Chapter 17 Nora
NORA
“You look beautiful,” Nate says as he enters the bedroom.
My heart blooms beneath my ribs, my pulse quickening as I catch his reflection in the freestanding mirror in the corner of our room. “You don’t look too bad yourself.”
He opens a drawer. “Which tie?”
I point to a dusky-pink tie that matches the colour of my dress and goes with his navy suit.
He stands behind me in the mirror, his hands roaming over the silky fabric of the dress.
Poppy said it made me look expensive and sexy.
I don’t know about that, but when I look in the mirror, I don’t see a body that’s failed me for years. I see a woman with a hint of cleavage, my breasts looking more like a promise than an apology. For once, I’m not trying to disappear.
“Evan’s waiting downstairs.” Nate kisses the side of my head as he holds me from behind before swaggering out the door.
“I’ll be down in a minute.” I finish putting on my jewellery, grab my heels from the wardrobe, spray my perfume and carry my necklace in my hand and my shoes in the other as I make my way downstairs.
Evan straightens in his light-blue suit and matching tie that brings out the colour of his eyes. A smile stretches across his face as he adjusts his glasses. “Wow, doodles.”
Both men gaze at me in our kitchen.
I look away, heat creeping up my neck like it does whenever I’m in the same room as them now. Too much testosterone sends my ovaries into overdrive. And despite me not ovulating right now, I want to have them both all the time since… the office.
“I need help with my necklace,” I say, chewing on the inside of my cheek.
Evan steps forward first, being the closest to me. He takes the necklace from my hand and with his other, his fingers sweep my long curls to the side. His knuckles brush the skin of my neck, hardly anything at all, but a flurry of goose bumps break out where his touch lingers.
I hold my breath as he leans in behind me. His clean, spicy aftershave catches in my nose: peppermint, ginger, and a hint of trouble.
“This clasp is tiny.” He fumbles with the jewellery, calloused fingers scratching the back of my neck.
Tingles cascade down my spine. “I know,” I whisper, my eyes flicking up to Nate, watching us both with a slight curve to his lips.
Evan fiddles with the clasp. Usually he’s steady and precise, especially when he’s designing. But as he exhales, there’s a tremble in his breath.
My pulse beats loudly in my ears, and I can feel Nate’s gaze like a weight from across the kitchen. I don’t have to look at him again to know he’s still watching.
Evan finally clips the necklace together, a sigh ghosting over my neck. “There,” he whispers, his lips close enough that his words seep into my skin.
“Thanks.” I lift my hand to touch the pendant, mostly to stop myself from turning around and doing something stupid like leaning into him or asking him to keep his hands there for one second longer.
Evan twists the chain, then his lips brush below my ear as light as a feather, but every part of my body felt it as an electrical current forks out over my flesh.
My breath catches in my throat. Heat shoots straight down my spine, blooming in my core so quick, it makes me dizzy.
Evan freezes behind me.
Nate clears his throat, shrugging on his jacket.
The air thickens with everything we dare not say out loud.
Evan steps back as if he’s been burned. “Sorry.” He cracks his fingers. “I—sorry. Habit. I didn’t—”
“It’s fine,” I say, but rush into the hallway before he notices the way my lips part, my chest rapidly rising and falling, and the flush creeping up my neck and onto my cheeks as if I’ve been caught doing something wrong.
Except I haven’t done anything wrong, only want my husband’s best friend to touch me again.
Guilt washes away the heat in my belly. I’m a terrible wife.
My gaze finds Nate’s, needing confirmation he’s all right with this.
I know it was barely a kiss, a whisper, and what we did a few weeks ago was much worse, but that was different.
I was ovulating. It was agreed and orchestrated by Nate that we’d enjoy each other while we were making our baby.
Nate’s face is unreadable, his usual smirk falling into place. “Damn, Evan, you never kissed me when you helped me with my cufflinks.” He winks at me, his smile widening.
Evan pushes Nate’s arm. “Fuck you.”
“Kinda feeling left out here.” Nate playfully knocks Evan’s elbow.
“Your neck isn’t as pretty as Nora’s.”
Nate closes the distance between us and moves the hair from my shoulder. His eyes drop to my throat, to the place Evan kissed. His hands settle on my waist, warm and possessive through the fabric of my dress. With small circles of his thumbs, he soothes my rapid heart.
“He’s right,” Nate says low in my ear before he presses his lips to the same spot.
Another wave of heat floods my spine, dousing out the guilt from a moment ago.
Evan clears his throat loudly, reminding us he’s still in the room, as if I could ever forget. “Ready to go?”
“Let me just get my flats on.”
Evan places his car keys on the worktop. “Are you sure you don’t want me to drive, Nora? I don’t mind, really.”
Nate grins at Evan. “Evan can drive. He shouldn’t be drinking, anyway. Gotta keep that sperm count up for next time.”
Evan stiffens. “With my sperm count, there might not be a next time. Unless you’re already planning baby number two?”
I let out a small laugh. “One at a time, notebook. Don’t you go getting ahead of yourself.”
Nate throws Evan the car keys. “If she’s pregnant already, I’ll be bottling your jizz and selling it.”
Evan shakes his head, strolling out the door with his keys in hand.
“You really don’t have to drive, Ev, if you wanted a drink tonight.”
He opens the door to his car. “I’d sooner keep a clear head.”
I force a smile and reach for my heels. My heart’s racing too fast for a wedding full of people, the memory of that kiss sitting under my skin like a secret.
“Ready,” I say, but I don’t think any of us are.