"Hush." I looked over at Sam. "So he does like coffee?"
"What? No. He hates the stuff." Sam chuckled and picked up a cup. "Coffee?"
"Black, please. No cream or sugar." Nate glanced over at me and winked. "You can't know all my secrets, baby girl."
"Brother." I rolled my eyes and walked back out to the center of the restaurant to clean up a few more tables.
Nate moved up behind me and wrapped me in a tight hug. "Not everything is conscious. Some things have to be planned out to work right."
"Like us?" I turned and wrapped my arms around his neck.
"No, we were destined to be together no matter what." He leaned down and brushed his lips by mine. “We’re going to have to figure a few things out, Jenna.”
“Like?” I almost enjoyed how serious he looked.
“Like which one of us is going to kill your boyfriend Thomas.”
I snorted and bumped my hips against his. “Stop it. He’s just a friend.”
“He doesn’t know that.”
“I’ll take care of it. Something tells me that I’ll handle it much better than you will.”
His eyebrows lifted. “From what Erik tells me, you’re pretty damn scary.”
“I can be.” I shrugged. “Since when did you start listening to Erik?”
“Good point.” He licked the side of his mouth and leaned in to brush his nose by mine. “Tell Thomas you belong to me. I don’t want to break his neck over a misunderstanding.”
“Alright.” I glanced down, trying to think through how the hell I was going to fulfill my part of the bargain with Erik. I promised him that I would destroy the records on my father’s computer for him for helping me out. I couldn’t go back on that promise.
“What are you thinking?” Nate’s voice was soft, drawing.
I glanced back up. “I have to put a virus in my father’s computer. It was part of the deal I made with Erik.” I let out a soft sigh. “I just don’t want my dad to go through any more shit, but it’s not like I can turn my back on Erik. He’d likely put a knife in it.”
“I’m not too sure about that, but I’d just do it. They’ll have backups and your dad will deal with it. Just be careful.” He kissed the tip of my nose. “You don’t need to get caught. That would be some shit, right?”
“Yeah. You do it for me.” I smiled, hoping to get him to take my dirty deed.
“No way. You need to know something, baby.”
“Tell me.” I pressed my chest against his.
“I promised Erik a long time ago that I would help him when the day came when he would need my help.” He searched my face, but for what, I was unsure.
“And? Is that day here?” I reached up and cupped the side of his face, trying hard not to swoon over him.
“Yeah. I don’t get to be a good guy anytime soon.” He pressed against my palm and closed his eyes for a second before turning to kiss my palm. “You gonna be alright loving a bad boy forever?”
“Do I have a choice?” I pulled him down for a series of kisses, each growing hotter than the last. Still so many unanswered questions, but I forced my thoughts away. There was a lot I didn’t know, but it was better that way. Ashely died for what she did to my brother and the rest was the past. I didn’t want to crack open another door. It might mean losing the only person I could see myself with forever.
It wasn’t perfect, and it didn’t mean I wouldn’t wonder, but whatever Nate had done in the past… it had to stay there. I just prayed my dirty deeds would stayed buried too.
"Nope, you don’t. Let's go make out in the park. Tell Sam you're not feeling good." He brushed his hand down the back of my head. “Let’s stop being so fucking serious. Life’s been jacked up enough lately. We’ll take things day by day and what happens, happens.”
He was right.
"I can hear you guys. I'm right here. Jeez." Sam scoffed.
