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“You just came up with this?” I search his face for more clarity.
He shrugs. “I thought if we made it a week in Budapest or wherever without killing each other, then maybe I could convince you to come travel with me this summer.”
“You’re not serious.”
My head starts spinning with images of us backpacking through the streets of Hungary, exploring ancient landmarks and popping into dimly lit cafés. Then later, other dimly lit activities. Just Nate and I, caught up in our own adventure.
“Why not?” He’s got mischief in his eyes, which is a dangerous thing with a guy like Nate. There’s all sorts of trouble a mind like his can get up to.
“I thought you were a solo traveler,” I say, still completely shook by his invitation.
“Maybe you changed my mind.”
“I’d love to know how I did that.”
“Ignoring me for five weeks was part of it,” he admits before having to step away for a moment to pour some drinks and ring up orders. Then he’s back, watching me with that deep, intense gaze.
“So this is a ploy to get me back. Is that it?”
“I missed you,” Nate says under those dark lashes. “Which made me realize how much more I’d miss you if I was on the road for three months without you.”
I bite my lip against the blush rising to my cheeks. Damn him, but he’s good at this.
“And maybe I realized that feeling I’d been avoiding wasn’t going away.”
My breath gets stuck in my lungs. “What feeling is that?”
“That I’m in love with you.”
God. You havegotto be kidding me.
Is he actually saying this? Mere hours after Jack declared the same?
Nate meets my startled gaze, taking my hand to rub his thumb over the inside of my wrist. “And if you’ll say yes, I want this adventure with you. We can make some memories together. Maybe a little trouble along the way. Whatever we want.”
I suddenly grasp the gravity of his offer. What it means to him to make plans. To allow someone else into his sphere and share this dream with me. It’s the only thing I’ve asked of him, and he’s handing it to me on a platter.
But the timing is…terrible.
I’m as tempted to say yes and chase the road with him as I was to say yes to Jack and fly off to Sydney.
And the fact that the choice isn’t clear in my mind in this instant means I can’t honestly say what my heart wants.
“Baby?” he says huskily. “What do you think?”
I think that if he calls mebabyagain, I’m liable to melt in a puddle on this beer-stained floor.
Instead, I swallow hard and say, “If I say no to Budapest, is summer off the table?”
He smiles wryly. “I take that to mean you’re saying no to Budapest?”
“I think so.” I nod regretfully. “Yeah, I’m saying no. Not because I don’t want to go. I desperately want to go. But…it’s too short notice. And you’ve thrown me for a loop here. I need more than a couple days to articulate the jumbled mess of thoughts that are fogging up my brain.”
He nods back. “It was worth a try. And to answer your question, summer is still very much on the table. You know…before I met you, my only goal was to save as much money as I could and see the world. Collect experiences. Never wanted to be tied down or corralled while I did that. And now…”
I can scarcely breathe. “And now what?”
“Now I’m recognizing the value of having someone along for the ride. Someone you’re passionate about. I meant what I said, Abbey. I’ve fallen for you. I’ve fallen bloody hard.”
