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IT WAS THE BEST THING TO HAPPEN TO ME
KARINA
Nope, only you.
The words didn’t sit well in my stomach. They rocked and swirled, making me completely uncomfortable. But that was Nathan’s plan. Even if it wasn’t, he always seemed to do so without intent. Yet, the smile on his lips as he pulled away told me he meant to.
I rolled my eyes. “Whatever you say. We both know you love to flirt around.”
He chuckled, sliding his arm around my shoulder. I brushed it off and looked over at him. He nodded, shoving his hands into his pockets. “I do, but never in a serious manner.”
“Oh, I’m well aware.”
“So, we’re back to you hating me again.” He lifted himself on his toes and rocked back onto his heels. “That’s fine. I deserve it. I’m just glad to see you’re doing well.”
“I am, without you” I stepped away from him.
“Not from what I heard.”
“And what have you heard?”
“Something about you being a stylist for the girls here instead of going back to your old job.” He shrugged.
“So, things that are none of your business.” I snapped at him.
“You’re right, none of my business.” Nathan looked down at the watch on his wrist. “But, looking at the time, I still have you for the next twenty minutes.”
“Twenty?” I nearly choked out.
“Oh yeah, didn’t Bunny tell you? I paid for an hour.”
What the actual fuck.
I crossed my arms. “I am not staying with you in this room any longer.”
“We can go elsewhere if you’d like.” He grinned, taking pointing his thumb towards the curtain. “I have my bike parked right outside.”
“So you can leave me and tell me you’ll come back for me?” My voice rose.
A look of hurt ran across his face. “I’m here, aren’t I?”
“Almost a year too late, Nathan.” I spat.
The usual grin on his face fell as he sighed. “Then let me make it up to you.”
“And how do you expect to do that?” I asked as he continued to stand there.
He shrugged. “I’ll make it up as I go.”
“Why do you even want to make it up to me, Nathan?” I continued.
“Because,” He sighed, taking a step towards me. “I made the biggest mistake when I didn’t come back for you.”
“It was the best thing to happen to me.” I lied.
“You don’t have to lie to yourself.” His hand reached for me, but placed my hands behind my back. “I can tell you’re angry, but you also missed me.”
“Believe what you want to believe.” I waved him off.
“Good, because I was going to.”
I turned from him and walked over to the couch. Sitting down, I glanced at him. He stood there with a smirk while his eyes undressed me, as usual.
“Don’t act as if you’re going to do anything. We both know you won’t.”
His attention flickered back up to me. “Doesn’t mean I don’t want to.”
Of course, it didn’t mean he didn’t want to. This was Nathan. His actions differed from his words and even when they didn’t, he still held back. “Wasn’t the lap dance enough for you?”
A smile formed on his lips. “Oh, the dance was more than enough. Doesn’t mean I don’t want more than just that.”
“Are you done flirting?”
He chuckled. “Not in the slightest. I’m just getting warmed up.”
Clearly.
“So, what are you doing here?” I asked.
“I told you, I was looking for you.”
No shit but, “Why?”
“I don’t think now is the perfect time to talk about it.” He looked behind him towards the curtain, then back at me. “There could be ears listening in, but if you agree to a little joy ride with me, I can tell you everything you want to know.”
“Why did you lie?” I persisted.
He tilted his head to the side, eyes narrowed, as if trying to think of when he lied. Once he figured it out, he looked back at me, shrugging. “Classified information.”
“So, you won’t tell me everything I want to know and therefore lied again.”
“Karina.” He sighed.
I held my hand up to him. “Save it for someone else.” Getting up from the couch, I walked past him. His fingers wrapped around my arm gently, careful not to leave a mark.
I drifted my attention from his hand to his face. His eyes pleaded for me to stay, to hear him out. But it was too late for that. I wouldn’t give in easily to his soft gray eyes or his sad face. “Please, Karina. You trusted me once with your life. I need you to do it again.”
I pulled my arm from his grasp. “Tell me why.”
And I regretted saying those dreadful words. As soon as they slipped from my lips, a smile formed on his and I knew exactly what he was about to say next.
“Ain’t nothing but…” He paused a moment, “Ok, I forgot the lyrics.”
Fucking hell. I could feel my lips curl into a smile. Rolling my eyes, I turned my head from his view. “I hate you.”
“You don’t mean that.” Nathan’s finger touched my chin, forcing me to turn back to him. His face inches from mine. I reached up, pushing him away.
“With you, I really should.”
“Should, meaning you don’t,” he said.
To think I almost forgot how aggravating he was. Nathan was already getting under my skin, and it hadn’t even been an hour. “You deserved to be smacked.”
“Don’t worry, Nana did that for you already a few months ago.”
I took a step back, his finger falling from my skin. “How is she?”
“Same old tough-skinned lady picking on the younger generation.” There weren’t too many other people there when I met her, so I assume he meant himself. Then again, she was the only family member of his I’d met yet… he knew my entire family.
“When do I get to see her again?”
Nathan shrugged his shoulders, dipping his hands into his pockets. “Depends on how the rest of tonight goes.”
“You make it sound like it’s a date.” I rolled my eyes.
“Gotta make up for my actions. I can’t take them back, but we can find a way to move forward.”
Taking a deep breath, I crossed my arms. “You’re not going to give up, are you?”
“Nope.” He popped the P with emphasis.
“Fine. I’ll change and we can go.”
“Shouldn’t you tell your boyfriend?”
He thought I had one. Was he jealous? I blinked twice, a chuckle escaping my lips. “It’s just a night out with a former client, nothing more.”
He scoffed, knowing he wasn’t just that. “One who has seen more of you than anyone else.”
In more ways than one, but I knew where he was going with his words. I shrugged, as if he might have been wrong. He wasn’t, but making him think so wouldn’t do me much harm.
“I’d tell you who I slept with, but gentlemen don’t boast about my conquests.”
I laughed. “We both know you’re not one.”
“More so than whoever you’ve been with, Princess.”
“And what if I told you it was Adam?” It was a far stretch. Nathan knew better than anyone that I wouldn’t, but seeing his smile turn into a scowl made it worth it.
“I’d tell you I was better than him.”
I laughed. “You sound jealous, Nathan.”
“Of your boyfriend? No, just making a statement based on facts.”
“You never liked him.”
“And I still don’t.”
I opened my mouth to ask why, but there was no point. He wasn’t going to answer me. I shrugged. “From where I’m standing, all I see is a man who claims he isn’t, but is just as bad.”
Nathan blinked, taking my words in. He glanced back at me. The sad look in his eyes shifted into determination flashed across his face as a small smile formed on his lips.
He was going to be even worse than the first time, wasn’t he?
“Guess I’m just going to have to prove you wrong, Princess.”
Yup... he was going to be much worse.
