Page 47 of Never With You
“And how she gets to the airport two hours too early,” Juliet says. “Then makes us go check our gate to make sure it exists before we can buy food.”
I glance around the table at everyone laughing at my expense, and I know it’s going to be a long night.
Courtesy of Nate.
“Still right here,” I say as a not-so-gentle reminder.
“We’re just joking around. We love Carly.” Blair shoots him a tight smile. “And if you keep messing with her at work, then you’ll have to deal with all of us. I might look small, but trust me, I pack a punch.”
Nate laughs. “Noted.”
“Yep, Carly is the glue that holds our friend group together.” Camila looks at me. “We may joke about her little quirks, but it’s only because we appreciate them and value everything she brings to the friend group.”
“You’d love her too if you got to know her.” A sweet smile accompanies Emma’s words. “She’s someone you definitely want in your corner. On a moment’s notice, she’d drop everything to come and help you. Plus, she’s so much fun and adventurous. Nothing scares her.”
“Is that so? I haven’t seen that side of her, but I’d like to.” Nate eyes me, and something about his playful stare turns my stomach over. “But for me to get to know her, she’d have to drop her weapons of war first.”
I glare back at him, making it clear that no weapons are being tossed aside anytime soon.
He turns to my friends with lifted shoulders and an annoyingly handsome grin. “Until then, I guess I’ll just be the guy Carly loves to hate.”
Juliet’s eyes gloss over at the sight of his cute smile. “I think it’s just a timing problem. If Carly hadn’t just made the rule never to date a guy at work and hadn’t just broken up with?—”
“OKAY!” I jump up with a fistful of Nate’s shirt, forcing him to his feet too. “We’re done here.”
“What? Why?” He stumbles to keep up with my sudden stand or have his shirt rip at the seams.
I yank on the fabric, pulling him to me to give him a proper hostile warning, but I underestimate my strength. Our chests skim together as our faces andlipscome within inches. Our eyes lock, and something more than mutual hostility passes between us.
Something that has my heart racing.
I lift my chin defiantly—terrible move, considering it puts our mouths even closer. But I stay the course, sweeping my heated gaze over his brown eyes.
“You are not staying,” I hiss.
His smirk is smirking in all the right ways. “Things were just getting good.”
“Amen to that!” Camila mutters.
I turn and see my table of friends glued to our interaction with knowing smiles.
My fingers slowly lift, releasing Nate’s shirt from my grip. Things might have gotten a little too heated. And I don’t necessarily mean that in the angry way.
“You’re leaving.Now.”
I don’t wait for his response. I head for the door, counting on Nate to follow after me.
Once outside, I glance around the parking lot for his truck until I see it.
“I don’t know why you’re so mad,” he says behind me. “Your friends and I were having a great time.”
“Exactly!” Whipping around puts me against his chest for the second time in the last two minutes. I stagger back. “They aremyfriends. You don’t belong here. You’re part of my work life, not my real life.”
My march to his truck continues until we’re there.
“In fairness”—he opens the car door and retrieves the box—“they invited me to stay.”
“They were being nice.” I reach for the swag.
