I smiled. “Yeah, I’m good with that. My restaurant consumes a lot of my time as well. I’ll take any time I can get with you.”
So we drove around downtown Portland, looking at the properties I’d been considering. Nick studied them and listened as I described the features that drew me to them.
After checking out the last one, I drove him home and pulled up in front of his building. Nick looked over at me in confusion.
“How do you know where I live?”
How do I tell him this without sounding like a stalker?
I rubbed my fingers over my stubble and partially covered my mouth. I reminded myself how much I hated bullshit. So I just told him.
“Remember when you were sick and Alejandro took you home?”
Nick studied me with slightly narrowed eyes. “Yes, why?”
I shifted to the right to look at his beautiful blue eyes. “You were out of it and he was worried getting you up the stairs might be really difficult. So he called me to come help him, and to bring some meds in case you didn’t have any.”
Nick slowly nodded his head as if remembering that night. “I don’t remember seeing you.”
“You were out of it, but Alejandro managed to get you awake enough to take some ibuprofen after he called your mom. I left before she got there.”
His blue eyes focused on me. “Did you work for me?”
I nodded and let out a laugh. “I tried. Thankfully, Ben did most of the mixed drinks.”
Nick looked down at our hands. “My mom said soup was delivered. I just assumed it was Ben.”
“It was,” I said. “He delivered it to you from Alejandro. But I made the soup, because he can barely open a can.”
Nick shifted on the leather seat to face me. “There wasn’t just soup in the bag, Preston. My mom said it was filled with stuff.”
I shrugged, holding his gaze. “You needed it. And I wasn’t sure she’d be able to get anything for you. I never intended for you to know it was me.”
Nick’s eyes swept over my face and landed on my lips as he extended his left hand to curl around the back of my neck. I shivered and my breath hitched as his fingers left heated trails over my skin. Pulling me to him, his right hand joined the left to urge me closer and cup my face. His thumbs ghosted over my cheek as his lips found mine.
Every neuron in my brain fired as he slowly deepened the kiss. It was the Fourth of July and New Year’s Eve all at once.
I raised my hands to cradle his face, wanting more of him, but knowing that we needed to take our time. He had me feeling things I’m not sure I’ve ever felt for anyone. And for the first time in a very long time, I might be able to let my walls down some if he would give us a chance.
When he was finished, he rested his forehead against mine. “You’re going to ruin me, Preston James. I just know it.”
I chuckled and caught his lips for another brief kiss. “I hope so,” I breathed. “Then you’ll be all mine.”
CHAPTER9
NICK
Ben was alreadybehind the bar when I walked in the next afternoon. Only a few customers were seated around the room, but it was going to be busy with the first game of the World Series starting at seven.
Just as I figured, Ben wasted no time with his questions as soon as I got behind the bar.
“How’d it go last night?”
I frowned and played dumb as I opened a couple packs of cocktail napkins. “Fine. Why?”
His brow furrowed as he leaned in to study my chin, then tapped it with his index finger. “Yeah, looks like you’ve got some beard burn up in here.”
I slapped his hand away, laughing. “I do not, you asshole. You’re the one with beard burn.”
