Boyfriend for Hire(21)
Being around Nic really does make me feel like anything is possible. And with my new go-for-it attitude, I actually might sign up to take test.
“Well, whenever you do take it, I know you’re going to ace it,” he says. “After knowing you for five minutes, I could already tell how smart and driven you are. You probably have a much higher IQ than most of the lawyers at your firm, and most of the women I’ve dated, for that matter.”
I chuckle at his compliment, shaking my head. “And how many women is that?” I ask playfully, raising an eyebrow.
His face falls for a second, and I mentally slap myself. Why did I even say that?
“I’m totally joking,” I say quickly, trying to recover. “Your love life is none of my business.”
I smile, trying to reassure him. I don’t want to let on that Christine told me about his playboy past, but I’m afraid I just made it obvious. Maybe it’s something he’s touchy about, or maybe he just doesn’t like to share so many personal details. Either way, I can tell I struck a chord.
His expression goes back to neutral. “I can say that honestly, none of them compare to you.” He looks at me with the same intensity from Saturday night, his eyes searching mine. “Not even close.”
I shake my head. “Are your pickup lines always this bad?”
Nic laughs, and God, do I love the sound of that. It’s deep and rich and genuine. “Probably. But most girls don’t call me out on them.”
He looks at me then . . . really looks at me, like he’s seeing me for the first time. My belly flips.
I stare back into his eyes, lost in the moment. My heart is pounding, and I want to reach across the table and pull him against me.
Finally, I break eye contact with him and look away. I almost forgot we were in a public place. Taking a sip of my latte, I try not to think about all the things I wish we had done on Saturday night.
“So, how’s Christine enjoying married life?” he asks, saving me from my thoughts.
“They’re on their honeymoon in Hawaii right now. She just sent me pictures of them hiking near a volcano.” I pull out my phone to show him the photos.
“They seem really happy,” he says, smiling. “Good for them.”
“You sound surprised,” I say, raising an eyebrow. “Are you one of those guys who thinks marriage is a scam?”
He shakes his head. “Not at all. I’m looking forward to domestic life, actually. Two kids, maybe a couple of dogs.”
I grin at him. “White picket fence?”
“Exactly,” he says, laughing.
It’s all too easy for me to picture myself cuddling up with Nic in a cute house in the suburbs.
Jesus, Elle, slow down.
I’m usually not like this when I first meet a guy, but something about Nic is so enticing—hell, so comfortable—that I can’t help but imagine what a future with him would be like.
“So, tell me more about this dream of yours,” I say. “Building custom homes. When exactly are you going to start your business?”
He sighs. “We’ll see. It’s a pretty big undertaking.”
I nod. “How about a pact? If I take the bar exam, you have to start your business.”
He takes a breath. “That’s a pretty serious commitment.” He watches me for a moment before holding out a hand. “Deal.”
We shake hands on it, and I ask him more about his plans for the business. The more he tells me, the more I can tell how passionate he is about this.
It’s so easy to be around him, joking and talking about our futures, that I don’t even realize how much time has passed until a barista comes to our table and asks if we’d like another round.
“Oh my God, has it really been an hour?” Looking up from my watch, I frown. “I have some work to catch up on before tomorrow.”
I don’t want to leave, but I know I have to get home to my laptop so I can finish the work I missed this afternoon. As much as I’d like to keep spending time with Nic, I can’t just blow off my responsibilities. He nods, looking disappointed.
“Let me walk you to your car,” he says, standing.
Outside is a perfect fall day. The sun is dipping toward the horizon, and there’s a cool breeze in the air. The leaves have all changed to bright oranges and reds, and they crunch under our feet as we walk through the parking lot.
“This was really fun,” I say once we get to my car, turning to face Nic. “Thanks for being so understanding about this weekend.”
“You really need to stop worrying about that,” he says. “But it’s cute that you were so nervous.”
I slap his arm playfully, grinning. “I wasn’t nervous.”
He smiles at me, and when our eyes meet, he takes a step closer, his dark eyes latching onto mine. Then he lifts my chin with his fingers before gently pressing his lips to mine. I lean in, wrapping my arms around his shoulders, and he puts an arm around my waist, pulling me in closer.
I close my eyes, giving in to the feel of his body pressing against mine. He’s kissing me softly, and the moment is so sweet, I want it to last forever.
My stomach flips as he trails his fingers along my lower back, and I grip the back of his head with my hand. When he pulls back, I want to reach for him again, but I force myself to take a step back.