My hands shook as I slid out of bed and replaced the comforter, smoothing it down. I tiptoed to the door, placing my ear against it. Bill was whining and bumping the knob with his nose.
“I know you’re there.” Nash’s deep, low voice rumbled through the wood. “I can see the shadow under the door.”
I leapt back a little, looking at my guilty feet, frowning. Bill barked once.
Nash went on. “I’m not leaving this food out here for the mice, so you better open the door.”
Biting my sleeve, I hesitated only a moment—there was no point pretending I wasn’t standing here. Clearing my voice, I unlocked the door and spun the heavy handle, opening it about a foot.
My gaze first noticed his casual, unbothered smile before finding his eyes. They were shifting shades in the light pouring from my room, sparkling like moonlight on water.
“Can I come in?” he asked.
I blinked twice, but stepped back. Bill greeted him with a chatter of sounds.
Nash balanced a large tray overflowing with snacks on his forearm. My eyes darted across the colorful display: creamy cheeses, glistening meats, vibrant fruits, a scattering of nuts, crisp crackers, and crusty bread. The smell of the feast hit me, but before I could take it in, he passed and entered the room.
His unique masculine fragrance of wood and leather lingered behind him, a delicious aroma that filled my nostrils. It had permeated my senses, and despite my attempts to escape it since last night, it was present in the very bones of the house.
Nash wore a pair of casual jeans and a tucked-in light-colored cotton long-sleeved shirt with the sleeves bunched up to his elbows. He had a pair of cozy-looking socks on, and I would have been jealous had I not been so nervous.
Nash placed the tray in the center of the bed, extracting a bowl that was for Bill and moving back toward me. I steppedback, giving him a wide berth as he placed it on Bill’s mat by the door.
“Here we go, buddy,” he said to Bill. Nash looked back over his shoulder and smirked at the distance I’d given him as though to challenge it. “You don’t have to look so nervous, you know.”
His comment did little to calm me. I was going to try my best to keep the distance in place this time. I couldn’t trust myself.
Once he placed the bowl and stood, I expected he’d leave again. He didn’t.
Reaching out with his strong, tattooed arm, he instead closed the wide-open door—not all the way, but most of the way. He kept his sharp, piercing gaze fixed on me throughout the entire motion, as if watching for any hint of fear or disapproval of his actions.
Looking satisfied that I hadn’t outright opposed, he then strode across the room to the opposite side of the bed, fluffed one of my pillows, and sat down with a comfortable sigh. He swung his legs onto the comforter, stretching them down the length of the bed until his long, muscular legs crossed at the ankle. One arm went behind his head. He looked at ease.
“What are we watching?” he asked, reaching for a grape and popping it in his mouth.
I blinked a few times.“Er…um.”
“Oh, it’s Hallmark.” He smiled. “Bee loves this.” He dropped his arm from behind his head to pat my side of the bed. “I won’t bite. Come sit. Let’s snack.” He winked. “Bee says she made us a ‘girl dinner’ orsomething like that. She promised me you’d like it.”
I was picking at my sleeves with my fingers at my sides, but stepped forward and toward the bed. I glanced down at the tray of snacks and charcuterie. It was mouthwatering. Cheese, like bacon, was kryptonite. Nothing could keep me from it.
“We’ve got Manchego cheese, aged Gouda, Cheddar, and a goat cheese, I think,” he went on, pointing out each.
I placed a knee on the mattress, craning my neck to inspect the spread before crawling on and sitting cross-legged. I placed my hands in my lap.
“She also made us some mocktails. She’s probably assuming we need a dry night after the one we just had.” He chuckled.
Two tall, frosty glasses sat before me, overflowing with bubbly soda and a colorful mix of berries. I reached for one, bringing it to my lips as the fizz tickled my nose. I took a sip. It was tart and sweet, but very refreshing.
“I’ve totally seen this movie.” He motioned to the screen. “It’s a good one.”
Surprised, I blurted out, “You’ve seen this?”
His eyes seemed to light when I almost cracked a smile, a grin touching his lips in response. “I have. My mom loved Hallmark, and like I mentioned, Bee likes it, too. I had very little say if the three of us were in front of the TV together. Women rule the roost in our house.”
That melted my heart. It was adorable to hear him being so respectful of his sister and mom. I could see it in the way he treated me, too. It was apparent there was a lot of female influence in his life.
I looked back at the screen. This movie was one of myfavorites. The story took place in a castle, in a made-up country that resembled Austria. It had a Cinderella-type theme to it, one of my favorite plot lines. I’d seen it at least ten times.
