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“Are you sure you’re not hungry—oh! You must be her!”
Nate takes the bags and sets them on the kitchen counter while the woman rushes forward to meet me. I stand and offer my hand, but she kisses me on each cheek instead.
“Am I her?” I ask, laughing.
“You are the famous Meredith!”
Nate introduces the woman as Dominique, the chef at the nearby lodge.
“It’s so nice to meet you. I’ve heard so much about you. When I was leaving work, I saw the lights were on at the main house, and I thought whoever was still awake might like a midnight snack. What a pleasant surprise that it’s my boy Nathaniel and his sweetheart.”
Okay. I like this woman.
Just a midnight snack turns into an assortment of meat, cheese, crackers, and Dominique’s chutneys that melt in my mouth. Strangely, there’s also a bowl of Funyuns, which I avoid.
Nate looks adorably embarrassed as Dominique grills me, but all is well. She seems to like us together. Oddly, everyone in Nate’s life seems to approve of whatever this is between us.
“He’s a good boy. I know you’ll take good care of him.”
I don’t know why everyone in Nate’s life thinks I’m the “one.” Perhaps it’s been so long since he dated, and everyone is happy he’s finally stopped punishing himself for his wilding phase.
I hope that’s the case. Nate deserves to be happy. I’m glad the ones who love him can see that.
Mariam and a bedraggled Jesse arrive home moments later. Nate and I dismiss ourselves quietly while Dominique pours two large glasses of wine and begins the third degree about the night’s events.
The short drive to the lodge is down a dusty lane past the event center and deeper into the woods. From the outside, the entire building looks like a simple two-story motel made with logs. But now I know better what to expect on the inside.
I step inside Nate’s lodgings, which is not even close to what I would describe as an apartment.
It’s enormous, with twin floor-to-ceiling cathedral-style windows. It’s more or less a smaller version of Jesse and Mariam’s log cabin.
“Are you cold?”
I turn to look at Nate as he’s locking the door.
“No.”
I glance down at my hands, shaking in anticipation.
“Guess I’m excited we’re finally alone.”
When my eyes lift to meet Nate’s, my world is overwhelmed by Nate’s presence. His mouth is on mine, and his hands help me shove my coat to the floor.
Rain patters against the windows, and why does that sound make me hornier?
Nate owns my mouth, pushing his tongue in with a force that has me angling backward and moaning against his ragged breath. He pulls back and gives me a heated look. “Damn, I enjoy kissing you.”
“So why’d you stop?”
“Don’t know,” he grunts, driving his mouth against me again and hugging my waist. “But I need you up here…closer.”
His arms hoist me upward. Two big hands cup my cheeks, my thighs braced against him with those gorgeous forearms. I wrap my legs around his middle and settle my chest against his.
“There,” he says, between wet, urgent kisses. “Now we’re even.”
“I like that you can hold me like this,” I say, matching him with a kiss for each of his. “I like that you’re not straining your neck to kiss me.”
Nate groans into my mouth as I suck his tongue.
