Giovanna Zola was…none of those things. When he was thinking logically, Nathan couldn’t understand why, exactly, he had offered her the room. He only remembered the look on her face when she’d told him her story. The intense feeling—the suddenneedin his chest to do absolutely anything he could to make her feel better.
The kiss she’d given him hadn’t clarified much either.
It was fine. He had a plan. The beautiful bartender from Opal needed a place to stay, and he needed to tell his parents he was making headway on their parameters.
But he hadn’t anticipated the way Joni would look when she wished him good night after her family had left the apartment. She’d just come out of the bathroom, clean-faced, black hair tied up, and dressed in a short black nightgown that bared an expansive length of pale, creamy leg. Her green eyes had twinkled as she smiled, not because it was the thing to do, but because she seemed genuinely happy to see him and grateful forhis presence. Her scent of gardenias had remained in the hall for a few more moments after she shut her bedroom door.
It had taken all of his self control not to start masturbating to her door, right there in the hall. Instead, he’d taken his third shower of the day while imagining her next to him, water running over her naked body. And had done it every day since, with no reprieve from this…feeling…in sight. It happened all the time now, thinking of everything he wanted todoto her. Sometimes, it was innocent, like staring—he found himself doing that a lot. But others were so degraded he couldn’t even really call them daydreams. Dirty dreams. Despicable dreams. Dreams that made him wonder if he was genuinely crazy.
Carrick sighed. “I’m just doing you a courtesy. Mom’s like a dog with a bone. She’s not going to let up until you show a legitimate indication that her darling boy is coming back to the fold,” Carrick continued after a long drink of scotch. “Seeing a shrink or having a yearly lunch at the Union isn’t going to cut it. Maybe it’s taking actual leadership on the board of directors. Maybe it’s getting married or actually spawning another four-eyed baby for her to harass—I mean, dote over.”
Nathan choked, nearly spraying sparkling water and salmon across the whole table. “I would notspawnanything. I’m not a fish.”
Carrick waved away his shock. “Whatever. You know what I mean. It’s why Mom is lining up every fucking debutante in the state of New York for the hospital gala now that you’re actually going. She’s planning to auction you off like a mail-order bride. After that, you can probably live in the OR, if that’s what you want. Just as long as you get married first and give them a grandchild to train up. A real one, this time.”
“So, what, I’m supposed to get engaged next weekend?” Nathan demanded. “That’s absurd. All of these demands areabsurd, but even if they weren’t, a person can’t change his life completely in a matter of weeks.”
“No,” Carrick agreed. “But you could start by bringing a date to the gala for once. Someone you actually like. And don’t even think about faking it, Nate. Any other man in your position would just bite the bullet and hire an escort, but we all know you can’t lie for shit.” He took another bite of steak. “So, how about that waitress? It’s a place to start.”
They both chewed meditatively, watching the other as he ate.
Again, Nathan couldn’t help thinking of Joni. Not just about how impossibly long her legs looked when she stretched in the living room last night, which had forced him into the shower yet again. Or the way she tended to chew on her bottom lip when she was thinking, which constantly made it look like a gumdrop waiting to be swallowed.
It was dangerous, this feeling. This tendency to catalog things about her, big and small. He already had multiple lists in the notebook he kept in his pocket most of the time. Hadn’t stopped to think about why until they were already there.
JONI’S EXPRESSIONS
JONI’S FAVORITE JOKES
JONI’S FAMILY MEMBERS
JONI’S FAVORITE FOODS
The last was ongoing, but he’d already hunted down the amaretto cookies she said her grandmother used to make. And he started making her cappuccinos on the mornings when she got up with him just to see the third on his list of Joni’s Smiles. It was the one when she was surprised but grateful.
The whole thing bordered on obsession, which was something that Nathan couldn’t afford to have happen again. And yet, he couldn’t seem to stop. Nor did he really want to, if he was being perfectly honest.
“Just tell Mom that I did what she wanted,” he said after another bite of salmon.
Carrick leaned forward, eyes glittering. “So, you did nail the waitress, after all? Good for you, man.”
Nathan rolled his eyes. “Jesus Christ, Carrick. I didn’t ‘nail’ anyone.”
“But you are finally getting some tail? Good. It’s been too long since that model stomped all over your dick.”
“Am I getting some…No. I only meant I found a new roommate.”
Carrick sat back, as if examining Nathan. “Have you been listening to me at all? Mom won’t care about that, considering the rate you go through them. I give him a month. Two tops if he’s neat.”
Nathan scowled. “I’m not that bad.”
“Spence won the last bet, you know. He said your last one wouldn’t last six weeks. I said ten. Little shit took ten grand off me.”
“This one isn’t going anywhere because she’s my girlfriend,” Nathan blurted out before he could stop himself.
Joni seemed to have that effect on him, he realized as he stared at his plate of half-eaten food. She made him do things, like shout about her perfection in the middle of his office, deliver apology notes like a lovesick schoolboy, and offer a place to live to someone he barely knew.
And, apparently, ask her to pretend to be his girlfriend.
