Page 146 of A Matter of Time

“I’d like to come over by myself, or you can just come over to my place.”

“Nick,” I said, putting my cup down on the saucer, “I don’t⁠—”

“You need to give me another chance.”

“It’s not⁠—”

“Can I just tell you that when you’re with me, I’m happy?”

“That’s a really nice thing to say.”

He gave me a crooked grin. “It’s the truth.”

“I think you’re a catch, and any man would be⁠—”

He grunted. “Don’t talk to me about another man or the next man. I want to talk about us. You say the word, you can move in tomorrow.”

Why did it always work like this for me? The guys who were crazy about me—nice ones like Nick; kind, thoughtful, ready to spend their lives with me—I had no interest in. And it wasn’t because I was into bad boys. The players didn’t interest me either. I had no desire to tame anyone. In fact, there was only one man who absolutely had me wrapped around his finger.

“Jory,” Nick snapped at me.

“What?”

“You’re not even listening to me.”

Shit. “Nick, I⁠—”

“I’m trying to tell you that my feelings haven’t changed,” he said, putting his hand on my cheek. “I want to be with you all the time. I want to go to bed with you and wake up with you and eat dinner with you every night and sleep with you—God, do I wanna sleep with you. It’s like an ache I can’t get rid of. You should have never let me in your bed if it was a one-time-only deal.”

But the sex had been meaningless with everyone before Sam Kage. With him, it was like I could feel my heart for the first time. What Nick was talking about, I’d only ever felt for Sam. And yes, our chemistry was combustible, but it was more than that. We were supposed to be together, and I simply knew that. He was mine.

“Jory, please can you simply⁠—”

“Stop.”

“No, listen. I know you don’t feel the same. I’m not stupid.”

“Nick—”

“No, no, I’m not looking for you to have to defend yourself. It’s okay. I think it’ll change in time.”

In time? “Nick⁠—”

“No, wait.” He buried his hand in my hair, curling a long piece around my ear. “I know being in bed with me didn’t rock your world or anything, but⁠—”

“Don’t do that,” I ordered, squinting at him. “Running yourself down is unnecessary.”

“Well, I’m thinking this is my last shot, and even though I’m calm, cool, and collected on the outside, inside I’m a little bit of a mess.”

I bumped him gently with my shoulder, and he leaned into me, his face in my hair.

“Jory, baby, I’m so sorry,” he whispered, arm around my neck, pinning me against him.

“Stop saying that,” I ordered him, closing my eyes, taking a breath. “It’s okay. Honest.”

“Okay.” He let out a deep breath as I leaned away from him, lifting my mug. “So I told my family all about you. My sister, Sarah, that you saw at the foosball table that night, isn’t even speaking to me. She said that until she talks to you, I’m cut off. She can’t believe I spoke to you that way.”

“She sounds adorable.”