Chapter 31
Dancing with Nate is a party.
There’s no doubt about that.
For the last forty-five minutes, he’s driven this entire dance party. Everyone gravitates toward him, feeding off his energy.
Even me.
I’ve been spinning, jumping, singing, bumping, and dancing right alongside him.
I always knew Nate was fun—the entire foundation of Voyager Travel is built upon the fact that he’s fun to be with—but experiencing it in person is a whole different thing. I actually like Nate’s carefree personality—something I never thought I would say—and admire how easily he’s able to be himself no matter what crowd he’s in.
Nate clears a space in the middle of the dance floor and stands at the opposite end of the circle as me. His smile ticks higher on one side as we wait for the music. Anyone who has seen Dirty Dancing at least once in their life knows what’s coming. It’s the “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” lift. Admittedly, I’ve never done it, but I’ve seen the moment enough to fake it. And Nate seems to have enough confidence for both of us, so I’m all in.
The music swells to the chorus. The crowd cheers as I run. I plié and jump. He squats, bracing for my body. I grab his shoulders as his hands go to my hips and push. It takes a second, but he gets me up enough that I can hit an airplane pose. Everyone claps and cheers.
But it’s all fun and games until I have to come down.
Just like the movie, Nate drags me over his body in the slowest, sexiest movement of my life. I wrap my arms around his neck as my feet lower to the ground. Our eyes lock, and suddenly, the dance party is the furthest thing from my mind.
It’s cliché to say it, but everything around us drifts away. The music, the people, the beat…they’re all a thing of the past. All the attraction I’ve been fighting—that I’ve refused to admit exists—quickly bubbles to the surface like it was never that far below.
“And you thought there’d be no reason to hug.” His voice is rough, textured with desire.
“I’d hardly call this a hug.”
His eyes drop to my mouth, triggering my heart.
But then the song ends, and the DJ’s voice comes over the speakers, breaking us apart. I step back and fix my outfit, pulling it up. He fidgets with his shirt, airing it in and out like he’s hot. The DJ announces that this is the last song and to make it count.
Nate leans in, talking over the loud music. “Do you want to get out of here?”
I should say no. That’s the smart and safe thing to do.
Just say no.
I nod, ignoring everything running through my mind. “Yeah.”
He smiles like he’s happy with my answer and grabs my hand, leading me through the crowd. Just before we get to the exit, Mack Farnsworth steps in front of us, halting our escape. He looks directly at me.
“There are not a lot of people who stand up to me. I respect it when they’re justified in their boldness. You were right about what you said.” His eyes flick briefly to Nate. “I can do better.”
He doesn’t say exactly what he can do better with, but I suppose this apology is as good as it gets with him. He gives a stiff smile then turns around, returning to the table where Connie waits.
Nate looks over his shoulder. “That was new.”
“Maybe I will be favorite daughter-in-law after all.”
“I wouldn’t go that far.” He nods to the door. “Let’s go.”
Once outside and away from the lounge, Nate leads me along the winding sidewalk to the beach. We let go of each other's hands to remove our shoes for a more comfortable walk on the sand. It’s a relief not having anyone around to maintain the pretense of handholding and touching.
Such a relief.
We walk down to the water, nothing but moonlight showing the way.
“It feels much better out here than back on the dance floor.” His feet sink into the damp sand.
A small wave pushes toward us, spilling over my toes. “Yeah, the water feels amazing.”
“We could skinny dip.” Nate’s mischievous smile sends my stomach into a swirl.
I lift my brows, meeting his challenge. “Okay.”
“Okay?” His jaw drops. “Okay? Who even are you? The Carly I know would never agree to strip down and swim in the ocean at night—especially with me.”
I laugh. “Well, you already saw me naked.”
“I saw nothing of the sort.”
“And it wouldn’t be the first time I’ve skinny-dipped on vacation.”
His eyes widen. “You are full of surprises.”
“That’s just because you don’t know me that well.” I kick the approaching wave, sending a few sprinkles of water in Nate’s direction.
He does the same thing to get me back. “And whose fault is that?”
“Oh, it’s definitely mine.” I laugh, turning from the splashes. “It’s hard for me to let people see the real me.”
“I don’t know.” His expression shifts to something more serious. “I think I’m starting to crack the code.”
The moonlight, the sound of the waves, the smell of the ocean, and Nate’s dark eyes all somehow make me forget the reasons I dislike him. I’ve built a defense around my heart, but at this moment, I can’t remember why it’s there.
I hold his gaze. “Unless it’s all fake.”
“It’s not all fake.”
He stares at me for a second, contemplating me, and then, as if he decides something, he throws his shoes up on the beach. His eyes never leave mine as his hand reaches out. His fingers trail down my wrist to where I’m holding my sandals. He takes my shoes and throws them up the beach by his.
“What if we had one kiss that wasn’t for anyone but us?”
“One kiss?”
“One kiss.”
“Why would we do that?”
Nate’s eyes smolder like he could devour me. “Because we want to.”
Air sticks in my throat as his hand goes to my bare shoulder—dang, this strapless jumpsuit. Warm fingers softly slide up my neck and into the base of my hair as his palm cups my cheek. His gaze travels across my face, pausing on my lips before locking in on my eyes.
My heart explodes with fear and anticipation, like it does whenever I’m about to do something dangerous. I’m standing at the edge of a cliff, ready to jump. Deep down, I know I’m safe. There are ropes and harnesses, but my heart protests, questioning everything. But sometimes, you have to stop thinking about all the ways you might die and just jump.
Nate stares down at me as his thumb tracks back and forth over my cheekbone.
There’s hesitation before decisiveness. Then his lips softly drag across my mouth. The movement is slow at first, teasing, testing, like he’s savoring the first taste of me. But the moment I kiss him back, really kiss him, something shifts. Arms tangle around each other, rocking my body back as the kiss becomes more aggressive. My fingers find the nape of his neck, coiling through his hair. His other hand presses against my back, holding me so close I feel the strength of his body and the tension building between us. Our desperate embrace blurs the line between gentle exploration and bold longing.
We both want this.
Even though there’s no one around.
No reason to kiss—nothing more than a burning desire.
My breath comes in soft, urgent bursts as our lips move with a hunger that sends heat curling through my stomach. Every subtle shift, every tilt of his head, every gentle press of his hand heightens the moment, stirring a heated fervor within me.
It’s stupid.
But even as our lips part to catch a breath, I can’t stop.
I don’t want to stop.
“I still don’t like you,” I mumble against his mouth, as if that’s justification enough for this impromptu makeout.
“I don’t like you either,” he breathes between us.
The words are barely out before we both go back for more, like admitting hate added gasoline to the fire. The kiss is charged, every touch a spark that ignites the flames of desire. I lean into him, led by the passionate emotions Nate evokes in me. I hate him, want him, can’t stop thinking about him, and keep coming back for more like I’m addicted to the intense feelings.
Time slows as the waves crash over our feet. We’re lost in the kiss, the heat of our mouths, the friction between us, until laughter down the beach startles us apart.
It’s enough to bring us to our senses.
We both step back, staring breathlessly at one another.
I touch my lips to try to stop the hum of warmth. “That was?—”
“Not well thought out,” Nate finishes.
He took the words right out of my mouth. “Not at all.”
“Oh, it’s Nate and Carly!” Nate’s Aunt Gina says as she walks down the beach toward us.
It was her laughter we heard seconds ago.
“We should probably talk about what just happened.”
“We will.” He gestures to the group coming upon us. “Later.”
Hopefully, later, I can explain what the heck I just did.