Page 47 of It Started in the Chatroom

Even though I knew this, I was annoyed with her. For all she knew, this was a love marriage. Hang-ups about Nathan’s wealth aside, at the very least, she should stand by me as my friend…rather than interrogate and try to intimidate my fiancé.

It was with that thought that I turned to her, squared my shoulders, and said in my firmest voice, “Enough, Brooklyn. Leave Nathan alone.”

All movement at our table halted, and I could almost feel Nathan’s look of surprise without seeing him. I focused all of my attention on Brooklyn so I wouldn’t lose my nerve.

She blinked rapidly, clearing her throat and leaning toward me. “Cici, I’m just trying to make sure—”

“I know what you’re trying to do, and I love you for being a good friend. But enough is enough. Nathan is a good man, and he’s been nothing but kind and loving towards me, and kind to you, despite your questions.” I smoothed my napkin on my lap. “We love each other. I know that’s hard to believe, given how long we’ve known each other, but it’s true. Let’s just…have a nice lunch and enjoy each other’s company. Okay?”

She closed her eyes and nodded. When she opened them, they showed contrition. “You got it.”

“Sorry, Nathan,” she mumbled.

He shrugged. “No harm, no foul.”

Just then, the server stopped by the table to take our orders. We put them in, and the server left.

The rest of lunch passed relatively peacefully, and we hopped in Nathan’s car and drove to Hemingway. As soon as we pulled up to my house and stopped, Brooklyn unbuckled her seatbelt, already halfway out of the car.

“Nice to meet you, Nathan,” she said. “I’m sure I’ll see you around.”

“Nice to meet you, as well,” he said. He turned to me. “Can I talk to you for a sec?”

I blanched, already expecting a fight. “Sure.”

Brooklyn gave us both a look, narrowing her eyes at Nathan, before closing the door. Nathan popped the trunk so she could get her bag, and she walked up my driveway without a glance back, using the spare key in the fake plant to let herself in.

I turned in my seat to face Nathan. “Look,” I began, “I’msosorry about Brooklyn’s behav—”

Nathan reached across the center console, cupping my face and bringing his lips to mine. I only had time for a startled, “Oh!” before he kissed me.

This kiss was different from the others we had shared. Those kisses tasted of restraint, of respectability and a sense of performance. This kiss was away from prying eyes, clandestine. There was a hunger to it, urgency wrapped up in insistence. I held onto his wrists, willingly throwing myself into it, losing myself in the feel of Nathan’s soft lips, the scent of his cologne, this kiss that felt utterly necessary and yet, an extravagance. His tongue teased the seam of my lips, and I willingly opened for him. He tasted like coconut ice cream and mint, a heady combination.

When he pulled away, I kept my eyes closed, taking a moment to find my equilibrium. The kiss threw me off my axis, and I didn’t know which way was up.

I opened my eyes, dropping them to the center console, unsure of what to say. Finally, I said, “Wow. Um…what was that for? I thought you would be mad at me for Brooklyn’s attitude.”

Inwardly, I blanched.Way to make him think that you didn’t enjoy it,I thought.

“It was a thank you,” he murmured, tilting my chin up. He smiled. “I know that Brooklyn means a lot to you, so it means a lot to me that you stood up for me. I know it couldn’t have been easy.

“But also,” he added, eyes roving over my face, “I’ve been wanting to do that all day.”

I blushed. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” He moved away, leaning back in his seat. Clearing his throat, he looked out the windshield. His lips twitched. “But don’t let it get to your head; you have a big enough ego as it is.”

I snorted, the sound undignified but true. “Right,” I said. “Of course not.”

He looked at me then, smoothing a wayward curl behind my ear. “Well, I’ll see you later, then? Text me?”

“I will.” I opened my door, turning to him before I got out of the car. “Thanks for everything; I really appreciate it.”

“No need to thank me; I’m glad I could help.” He smiled. “See you later, Cinderelly.”

And with that, I closed the car door and walked up my driveway, unsure if my feet were on the ground or if I was floating on Cloud Nine.

ChapterTwenty

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