Page 61 of The Story of Us
Nate slipped his arms around her waist, pulling her so close he was in danger of getting lost in her deep brown eyes when a thought occurred to him. He and Eloise had more in common than their shared love of art and helping people. He’d never seen her date anyone either. Except for Ryan but those hardly counted as dates. Maybe she needed a minute, too.
“I know exactly what we should do,” Nate murmured.
Eloise’s “What have you got in mind?” was quiet and, if he wasn’t mistaken, a little uncertain. Yes. It was time to pump the brakes and take a deep breath.
“How would you feel about a good old-fashioned make-out session on the couch?” He’d only been imagining it for the last four damn years. All the other stuff, which, yes, he’d also been imagining for just as long, could wait until they were both ready.
19
The big log on the fire shifted, flames swirling around it as it crackled and split, sending a shower of sparks into the air above it.The Golden Girlswas on, but Eloise hadn’t heard a word the characters had said. She was tucked up next to Nate, drowning in his kisses.
“This okay?” Nate asked, pulling her onto his lap.
Okay? It was fabulous. Magnificent. Deliciously good. He was the writer, but Eloise had a whole swag of effusively positive words he could choose from. A girl could get used to this.I want to get used to this. Eloise stiffened and groaned. She pulled away, dropping her head onto his shoulder.
“What’s wrong?” Nate shifted away, and Eloise wanted to grab him. Tell him to stay. She opened her mouth, but the words she needed to say wouldn’t come. Here she was—finally—all snuggled up with the guy she’d wanted forever and what was she supposed to do? Tell him that she’d been offered an amazing opportunity but it was on the other side of the world? And she was scared to take the leap? To bet on herself? Which hadcoincidentallybeen the cornerstone of her motivational speech to him just the other freaking day.
“Eloise?” Nate’s eyes searched hers, and damn, he was so handsome. He’d put himself out there. Time for her to do the same thing. Being an adult was so frustrating.
Slipping off his lap and drawing her knees up to her chest, Eloise ducked her head and sighed. “There’s something you don’t know.”
He stiffened next to her, and not in the way that occupied most of her dreams about him.
“This feels like too big a conversation to be having when”—Eloise waved her hands in the space between them—“whatever thisisis just starting.”
The blanket fell to the floor as Nate stood. “One second.” He crossed the room and pulled out a stack of drawing supplies. When he returned to his spot next to her, Eloise couldn’t tamp down her smile. Not that she tried that hard. “Are you trying to art therapy me?”
The crooked, shy smile on his face was her new favourite. “Maybe.”
She accepted the sketchbook he offered her. “Do you remember the exchange program I applied for?”
Nate froze next to her.
Eloise bit her lip, staring down at her lap as she explained about reapplying and the emails she’d received earlier.
“Congratulations,” he said slowly, and she wanted to press him, push for answers to all the questions on the tip of her tongue, but she didn’t.
Eloise caught the tail end of Nate’s frown before he smiled. But it wasn’t a real one, the edges were all shaky.
“So, you’re moving to America?”
“I don’t think so.”
Nate tilted his head and studied her face. It was like he went to say something and then stopped himself, his mouth closing and his eyebrows pulling low. She waited for the question that she knew was coming.
“You don’t want to go?”
She selected a deep red crayon and started to add more depth to the top half of her page. “No. I don’t know. It’s a lot.”
Nate stopped sketching and mimicked her stance from earlier, twisting his body towards her. The lights hit the top of his glasses, making his serious expression glow. “What’s holding you back?”
The gentle concern on his face made her fall for him even more. What if the big adventure she’d always craved was here? What if it was the guy with messy hair and a shy smile right in front of her? Who kissed her palm softly when she was hurt and stole her breath with deep, drugging ones in his kitchen?
Eloise pushed to her feet, her socked feet slipping slightly, arms flying out in front of her as she regained her balance. She blurted out the list of reasons that had been plaguing her, knowing Nate wouldn’t laugh at her worry about flying or not knowing how to finance it all. It all flew out before she could stop them. When she finished, she pulled at the bottom of her jumper. Her voice dropping to a whisper. “And what about whatever this is?”
“When do you have to decide by?” Nate asked.
The sharp pinch in her chest was unfair. Eloise tried not to be disappointed he hadn’t immediately said she should stay so they could explore thisthingbetween them.
