Chapter 13
13
Natalie
Omar leaned into the trunk and grabbed his emergency kit, because of course he was prepared and had an emergency kit.
He sat again, and I quickly looked away before he caught me watching him. He leaned forward and handed me a blanket and a bottle of water.
Silence stretched between us. The warm air from the vents heated the space, but I was still shivering, the cold air outside combined with the rain dropped my body temperature in a hurry.
I shook as I unfolded the blanket he gave me. My flannel shirt was plastered to my wet skin. I glanced back at him, considering taking it off.
He avoided my gaze. He sat behind the driver’s seat, out of my line of sight unless I turned to see him.
I tried to pretend he wasn’t there, but it was impossible. His scent filled the vehicle, his warmth radiating around me as though it were a part of the heat coming from the vents.
He fought to take his coat off, dropping it to the floor behind my seat. He was drier than me, but not by much.
“You should take off your shirt,” he growled.
Was he joking? “Yeah, sure.”
“I’m not trying something here. You’re freezing. If you don’t get rid of some of your wet clothes, the blanket and the heat won’t get through fast enough. You’ll get sick.” He unbuttoned his shirt and dropped it onto the floor with his coat, leaving him in a black tank that caressed his muscles.
My gaze snagged on his chest before I realized I was staring. I yanked my eyes away and pulled off my soaked flannel shirt, tossing it onto the floorboard at my feet. I wrapped the blanket around my shoulders and leaned closer to the vents, willing the warmth to sink deep into my body.
I stared out the window at the storm. We were going to be stuck there for a while. An uneasy silence and temporary unspoken truce between us.
“I was going to find you to thank you. I didn’t intend for it to go like this, but I wanted to say I appreciated your words. Your apparent support of me. I… I would never have expected it, but it’s greatly appreciated.” His quiet confession was as sincere as it was unnecessary.
“I meant every word. You are good for MacKellar Cove. And that picture…”
“It wasn’t your fault. The man who took it, and the reporter who published it, they did this for a reason. I’m going to do everything I can to keep you out of it. I hope you speaking up for me doesn’t send them looking your way.”
“If it does, I’ll handle it. I… I don’t want that, but it’s not fair for you to get punished for trying to help me.”
“It’s fine.”
“Why don’t you like me?”
“Excuse me?” he barked.
“I just…”
“You’re the one who said we’re all wrong and left that night, Natalie. Not me.”
“I know.” I swallowed. “I don’t… Relationships are not easy for me. Being anonymous was easy. You didn’t know how awkward I am.”
He snorted a laugh. “Your screen name was ThisIsAwkward.”
I chuckled. “Okay, fine, maybe you had an idea. But I don’t want to end up ruining your chances at re-election because you’re dating me.”
“And I think dating you will only help my chances. But that’s not why I want to date you, Natalie.”
I breathed a laugh. “I’m sure there’s a long list of reasons you don’t want to date me.”
He shook his head. “It’s the opposite. I have a long list of reasons I do.”
“What? Why?”
“Because you’re beautiful. You’re smart. You care so much about kids, you don’t care who you piss off to get what’s right for them. You’re willing to get filthy dirty and hurt in order to make this a success. You’re passionate and kind and creative. Do you want me to continue?”
I shook my head. “I don’t see myself that way.”
“Maybe you should stop seeing all the things you don’t want to see in yourself and see all the things the people who care about you see.”
I chewed on my lip. “I’ve never been very good at that.”
“No one is. We are our own worst critics. We always focus on the things we fail at.”
“You don’t fail at anything,” I blurted.
He laughed loud enough that it drowned out the thunder. “I wish.”
“Name one time you failed.”
His gaze snapped to mine, and the heat coming from him surpassed what was coming from the vents. “Our date.”
I gasped. “That wasn’t on you.”
“It doesn’t matter, Natalie. I didn’t come here to rehash that. Or to make you feel bad about your choice. I shouldn’t have said anything.”
He shifted in his seat and faced the window, shutting me out.
I wanted to let it go. Ignore the whole thing. Let him be and not fight for something I didn’t think would work anyway.
But I knew I couldn’t do that. I couldn’t sit there and let him believe I didn’t want him. That I was upset when he was the one I’d been talking to and met that night.
Before I could talk myself out of it, I crawled into the backseat with him. He gasped and moved over to give me space, staring at me as I positioned myself next to him and tugged the blanket around my shoulders again.
“I was a jerk. I shouldn’t have walked out on you. But more than that, I shouldn’t have allowed you to believe I was upset that it was you.”
He scoffed and turned away again.
“You’re so… You shouldn’t be single. You should have women falling all over themselves to date you. I’m sure you do. You’re poised and intelligent and so damn good. For this town and in general. You’re so much better than me, Omar.”
He opened his mouth, but I pushed ahead without giving him a chance to speak.
“I know where I belong. I love what I do. People don’t know me. I grew up here, and I’m invisible. I’ve always been invisible. I… I don’t mind that. But you? You’re visible. You’re up front. You’re looked up to and admired and respected.”
“And you think you’re not?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know, but it doesn’t really matter. I don’t want that.” I inhaled a shaky breath and forced myself to meet his gaze. “I built you up in my mind as this man who would make all my dreams come true. Foolish, I know, but I felt like you were… You didn’t judge me. You didn’t make me feel like I wasn’t good enough. But when I saw you, I knew I was wrong about you because I’m not good enough for you.”
He laughed mirthlessly. “Wow. I’ve heard the it’s not you, it’s me thing before, but never in a way that made me immediately want to call bullshit.”
“Bullshit?” I gasped.
“Bullshit. Just tell me you don’t want to be with me, Natalie. I can handle it. Hell, you already told me without the words. Is it so hard to just say I don’t like you ?”
“It wouldn’t be if I didn’t like you,” I whispered.
“Don’t, just don’t. Don’t say that, Natalie. You made your feelings clear. I wanted to thank you for what you said to the reporter. We can be professional and we can put all of this aside, and when the camp is up and running, we won’t have to deal with each other again. But don’t make a fool of me. Don’t say things you don’t mean.”
“You think I’m lying to you?”
“I know you are,” he bellowed. “I know you are.” He sighed and faced away from me again. “We can just sit here until the storm passes. We don’t have to talk.”
I’d been fighting the way he made me feel since I walked into O’Kelley’s, but I couldn’t fight any longer. I didn’t think I wanted to. “I can think of another way to pass the time.” I crawled onto his lap.
His hands went to my thighs immediately, not pushing me away. Shock registered in his gaze, then heat.
I wanted to scramble back to the other side of the SUV and pretend I hadn’t been so bold, but I couldn’t. I wanted him. The man was addictive, and I wanted more.
I moved closer slowly, giving him time to push me off.
He sat still, letting my lips land on his. He sucked in a breath, the cool rush of air whipping past my cheek. His fingers curled into my thighs, betraying his feelings.
I wrapped my arms around his neck and slid closer, needing his body heat, his touch, his lips. I licked his lips, and he groaned, thrusting his tongue into my mouth.
His hands slid up my thighs and cupped my ass, dragging my body tight to his. His erection rose between us, sending tingles through my entire body.
He pushed me back, and I realized that wasn’t tingles. It was a phone vibrating.
Reality was back.
“Yeah?” Omar said into his phone.
He closed his eyes and sighed.
“I apologize, Jane. I’m not going to make it back to work. I should have called you. I wasn’t ready for the storm, and I’m stuck. Yes, I’ll be in tomorrow.” He sighed, then smiled and nodded. “Thank you, Jane. I don’t know what I’d do without you.” He chuckled. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
He hung up the phone and looked up, his gaze slamming into mine.
“Is everyone okay at work?” I asked him.
He nodded and tossed his phone onto the seat next to us. “I thought you had to check in with Daisy and Amelia?”
My phone rang as he finished his sentence. I dug it out of my pocket and turned it to show him Amelia. “Hi, Amelia.”
“Natalie. Are you okay? You didn’t call, and it’s pouring here.”
“Yeah, I got caught in it. I’m… safe. I’m in a vehicle, waiting until I can see out the windows to leave.”
“Oh, thank goodness. I was worried. I was about to send my son out to check on you.”
“No, all good,” I said quickly.
“Okay. You’re off the rest of the day, so get warm and stay safe.”
“I will. Thanks, Amelia. See you tomorrow.”
“Have a good night, Natalie.”
I hung up and sent Daisy a text, letting her know I was okay and waiting out the storm.
I was just about to call you. Glad you’re okay.
All good. Cold and wet but not hurt.
Good. I’ll feel better when that place is done and you’re not out there alone.
Me, too.
“You didn’t want them to know I’m here.”
I looked at him. “I wasn’t sure if you wanted me to.”
“Did you want to?”
“I’m not sure about that either.”
He nodded, not laughing but not making his case either.
“What do you want me to do?” I asked.
“I want you to do what makes you feel comfortable.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“Natalie, I’m your boss’s boss, something you made clear bothers you. I’m not going to tell you to do something. I want you to make choices. It doesn’t matter what I think or what I want.”
“It matters to me,” I whispered.
He sucked in a breath. “Does it? I’m not asking that to be cruel. Just curious. Because before an hour ago, we barely spoke.”
“My dating history is spotty, at best. Most of the men I’ve dated were casual and short-lived. All it takes is one panic attack or one problem because of my anxiety, or one look at my figure, and they’re ready to run.”
“I’m still here,” he said.
I nodded slowly. “You are. But what if I have a panic attack before some appearance you have to make? Or if my anxiety makes us late for something? What if you get exhausted having to take care of me like you did today?”
“None of what you said scares me off. As for taking care of you, I don’t think I agree that’s what’s really happening here.”
“You showed up and got me out of the rain. I would have been trapped out there without you.”
“I’m pretty sure you were trapped out there anyway. So was I. I didn’t do anything to help you.”
“You didn’t let go.”
“What?”
“When we were running to get here, you didn’t let go of my hand.”
He picked up my hand and wound our fingers together. He brought our joined hands to his lips. “I’m not letting go now either, Natalie. But this is up to you. All of this is up to you.”
“You don’t get a say?”
He chuckled. “You’re cute.”
“What?”
“I made my choice when I asked to meet you. When I decided I wanted to meet you. Of course, I wanted to meet ThisIsAwkward so I’d stop thinking about Natalie Edwards, but karma is funny.”
“What are you saying?”
He exhaled a long breath and met my gaze. The depth and emotion in his surprised me. “I’m saying nothing about you has scared me off. I want to see where this can go. I liked talking to you online. And I was drawn to you in person. Putting those two people into one package did not make me want you less.”
“Omar,” I breathed.
He shook his head. “You get to decide because I’ve already decided, Natalie. I wanted you to stay when you walked into O’Kelley’s. But I wasn’t going to chase you down.”
I put my hand on his cheek, and he nuzzled against it. I moved closer, pressing my body to his.
He took the hint and slid his hand around my back. “Natalie, you need to tell me what you want. I don’t want to do the wrong thing here.”
“You’re not.”
“I want to kiss you again.”
“I think we’ve established that I’m on board with that.”
He nodded and moved slowly, waiting for me to stop him.
I had no intention of doing so.
He kissed me slowly, like the cold and the outside world would stay away forever. He licked my lips and gained access, swirling his tongue through my mouth. His fingertips tightened on my back, drawing me closer and closer until I could feel the effect our kisses had on him.
He groaned and thrust up. His hands held me tight and encouraged me to rock against him.
God, this man. He didn’t flinch when I mentioned panic attacks. He didn’t say a word about anxiety. He just proved I was a fool to walk out on him.
When I pulled back, I waited until he blinked his eyes open and looked at me. His gaze was fuzzy and loaded with desire.
“Will you go on a date with me?” I asked.
His gaze brightened. A smile curled his lips. I could feel his answer before he spoke. “Yes. I would love to.”
“Good.”
“I’m really happy I ended up here today,” he said.
I chuckled. “So am I.”
“Thank you for defending me to the reporters, Natalie. That really meant a lot.”
“You already thanked me for that.”
He nodded. “Yeah, but I wanted to thank you again. You know… You know about my ex-wife. You know more than anyone else in MacKellar Cove, and knowing you still feel that way makes a difference.”
“I meant what I said. You’re good for this town. You’ve put the town ahead of yourself a lot of times.”
“I always liked the idea of giving back. There are a lot of people who go into politics for the wrong reasons, but I wanted to help. To make a place better.”
“And you are. I know your job isn’t easy, and I’m sorry for the times I got upset with you. Especially a few weeks ago when I didn’t provide you with the information you wanted.”
He laughed. “No, you were right that day. I wanted an excuse to see you. I do want to make sure we’re following all the rules with this place, but not because I don’t trust you. It’s important.”
“It is important. I know that. That’s why I’m doing what I’m doing here. Saving money for the things we have to pay people for.”
“What about the fundraiser?”
I shook my head. “I can’t count on that. I hope it goes well, but there’s no guarantee. If we earn enough to fix up the pool, I’ll be thrilled.”
“You don’t think you will?”
I shrugged. “The budget you gave us will pay for the electrician and for a fence around the pool, and staff for the first month. I don’t want to be counting on the payments from parents to pay counselors immediately. We need a little bit of a buffer.”
“That’s smart,” he said. “But there’s still a lot of work besides that.”
“Yeah. Amelia talked to her son, and James and his friends are going to help us clean up the basketball and volleyball courts, probably the landscaping, too. We’ll be functional but not great.”
“What about a building?”
“We don’t know,” I admitted.
“I think the building is a pretty important part of the whole thing.”
“I know,” I breathed, feeling angry and agitated. “I know it is. But if I don’t have the money to make it a reality, there’s nothing I can do about it.”
“Do you know how much it would be?”
I shook my head. “No.”
He opened his mouth to say something else, then rolled his lips in and gave me a wry look. “I’m being the boss instead of just listening to you.”
“You’re not wrong, though.”
“I didn’t start talking about the budget to push you into a corner. I got carried away.”
“You’re passionate, too. It’s good to see.”
He laughed softly. “As long as it doesn’t mean we’re fighting.”
“I doubt that’s going to stop just because we seem to have reached an agreement.”
“An agreement?”
“You can’t argue with me if I kiss you.”
He tipped his head back and laughed loudly. He nodded and reached for me, pulling me close as he dipped his head. “That goes both ways, you know.”
“Oh, I know.”