Page 102 of Whirlwind

Angel’s attention snapped back to the table when Dakota announced that if their partners were going to order, they’d eat it all and the guys could just pay for it. And somehow Dakota manipulated them into paying for another round of pitchers and an appetizer platter for the table.

The three of them were hilarious, and Angel was delighted that her best friend had found two people that made him so visibly happy.

When all of that settled down, it was finally Angel’s turn to order. She’d finally decided on the barbecue.

“Angel,” Ben interrupted, gesturing toward the waitress, “you remember Nina, don’t you?”

Angel’s head snapped up, like it was yanked by a string.

Nina was the same but different. Older, of course. More confident in how she held herself. Her smooth, brown locks were pulled up in a ponytail with two little whisps delicately framing her face, which was still freckled from the sun. Her eyes were graced with just a hint of makeup, and her lips were kissably glossy.

Angel wondered how much she’d longed to do that when they’d known each other.

Probably just as much as Angel had.

She was wearing a black t-shirt with the Whirlwind logo and Angel couldn’t help but notice how the soft fabric hugged the swell of her breasts.

Her eyes, though, hadn’t changed at all. She looked Angel over in confusion, but all Angel could think of was how she’d made those shy, brown eyes glow with desire.

“We all went to school together,” Ben added for Nina’s benefit.

Angel could see the moment when Nina put it all together, eyes wide with an audible gasp. Then she looked down and away, her translucent skin showing her beautiful blush.

“Hey,” she mumbled, then started to turn away.

“You’re gorgeous,” Angel blurted out. She hadn’t meant to say anything. But Nina was all grown up, sexy and feminine and back after all of those years.

She knew she should apologize, but when she saw how Chan– Nina blushed and squirmed, she didn’t want to take it back. Nina wouldn’t meet her eyes, but she was watching her all the same.

If there were even a chance that Nina might be interested in her now, she didn’t want to lose it.

It hadn’t worked out before, but they’d been stupid teenagers. It was now obvious, Nina had probably been just as uncomfortable in her body as Angel was.

“What can I get for you?” Nina stammered, her voice throaty and rich like melted chocolate.

Angel wanted to keep her there longer. She wanted to soak in her appearance, to hear more of that voice. “I was going to get dinner. What do you recommend?”

It seemed to take Nina a moment to make sense of the question.

“Um… the burgers are good. The chipotle burger with… but you don’t like mayonnaise. The… everything’s good.”

Holy fuck. She remembered that? And did that indicate anything about their chance of a relationship now?

Angel looked her up and down, taking in every delicious detail. Letting her know that she liked what she saw.

Nina stared at her order pad like it was going to save her. But Angel didn’t miss that quick glance upward when Nina was watching her, too.

The sadist in Angel wanted to see her squirm some more, see if she could make that beautiful blush extend down to the seductive V of her shirt.

But Nina was working, and as much Angel wanted to corner her in the hallway, she didn’t want to screw up her job. “I’ll just have a cheeseburger, then, sub out the fries for salad.”

Nina looked relieved. She quickly took orders from the rest of the table. Everyone was awkwardly quiet as they placed their orders, but looks were flying between them. She hadn’t exactly been subtle.

Dakota and Parker were smirking. Those assholes had known. Would it have killed Ben to explain that Nina worked at Whirlwind?

“I’ll get those out right away,” Nina promised.

As soon as she was out of earshot, everyone jumped on her. “Who is that?” “What just happened?” “Damn, that was hot. Do you think she’s interested?” “Of course she’s interested. You could see the flames from a mile away.”

Angel let it all wash over her. There was really only one explanation. “She was the one who got away.”

Dakota smirked. “Pay up, Parker.”

Angel rolled her eyes, but whatever they were bidding on, she didn’t want to know.

For the rest of the evening, she gave her new friends only half of her attention. The rest was focused on Nina. Watching her hips as she walked across the room. Her breasts as she leaned across a table. Her gorgeous eyes, and endless blush when she looked up to find Angel’s eyes on her.

Nina didn’t return to their table for the rest of the night.