Page 40 of A Little More

“Lexi—”

“No.” She held up her hands, walking backward, finally meeting his eyes. The poor guy looked as confused as she felt. “It’s fine. Really. I know you’re tired. I’m leaving again in the morning. Julien gave me another assignment in Athens.”

Her feet carried her out of the house and to her car before Nash jogged after her. “Whoa, Lexi.” His hands gripped her shoulders, keeping her from sitting down in her car. “Sorry. That caught me off guard.”

“No. It’s okay. You said nothing permanent. I get it. I didn’t mean anything else by the offer to help you renovate it. I’m not interested in long-term either.” Her heart laughed at her. Lie. She wanted more than a month with Nash.

Impossible. She’d followed her intellect her entire life and become very successful. No reason to start questioning it now.

“I’d like you to help.” He cupped her cheek, his thumb skimming along her jawline. “I hate it that I might not see you before you leave tomorrow.”

“I’ll be back down in another two weeks.”

He took a deep breath. “Okay. Well, call me later and let me know how today went at the worksite. And call me tomorrow. I want to know you made it home okay.”

The man cared, even if it wasn’t enough to change his expectations of their relationship.

Or for her to change her own.

She leaned in and kissed his cheek. “Get some rest.”

She left without a glance back at him or the house. She needed to get the entire situation straight in her head. If she was going to see him, then she had to remember she would say goodbye at some point. Sooner than later. He’d made that clear enough.

10

Tall condominiums flanked either side of Nash as he pulled his truck into a parking spot along the street. No wonder everyone drove small, zippy cars. It also let them fit into the ancient parking decks in downtown Atlanta. The ones that his truck couldn’t possibly fit into without a prayer and some major modifications. He could have planned a little better. Driving to Atlanta on a whim didn’t give him a chance to ask Lexi about the parking situation at her condo.

He jogged across the street, taking the stairs two at a time to the front entrance. He hoped Lexi wouldn’t be too mad he showed up unannounced. Her text this morning that she’d be at her condo all day had been the catalyst to send him running to Atlanta. Dewey would be on the farm today, giving Nash the day off. That also meant Dewey would stop by his mom’s house and get himself invited to supper.

In the past few conversations, Lexi avoided all reference to their new status. Their uncommitted, temporary dating status without the ability to go out on a date in public to make sure her boss remained in the dark. One thing that pushed him to make the drive to the city was the elusive kiss they’d yet to share.

Nash’s boots echoed on the tiles of the quiet entryway. More than a few people passing by gave him a curious look. He’d handled it before in Jacksonville with Catherine like a guy from the country belonged in a zoo or something. He would suffer through it for the time being in Atlanta.

After locating her door on the fourth floor, he knocked twice before he heard a muffled, “Who is it?”

“Nash.” The silence stretched longer than he’d expected. Showing up without an invitation always ran the risk that she’d refuse to see him, but after she’d shown up at his house, he figured they’d gotten over that.

The door crept open. He could see the fever in her eyes. “Poor baby, I got you sick, didn’t I?”

She sniffed and nodded. “Yup. Sorry, you came all the way to Atlanta, but—”

“Here.” He held out flowers. “Instead of surprise flowers, these are now Get Well Soon flowers. Why didn’t you tell me yesterday when we talked? Or this morning when I texted you. I could have brought you soup. My mom makes great soup.”

“I didn’t want you to feel bad for getting me sick, and Juliana said she’d bring some soup by later. Thank you for the flowers.”

He made a big deal about trying to see into her condo. He did not want to be turned away at the door. Sick or not, he wanted to see her. “I’ve always wanted to see a fancy condo in Atlanta, mind if I come in and snoop around?”

A weak smile ghosted across her lips. “I suppose. If you get sick again, it’s not my fault.”

“If I tell you I don’t care about getting sick, will you give me a kiss?”

She rolled her eyes. “Not a chance in hell. I feel rotten.” She moved from the doorway, sniffled, and back to a little cocoon of blankets on the skinny couch, sat down, and rolled herself into a bright pink looking burrito.

How had she not run screaming from his house after one look? Her condo was impeccable. White and clean. Modern. Sterile. Not the condo of someone who got a dreamy look on their face when she stood in a destroyed kitchen in an old farmhouse. She must really have a thing for old houses.

He walked to the couch that he realized was a futon. Nothing like the man-sized sofa at his house. The only piece of furniture he bought when he came back from Jacksonville. Her offer to help renovate still worried him about how it would affect their future, but he liked the idea of being with her a little longer. Would they always find some reason to keep seeing each other until it turned into a full-blown relationship? What then?

He leaned over the back of the couch, stroking her hair away from her exceptionally warm face. “Can I get you some coffee? Tea?”

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