Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 62128 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 311(@200wpm)___ 249(@250wpm)___ 207(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62128 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 311(@200wpm)___ 249(@250wpm)___ 207(@300wpm)
I pull back, smiling at him as he shifts to steady me on my feet. “Come on,” I say nodding toward the viewing lens. “You have to see Cassiopeia,” I say. “She's stunning.”
An hour and a half later, we've grabbed coffee and are contentedly drinking it outside of my apartment, leaning against the hood of Nash’s car as we continue to chat and glance up at the sky.
“I don't think I'm ever going to be able to look at the stars the same way again,” Nash says.
“I know right? After seeing it through something so powerful?” I ask, glancing up at the sky. “I mean, they’re still beautiful, but there’s something about having that kind of instrument at your disposal. Feels like you're getting a glimpse of something few people do. It's special,” I say drawing my focus back to Nash. “Thank you again.”
“You don't have to keep thanking me,” he says. “I had a great time too.”
“We had too much fun,” I say, shaking my head as I take another sip of my coffee. “I only managed to record a few clips.” I was too distracted pretending Nash was my actual boyfriend who’d gone out of his way to plan something so special for Valentine’s Day.
“Isn't that a good thing?” he asks, taking a drink of his coffee. “Having such a great time you forget about work?”
I nod but can't help the concern threatening to steal all my postdate bliss. “You're not mad?”
“Why would I be mad?”
“I don't know,” I say, shrugging. “Because this whole arrangement is about getting content for the page. To keep the followers happy. Keep them coming back and interacting so we can maintain attention from those big corporations offering deals.”
“I know exactly why we started this,” he says. “And I’ve gotten an amazing deal, thanks to you. Who cares if you got lost in the moment and didn't record every single second of this date? That wasn't the point of any of it. I genuinely wanted to do something that I knew would make you happy.”
Emotion clogs my throat, and I can't stop my heart from screaming out for him.
What is happening? Am I doing the one thing I'm not supposed to do, which is fall for this man? The sexy player of the Bangor Badgers?
I clear my throat, looking down at my coffee cup. “Well, thanks,” I say again because I honestly don't know what else to say. He's been so kind and genuine all night, and we haven't had one debate. Not one spicy little argument that would keep me up at night to think of the perfect retort for later.
I'm on uneven ground, and it's exciting and terrifying all at the same time.
We finish our coffees, having idle chitchat as we recount the night before he walks me to my door.
“I'm really glad we did this,” he says as he leans against my open doorway.
“Me too,” I say, my nerves tangling beneath my skin.
“It's pretty late,” he says, some sort of battle happening in his eyes. “I should probably take off.”
Tension coils between us, and my words get stuck in my throat, somewhere behind all the worries and doubts because I really want to ask him to stay.
Scratch that, I want to beg him to stay.
I don't want this night to end. I don't want this feeling to end, regardless if it's real or temporary. I just want more of him.
He bends down before I can respond, pressing his lips against mine in a soft yet still toe-curling kiss. He pulls back, grinning at me before he heads back toward his car.
My heart races in my chest, adrenaline crackling through my veins as I close the door, hating that something inside me is screaming at me to open it back up and chase after him.
I do my best to shove all the insecurities aside, telling myself who cares if it's temporary? When am I ever going to feel like this again?
What if I don't?
What if I don't do everything I can to hold on to this feeling, and I regret it for the rest of my life?
Fuck it. I'm not one for regrets.
I swing open my door, heading out of my apartment complex and catching up to him just as he's opening his driver side door.
“Nash!” I call after him, my chest heaving as my nerves mount.
His eyes meet mine, his head tilting slightly.
I shake my head, stopping just at the front of his car, not wanting to force his hand by falling into his arms again.
“I don't want this night to end,” I admit on a released breath.
“Thank fuck,” he says, shutting his car door and spanning the distance between us, his mouth on mine in an instant.
CHAPTER 9
NASH
My hands tunnel in Reese’s hair as I claim her mouth, her declaration about not wanting the night to end snapping the tether I’d held myself on all night.