Page 39 of Wine & Whiskey
Even in his apprehension, he can’t help but laugh. “Yeah, books, movies, pictures, every sordid item.”
Shae crosses her arms and pretends to pout. “Hey! I don’t need my boyfriend and best friend ganging up on me.”
Hope flickers in his heart at the word “boyfriend.” Maybe she’s thinking about earlier too.
“I’m just kidding. They’re mine. The only person getting spanked around here is Nathan.”
He shrugs his shoulders. “What can I say? I’m a bad boy.”
Shae nudges Nick as Carrie climbs onto Nathan’s lap. “That’s our cue to leave.”
They gather their plates and walk into the house. After loading the dishwasher, Nick curls his arms around her, resting his chin on her silky hair, relaxing his taut muscles as her arms slide around his waist. “Thanks for dinner.”
She looks up at him and smiles, a hint of happiness returning to her face. “I had to return the favor.”
As he holds her, his phone buzzes, and her smile fades. She pulls away and wraps her arms around herself. “There’s the update you’ve been waiting for.”
“Yeah, I guess I’d better go.” He pauses, hopeful she’ll tell him to stay.
Instead, she nods. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Good night, sweetness.” He leans down and kisses her on the cheek before forcing himself to walk out the door.
