Page 39 of Mating of Convenience
“No, your face is fine.” I gave him a kiss on the cheek. Just a quick peck, then I withdrew again. It was a friendly gesture, nothing romantic about it. I hoped Nathan knew that.
No, that last part was a lie.
I definitely wanted Nathan to read something into that quick kiss. Sure, there were obstacles in our way if we were to hook up again, but I’d been stupid to let him go.
I wanted to give him more than a quick kiss.
I wanted himback.
But that also meant coming clean abouteverything.
My stomach sinking, I tugged on Nathan’s arm and led him farther into the catacombs.
He jumped. “Something just dripped on me.”
I looked up. Thereweredrops coming from the ceiling every now and then. It must have rained earlier. “Guess you got some bone-juice on you.”
“Ew.” He shuddered. “Do you really think that’s bone-juice?”
“Nah. Relax. It’s probably nothing.” I grinned at him, though I wasn’t sure if that eased his fears at all. This wasn’t the right kind of place for him, but he was willing to suffer a little for my sake. He’d always been like that.
Maybe I could suffer a little bit for him too. Tell him why I’dreallyskipped town a year ago.
He deserved that, didn’t he?
I could only hope that he would understand--and that it wasn’t a total deal breaker.
20
Nathan
Raph made us spend a small eternity down in the catacombs--and then another in the gift shop across the street from the exit. By the time we emerged again, my stomach was grumbling so loudly people on the sidewalk turned to look my way, and I swear, if some French guy had been walking by with a baguette, I would have grabbed it from him.
It was all worth it for that radiant smile on Raph’s face, though. I couldn’t even remember the last time I’d seen him as happy as he was now, exiting the gift shop with two full bags of merchandise. All souvenirs for his little brother, he told me, and maybe one or two things for himself.
“How are you going to fit all of that into your tiny suitcase?” I asked as we made our way back to the metro, raising my voice to be heard over the noise of the traffic on the road next to us.
“Guess I’ll have to buy a bigger one,” Raph replied with a carefree shrug.
“I might have some space left in mine…”
“Really? Awesome! In that case, I’ll pay for your lunch.”
It was a little bit late forlunch, but I wasn’t going to complain. “Where are you taking me to eat?”
“Oh, I don’t know.” He stopped and looked around himself, his gaze traveling over the old European houses around us, the busy street and the tiny cars parked alongside it. “I don’t want to eat frogs or snails.”
“Frogs or snails?” I made a face.
“How do you feel about burgers?” he asked.
“Burgers? Do you want to be that stereotype?” I wasn’t sure what exactly to expect from French cuisine, but I was out of the states for the first time in my life and I’d be damned if I ate burgers. “Don’t they have…uh…” I wrecked my brain to come up with the word. “Crepes? Are that what they’re called?”
“Ooh!” Raph’s face lit up even more. “I could go for some of those. Do you know where we could get them, though?”
I glanced up and down the street, not that it did me much good. I didn’t know my way around Paris, of course not. “Wait.” God bless Google--and the fact that I’d bought a local sim card with data at the airport. “There’s a place a ten minute walk away. C’mon.” I didn’t wait to see if Raph thought the place I’d found on Google was a good idea or not. I was hungry.
“Shouldn’t I be the one to lead the way if I’m the one treating you to lunch?” Raph asked, following me.
