Big Shot(45)

“I know I don’t have to.” He picked up the remote and pointed it at the TV and started pressing buttons. “We’re going to watch Netflix and chill, like I told you. And by ‘chill,’ I mean relax. Do you want to watch another episode of Friends, or something else?”

He looked like he genuinely wanted to stay, and she was finding it difficult to argue when she wanted him to stay. “Whatever you want.” The least she could do was let him pick the show or movie.

A slow, sinful grin eased up the corners of that gorgeous, talented mouth of his. “I guess watching porn is out of the question tonight, huh?” he asked, just as she put another spoonful of soup into her mouth.

She almost snorted a noodle out of her nose for swallowing and laughing at the same time, and he chuckled, too. God, she wasn’t supposed to be laughing after the rotten day she’d had, but it felt good. And oddly normal with Wes. “Porn is definitely not an option tonight.”

“Can’t blame a guy for asking,” he teased as he winked at her, then returned his attention to the catalog of movies he had to pick from.

He ended up choosing Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, surprising her.

“I love this movie,” she said, though it had been a while since she’d seen it.

“Me, too,” he said, giving her a quick smile before pressing the play button. “With Elf coming in a close second.”

“Yeah, they’re total classics that are underappreciated these days.” She munched on a saltine cracker, realizing just how grateful her stomach was to finally have something in it.

He nodded in agreement, then spouted off one of the movie’s most iconic quotes. “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

His gaze was locked on hers, and after the sentences left his mouth, he looked at her, really looked at her, as if he was truly seeing her for the first time. Or seeing her for the first time in a whole different light than the frenemy she’d always been, based on Ferris Bueller’s wise words. He wasn’t gazing at her sexually or with lust but with the kind of emotion that went so much deeper than just a physical connection. The kind of emotion that would have made her weak in the knees had she been standing. As it was, her heart was knocking around in her chest, and it took more willpower than she possessed to break eye contact with him and let the moment fade.

They were both quiet as the movie started and she finished her soup and crackers and drank more of her Gatorade. After a while he paused the show, then took her bowl and plate to the kitchen, and she heard him cleaning up and washing dishes. When he returned, he turned off her bedroom light, got back into bed beside her, and scooched down a bit on the mattress so he wasn’t totally upright.

He patted the space next to him, his smile affectionate. “Come here, Minx, so I can cuddle with you.”

God, she loved that pet name, and she was going to miss hearing it once they went their separate ways. “You’re not worried about catching my cooties if it’s the flu?” she asked, certain he’d change his mind after the reminder of how sick she’d been.

He shook his head, not looking the least bit concerned. “Nah. I’ll totally risk it for you.”

Such simple words, but they made her melt inside. After readjusting the pillows, she snuggled up to his side and rested her head right where his chest tapered into his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her, and she placed a hand on his abdomen—wishing he wasn’t wearing his shirt—and relaxed one of her legs over his. They were tangled together in the best possible way, and while she thought he might feel too smothered and he’d want his space, it never happened.

So, Wes was a cuddler, she thought with a smile as she fixed her gaze on the movie they were watching. And a really good one. And he smelled amazing, too. Warm and masculine, the scent of him was both arousing and comforting, and she had to resist the urge to burrow closer, deeper, so she could memorize everything about this moment and this man and how something so simple as bringing her soup when she was sick made her feel so . . . special.

She couldn’t remember the last time that a man she was in a relationship with had gone out of his way, above and beyond what was expected, to take care of her. To just be with her. No pretenses of anything else. No expectations.

The one big thing she’d discovered in their two weeks together was that cocky, arrogant Wes Sinclair with the panty-dropping smile had a soft side he’d kept to himself. Until now.

He had all the makings of being perfect, swoon-worthy boyfriend material, except he didn’t want the commitment that came with it.

And that was a deal breaker for her.





Chapter Fifteen





“So, when are you going to tell Wes about the job offer in Atlanta?” Richard asked right before he lifted his Manhattan cocktail to his lips and took a sip.

Natalie sighed as she absently rubbed away the condensation on her glass of soda water, garnished with a lemon wedge. After being sick all day yesterday, she’d gone back to work today, but she wasn’t ready to test her stomach with alcohol. But when Richard found out that she wouldn’t be spending the evening with Wes like she’d normally been doing over the past two weeks, he’d coerced her into going to the Popped Cherry with him for a drink.

She was kind of bummed that Wes had to cancel any plans he might have made with her for tonight, their last night together, but she understood his reasons. A wealthy client of his from New York had unexpectedly flown into town for the day to view a piece of property he was interested in purchasing, and the visit had turned into a business dinner to discuss negotiations.