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“Distracted?” He smirks.
“What? Me? No.” I pull a face telling him he’s crazy before turning the faucet off and drying the lettuce leaves on some kitchen paper.
Adding them on top of the bacon, I reach over and pick up the tomato slices, placing them on the stack too. I smile down at my creation and pull two plates out of the cupboard, waiting for Nate to finish slicing the avocado.
Screwing the lid back on the jar of garlic mayonnaise, I catch him studying it with a frown on his face.
“Here,” I say, stepping closer and reaching my hand out for it. He doesn’t let it go when I try to take it from him, instead he grabs my wrist and pulls me closer, his lips lifting up into a smirk.
“I know how to cut an avocado, Amelia.”
“I…” My head tilts back, my eyes transfixed on his. I swallow against the sudden dryness in my throat. “I know that.” His fingers flex around my wrist as he takes a half step closer, his chest coming flush against mine.
He scans my eyes, trying to see what I’m thinking. “What’s going on with you?”
As soon as I realize what he’s doing, I slam my lids shut, cutting off the only way he’ll be able to see the truth from me. I’ve become so good at putting on a front, at being the person everyone can rely on; the person they can talk to about their own problems and not feel guilty because I don’t have any issues of my own. But I know tif Nate looks too closely—the way he was just now—he’ll be able to see it all.
And I can’t let him.
Pulling my wrist out of his grasp, I open my eyes, still feeling the warmth of his gaze penetrating my skin as I pick up the avocado.
“There’s nothing going on with me,” I finally manage to say when I’ve locked everything away.
He puts his hand over mine, stopping me from cutting it up. “We’re not blind. Tris is worried about you and the packages you keep getting.” I try not to flinch but I can’t help it. “If you’re in trouble—”
I la
ugh, the sound loud and brash in the small space. “I’m not in trouble.”
“Well then, what’s going on?”
“Apart from a slight internet shopping addiction I seem to have gained?” I raise a brow as I bring my gaze up to his, hoping he won’t be able to see through the blatant lie. “Not much.”
“You…” He nods slowly, hip checking me gently out of the way of the avocado. “You’re taking too long. I’m starving.”
“Hey!” I try to squirrel past him, but he blocks me with his arm held out. Wrapping my hands around his bicep, I push forward, my back against his chest as I try to move him with the same ease he just did with me. What is this man made of? Solid rock? “I’m the sandwich maker!”
“You gave me this avocado to slice, so I’m going to do just that.”
He tilts his head to the side, his slicing stopping as his eyes meet mine. He’s so close I can feel the air as it escapes his lips.
My fingers tighten on his biceps and his gaze flitting down to them and back seem to ignite something inside his eyes. The clank of metal sounds around us as he lets go of the knife.
His body turns but I don’t move mine, relishing in the fact we’re even closer. The front of his shoes meets my sock-covered toes, his torso against my stomach, his chest hitting mine on a deep breath. I feel him everywhere.
Butterflies swarm in my stomach, taking off like a flock of birds who are leaving for their next destination.
“Nate,” I whisper, my voice so small, afraid to talk too loud in case it breaks this weird vortex we seem to be caught up in.
Have his eyes always been this intense when he’s looking at me? Has his skin always been this tanned and smooth, or am I only noticing it now because I’m so close to him?
His bicep flexes as he lifts his arm, the rough pads of his fingers skating over my skin as he makes a path up to my shoulder.
My eyes flutter shut at the sensation and I have to sink my teeth into my bottom lip to stop the moan wanting to desperately escape.
If he keeps touching me like that...
“One chance to—” I cut him off, throwing caution to the wind as I jerk forward and lift up onto my tiptoes, practically knocking him out as I throw my lips against his. We both stumble and he laughs and catches me. “Easy, tiger. How about we try that one again?”
