Page 17 of Operation Annulment
This is what was missing from my marriage. The mundane, nothing particular conversations that show you who a person really is underneath the surface. Jess and I had the physical aspect down but never could perfect the emotional side of things. By the time I realized things weren’t what they seemed, it was too late. This time, I’m looking for a partner—someone in my corner, for better or worse.
What about Kate, though?
While she playfully diagnoses me with a variety of mental illnesses, I study her, trying to gauge whether she sees me as a casual fling or something more.
She tucks her lower lip between her teeth and smiles, and I wonder if it’s too soon to ask for another date.
My phone buzzes against my thigh, and I fight back a groan, wishing I could let it go to voicemail. Unfortunately, I’m on call tonight, so I’ve stuck with water even when the conversation demanded something stronger.
“I’ve got to take this,” I tell her before answering.
“Dr. Davis, this is Rachel at the transfer center. We’ve got a trauma case coming in.”
“Got it. I’ll be there shortly.” I love my job—just not tonight. Tonight, I want to be someone who stays up late and gets to know Kate.
Kate’s face falls when I return the phone to my pocket and flag down our server for the check. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, I’m on—” I stop myself. To her, I’m Nate Davis, a struggling tattoo artist and aspiring vintner. When I’ve discussed my career in thepast, it changed their perception of me. Suddenly, all they could see were dollar signs instead of a person. “I’ve got to go. Family emergency. Can I call you tomorrow?”
She pulls her wallet from her purse and fumbles for her debit card, refusing to make eye contact with me. “Sure. Sounds good.”
I place my hand on her arm, stopping her. “Hey, put that away, and let me buy you dinner.”
Her nostrils flare, and she mashes her lips together before asking, “Was that your ex-wife?”
I hand over my credit card and wait until he leaves before turning back to her. “No, it wasn’t. It’s work stuff.”
Kate’s cat-like green eyes narrow to slits. “You just said it was a family emergency. Now it’s work?”
I mentally kick myself. “It’s our family business. The vineyard? Surely, you didn’t already forget.”
“Thanks for dinner, Nate,” she says, getting up. “It was nice meeting you.”
I hastily scrawl my signature and a thirty percent tip before running after her.
“Babe, wait up. Let me explain.” She doesn’t slow down, and I’m forced to grab her arm. “Wait, please.”
“I don’t know what this is, but I’m not in the habit of going out with men who can’t even be honest about why they’re cutting a date short,” she hisses before yanking free of my grip. “If you’re going to meet your ex, that’s fine. But don’t lie?—”
I grasp her cheeks in my palms and silence her argument by slanting my mouth over hers. A better man would have waited until she finished, but she didn’t seem close to a stopping point.
A soft moan drifts past her full, pouty lips as they part for my tongue. Her hands move to the lapels of my shirt, frantically tugging me closer.
“Do you think if I was going to meet my ex, I’d do this?” I murmur, nipping her bottom lip with my teeth.
She shivers and presses her fingers to her swollen lips before admitting, “I’m scared, Nate. I don’t want to get hurt.”
I tuck her head beneath my chin and stroke the goosebumps on her arms. “I won’t hurt you.”
I only hope it’s a promise I can keep.
eight
COMMANDMENT #9: THOU SHALT NOT DRINK AND SEXT
Kate
It’s been two weeks since the world’s most awkward date. Two weeks since Nate left me dazed and painfully aroused in a parking lot after the best kiss of my life.
