Page 81 of A Lot Like Forever
Chapter 19
By the time they landed, Faith was exhausted. Just being with Nate was enough to drain every inch of energy from her. She’d tried so hard to forget about him, to put him behind her and move forward with her life, but it had been impossible. Then somehow she’d seen him once and ended up running straight back into the lion’s den.
“Do I get any clues yet?”
Nate chuckled, stretching as he stood. “You’ll find out soon enough.”
“This doesn’t change anything,” she said, reaching for her purse instead of looking at Nate as she spoke.
“It will,” Nate replied, moving to stand too close to her. She could feel his presence behind her, hated that her body reacted so instantly to his every single time he was near.
She didn’t say anything, not wanting to encourage him. She should never have gotten on the plane. Being with him was a huge mistake.
“It can’t.”
His hands were on her shoulders, resting there, warming her before making her turn. She resisted, but there was only so long she could stay strong and not give in.
“Nate--” she started.
He put a finger to her lips, silenced her as he watched her so intently, his gaze so kind and different from the way he looked at so many others. To some he seemed intimidating, powerful, arrogant even, but with her he’d always been gentle, kind instead of ruthless, loving instead of careless. Which was why he’d blindsided her, when all she’d expected was some fun between the sheets.
“I know why you’re scared, and I know why you don’t think this can work,” he said, moving his hand to cup the back of her head, his other softly touching her face, tips of his fingers against her cheeks. “Just give me today, Faith; that’s all I ask. If you tell me to walk away after today, I will. For good.”
They were the words she wanted to hear, but they also hurt. Because deep down, part of her was desperate for him to fight for her, to prove that he wasn’t what she expected from him.
“So where in New York are you taking me?” she asked as his mouth moved closer to hers. His lips mesmerized her, reminded her of the times they’d shared together, of what she was missing out on.
“To a gallery,” he said, finally closing his lips over hers, so gently she almost couldn’t feel them.But she could.His kiss was light, warm, and she tried to stay still when all she wanted was to throw her arms around his neck and make him kiss her harder.
But Nate was a model of self-control today, no doubt having everything planned, including how to make her beg for more from him.
“What gallery?” she murmured, touching her fingers to her lips as she stepped back.
“Midtown Ink,” he replied, a smug smile on his face. “And we have it all to ourselves.
Faith’s hand dropped. If she’d let it, her jaw would have, too. “They’ve closed the gallery for us?”
“Yes. For a high-level investor who wants time to get acquainted with his purchases, and his bright young star of a consultant.”
“You,” she said, shaking her head, then leaning over to punch him on the arm. “Are something else.” She grimaced. “And you also work out way too much. That hurt.”
He laughed. “Hey, while I was with you I got all fappy. It’s a good thing that I’m working out again. Gives me something to do instead of roll around in a cold bed. Alone.”
“Fappy?’ she asked, ignoring his reference to bed. No wonder he’d been confident that this stunt would work in convincing her how fabulous he was. Only he was kind of missing the point. She already knew that he was incredible; she just didn’t believe for a second that he’d want her long-term, and she had zero intention of putting her life and career, let alone her heart, on the line for a man who was ultimately going to lose interest in her.
“Fat and happy,” he joked.
“Oh yeah, because you gotsofat.” Faith laughed. Why did he have to be so damn charming all the time?
The pilot announced they were able to depart and Nate collected her case and an overnight bag he had and nodded for her to walk ahead of him. She did, smiling at the flight attendant who only had eyes for Nate before descending the stairs. The weather was pleasant, not as warm as Texas but nice, with a slight breeze blowing. She was pleased she was wearing a jacket and that she’d dressed businesslike now that she knew where they were going.
“I have a car waiting,” Nate said, wheeling her case behind them now they were on the ground. “Let’s go get it and head straight to the gallery.”
She followed, amused by the smug look on his face. She was dying to see the gallery, truth be told, and being flown in by private jet and arriving as his consultant was incredible. Faith had to hand it to him; he sure as hell had been listening when she’d told him her bucket list career-wise.
“What would you do if I told you I wanted to move here?” she asked. “If I love the gallery so much that I want to try to get a job in New York?”
Nate frowned, slowing down from the fast-paced walk he’d adopted. “I’d say the jet is going to need some extra maintenance and an additional crew for all the flying she’d be doing.”
