Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
NATHAN
“I’ve always wanted to come here.” It’d been listed on one of those Top 10 Things to Do in Cardinal Falls lists. Usually, those lists are filled with overcrowded tourist traps, but this one already had a special place in my mind. Largely because it’s incredibly nerdy. Especially if you happen to be into architecture. Most people would rather spend a Saturday at a brewery; my friends certainly would, but I prefer the quiet of a museum. They’d come with me if I asked, but for whatever reason, I never did. And coming alone didn’t appeal to me.
“I’m happy I get to help you pop your cherry.” Colt smirks. I’m still unsure what inspired me to invite him on this outing. The idea came up in a series of text conversations about local attractions, and the next thing I knew, we had plans to spend Saturday here. Together.
“Try to behave yourself.” I suspect this is the kind of place where speaking above a whisper gets us kicked out.
“You know I can’t promise that.” We wander to the front door from the parking lot, and I show the tickets on my phone to the greeter. So what if I paid for both of us? He’s doing this as a favor. Colt doesn’t care about the architecture, but he’s doing a great job of faking enthusiasm. The fact that it feels like a date is wishful thinking on my part.
“Amazingly, this is open to the public,” I say as we walk inside, and I stare at the vaulted ceilings.
“Why wouldn’t it be?”
“Webber, the architect who designed it, created it to be a home. It stayed in private hands for almost a century, occasionally going on the market and quickly being sold to another family. The last time it went up for sale, the A.J. Foundation purchased it and turned it into a museum. Forty of his homes still exist in the United States, but only one other is a museum like this. The rest are private homes.” He gives a little whistle and looks around the entryway. I have always loved architecture, though I loved looking at it far more than the idea of designing it myself. Besides, I never would’ve gotten through the necessary math classes.
We start walking through the house, stopping at each plaque and reading to ourselves. “So this guy was kind of a big deal?” Colt asks after reading one of the introductory pieces describing Webber’s career.
“Yeah, he was famous in his day. You had to be pretty wealthy and important to hire him.” I turn and start walking toward the kitchen. “He used his status to be a bit of a playboy, too.”
“Did I miss that sign?” He starts to backtrack. I shake my head and grab his hand.
“No, I don’t think they like to advertise that information. I’ve read a few biographies over the years.” I realize I’m still holding his hand and quickly drop it, shoving my hands into my pockets. Not a date. Not my boyfriend.
“How many is a few?”
I look away, pretending to admire one of the displays in the distance. Yep, I’m the biggest nerd here. “I lost count. Maybe two or three.” Or eight.
“I’m going to assume the real number is at least double. You used to go through books like they were water.” It’s a friendly reminder of how uncool I’d been in high school. Books were my escape, and I always had one on me. I’m still not cool, but at least now I can keep my book collection on my phone.
We continue through the exhibits, stopping to read through the information. The place is furnished with furniture and decorations from the 1920s to match the original owner’s aesthetic. Colt stands so close behind me each time we stop to read that I hear his slow breaths. It takes all my self-control not to let my body sway back a little bit so I can feel his body against me. It’s a busy day here, but not so packed that he needs to be this close. He has to be doing this on purpose, right?
We stop at a screen set up to show a short video on the home’s construction. The seats are all taken, so we stand near the back. For once, Colt stands next to me instead of behind. I can’t tell if it’s disappointment or relief flowing through me. Then he leans his head on my shoulder, and my chest nearly explodes. I force myself to stare straight forward. In a perfect world, I wrap my arms around him and pull him close to me for the rest of the film. It’s an innocent move, but the way he presses himself against me sends my whole body into overdrive. It also makes my dick twitch.
Nope, I’m not thinking about that. Thinking about architecture and watching the movie. My dick doesn’t care. I stick my hands in my pockets and try to adjust myself discreetly. Colt’s gaze drops; I swear he knows what he’s doing to me.
Thankfully, the movie ends, and Colt looks up as everyone disbands to move on to the next exhibit. This outing was a terrible idea. It’s too hard to see him as only a friend. I want more. I’ve always wanted more. We’ve been out for a few hours, and I’m already falling for him. What will it be like after a week? Or months?
COLT
I’ve been trying to find little ways to touch Nathan. A little physical touch is nice; hopefully, he’ll read it as a sign of interest. I don’t know if he still has romantic feelings for me, but I’m determined to find out. I’m pretty sure I saw a bulge in his pants when I was pressed up against him during the film. That’s a good sign, right?
In the next room, I head straight for the sign and bend over the railing to read it more easily. I might be getting to the reading glasses stage of my life. Nathan comes up behind me a few seconds later.
“Did you know about this?” I ask as he sidles up behind me. It’s an invitation if I’ve ever seen one. I lean back just enough that the fabric of our clothes rubs together. It’s pure torture being so close and yet not close enough.
“About what?” he whispers in my ear. Why is that so fucking hot?
“This place collapsed.” I crane my neck so I can see his face. He’s looking directly at me, not at the information panel. His eyes meet mine, and for a second, I think he might lean in and kiss me. I lick my lips, though my mouth is so dry I doubt it helps. Then he steps back. The move is so sudden I need to steady myself on the railing.
“Yeah, um, there was a big mudslide about fifteen years ago, and some of the foundation became unstable. A few of the walls caved in. Luckily, they could save the rest and rebuild what was destroyed.”
I try to recover, but my mind is still reeling from the almost kiss, if that’s even what it was.
“I’ve got two questions. First, does that mean this guy Webber fucked up the design?” A mother with two kids nearby shoots me a dirty look over my cursing. I can’t focus on keeping parents happy and playing it cool with Nathan simultaneously. Sorry, but Nathan’s going to win on this one.
“The answer depends on who you ask.”
“I’m asking you.” The phrase comes out flirtier than I expected, but it’s too late to take it back. He stares daggers into me, and I’m tempted to look away but manage to maintain eye contact.
“By the time he got to this project, Webber’d made a big name for himself. To him, that meant he only needed to do the work he deemed important. There were tons of junior people lined up to work for him, so they did a lot of the design and oversaw the construction. They were good, but they didn’t have the same eye for detail or experience. Ultimately, I think he paid for taking his eye off the ball.” Nathan smiles at me, which turns my insides to mush. “Though, I guess since he was long dead by the time it happened, he didn’t have to deal with any consequences.”
I hum my approval of the answer. “The second question is, are we safe now? If it fell once, shouldn’t we be concerned about it happening again?”
“That’s your second question? Shouldn’t that have been the first question?” Nathan takes a few steps back and laughs. It’s a whole-body laugh. Something I’m not sure I ever remember hearing from him. I like that he’s able to relax around me. I’d do anything to keep it that way.
“I wanted to let you nerd-out about the building before I suggested we get some food. For our safety, of course.”
“You’re plenty safe,” he says. I can’t help hearing that sentence be about more than the building we’re standing in. I need the courage to confess my feelings, but it never feels like the right moment. “But, food does sound nice. Come on, there’s a great bar near here with burgers and fries.”