Page 15 of Why Not Us?

“Good night, Adalie,” I say.

Her eyes blink open. She hasn’t let me go, and I haven’t either. We just stand there for a long moment, wrapped up in each other, until suddenly, she steps back, looking away as her face flushes in a pretty blush.

“Good night, Nate. Thank you, um, for the ride.”

I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face. “Anytime, princess.”

Her gaze shoots to me for a second before it darts away again. “If you don’t mind, I’ll bring your things to you later.” She waves a hand down her body, indicating the leather clothes.

I retrieve her purse from where we’d put it in one of my saddle bags and give it to her, watching as she walks toward her front door. She glances over her shoulder at me, our eyes meeting before she goes inside.

I put my helmet back on and get on my bike, starting it and riding to my house. The whole ride home, I can’t stop thinking about the softness of Adalie’s lips, how her body had felt against mine. When I stop at my house and walk my bike into the backyard, I remind myself that she’s not my type. She is, in fact, the antithesis of my type. We’re all wrong for each other. It would never work and now we’re in business together.

I go inside, finding Taylor on my couch, his feet propped on my coffee table, a beer in his hand.

“Watch TV in your own damn house,” I say, pouring myself a beer from one of my two beer taps and kicking his feet off my table before flopping down next to him. He’s watching a hockey game.

“Your TV is bigger,” he says.

It’s the third period and the home team is down by one.

We watch in silence for a bit, and I’m happy about it. I spend the time imagining red, curly hair between my fingers and soft lips pressed against mine.

“Are you going to ask her out?” Taylor asks.

I turn my head toward him so fast my neck hurts. “What?”

He watches me from the corner of his eye. “You just seemed kind of into her tonight. And on Friday. I haven’t seen you look at a woman as much as you looked at Adalie… ever.”

“She’s not my type.”

The buzzer sounds, indicating the game is over and Taylor stands.

“You’re right. She’s not your type. If there were a hundred women in a room with her, she’s probably the last one you’d go after. Then again, considering your track record with relationships, maybe that’s a good thing.”

Chapter 6

Adalie

After Nate left last night, I was too keyed up to sleep, the adrenaline from the motorcycle ride and the kiss not letting me relax. I ended up sketching until after midnight and so this morning I’m sitting in the staff lounge at Blue Vista with a steaming cup of lavender Earl Grey in front of me. I’ll probably need at least two cups, maybe three, to get through today.

“Have a good time last night?” Derek asks as he comes in and pours a coffee.

My eyes widen as I think furiously about how he could know about the kiss. When I don’t respond right away, he says, “Or did Calista bail on you again?”

I let out a slow breath, easing into my seat. “Oh. She bailed.”

He shoots me a glance. “Why didn’t you call me? Ava and I were out for dinner. We could have come back for you, driven you home at least.”

“It’s fine. I stayed at Hops Scotch. Taylor bought pizza, and Nate gave me a ride.”

Derek slides into the chair across from me, a smile forming on his face. “Did he?”

“Who did what?” Spencer asks as he also comes into the lounge, followed by Lis and her corgi, Cerberus.

“Nate gave Adalie a ride home last night.”

Spencer gives me a sympathetic look. “Calista bailed on you?”

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