Page 117 of Electric Touch

“Hi,” he says.

“Nash, you’re soaked. Come inside.”

He glances at my building and then follows me, reaching out to open the door before I can get to it. We hurry inside and water runs off us onto the marble floor.

“It’s really coming down,” the guard says.

“Yeah,” I agree distractedly. I’m too busy watching Nash. Why is he here? My pulse spikes, my heart is at risk of beating through my chest. “We can go to my office,” I say.

Nash glances down the hall, clearly remembering the last time he came here. I flush and notice him staring at my cheeks as the blush rises. His lip moves, but it’s not really a smile.

Leading the way, he follows me down the hallways. I unlock the office and we go inside. Nash shrugs out of his coat, but one glance at himself says it’s a lost cause. He’s too wet. Neither of us sits down, we just stare at each other from across my desk. When he looks away, his gaze zeros in on my chair, then the desk. I nearly make a quip about being wet for a different reason last time. That would be inappropriate.

“So,” he starts, then goes quiet again.

“I’ll tell you anything you need to know,” I offer.

His head moves in a slight nod. I want to sit down because my legs feel like jelly. While he remains standing, it seems important to do the same.

“Meeting you was never about anything to do with that list,” I say. “Whenever we ran into each other again, I admit, I wondered what it meant. My Mama would say it was the universe pushing us together. Who knows, maybe a part of her thinking rubbed off on me because it seemed as if maybe… It was. It felt natural, like we were meant to meet. The whole stupid thing about the audition didn’t matter. I left there knowing it hadn’t worked. I wouldn’t be able to go through with it.”

He says nothing.

“The more I’m around you, the stronger my feelings have grown. I should have told you sooner, or maybe in a better way. I’m sorry about that. For making you think I could ever, ever use you or for making you feel less than. You’re a wonderful man, Nash. You have a big heart and the thought of hurting it kills me. It does. These past few days have been… Well, that is beside the point. I want you to know I didn’t do this to hurt you, and not being honest with you was a mistake.”

“Adrestia, it’s okay,” he finally speaks. “I’ve done a lot of thinking too,” he frowns. “I’ve been going over our conversation and thinking about the last couple of months, and how those two don’t correlate. There,” he huffs out a laugh. “I even sound like you.”

I smile, but I’m still nervous.

“I know you mean what you’re saying, because you are always straight forward and upfront. I guess that was why the whole thing freaked me out, because that wasn’t you. The person I know. You don’t hold back on anything.”

“It’s a curse.”

“No it’s not. It’s a good trait. I wish I could be more like that. Maybe I wouldn’t have stormed off the other day. I shouldn’t have done that. And after getting my ass kicked by a Ukrainian devil, I got my head together and realised I’m an idiot.”

My lip curls. I make a mental note to tell Alessa not to get involved. Although, whatever she said seems to have brought this about. Maybe I should thank her?

“You’re not that person. You’re not someone who will take advantage, or take what you want for yourself and the other person be damned. I should have remembered that. I let my own insecurities get the better of me. And yeah, behaved like a fucking baby.”

“I understand.”

“Don’t say that,” he takes a step closer. “At the heart of it, you don’t get it, admit it.”

“What do you mean?”

“Come on,” he half smiles. “Deep down inside, you were irritated at my irrationality.”

“I was not,” I tell him. “Maybe I would be if we were discussing other people. I’d be wondering why they weren’t communicating and figuring the problem out. But with us… When you’re living it, when you’re scared, you’re about to lose something amazing…” I trail off, wringing my hands.

“It is kind of amazing.”

I look up from beneath my lashes, keeping my chin low.

“Don’t do that,” he says, coming around the desk. “I’m not here to have the conversation where we confess everything. I’m here because I want to make it right. To tell you I was a dick. Again. I shouldn’t have left. We can figure out whatever it is, as long as we do it together. Because the thought of losing you. Not being around you these last few days has been fucking hell. Not just for me. I’ve driven Dylan crazy.”

“Yeah?”

“Oh yeah. So, what I’m here for, I guess, is to say I don’t want this to end. I want you, Adrestia.”

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