Chapter 15
Olive
When I get to my hotel room, I sit on the bed and stare off into space for a few minutes.
The tumult of emotions that have happened in the last forty-eight hours has left me reeling.
Heck, even the last hour was enough, let alone the rest of it.
I can still feel the paralyzing trepidation that hit me when Nate practically tackled that man to the ground.
There was also a heady dose of arousal at the display of his brute strength.
My skin heats when I remember the flex of Nate’s muscles and the deep grunts he released with the physical activity of subduing the man.
Then, when he put his hand on my back…I almost melted right there. I shake my head to clear the lust flooding me at the memories. I shouldn’t be turned on by that, right? Our lives were possibly in danger, but I can’t deny fear for my life was the last thing I was feeling in that moment.
I grab my purse and pull out the bag of candy. My arousal is paired with a different kind of warmth spreading throughout my body. I cannot understand how someone would do something so sweet and thoughtful for me.
For so much of my life, I’ve always had to be concerned about someone else. First, my mom, then Benny. Even with the few people I dated, I was always doing and never receiving.
But Nate bought me candy.
He listened when I told him I liked to get local candy from each city. And when I missed going to one, he took time out of his day to get some for me.
With uneven breaths, I pull one from the bag and stare at it. Even if this were chocolate-covered crickets, it would still be the best candy I ever ate because of what it means to me that Nate would do that.
I’m grateful it isn’t that, though, when I bite into it. It has pecans and caramel and is covered in rich milk chocolate. It’s beyond delicious, and a little moan escapes me as I finish chewing.
I close up the bag and store it away. I’m going to savor each one.
Plucking the business card off the comforter, I stare down at the printed number. I could just text him and tell him thanks for the candies and that I really enjoyed them.
That would be the mature thing a thirty-three-year-old woman would do.
But I don’t.
Internally, I’m freaking out. I’m excited and scared at what this could mean.
I carefully place the business card on the nightstand.
Maybe I will text him later.
Before I can conquer my confusing feelings for this man, who seems to be making every attempt to get close to me, I need to go see if I can find something to eat for dinner.
My stomach is in knots as I stand in the gift shop. Everything is so expensive.
Between the rehab and the payment to Marcus, I have very little money to spend on food.
I need to be smart. We get a set amount of money per day for meals added to our paycheck, but I want to save that so I have more money to put toward treatment and paying Marcus.
Plus, I don’t get paid for another week.
I pick up a pack of peanut butter crackers, but my eyes bulge when I see the price tag. Placing it back on the shelf, I turn to the girl at the desk. “Is there maybe a grocery store or convenience store nearby that I could walk to?”
She rattles off a name and some vague directions, and I thank her as I turn to leave the gift shop.
At least I have the name to look up walking directions on my phone.
I’m so distracted by my unsuccessful mission to find dinner that I don’t even see the solid wall of muscle until I’m quite literally running into it.
“Oh my god,” I gasp as large hands grab onto my upper arms to steady me.
“Olive.”
My eyes fly up to meet Nate’s. “Nate,” I breathe out. “What are you doing here?”
His eyes roam my face, settling on my lips briefly. When they finally meet mine, he states, “I just got back from dealing with the police report and was heading up to my room before going out to dinner and saw you in here. Thought I would come say hi.”
I laugh nervously as I take a step back. He doesn’t release immediately, but when I take a second small step, he lets his hands drop. “Oh, well, hi! I’m glad to see you. I tried one of the candies. It was delicious. I was going to text you, but I didn’t want to bother you.”
He takes a small step forward. “I wouldn’t have given you my number if I didn’t want you to text me.”
My skin flushes as his regard for me deepens. Catching myself getting lost in his gaze, I bob my head. “Fair enough. I will text you later, then.”
He tips his head to the side, watching me. “Do you want to go to dinner with me?”
Oh no.
This is what I was trying to avoid. Cade had already asked me to dinner earlier. I didn’t want to admit to him that I didn’t have money to go out to eat, so I gave him the excuse that I was too tired.
With Nate, it’s even more embarrassing because I don’t know him.
And to make it worse, I’m incredibly attracted to him and don’t want him to think less of me for it.
I also don’t want to assume he’ll pay because that would be even more embarrassing to admit I can’t pay after waiting for him to pick up my tab.
“I appreciate the offer, but I’m just going to take a little walk to the store and grab something.”
“To the store,” he repeats.
“Yep, with traveling so much, I kind of get sick of eating out and like to have small things to eat in my hotel room.”
He narrows his eyes as he nods slowly. I think he’s going to let me off with that excuse, but he moves closer to me and brushes a few strands of hair away from my face.
As he runs the back of his finger down my cheek, desire shivers down my spine.
His eyes lock on my lips when he murmurs, “Yeah, that isn’t going to work for me. ”
I scrunch my nose in confusion. “What do you mean?”
His hand intertwines with mine as he drags me farther out of the gift shop. “I’m taking you to dinner. My treat.”
I try to pull on his hand to get him to stop walking. He relents and pivots back to face me, keeping our hands locked. “Nate, I appreciate the offer, but you don’t have to do that. Besides”—I sweep a hand down my body—“I’m not exactly dressed to go out to eat.”
Following my hand movement, his gaze slides down my body, lingering for an extra moment.
His tongue darts out to wet his lips. When his eyes finally return to mine, there’s so much heat in them that goosebumps prickle along my arms. I hold my breath as he takes a step forward, his palm finding my lower back. “You look fucking perfect. Let’s go.”
Without another word, he guides me through the lobby and onto the sidewalk, my knees unsteady at the contact.
Who am I to argue with someone who looks at me like I should be dinner?
The thought makes my stomach quiver.
We walk a few blocks to a sports bar. It’s dimly lit and about half full.
The hostess leads us to a table, and Nate stops her and points to another in the corner of the bar.
He says something to her that I can’t hear over the restaurant’s din.
Nodding, she smiles, leading us to the table he indicated.
Nate pulls out my chair before pulling his close to mine at the round table, his thigh brushing mine as he settles in his seat. I suppress another shiver at the contact.
I watch Nate read the menu out of the corner of my eye. He looks just as sexy as always in his all-black work attire. The sleeves of his tight shirt perfectly accentuate his large biceps.
He bumps his shoulder into mine, knocking me out of my gawking. I shake my head slightly to clear it as I stare down at my menu. “What are you going to get?”
Shifting in his seat, he crosses his arms across his chest. I turn my head toward him, raising my eyebrows in question.
“A burger,” he replies, his eyes locked on me.
I nod and glance back down.
The waitress approaches our table. “Hi! Welcome in. What can I get you to drink?”
Nate’s deep voice tells her, “Whatever IPA you have.”
“You got it. What about you, hun?”
I smile at her. “Just a water, please.”
When she leaves, Nate leans forward and places his elbows on the table. “You could have gotten a drink.”
I feel my cheeks heat as I glance up at him, his gaze burning into me. “I know. I just want water. I’ve been dehydrated the last couple of days.”
He doesn’t respond. His eyes narrow slightly as I turn away from him.
Butterflies fill my stomach. Besides the flight this morning, the last time I saw Nate, I was about to go back to his room with him.
I wonder what he’s thinking. My mind keeps replaying our kiss as if taunting me, reminding me about the realities of my life.
The memory is interrupted by the waitress bringing our drinks. “Are you guys ready to order?”
Nate glances at me in question, and I nod. “Can I just get a Caesar salad? Dressing on the side, please?”
“A salad? That’s it?” Nate asks, and I shrug. He turns to the waitress. “Can you add chicken on that and a side of fries?”
I shift in my seat to glare at him, but then I feel his hand on my thigh.
His touch softens me on contact. He squeezes me as he orders his burger, and electricity zings through me.
Ignoring the sensations, when the waitress walks away, I turn to Nate and try to summon my best glare once again.
“You didn’t have to change my order. Last time I checked, I’m adult. Pretty sure I can order for myself.”
Nate leans closer to me at that, not deterred by my sass. With another squeeze to my thigh, he counters, “Trust me, I’m fully aware you’re an adult. But I’m still going to insist that you need to eat more than lettuce, Olive.”
His nearness and seeming concern over my well-being are short-circuiting my brain.
And he smells so good. I don’t know if it’s his cologne or his body wash, but the masculine scent amplifies the attraction I already feel.
Despite the jolt of pleasure his interest in making sure I’m taken care of gives me, I still can’t let him have the last word, even if my response lacks conviction. “Maybe I like just lettuce.”
He tilts his chin back, looking up at the ceiling. Shaking his head with a chuckle, he mutters almost to himself, “Fucking brat.”
I roll my lips to hide my smile, suddenly glad I didn’t make it to the convenience store after all.