Nate grinned just as his hands cradled her face.
“Damn right.”
twenty-four
Maddy wished she could say that she was handling the whole situation with Nate with the calmness and composure a woman of her age, with some relationships under her belt, would usually possess.
She had no such thing.
No calmness. No composure.
If the flutters in her stomach had been butterflies that had evolved into pterodactyls before, now they were pterodactyls doing cartwheels in the air.
Hearing Nate calling her his girl had almost melted her into a puddle on the floor. The only reason she hadn’t, was because half her weight was supported by the wall and the other half by Nate’s hands.
Fuck.
She was so out of her depth here. She was a jumble of thoughts and feelings.
Except she didn’t want to think. She wanted to let herself feel this want and this pull, this insane excitement and intensity that cut her knees from under her. She wanted Nate’s warm hands on her, touching her, keeping her close. His dark eyes focused on her, taking in every little change in her breathing, every bite of her used lip. His sharp mind, teasing her, indulging her, keeping her on her toes. She wanted it all.
Realizing they couldn’t just stay against the wall of her room indefinitely—theydidhave a shrewd grandma waiting for them in the living room—they exchanged a look before pulling away. Maddy took a few deep breaths to steady herself, and Nate did the same. With one last glance and a shared smile, they headed out to rejoin Nonna.
They found her in the same spot they’d left her, seemingly engrossed in the quiz show, trying to answer questions correctly. As if she didn’t have her antennas raised for any sign of things out of place. Maddy looked at her with undisguised fondness.
The rest of the evening passed in comfortable silence, relaxed conversation and relentless attempts to ply Nate with even more food. Insisting that he was full and couldn’t possibly eat more, Maddy decided to prepare a small box for him full of all her favorite candy that her grandma had brought when she’d arrived, and made him promise by the door to try every single one of them and tell her which one he liked best.
To which Nate responded that he would, murmuring his thanks while his arm pulled her to him gently, his other hand moving to her nape, brushing her pulse point. Maddy mock-glared at him because he knew what he was doing, making her all flustered. The villain. He chuckled before stepping back and heading towards his car to drive away.
Shutting the door behind him, Maddy found her grandma in the kitchen putting away some last few things. She turned to look at her when she heard her approach.
Maddy sighed. “Okay, out with it.”
“Cara mia, that man is as just a friend to you, as espresso is just a coffee to the Italians.”
If Maddy’s heart sped up at hearing that, that was for her, and only her, to know.
***
Maddy: What’s your take on ice-skating?
Nate: Am I supposed to have a take?
Maddy: Yes
Maddy: Aren’t you an athlete?
Nate: Of basketball
Nate: Last I checked
Nate: Might be wrong though
Maddy: Har har
Maddy: Sarcasm doesn’t become you.
Nate: Aren’t you the one stereotyping jocks again?
