Page 66 of Never With You
“You can’t make a living or take care of a family just by being charming,” Mack says.
“You actually can.” My chin lifts. “Nate’s charm attracts all our biggest clients. He’s a great salesman and brings in the majority of our big accounts and trips.”
I don’t know where all of this is coming from or why I feel the need to say it.
“That’s still not a way to provide enough for a family. Take Nate’s younger brother, Dawson. Now, there’s a kid with a good head on his shoulders. He's in a committed relationship, went to Princeton, studied economics, and is well on his way to taking over Pureskin.”
“Sounds like a great guy. I can’t wait to meet him.” I smile. “But Dawson’s path isn’t the only path out there. Not everyone is built to work behind a desk, especially when there are jobs where the world can be your office.”
His dad’s disapproving stare slides to him. “Looks like you found one person who buys into the bullcrap you’re selling.”
Nate lets go of my hand and slides his arm around my shoulder, curling his fingers around me possessively. Tingles shoot from my back, down my body, creating a swirl of havoc in my stomach.
“Carly’s opinions are the only ones that matter to me.” There’s a hard edge to Nate’s words that brings tension with them.
An uncomfortable smile stretches across Connie’s face. “Let’s not talk about all of that.” She gives Mack a stern warning with her eyes. “We’re here to relax, and have fun, and get to know Nate’s girlfriend better.” She turns to her son with a warm gaze. “What was your first impression of Carly?”
I fidget nervously under his arm as he eyes me. He’ll probably say he thought I was an ice queen or didn’t know how to have fun. I brace myself, preparing for the usual critiques of my personality, but nothing could’ve prepared me for what he actually says.
“First impression, I thought Carly was the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen. Big blue eyes and a gorgeous smile. She intimidated the heck out of me.”
‘The most beautiful woman I’d ever seen’ is a cliché line that means nothing. There’s nothing believable about that statement when Gal Gadot inWonder Womanexists, but I can’t help how his words affect me.
I swallow, feeling the hot sear of a blush color my cheeks. I’m suddenly aware of how our bodies touch: his arm draped across my back, his fingers skimming my shoulder, his thigh pressing on my bare leg, his hip jammed against mine. Thousands of points on the surface of my body send glorious sensations to my brain, putting me on edge and building an army of butterflies in my stomach.
And I don’t even like the guy.
I draw in a soft breath, looking for some relief as he turns to his parents with a crooked grin. “Then Carly spoke, and I realized what a pain in the butt she is.”
Nate winks at me, expelling all the air from my chest.
He was playing his part.
Acting.Again.
I’m so glad—so glad—I tell you.
“So what changed?” Connie leans in, too invested in our fake love story.
“Nate became desperate,” I snap, getting him back for the unnerving way he toyed with my emotions.
Connie’s brows lower like she’s not sure where we’re going with this.
“No more desperate than you.” His brown eyes squint at me, and his smile ticks higher on one side.
It’s cute.
I’ll tell you what’s not cute: being attracted to the devil.
So I reinforce my heart with fences, bricks, and a moat—everyone knows any good stronghold has a moat around it. Then, I remind myself that Nate Farnsworth is not an ally. He’s a means to an end.
“We were both just in the right place at the right time.” I lean forward, resting my elbows on the table in an effort to get my shoulders out from under his arm. But I severely miscalculated the situation.
His fingers slide to my back, rubbing. MASSAGING.
It’s a level of intimate touch I’m not okay with—specifically, that my treacherous heart is not okay with.
I scoot my chair out in a panic and stand abruptly. “I’m going to go check on the…” I scratch the back of my neck, trying to come up with something to do. I feel Nate’s laughing eyes beaming up at me, but I avoid them. With no excuse coming to mind, I begin walking away. “I’ll be right back.”
