‘It’s the truth,’ he said quietly, a frown crossing his brow.
Her throat bobbed in a swallow and she dropped her eyes.
‘Nate,’ she huffed out a laugh, shaking her head.
‘Usually, when someone gives you a compliment,’ his voice was low and he took a step closer, ‘you say thank you.’
He swallowed and smiled to ease whatever this thickness was between them, but his stomach was fluttering at the way she caught her breath. Something flickered across her face, but he couldn’t be sure what it was. Flustered, sure, and she obviously didn’t know what to do, what to say. Laurel had not been complimented enough, and Nate felt a sudden anger at all the men who made her feel like this – shocked when told she was beautiful.
She was full of contradictions. Assertive and confident when it came to her farm, her family, but shy and tentative, bashful almost, when anything was about her personally. There was a softness, a vulnerability about her that he instinctively knew he couldn’t crush.
‘Thank you,’ Laurel whispered.
‘Okay.’ He grinned. Progress. A tentative smile pulled at her mouth.
Nate randomly pointed to a dress in the pile. ‘Take that one if we change in the evening and the shorts for tomorrow.’
Laurel nodded and cleared her throat.
‘Right, I will. I’ll just be a minute.’ She gathered the clothes and hurried up the stairs. There was a clatter from above, from what Nate assumed was the bathroom as she knocked over bottles in her hurry to get her overnight things ready.
‘I’ll be two minutes,’ she cried.
‘Don’t rush, it’s okay,’ he cried back, tucking his hands in his pockets.
‘I don’t want to be late.’ She popped her head around the door.
‘It’s okay. Alex will be late and so will Lucia. They’re always late,’ he said.
‘That’s fine for them, but I don’t like being late,’ she huffed. She shut the door and reemerged after a moment or so, rolling her carry-on suitcase behind her. ‘Okay, I’m ready.’
Her face was flushed with exertion.
‘Okay, let’s go.’
He moved up the stairs to reach for her case and she let him take it, ushering him out the door, and onto the street.
He led her around the corner to the car.
‘Wow, is this yours?’ she asked, dragging her fingertips across the bonnet.
‘I’ve hired it, but I’ve got one at home,’ he said opening the door for her before putting her case in the boot. She looked at him with that eyebrow up questioningly as he made himself comfortable in the driver’s seat.
‘I like cars.’ He shrugged.
‘I’m not really one for cars,’ she said. ‘But I like this one.’
‘Shall I put the top up or keep it down?’
‘Down.’ She looked at him like he’d just given her candyfloss. ‘I’ve never been in a convertible before.’
‘Down it is.’
He smiled, pulling off.
Chapter Fifteen
Laurel
