One breezy summer night, after a shift that seemed to drag on for days, he massaged the tension out of every inchof my body. Sated, I let him lie on my chest after, peppering kisses across my neck. “Why don’t we,” he began, flicking his tongue over my nipple and drawing a shiver out of me, “go to the store and get some ice cream?”
“Ice cream?” I giggled. “That’s what you’re thinking about right now?”
“Can you blame me? You wore me out. I’mstarving.” He smiled up at me, dirty blond hair falling across his intoxicating brown eyes. “And I wasn’t planning on using a spoon.” As if I couldn’t infer what he meant by that, he licked a path up the center of my stomach.
I squirmed at the wet heat trailing up my skin. “Um, on second thought, ice cream sounds great.”
We scrambled out of bed and into the nearest clothes, which left me in his jeans and an old T-shirt that were comically big on me, but I didn’t mind. They smelled like him, and they were comfortable—and warm, which was important the second we stepped out of the house. Despite the hot summer days, nights in this part of the country were chilly. The air off of the water was a welcome change from the stagnant desert of Vegas.
“This better be worth it,” I mock-complained.
“You could have stayed home.”
“Please. With how many hours I put in today? People will have to pry us apart with a crowbar.”
Nate threw me a teasing grin, the dashboard lights playing over his face.
I was such a glutton for punishment.
Despite my bravado, I’d had such a long day that by the time we got to the twenty-four-hour convenience store ten minutes away, there was no getting me out of the car.
Nate’s laugh stirred me from where I’d dozed off against the window. “What?” I rubbed at my tired eyes.
“You are so adorable.”
“Shut up and go get my ice cream.”
Chuckling, Nate got out of the car and disappeared into the store, leaving the car running so I’d have some air. I lowered the volume on the radio so I wouldn’t be subjected to his latest death metal screaming match. That’s when the phone call came through. It was connected to Nate’s Bluetooth.
The screen read, “Hottie with a Harley.”
I glanced at the storefront. Nate stood with his back to the window, scanning the freezers… and talking on the phone. I narrowed my eyes and reached for the volume.
He hung up.
Stomach churning, I curled up in the seat, pulling my arms tight around myself. My fiancé had cheated on me right before he agreed to marry me, but he still chose to marryme,so I told myself it was all right. I only wound up getting hurt as a result. I wassonaive. I swore I would never let it happen again.
I was so wrapped up in my thoughts that I didn’t notice Nate leaving the store. The car door opened, and I jumped.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Yeah, just… tired.”
Nate set the shopping bag in the back seat, tossed his phone in the cupholder, and backed out of the parking spot.
I licked my lips. “Who were you talking to on the phone?”
His answer came instantly and without hesitation. “My brother.”
“At three in the morning?”
“Yeah, he works nights. He was on his lunch break.”
Now, I was an only child, but I couldn’t imagine a world where one brother would save the other as “Hottie with a Harley” in their phone.
I studied Nate’s face as he drove. He didn’t seem suspicious of my interrogation. In fact, he had a slight grin on his face. One that I’d never seen before… almost like a kid who’d gotten away with stealing cookies.
“Who’s, um…” I paused to clear my throat. How was I supposed to accuse someone of cheating right to their face? And why didIfeel like the villain when I was pretty sure I was the victim? Christ this was giving me a headache. Maybe I was wrong. After all, it was just a phone call. Icould ignore it, but I couldn’t seem to stop myself. “Who’s ‘Hottie with a Harley’?”
