Page 77 of A Lot Like Forever
Sam made a face and held up his hand. “Stop. I don’t want to hear the details.”
Nate studied his friend, pleased that they were at least discussing Faith in a civilized manner instead of a punch-up. “I didn’t ever want to hurt her, Sam. I still don’t.”
Sam finished his drink and stood up to pour another. “You love her, don’t you?” he asked, without turning, his back still to Nate.
Nate blew out a breath. “You want the truth?”
Sam sat down again, his face hard to read. “Yeah, I want the truth. No bullshit. Tell me like it is.”
“Yeah, I do love her, Sam. I love your sister and there’s not a damn thing I can do about it.”
Sam looked like he was in pain, just talking about his little sister romantically killing him. “So why the hell aren’t you together, and why is she so damn miserable? She saw you today and she fell apart.”
“It’s complicated.”
“That’s what she told me. But I’ve known you long enough to know that women are pretty black-and-white where you’re concerned.”
Nate laughed. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
Sam pulled a face. “Don’t act all Mr. Innocent with me. You sleep with a woman until you’re bored, or you think she’s starting to get clingy. You make it clear from the start that you’re not looking for serious, but every woman thinks she’s going to be the one to change you; then you break their hearts even though you told them all along that you had nothing more than a good time to give them.”
“You done?” Nate asked, pissed off but not about to deny the truth.
“No, I’m nowhere near done. Because somehow you ended up in bed with my sister. Somehow you ended up having something more with her than I’m guessing you’ve ever had with any other woman before, and now you’re acting all weird and she’s all upset.”
“Which leads you to your theory about me being in love with her?” Nate asked, trying not to laugh. He should have been pissed with Sam for being so damn nosey, but at least he wasn’t trying to actually break Nate’s nose this time.
“Am I right?” Sam asked, knocking back a shot of whiskey.
“Yeah,” Nate said. “You are. I let the little minx get under my skin, and now I’m doing everything I can to win her back.”
“You hurt her . . . ,” Sam warned, pointing at Nate.
“You kill me; I get it.” He rose, moved toward the window, and stared out. “But what you don’t get is that your little sister hurt me, Sam. Not the other way around.”
“And if she means it? If she doesn’t want you?” he asked. “You know that saying about letting something go if you love it?”
“She tells me to leave her the hell alone, I will. But I ain’t giving her up without a fight.” Nate hadn’t thought about the fact that she could tell him to leave her alone entirely, focused only on what he was doing and what he wanted her to say. But he would let her go; if he had to he wasn’t going to make a fool of himself by begging.No damn way.
“You give me your word that you’ll respect her wishes, and I’ll repress the urge to smash your face in every time I think about the two of you together.”
“Deal,” Nate agreed. “And I promise I won’t come crying to you if she becomes the first woman to break my heart not once but twice.”
They both laughed. Nate poured them each an extra shot and held his glass up.
“Who’d have ever thought my little sister would be the one to tame you, without even trying.”
Nate chuckled. “Not me, that’s for damn sure.”
