Page 54 of Touchdowns and Temptations

“Yeah,” she says, “what would you like?”

“I'll have a Bloody Mary, thanks,” she says, and I nod.

“Here.” I push the beer into Noah's hand. “We'll get something decent to drink.”

He laughs and pulls me towards him. Surprised, I bounce against his muscular chest. He leans down and plants a kiss on my ear.

“Have fun with Emily,” he says. “You'll love her.”

I smile at him again and walk with Emily to the bar.

She's really super nice, and we have a good time. Like me, she's twenty-two and works as a physiotherapist in the city. She has known Alex and Noah since they were kids and, of course, because Alex and her sister used to be a couple. I would be interested to know if she ever had a crush on one of the twins. But that's too private, we haven't known each other long enough for that.

Emily and I have conquered the dance floor. Laughing, I sip my fourth or fifth cocktail. I paid for all of them, which Emily didn't like very much, but I didn't make her pay. To be honest, I have no idea how much she earns, but it will be less per month than the cost of my bag. I can't reconcile it with my conscience that she's paying for these far too expensive cocktails for me.

“Shall we go back to our table?” I call over the loud music. She gives me a thumbs up. We start walking together. Our group has thinned out a bit. Only Noah, Alex, Jamie, Emily and I are left. Logan disappeared with a blonde, and Daisy hasn't been seen since. She's nice, no question, but I never really connected with her. She was always too close to Noah. I put my drink down on the table and look at Noah with a smile. He's just as drunk and I have no idea how we're going to get home.

A new song comes on and I sway back and forth.

“Do you want to dance?” Alex asks Emily. Her cheeks turn pink and she shyly pulls in her lower lip with her incisors. Oh dear, that answers the question I asked earlier.

Emily has a crush on Alex.

“Yeah, okay,” she says, “why not?”

He grabs her hand and pulls her to the dance floor. I smile, because Alex is spinning Emily around.

Noah wraps his arms around my shoulders and pulls me into his chest. Smiling, I put my hands on his forearms and lean against him. Alex is just twirling Emily around the dance floor, but they're having a lot of fun together. I have to admit that the two of them are really cute together. Too bad that Emily doesn't seem to be Alex's type. The women he dates in Boston - and Daisy - are the complete opposite of her.

“They're cute together, aren't they?” I ask, looking at Noah.

He laughs.

“Alex and Em?”

“Yes,” I say. “I think they're cute. They make a good couple.”

“Alex and Em?” he repeats.

“Yes!” I shout. “Why do you keep asking me that?”

“Emily's like a little sister to us,” Noah says. “Alex dated her sister and regularly ends up in Daisy's bed when he's in Nashville. Him and Emily? No way.”

I look back at the dance floor and sigh. Alex is pulling Emily towards him, making their dance more sensual.

“Too bad,” I say, turning to him. “I think she's very nice and I think she'd be good for Alex.”

“How about that,” Noah says, pulling me closer to him. “We stop worrying about Alex and Emily and take care of ourselves?”

“Hm,” I confirm, wrapping my arms around his neck. “Sounds like a plan.”

16

Cara

The next day Noah, Alex and I meet up again with Jamie, Emily, Daisy and Harry. This time not at the Fall Fair, but in a bar in town. The interior is cozy and has a rustic charm. According to Noah, once a week there is a free stage where you can sing or perform. I've learned so much in the last two days in Nashville. The people here are so incredibly nice, and I liked Emily right away. Even though we seem to come from completely different worlds, we really get along.

“Hi,” the waitress says, and I realize that she is one of the women who gossiped about my Chanel bag yesterday. Great, that's all I need.

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