Page 86 of Prove You Wrong

‘This is going to sound cheesy … ’

‘Go on,’ I press him, intrigued.

He winds a loose lock of hair behind my ear. ‘I … missed you.’

‘You saw me this morning … ’ Feigning innocence, I run my hand down the front of his shirt.

His hands wrap around my waist, pulling me closer. ‘I missed kissing you.’ His lips cover mine. ‘Can’t have my wicked way with you with your sister in the back of the car.’

‘You know she’s hereright now,’ I murmur through our kiss. ‘And my mum will be back soon.’

‘I didn’t particularly think this through.’ His mouth works across my jaw to my neck. ‘You want me to go?’

‘No.’ It comes out a little too forcefully and I chuckle. ‘I really do need to try and fix H, though.’

‘Shall I get dinner on and then come back and help?’ He quirks an eyebrow.

‘You can put dinner on and then come and stand there looking pretty.’

‘Men don’t want to be called pretty.’

‘But you are.’ I boop him on the nose with my finger and flash him a grin.

He pierces me with a look that suggests I’ll pay for that later and then heads into the house.

Nate

Chloe must be in her room as the downstairs is deserted when I head into Ella’s house. Having been here a few mornings in a row, I’m starting to feel like I know my way around. I make my way to the kitchen, hang my jacket on the back of the door, and put the oven on before unloading the shopping bag.

The last few weeks I’ve been walking around in some sort of Ella-induced haze. I can’t think straight when I’m not with her and, even when I am with her, I can’t get enough of her. I must be addicted.

What started out as a bit of fun banter has ended up with me entirely consumed. Bewitched. Hell, I even let her call mepretty.I’ll enjoy getting her back for that. My mind flicks to all the ways I’d like to tease her.

A thump echoes from the other side of the house. Focus, Nate. I shake my head to clear it.

She gets me like this, and I find myself doing the craziest things. I don’t know what I was thinking earlier, but I’m suddenly here and I’ve brought chicken and vegetables, potatoes, so apparently at some point I thought it would be a good idea to bring her dinner. I check the fridge and find some olives and half a ring of chorizo;I figure I’ll chuck it all in the oven together and it’ll make a pretty good meal.

What the fuck is happening to me, being all domesticated?

Finding an oven dish, I set about chopping things and bunging them into it, absorbed in my task until the door opens.

A lady who looks to be in her forties walks in with a big smile. ‘Ella told me we had company,’ she says.

‘It’s nice to meet you, Mrs … ’ My voice tails off when I realise, to my horror, I don’t know Ella’s last name.

‘Please, call me Gabby. And you’re Nate?’

‘Yes, Nate — Nathan,’ I stutter. ‘I’m Ella’s friend.’

Before I can decide if I’m supposed to shake her hand or kiss her cheek, Ella skids in.

‘Mum, what are you — ? I told you to wait!’ Ella scans between us, a look of disbelief on her face. She swipes anxiously at her misbehaving hair, tugging it behind her ear.

‘It’s my house too. I’m allowed to sayhello,aren’t I?’ Gabby gives me a wink and I smile awkwardly. Is her mum flirting with me?

Ella mouths a pained “sorry” at me, eyes wide, as if this isn’t quite what she had planned. ‘Nate’s kindly offered to cook. We probably shouldn’t distract him.’ She grabs her mum’s elbow, as if to pull her away.

Gabby tuts good naturedly. ‘That’s your way of getting rid of me, isn’t it? Are you worried I’m going to start showing him baby albums?’

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