itch he wants to scratch.
But I find myself saying, “Okay.”
His dimples come out from hiding, and he struts up to me, all cool and confident. “Good choice. There will be lots of chocolate.” He leans down and lowers his mouth to my cheek, slowly planting a kiss there, and the sensation travels straight to my toes. He smiles against my skin, like he knows the effect his touch has on me. “I’ll pick you up at two. Dress warmly.”
I inhale shakily as he pulls away, his stubble abrasive as it sweeps over my cheek. “See you then.”
“Later.”
“Hey, Ryder?” My voice recovers some of its strength as I call out to him. He’s already halfway down the hall.
“Yeah?”
“You’re wrong about Nate.” I don’t know why I lie. I don’t know why I do half of what I do, but the words are there anyway.
“No, I’m not.” His tone is flat. He resumes his stride with his back to me. “You’ll see.”
My body is still at the doorway until he disappears, and I’m stuck wondering what the hell I just got myself into. It seems like just as I finally give Tim the boot and begin to make progress shaking Christian from my system, now I have two other men to worry about.
I haven’t seen Christian since the day of the festival. It sours my stomach when I think of that day, and I’m not sure why. But since then, some clarity has settled, dispelling the fog from my brain. I need to pull the plug on the Christian Walker booty call for good, because things with him have gone way past complicated.
As for Tim, his attempts to contact me have finally leveled off, and I rarely see him around town. He shows up at the diner every few days to chat with Jay, but his visits are never long and I never garner more attention from him than a quick scowl before he’s off again.
As I stand there staring at the empty hall where Ryder stood just seconds ago, I remember I now have to go deal with Nate. “Shit,” I whisper as I close my front door. I hop in the shower and slip into a black sweater dress and my tall suede boots, then rush out the door.
I find I’m not nearly as enthusiastic about meeting up with Nate as before, although I wasn’t very gung-ho about it in the first place. There’s only one reason I’ve agreed to see him today, and it has nothing to do with warm, fuzzy feelings for Natalie or my desire to help find the perfect birthday present for her. My motive is much less noble but I know that Nate wants the same thing, and that gives me the fuel to make the drive to his place.
Don’t fuck around with Nate, he’s not right for you.
Ryder’s words prick at my skin, but I shake them off. I’m not looking to be Nate’s Mrs. Right. And I’m not looking for a Mr. Right. I’m only looking to go where duty calls, and when it comes to Nate…duty definitely calls. There’s only one way to get Natalie to shake this delusional belief that we’re friends, and to get this unwelcome, stirring sensation in my gut under control. It popped up somewhere between seeing Christian the day of the festival and hanging out with Ryder, and it needs to be tamed.
If Nate’s honest with himself, he’ll see that Natalie isn’t the girl for him. She’s too uptight and far too reserved, and the minute Nate realized his attraction to me, his relationship with Natalie was destined for the express train to hell anyway, because unlike some guys’ ability to say no, it’s obvious that Nate doesn’t possess that willpower. He needs to get me out of his system and move on, because this infatuation of his isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, and I have problems of my own. Like preparing for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner date with Ryder.
Shit.
I arrive at Nate’s place just five minutes after noon. I apply a dab of lipstick to my lips in the rearview mirror and I’m on my way, giving myself a mental pep talk as I step from the car. Ryder’s words haunt me the whole way up to Nate’s door.
Get to know me, not him.
I
But I find myself saying, “Okay.”
His dimples come out from hiding, and he struts up to me, all cool and confident. “Good choice. There will be lots of chocolate.” He leans down and lowers his mouth to my cheek, slowly planting a kiss there, and the sensation travels straight to my toes. He smiles against my skin, like he knows the effect his touch has on me. “I’ll pick you up at two. Dress warmly.”
I inhale shakily as he pulls away, his stubble abrasive as it sweeps over my cheek. “See you then.”
“Later.”
“Hey, Ryder?” My voice recovers some of its strength as I call out to him. He’s already halfway down the hall.
“Yeah?”
“You’re wrong about Nate.” I don’t know why I lie. I don’t know why I do half of what I do, but the words are there anyway.
“No, I’m not.” His tone is flat. He resumes his stride with his back to me. “You’ll see.”
My body is still at the doorway until he disappears, and I’m stuck wondering what the hell I just got myself into. It seems like just as I finally give Tim the boot and begin to make progress shaking Christian from my system, now I have two other men to worry about.
I haven’t seen Christian since the day of the festival. It sours my stomach when I think of that day, and I’m not sure why. But since then, some clarity has settled, dispelling the fog from my brain. I need to pull the plug on the Christian Walker booty call for good, because things with him have gone way past complicated.
As for Tim, his attempts to contact me have finally leveled off, and I rarely see him around town. He shows up at the diner every few days to chat with Jay, but his visits are never long and I never garner more attention from him than a quick scowl before he’s off again.
As I stand there staring at the empty hall where Ryder stood just seconds ago, I remember I now have to go deal with Nate. “Shit,” I whisper as I close my front door. I hop in the shower and slip into a black sweater dress and my tall suede boots, then rush out the door.
I find I’m not nearly as enthusiastic about meeting up with Nate as before, although I wasn’t very gung-ho about it in the first place. There’s only one reason I’ve agreed to see him today, and it has nothing to do with warm, fuzzy feelings for Natalie or my desire to help find the perfect birthday present for her. My motive is much less noble but I know that Nate wants the same thing, and that gives me the fuel to make the drive to his place.
Don’t fuck around with Nate, he’s not right for you.
Ryder’s words prick at my skin, but I shake them off. I’m not looking to be Nate’s Mrs. Right. And I’m not looking for a Mr. Right. I’m only looking to go where duty calls, and when it comes to Nate…duty definitely calls. There’s only one way to get Natalie to shake this delusional belief that we’re friends, and to get this unwelcome, stirring sensation in my gut under control. It popped up somewhere between seeing Christian the day of the festival and hanging out with Ryder, and it needs to be tamed.
If Nate’s honest with himself, he’ll see that Natalie isn’t the girl for him. She’s too uptight and far too reserved, and the minute Nate realized his attraction to me, his relationship with Natalie was destined for the express train to hell anyway, because unlike some guys’ ability to say no, it’s obvious that Nate doesn’t possess that willpower. He needs to get me out of his system and move on, because this infatuation of his isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, and I have problems of my own. Like preparing for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner date with Ryder.
Shit.
I arrive at Nate’s place just five minutes after noon. I apply a dab of lipstick to my lips in the rearview mirror and I’m on my way, giving myself a mental pep talk as I step from the car. Ryder’s words haunt me the whole way up to Nate’s door.
Get to know me, not him.
I
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