Page 49 of Wild Abandon

“What is that expression? What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger,” I say with a sarcastic expression.

Nate chuckles into his burger. “Yeah, if that were true, I’d be an ox.”

I laugh and chew on a fry, looking at his features while I eat. “You look like her.”

“Who?”

“Your mom.”

“How do you know that?”

“Your face is very pretty for a guy. You’re not hard and pointy like some other guys.”

“Are you saying I look like a girl?”

“Yes, Nate. You look like a woman.” I take a giant bite of my burger, savoring the melted cheese and sautéed onions. I groan.

And then I look up.

“What?” I wipe the side of my face to make sure I don’t have a glob of ketchup on it.

“I thought you were one of those girls who didn’t eat in front of guys.”

“I don’t.” I take a huge suck on the straw of my chocolate shake.

“Well, there goes my manhood.” He laughs even though he looks offended. “First, you tell me I look like a girl, and then you tell me I’m not man enough to not eat in front of.”

I slowly put the shake cup on the table as I gauge his reaction. Does he really think I don’t think he’s manly?

“Nate,” I say, garnering his attention because what I’m about to say will only be said once—mostly because it’s a pretty big deal and because we don’t have the kind of relationship that would warrant me ever saying it again. “You are the hottest guy I have ever met. Ever. You are beyond masculine in a way that makes me uncomfortable. I might have said your face is pretty, but that’s because your face is perfect. And I might be eating in front of you, but it’s not because I don’t think you’re man enough. It’s because I know that you don’t find me remotely attractive, and there’s no way you’d let anything happen between us.”

Nate turns his head to me, his eyes wide in surprise. Our gazes lock, our mouths inches from each other. I can feel his breath on my skin.

“You don’t think I find you attractive?” His brows furrow.

My mouth opens, but there is nothing to say. Instead, I move my head from left to right ever so slightly, my eyes not leaving his.

The intensity of the moment is making me nervous. He is staring at my mouth, forcing me to run my tongue along my bottom lip.

His breath hitches, and the blacks of his eyes grow larger. He inches his body the tiniest bit closer to mine. I think he’s going to kiss me.

We still, frozen in the moment, neither wanting to make the first move.

Nate takes one more large breath, his body slacking, and then he backs away from me, causing me to pull my bottom lip in and wonder what the hell kind of awkward encounter that just was.

Are things going to be weird now?

Is he going to take me to my car and call an end to our day?

Was there even more he wanted to do?

God, I just told him I think he’s hot, and he didn’t reciprocate with a, Yeah, I think you’re pretty cute, too.

Nothing. Zip. Zilch. Nada.

I am such an idiot.

“Come on, platypus, I have a few more stops I want to check out before they close.”