Page 12 of Unexpected Forever
charley
Holy shit.What am I doing?
Aidan and Megan say their farewells, and most of the partygoers follow behind them. In the empty ballroom, the gravity of what I’m about to do—or hoping to do—with Nate sinks in.
I mingle among the last of the guests to make sure they all head out and had a good time before checking with the wait staff manager to see they’re ready to clean up. Shane will lock the place up for the night, and once I get that all settled, I can leave.
Rushing over to the bar, I grab a bottle of whiskey and two glasses. With my clutch under my arm and balancing my provisions for the walk, I wave to the cleaning crew on my way out to the lobby.
Nate stands with his back to me, looking out the large picture window, and the sight of him makes my stomach flip and my thighs clench.
All those years as a catcher has given him an ass that fills out his slacks all too well.
He turns when the clicking of my heels breaks the silence in the room. The smile on his face makes my blood feel like molten lava. “There you are.”
I walk toward him at a slower pace, adding a sway to my hips, until I stand toe to toe with him. “Sorry to keep you waiting.”
With one hand in his pocket, he rubs his chin with the other, his gaze sweeping down my body before meeting mine again. “From where I’m standing, it was worth the wait.”
Warmth blooms in the pit of my stomach, making my heart pound and heat pool between my thighs.
I need air in a bad way.
Nate licks his lips before holding out his arm for me to take. “Ready?”
I nod and slide my hand around his strong forearm.
He takes the bottle of whiskey and holds it up. “Was this the one I had earlier?”
“Yeah, it was the only brand I picked.”
He nods and slides his gaze to me. “Good choice.”
As we walk through the unseasonably warm night air, the heat of his skin radiates through the fabric of his dress shirt, and my shoulders relax.
I want this man in a way that borders overwhelming, but there’s a part of me interested inhim. Not the sports celebrity and not the so-hot-he-burns-the-retinas guy. I want the whole man and to know what makes him tick.
But I have to keep in mind my interest in Nate—physical or otherwise—can only go so far. I have a new career to focus on, not to mention we don’t even live in the same place.
Even though his sister is my best friend who’s dating my brother, the chance of me seeing him again any time soon is remote.
I have one shot, one night to get all this desire for him out of my system.
“Where are we headed to drink this whiskey?” I ask.
He smiles, looking down at the ground as we stroll along. “Ahh, well, I hadn’t thought that far ahead. I just really wanted to get away from the people.”
“And you wanted me with you?”
“Yeah. Anything wrong with that?”
My pulse races when he lifts his gaze to meet mine. “No, not at all.”
“Plus, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to get to know each other since our siblings are a thing now.”
“Well, there’s a beautiful gazebo behind the inn. We could go there.”
“Lead the way.”
