Nathan and I stayed like that all day; one hand on my knee that both of us were doing well to ignore and books in the other hand. I finished my book around four p.m. and that girl was right, I actually loved it. It was cute and the girl didn’t have to change herself to fit into the guy’s perfect mould. I actually found myself tearing up a little at some parts.
I looked over at Nathan and realized I was about to break our little bubble that we had somehow secluded ourselves into. I cleared my throat and as if reading my mind, his hand left my knee and the spell was broken.
He took a bookmark out of his bag and put it in the book before closing it. I narrowed my eyes at him when I saw it.
“You had a bookmark in there all that time and you let me go through the stress of having to find my page every time I closed the book?” I whisper yelled.
“If you had asked, I would have told you that I had one.”
“You absolute di-,”
“Language Adira; we’re in a place of education.”I let out a mini growl and forced back an eye roll.
He stood up from the seat and I followed suit.
I thanked the baristas for the coffee and made sure to tell them how much I loved it and trashed the cup in the appropriate recycle bin. Nathan watched me the entire time but I ignored him. I just wished I was able to see the girl who recommended the book to me so I could tell her how much I loved it.
As we were walking to my car Nathan spoke, “I don’t understand you sometimes.” I waited for him to elaborate before responding, “One minute, you’re rude as hell, and the next minute, you’re complimenting people on their coffee.”
“I believe in tough love Nathan,” I kept my eyes forward as I spoke, “I give credit where credit is due and I give harsh criticism when needed.”
“That’s the first time you’ve called me Nathan to my face.”
“My apologies, Mr. Cowe,”
He smiled at the mention of his last name and I found myself smiling back at him.
We got to my car and I stopped in stride. I thanked him for walking me but neither of us moved from our spots; me by the driver’s side and him standing opposite me.
“Did you enjoy your book?” he asked and I was unwillingly thrust back to a particular NSFW scene in the book.
I thanked God for my inability to blush and cleared my throat as I responded, “I did, and it was very- enlightening.”
“Women’s empowerment, you said,” I nodded, “I’ll be sure to check it out some day.”
“You should,” the words came out calm and collected while I was anything but.
“Then again, if I’m not mistaken,” he began, “Isn’t that the book about the autistic econometrician and the escort?” I was frozen in shock as he continued, “And if I remember correctly, they end up fake dating just because- and just to be sure that I’m getting it right, there was a scene where she visits his mum and manages to unknowingly upset her.”
I opened my mouth and closed it numerous times. Unable to fathom the fact that he knew I was reading actual sex scenes right next to him and he said nothing about it.
“Close your mouth Adira, you’ll catch flies.”
“You’ve read the book,” I finally got out and he shrugged, “Why didn’t you say anything?”
“You were enjoying it. Enlightening, you said,” I mentally face palmed myself as he used my own words against me, “I must say that I am impressed at your ability to read smut with a blank face.”
“Smut?”
“Obscene content, kind of like the one in the book you just read.”
“I didn’t know it was smut.”
“That’s what they all say.”
“Oh my gosh,” I groaned, “I’m leaving now.”
At my words he laughed. Not a small smile or a sarcastic chuckle but a full blown, out of his belly laugh and I found myself staring as smile lines took over his features. I also noticed the small dimple on his left cheek.
