witnessed the whole thing, I was forced to watch his stupid smug face laughing as I ran back to shut it.
Chunks began rising in my throat, and I scolded my reflection in the mirror. “Not now, Evie. Not now. But really, if not now, when the guy I may or may not be head over heels for was standing in my bedroom right next to my bed, when?”
I was contemplating escaping through the bathroom window when there was a knock on the door.
“You okay in there, Gidge? I can hear you talking to yourself.”
“I’m not talking to myself. You’re silly. Stop being silly, silly.”
“Uhh, okay, then. Umm, I will just go out to the car and get my things, then.”
I waited a few heartbeats before cracking open the door. My room was empty, footsteps could be heard walking down the hall, then there was a squeal of delight as he ran into Jocelyn who was just arriving home. With her fussing over him, I had a good few minutes. Without hesitation, I dove into my bed and hid under the blankets, craving the isolation, darkness, and safety only they could provide.
“Evie… Evie, darling. You need to wake up if you want to meet Finn on time.”
“What? What happened?”
“You fell asleep. Nate found you but didn’t want to startle you when you woke, so he came and got me.”
“Oh. Oh, okay. Where is he now?”
“I banished him to the shower. He had half of Montauk’s sand stuck to his feet. Now that’s something I don’t miss about Byron.” She chuckled and sat beside me. “You haven’t hidden in your bed for a while. Are you finding it overwhelming to have Nate here?”
“Yes, yes, I am finding it overwhelming. Very much so. I ran into the bathroom so fast I almost knocked myself out on the bathtub.”
“Sweetheart,” she sighed as she wrapped me into a bear hug. “I had a chat with Mr. Myers while you were sleeping. He’s completely besotted with you, Evie. I hope you don’t stop yourself from feeling and expressing the same sentiments because of a few minor details.”
