Page 58 of For Butter or Worse
“He doesn’t exactly seem like your type.” Charlie’s eyebrows furrowed as he searched her face for a response.
“Thirty seconds.” She wasn’t going to just hang out while Charlie took swipes at Leo. If he had anything to say, then he needed to spit it out. She just had to stand there for a few more seconds and...
...And then Charlie was kissing her. His lips were on hers, hungry and pressing into her with a need so desperate she was nearly knocked off balance. But when she righted herself, she found she was steadied by his hands, which were wrapped around her back and pulling her into his own warm chest. Her body hadn’t forgotten what it felt like to kiss Charlie, and how easily they fit together. Even though they pushed each other’s buttons, that fire often fueled their desire, too.
Kissing Charlie was also so different from kissing Leo. Charlie was a wolf, and he wanted to devour her whole. Whereas when she was with Leo, she felt like she was being worshipped by the way his mouth and body rose to meet her.
And then thinking about Leo made kissing Charlie seem...wrong. Completely and totally off. She pulled away.
“Stop,” she said forcefully, both to herself and Charlie. She tasted him on her lips and she wanted to wash her mouth out.
She stepped back from Charlie, realizing that the only man she wanted to be kissing was Leo.
“Nina?” Leo called out to her.
She turned to see him in her driveway. She didn’t know how long he’d been there, or what he’d seen, but judging by the confused—and hurt—look on his face, he’d seen enough.
22
LEO
How much more time do I have with Nina?Leo wondered as he drove to her house.And why can’t I think about anything else?
He’d asked himself these questions every day, multiple times a day, since they started “dating.” Initially, it was a countdown he was eager to have end, but now? After their last date, where she’d raked her hands through his hair as they kissed...
But then she’d pulled away—no, ran from him. And he just couldn’t figure out what Nina wanted from their relationship. He wasn’t the kind of person who dealt well with uncertainty. His anxiety couldn’t handle the stress of constantly guessing where they were headed.
So he was going to talk to her about what was going on with them tonight. Even knowing that she likely wanted to keep things professional, he had to tell her how he felt. Though just the thought of her potential negative reaction was making his palms itch.
He was a few minutes early to pick her up. Nervous about traffic on Halloween night and, honestly, overeager to see her. Her single-story Craftsman home, with California desert landscaping out front and shutters painted a brilliant red, stood out among the new-build designs and modern architecture of her neighborhood.
Outside on the large front porch lined with stone pillars, he caught a glimpse of her. But his view was partially obscured by a wall of a man with long hair and shoulders that looked like they’d spent most of their life in the gym. Nina looked...concerned. Worried? Either way, Leo didn’t like it.
He parked, got out of the car and made his way up the driveway.
As he hurried toward her, he saw the man reach for Nina.Oh, shit. This was clearly a stalker, someone trying to hurt her. Leo began to sprint, keeping his eyes trained on Nina. He was about to call out and try to scare the guy off, but then she leaned into her assailant.
Leo stopped running—he stopped moving altogether—as he watched Nina kiss another man. Whatwasthe sensation brewing deep in his gut? His fists bunched together. He felt sick to his stomach with...jealousy? Not that he had any right to be jealous. She wasn’t his actual girlfriend.
Nina pulled away from the man, and her face contorted into an unreadable expression.
“Nina?” His voice sounded much more wounded than he’d anticipated.
She slowly looked toward him and their eyes locked—a kind of apology seemed to lurk on her face. Even though his insides had shriveled and died from what he’d just seen, he couldn’t help shrugging an “it’s okay”back her way.
What the hell was wrong with him?
Then the man turned to face him and... Charlie, her ex, stared back.
“Cool outfit,” Charlie said.
Leo looked down and remembered that he’d worn his part of the Halloween costume: devil horns, black suit with a red tie and a pointed tail. Nina’s witch hat and broom were in the car.
She smiled at Leo, and he instinctively began to walk toward her.
But then Charlie reached for Nina’s hand. She pulled away.
“I gave you a minute, and as we tell contestants on the show...your time is up.” Nina glared at Charlie.
