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She didn’t know why she should feel disappointed. But she was. “That sounds a little mercenary, doesn’t it?”
He stared at her through those glasses of his. He looked a lot like his sister, but where her eyes were a light brown, his were more of a green color. Hazel, to be exact. With long dark eyelashes—
“When I was a kid, my dad died and left us in a bad position. My mom had to go back to school. She worked nights at a nursing home while going to class during the day. Money was…tight. She graduated and got a good job, but it was hard on her. I don’t ever want to leave my family in that kind of situation.” He finished off his glass of wine. “I might not get rich staying here in Whispering Bay, but I’ll be comfortable.”
Lauren felt her face go red. “I didn’t mean to imply—I’m sorry,” she mumbled. But he didn’t seem angry. He motioned for the server to bring the bill. She reached inside her purse and pulled out a credit card and handed it to him. “Please, I’d like to pay for my dinner.”
He handed it right back. “That’s not necessary. Having dinner with you tonight was my pleasure.” The way he emphasized the word pleasure made her flush again.
Get a grip, Lauren. He didn’t mean it that way!
The woman she’d spoken to earlier tonight in the bathroom walked by their table. She made a point of making eye contact with Nate and smiled. He smiled back, clearly confused, then frowned as if trying to place her.
“You don’t know her,” Lauren said.
“How did you know what I was thinking?”
“She and I had a few words in the bathroom. She saw you on YouTube and asked me about you.”
“Oh.”
“I told her you were, uh, well endowed.”
“You told her what?”
“I told her you had a big…you know, male member?” she whispered. Then she hiccupped.
He looked mildly disgusted. Or maybe he was amused. She couldn’t tell which. “Are you drunk?”
“No!”
Nate pulled out his cell phone and quietly made a call. Lauren’s head began to ache. She wasn’t drunk, but she was certainly feeling uninhibited. Why else would she have told him about her encounter with the woman in the bathroom? Had she really just used the phrase male member? Momma would have a hissy fit.
She glanced around the restaurant, then did a double take. They were the only ones left sitting at a table. She looked at her watch. They’d been here for over four hours! How had that happened?
He finished his call. “I’m not drunk,” he said, “but I’ve had enough to drink that if I got pulled over I might not pass a sobriety test. And you definitely wouldn’t. So I asked Lanie to come pick us up. We can leave our cars here overnight and get them in the morning. It’ll take her thirty minutes to get here. It’s a nice night. Not too cold. I thought we might take a walk on the beach while we wait for her? Clear our heads a little?”
She nodded. He was being polite again. Hers was definitely the head that needed clearing, not his.
They walked out of the restaurant. Nate spoke to the two valets and gave them some cash while Lauren looked on. Then they walked down to the boardwalk. Her feet were killing her already. There was no way she could make it across the uneven wood in these heels, so she slipped them off and took a few steps in her bare feet. “Oh, my God,” she moaned. “That feels so much better already.”
Nate looked uncertainly down the length of the boardwalk. “It’s dark and there are probably splinters, maybe even something sharp out there.” He turned and presented her with his back. “Hop on and I’ll give you a ride.”
“You’re going to give me a piggy back ride down to the beach?”
“The alternative is to potentially cut your foot.”
Put that way, there wasn’t much choice. Lauren was in the process of trying to figure out how to hop onto his back (and still maintain some sense of ladylike dignity) when he lowered himself and grabbed the back of her legs with his hands. He positioned her on his back and then hoisted her up so that her legs anchored around his waist. She threw her arms around his neck and he took off jogging across the boardwalk, taking the steps down to the beach at the same brisk pace. Lauren clung to his neck and screamed in laughter. “Don’t you dare drop me!” she cried.
They got to the bottom step and he gingerly helped her slide off his back. They both laughed this time. She’d never heard Nate laugh before. It was a masculine, deep laugh that sent a shiver all the way down to her red painted toe nails. They stood there just inches away from one another, he in his shoes and she in her bare feet. For some strange reason, she’d never felt so vulnerable in her entire life.
“I didn’t realize you were this short,” he said, gazing down at her. It wasn’t a put down; it was merely a statement of fact, the way he said it in that no-nonsense manner she was beginning to get used to.
“Hence, the heels.” She raised her pumps in the air to make her point.
He took off his shoes and socks and neatly arranged them on the bottom of the stairs. She placed her heels next to his shoes and they walked toward the shore.
It was chilly now, but her jacket kept her warm enough that she wasn’t miserable. Plus, there was something sort of nice about being on the beach with Nate. Neither of them said anything. They just kept walking, the cold salt water tickling their toes anytime they got too close to the gulf. Walking on the beach had been a good idea. Her head began to clear from the effects of too much wine and rich food, and she was shocked to discover that she was sorry the night was almost over. It occurred to her that this was probably the only time she’d ever be alone with Nate Miller, at least, in this sort of private setting, and she found herself curious.
