Page 95 of Bossy Wicked Prince
Still…it’s hard to shake the feeling. I need a distraction, and thankfully, a text from Nate arrives, giving me exactly what I needed.
Nate
I tried the pistachio croissant from Ariel’s Bakery. Just as good as you said it was.
The text comes with a selfie of Nate, holding up a little bag from my favorite bakery. His gray eyes are warm, but his mouth is barely lifted at the corners into a smile. It makes me laugh.
Cat
You look awfully grumpy for someone who just had the best croissant in the whole city.
Nate
Second best. You haven’t tried Roberta’s yet.
I’ll bring some in on Monday.
I’m grinning so widely, my cheeks hurt. As if I needed another reason to look forward to Monday.
Nate and I have been texting nonstop for days. It started with me thanking him for the adorable pink champagne glasses he sent me, then turned into a discussion of our favorite foods and drinks. Soon, we were swapping our favorite restaurants and bakeries. Nate’s are way more expensive than mine, obviously, but he doesn’t mind being teased about it.
We’ve traded favorite movies and animals (Amélieand red pandas for me, theLord of the Ringstrilogy and puffins for him.) Now, I know so much more about him. He’s much chattier over text than he is in person, and I’m starting to understand that it’s easier for him to open up this way.
Or maybe he’s just too distracted when we’re together in person.
We’ve only seen each other in the office, but every moment together feels electric. He seems to look for opportunities to put his hand on my back to guide me into his office. The heat of his hand through my clothes is enough to make me combust.
And IknowI purposefully brush my fingers against his when I give him a coffee or a file folder. I love the way it makes his grayeyes glow with desire. These small touches in plain sight of our coworkers are almost sexier than a full-on makeout session in a supply closet.
Not that I’d say no to that if Nate offered…
Each day my resolve to keep my distance from him weakens, and soon I know it’ll fade entirely if I’m not careful.
I sigh loudly. I can’t stop thinking about him. If this is what addiction feels like, no wonder it’s so hard to get clean.
When I get to the Copper Cup, Pippa’s not there yet, but the place is so full of customers stopping by between shopping trips that I grab the first spare table I can see. It’s against the back wall, under a large abstract painting.
Brinley catches my eye from across the room and waves. She’s busy at a table full of chattering women, so I wave my hand to tell her I’m good to wait.
My eyes are drawn back to the painting, tracing its dark textured lines. The paint doesn’t look like any I’ve ever seen, all rough and shimmery. I don’t know why, but there’s something so fairy-tale-esque about it, but in a dark way that reminds me of the original Grimm’s stories. It’s like the longer I look at it, the more it unfolds. Shapes turn into open doors, swirling lines turn into labyrinths. I don’t know what I’m supposed to see in it, but I know I can’t look away.
Pippa slides into the seat across from me, distracting me from my thoughts. Her hazel eyes are shining with excitement. “Guess what!” she exclaims before she’s even taken off her coat.
“You’re pregnant,” I deadpan and she snorts.
“Please. But actually, Idohave a new baby.”
She shows me her phone, with a lockscreen of an adorable black cat. “Awwww! It’s so cute! What’s its name?”
“This is Waffle,” Pippa says proudly. She opens the phone and scrolls through even more cat pics. “She’s a stray who’s been hanging around outside. I’ve been feeding her tuna and trying tocatch her, and I finally wrestled her into a carrier. The vet says she doesn’t have a microchip, so she’s mine.”
“She’s adorable, but does your apartment let you have pets?”
Pippa makes a shushing noise. “No, but she’s quiet. What they don’t know won’t hurt them.”
Brinley moves next to our table and hands us menus. “Hey! Sorry for the wait, we’re super busy.”
“No worries, we’re glad business is booming,” Pippa says. “I’ll do a chai latte, please.”
