Page 63 of Wild Abandon

“Where did you go for your first date?” He is walking over to another spot of the table, his eyes still not looking at me.

“Dinner. It was nice.” I shuffle my feet from side to side. “I assumed you approved of Brent. I’ve never finished a date without you or myself ending it abruptly,” I add with a laugh.

Nate’s brows crease in. “Disappointed?”

A little.

I need something to do with my hands, so I run them up and down the pool stick. When Nate’s eyes questioningly gaze at the wood, I realize how phallic the motion of my hands look, which makes me lose my grip altogether and the pool stick falls to the floor. I pick it up as gracefully as possible and carry on as if nothing happened.

“No. I’ve landed a great guy?” For some reason, that statement came out sounding like a question.

He is about to take a shot. His eyes lose focus, and he stands and looks at me. “Why him?”

I tilt my head at Nate. I don’t know if they’re reflective of the green felt of the pool table, but right now, his eyes are so piercing and mesmerizing. I swear, he can see right through me.

“Why was he worthy of a second date?” he asks.

I open my mouth to answer but close it for fear that I’ll say something wrong.

Why Brent? Because he’s emotionally available. Because he has the perfect career and a full head of hair and loves cats and classical music and is lukewarm to sports.

And, most importantly, because the man I really want to be interested in me is with someone else.

“He checks all the boxes.” My voice is low.

Nate’s chest rises with a deep breath. His eyes are stone cold and scorching hot all at once. He is so far away, yet I can feel his exhale on my skin.

With his eyes still on mine, Nate takes a step back from the table. “He has a lot of money. He can take care of you.”

I nod my head. “Yes.”

Nate takes a few steps, slow and steady, toward the corner of the table in my direction. His eyes curve in question, yet their focus never leaves mine. “He was married. Probably ready to settle down again. Start a family.”

I nod again.

Even closer, he places his pool stick on the table. I have no idea what his mission is, but it’s making my palms sweat and my breathing erratic.

“Did he tell you that you’re beautiful?”

My breath hitches, and I nod my head again. Nate is now just a few inches from me. His gaze is hard and stern on mine.

“He’s an idiot. He should have told you that you’re fucking gorgeous.” His words are hypnotic, but the tone he delivers them in is rough, raw.

“That wasn’t a requirement. I don’t need a man to tell me I’m pretty.”

“I know what your boxes are. He is the perfect guy for you. That’s why I have to know…”

Nate’s chest is now flush with mine, his forehead bowing down to meet mine, and I lose all air from my lungs.

“Why are you here with me and not with him?”

I swallow hard. “Because he’s not you.”

No sooner are the words out of my mouth than Nate’s lips are on mine. Warm and strong, they meld into me, and I can’t close my eyes for fear that I’m mistaking what is happening. His hands rise to grip my face, and his kiss sinks deeper. The pads of his fingers press firmly into my hair, possessive. I close my eyes and give in to his kiss, so mesmerized by the moment that I can’t even think coherently enough to ask questions. Our mouths part, and when his tongue slides into mine, the warmth entering me is like heaven. Fingers and hands are gripping and pulling as he claims me with a visceral groan. My arm falls to the side, dropping my pool stick.

Nate grabs me by the waist and lifts me onto the pool table. His kiss is intoxicating. I’m overwhelmed as he takes my body in his hands and delves deeper, searching for something. I don’t know what it is, but I let him. Our kisses are hard and fast, like we’re making up for lost time, yet there’s no time lost at all. We’ve only just begun, and it is glorious.

He sucks on my bottom lip and then moves to my neck, licking and sucking along the tender skin. I moan, which causes him to groan, and I don’t know what’s sexier—his lips on my skin or that sound coming from his mouth. I wrap my legs around him and use my hands to explore the skin under his shirt. A low growl vibrates against my neck, and I shiver. His body is firm and strong, contoured in the most perfect way.