Nash catches her arm and looks at me with raised eyebrows. “See? Tripping hazard.”
“You’re the one who put it there.” I laugh.
“Sorry about that. I trip a lot,” Piper says as she stands up straight again. “Sorry to interrupt your hallway make-out session, but I’m heading to work. We’re doing inventory this evening.”
We say goodbye and wait as she walks down the hall.
“Should we go get some dinner?” Nash asks.
Piper is still in the stairwell because she calls back, “It’s half-off appetizers at the pub tonight!”
I look at Nash to gauge his interest.
“I’m assuming that’s where she works? Where you get to use their equipment?” he asks.
“Yes. If we go eat there, you can see what you think of some of my and Piper’s whiskeys.”
“All right. Let’s do it. We need a chance to talk anyway. Will I be functioning after this dinner?”
“Depends on how much you like the whiskey,” I say with a laugh.
“I have a confession. I’m the biggest lightweight around.”
“Let’s Uber then.”
“Oh, I have an even better idea.” He pulls his phone from his pocket and texts someone.
“What are you doing?”
“Texting Eli.”
Nash’s phone chimes. “Perfect. He’s working tonight. He says he just brought Grandpa home after a drive.”
“Where would he be going at this time of night? Shouldn’t he be home, recovering still?”
“He’s been sneaking out for some drives with Eli. I think he wanted to get out and see something other than the inside of his house.”
Nash holds out a hand, and I slowly put mine in his.
“You look beautiful tonight,” he says as he pulls me toward him.
I stop with my feet between his. My purple high heels make me tall enough that if I were to tip my head back a little, I could kiss his lips.
Nash seems to be thinking the same thing because he slowly lowers his head and presses his lips against mine. Heat floods my face, and my heart races. He releases my hands to grab my waist and pull me closer until I’m plastered against his chest. One hand covers my lower back while another grasps my hip, his fingers digging into my skin, but it doesn’t hurt.
I can’t believe we didn’t start kissing the first day we met. I’ve been missing out on this the whole time.
I reach up to wrap an arm around his neck, deepening our kiss. I can’t get enough of him. He’s everything I’ve wanted. He doesn’t make me feel small for my dreams. He actually likes my quirky sense of humor. He doesn’t mock me for my love of small towns. He makes me feel seen.
Someone clears their throat loudly, and Nash and I pull apart abruptly.
Charlie is standing in the hallway now, her hands planted on her hips. “Good thing we don’t have security cameras in this building. You’d be giving someone a show.”
“Can’t you and Piper just stay in the apartment for one minute?”
“Piper left fifteen minutes ago,” Charlie says helpfully.
Nash still has a firm grip on me as he looks past my shoulder at Charlie. “I like kissing my fiancée. Get over it.”
