The door swung open ripping her out of her thoughts, and at the sight of Nate, Maddy’s breath caught in her throat. In all honesty, she couldn’t remember a time when she hadn’t been momentarily stunned at the sight of this man.
He was in jeans and a gray T-shirt, both items doing a great job at showcasing how good he looked. Thank God, he hadn’t put on any gray sweatpants or she might have collapsed right there on his welcoming mat.
The real showstopper though was Nate’s expression, the way he always seemed to look at her with an intensity that held both tenderness, and hints of barely leashed control.
It made her feel alive.
“Hi,” she said, remembering they were both just standing there in the doorway. Though Nate seemed to have no problem with that as he slowly drank in her appearance, his gaze catching on the hem of her dress, on the tips of her hair brushing against her collarbone, and finally settling on her eyes.
“Hi, Mads,” he said in a low, almost intimate voice that felt like a caress. “Come in.”
She did, stepping so close to him as she walked in that the warmth he emanated was impossible not to notice.
Nate frowned at the bag she was holding. “What did you bring?”
“Well, I wasn’t very well going to come empty-handed when you said you’d be the one to cook. So, you cook and I bring the dessert.”
His sweet smile was all she saw before he gently took the bag from her, as well as her jacket and purse, and leaned in to place a feather-light kiss on her cheekbone. Which, of course, made her blush.
How on Earth was this still making her blush when they’d clearly advanced from kisses on the cheek?
And yet, it still made her bleeding heart melt.
“You didn’t have to but that was very thoughtful, so thank you.”
“No problem. Put it in the fridge or we’ll have to eat it through a straw.”
His chuckle trailed after him as he headed to the kitchen. She followed a few seconds later, not wanting to stand there awkwardly.
Nate’s flat was an open-plan space, the living room, kitchen and small, office corner all combined into one. There were soft lights illuminating the place in a non-aggressive way, making it even more inviting. Everything looked organized to perfection, the colors on the walls and furniture complementing each other very well, giving off the impression of a cool, calm environment.
Maddy thought it suited Nate perfectly.
“I would give you a grand tour, but this is pretty much it, excluding the bedroom and bathroom.”
“Meh, who needs a grand tour? What would you need all that space for anyway? Just more rooms to clean and tidy,” she said, turning to look at him. “This looks great, Nate.”
“Thank you,” Nate answered, smiling down at her.
“So,” Maddy said, smiling impishly and walking backwards until she bumped against the narrow kitchen island that doubled as a counter, “what are we eating?”
Nate hadn’t moved from his spot, watching her distractedly.
“Eating?”
She grinned. “Yes, eating. You know, that thing where we put food in our mouths?”
“Ha ha, you are so funny, Mads.”
“I know I am. So, what did you have in mind?”
Nate moved towards her, sidestepping the island and reaching up, to open a few cupboards. “I thought I could make us some pasta.”
Maddy felt a strange pinch in her chest. She found herself rounding the counter as well.
“Pasta?”
There must have been something in the way she said it because it gave Nate pause.
