Did he like Nadine? He’d thought he disliked her for so long, it had become an assumption he’d never had to analyze. The sun rose in the east and set in the west, and Nadine would get on his nerves or screw him over.
Except all the things that used to provoke him, he realized with a start, had become almost endearing. He knew he enjoyed working with her, but the pleasure in talking with her about Dot’s clues, or anything, was new. The fighting was more out of form than any desire to win. He let his mind trace the edges of what he’d suspected for a few days but hadn’t been willing to admit. He didn’t like Nadine. Helikedher. More than that, he might be falling for her. Nadine was smart and industrious, but he’d known that for ages. Witty, he knew that too. Pretty. Correction, incredibly hot, especially the momentwhen she’d wrapped those full thighs around him and those big eyes had gotten bigger.
He covered his face. This was not the time to relive one of the high points of his life. He had serious contemplating to do.
He’d always thought falling in love would be more of a sledgehammer to the head rather than this slow infiltration. Afallrather than a light downward drift. Two months ago, he could barely stand to think of Nadine without animosity. That had changed since they’d been in Dot’s house and he’d allowed himself to see her the way she really was. He wanted to be with the woman he saw. He wanted to hold her hand, all that stuff. He wanted more.
This could be hormones speaking. Most likely sex and the resultant oxytocin had worked their magic. He needed to take some time to carefully test where he was on the spectrum of crush, like, or maybe more than like, especially while they had to work together.
He would get dressed and go about his day as if nothing had happened. No, as if what had happened last night was fun but no big deal. That was better.
He gathered his clothes and was about to go wash when he heard Nadine’s door open. Cursing himself for not picking a room with an en suite, Wes halted midstep. She couldn’t see him with messy hair and unbrushed teeth. He at least needed to be groomed.
Wes waited until her footsteps faded, then ran to the bathroom. It was going to be a hell of a day.
***
Nadine woke up early and instantly freaked out.
What had she done? What hadtheydone?
It was a mistake, obviously. They were a tiny bit tipsy and in a grotto, for God’s sake. It was a recipe for friskiness.
Too bad she was having trouble seeing it as a misstep. Last night had felt good, that was for sure, but more than that, it had felt right.She’d kept waiting for it to get weird, and it never had, not even when he’d gotten up to go to his own bed. Nadine had been dozing when he’d given her a kiss on the forehead before he left, and she’d been grateful he’d taken the choice of asking him to stay or go out of her hands. It also gave them time to think, which she needed.
Because she was having feelings about last night. Conflicting feelings. Big feelings.
She didn’t like Wes. Or did she? She thought back to their interactions. She’d resented Wes at the same time as she admired his work and his work ethic. She mistrusted him, but that hadn’t prevented her from thinking about him for years, although their paths barely crossed.
Did she…like Wes?
Impossible.
Or was it? What if she did? What would that mean? Would it be that bad? She knew Wes, after all. They were—somewhat—getting along. He was, in many ways, the kind of man she hoped to have in her life.
What was the matter with her, picking out kids’ names after one night with a guy? It was sex, that was it. They didn’t need to talk about it because they were two consenting adults who had known each other for a long time and were in close quarters. And who had developed a mutual desire to get off with each other.
They could pretend this never happened or be honest and talk about it. She’d take her cue from Wes, she decided, then got out of bed with a resolute attitude that didn’t match the way her pounding heart prevented her from taking full breaths.
In the kitchen, she boiled water while casting nervous glances at the door, almost queasy with tension. When he finally appeared, she scrutinized him for any changes in attitude. Was he more awkward? Avoiding eye contact? Did he seem like he regretted last night? He looked the same as always, although she couldn’t help but see him in a different way now that she knew what was under the ironed cotton shorts.
She couldn’t take the pressure. She had to get in front of this.
“We need to talk,” she said, summoning her best ice queen self.
“Okay,” he said, eyes wide. “Good morning.”
The ice melted at his expression and left her instantly exposed. “You start.”
He shook his head frantically. “You brought it up. You start.”
“That’s not how a conversation works. I said words, so you have to respond with more and different words.”
He snorted. “If the words arewe need to talkthat rule goes out the window.”
“Fine.” Nadine held out her fist. “Rock, paper, scissors.”
“Seriously?”
