Page 50 of Sunsets & Slow Dances

“Of course I do. I remember everything.”

As she stared up at me, the energy passing between us was palpable and thick with history. History that neither of us were talking about. History that I’d spent more time than I would ever want to admit to anyone thinking about over the past ten years. History that I was not willing to bring up if it meant risking a future of having Nadia back in my life, even as a friend.

I cleared my throat. “Are you feeling better now?”

She nodded.

“You could have called me. If you needanything,you can always call me.”

I hated knowing that she was sick and I had no idea. It was one thing being across the country from her and not taking care of her. It was another being two miles away. It felt wrong.

“I was fine, I am fine.”

Jelly purred as she rubbed the side of her face against my denim. I bent down and scratched the top of her head. Peanut took the opportunity of my hand being in close proximity to the floor and crowded his way between Jelly and my leg. Jelly sauntered away with an air of indifference and superiority that her breed had perfected.

“How’s Chloe doing?” Nadia tightened the towel, and I had to swallow a groan of male appreciation at the display of cleavage the adjustment afforded. “I’ve been out sick all week, so I haven’t seen her.”

“Good, I think.” I stood and did my best not to ogle her perfect curves, which were highlighted by the terrycloth draping against her flared hips. “Actually, I haven’t seen that much ofher. I’ve been leaving early and getting home late, but she got an A on her Algebra test. Mom put it on the fridge.”

“Oh, good.” Nadia beamed as a strand of hair fell out of the bun piled on top of her head and draped across her eye.

My first instinct was to reach up and brush it behind her ear. I put my hands in my pockets to avoid any temptation to do things I had no business or right to do. I exhaled and looked down at the ground to try and gain some composure. Nadia was a walking temptation and the history we had made it far too easy to fall into habits where I acted on those temptations. I needed to figure out how to put her in the friend zone, and I needed to do it fast.

When I lifted my head, I saw Nadia’s nose twitch. I called it her Samantha-nose. It was the same nose twitch that Samantha did on the TV classicBewitched,which Buzz used to love to watch because he had a massive crush on the star Elizabeth Montgomery. Whenever Nadia’s nose twitched, it meant she wanted to say something, but she was holding it in like a sneeze, except her body was trying to expel information.

“What?” I asked.

Her brow furrowed as she repeated innocently. “What, what?”

“What do you want to say?”

“Nothing.” She pretended to not have any idea what I could possibly be referring to.

“Your nose twitched. What do you want to say?”

Knowing she was caught, her nostrils flared slightly, and her lips pursed, which is what she did whenever she got defensive and knew the other person was right. “My nose didnottwitch.”

Instead of arguing my point, I just continued staring at her. Other than kissing her to solve all manner of disagreements, I’d found the silent approach also worked. Nadia was her best self when she came to the conclusion on her own. She didn’t respondwell to confrontation or accusations. If you backed her into a corner, she’d double down just to spite you. She was scrappy like that. Right or wrong, she’d go down swinging. I always found that really hot.

Finally, she cracked. “I want to tell you something, but I’m not sure I should.”

That sounded interesting.

I started walking toward her with a grin. “Well, now youhaveto tell me.”

“Stop.” She lifted her hand. “It’s not like that; it’s serious.”

It wasn’t until she told me to stop that I realized I’d been flirting, or at the very least, teasing her. It wasn’t a conscious choice; it was sort of my default mode when I was around her.

“What’s wrong?” My chest constricted tightly. Had she gone to the doctor for her cold and found something? “Are you okay?”

She shook her head, and I thought I was going to puke. “No?—"

“You’re not okay!?”

“No, I was saying, no it’s not about me. I’m fine. I’m okay.”

I blew out a breath of relief.

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