Our waiter brought our food, and as we ate, we reminisced about messages we’d exchanged in the early days, laughing about the times when we’d been surprised to find out things we had in common.
After finishing our dinner, we walked back to the St. Regis without really talking about it, just drifting along side by side ina comfortable silence that didn’t feel strained at all, but when we reached the building, that ease started to slip.
Suddenly, we were standing in the lobby of the building we shared, then the elevator. Then we were in our hallway and I didn’t know what to do. My apartment wasright there, but we’d been sleeping together and we were married now—and Nate was right there too.
So washisapartment.
This part of the night felt undefined in a way that hadn’t mattered before, but it sure seemed to now. When we reached my door, I paused with my keys in my hand and he walked past me to unlock his door.
“Come on,” he said as he pushed it open, motioning for me to precede him.
“Come where? In there?” I frowned. “Why?”
He gave me a look like the answer was obvious. “Why what?”
“Why your place?” I asked. “Is it better or something?”
“It’s much better and you know it.” He said it completely deadpan, like there was no two ways about it.
I sighed. “That is so rude.”
“It’s accurate. And it’s not like you decorated that place.”
I narrowed my eyes at him, but he was already stepping inside, holding the door open for me, waiting. I felt myself softening because of that quiet expectation, like he just assumed I’d follow because it wasthatnatural for him. Like this was normal.
I stayed where I was for one last second. Then I turned and crossed the hall, walking past him into his apartment. “Fine, but if we’re going to be here, I’m calling dibs on the shower. I’m still so dusty from that field.”
“So am I,” he agreed from behind me as I headed for the stairs. “I think I might join you.”
My heart stalled, then started galloping, heat rising to my cheeks even as a smile spread on my lips. Instead of turning around to let him see it, I just paused for a second before I shrugged and grabbed the banister.
“That’s fine by me. As long as you’re okay with scorching hot water and looking like a lobster by the time you climb out.”
“I’d make a sexy lobster,” he said after a beat. “All the other lobsters would be jealous.”
Despite the anticipation building deep within, I laughed, my head shaking as I reached the landing. “Seriously, how did Inotknow you were CB? Few people in the world would make a joke like that.”
“I wasn’t joking,” he said seriously, and I laughed again, but it turned into a squeal when he wrapped his arms around me from behind, picking me up and carrying me the rest of the way to his ensuite bathroom.
After setting me down in front of the his-and-hers vanity, he let go of me and strode over to the shower, opening the door and turning on the faucet. Meanwhile, I snuck another quick peek around the space.
Two glass walls even in here meant he literally had a million-dollar view while he was in the shower, the tub, or on the toilet. I knew no one could see in, but it would still feel like I was exposing myself to the whole world.
As wild as that was, however, I kind of liked it. Stone cladding on the wall behind the clean-cut vanity made it a feature. The bathtub was one of those gorgeous installations on feet, and the shower was large enough to host a party in.
“For a guy, you have a really beautiful bathroom,” I murmured when my gaze finally drifted back to him.
Nate paused with his Cubs shirt halfway off, putting those drool-inducing abs on full display for a moment. Then he pulledit over his head and dropped it on the floor. Those blue eyes zeroed in on me, but no smile appeared on his lips.
“Would you forgive me if I said something really cheesy right now?” he asked, still without even a hint of humor.
I nodded, weirdly drawn to how seriously he was taking this. “It probably depends on how cheesy, but sure. You have a temporary free pass.”
“It’s only beautiful because you’re in it.” As soon as the words were out, he took two long strides toward me, his hands falling to my hips like it came as naturally to him as the thought that we’d be staying here together from now on. “Let’s get you naked, shall we?”
“Not where I thought you were going with that,” I grumbled jokingly and he winked, but kicked off his shoes as he reached for the hem of my shirt.
I lifted my arms, holding his gaze as he dragged the fabric gently over my head and discarded it with his jersey on the floor. As he reached for my waistband, I mirrored his movements, our eyes never leaving each other’s as we removed every last piece of clothing between us.
