After some thought, I realized it would have been better if I’d hit him with a frying pan at that moment, rather than let those words slip past my lips.
His eyes widened as he stared unblinking at me. His grip tightened, pulling me closer, his forehead leaning to rest against mine, his eyes screwed tight. Tension was radiating off him. The turmoil happening inside him was my own selfish doing and was difficult to watch, making me feel helpless. Hadn’t I accepted he didn’t operate this way, that he might not ever be able to say the words or express any real, lasting affection for me?
“I’m sorry…” I trailed off, my hands creating soothing motions on his back.
He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled my body flush with his. His lips trailed down my neck and across my shoulder, dropping my tank top strap down my arm, ending the conversation there and moving on to what we both needed.
To the only way he knew how to express his feelings.
CHAPTER 21
“Oh, my God. Could you quit flaunting your tits around? I’m getting so sick of looking at yours, I can hardly stand to look at my own. And, by the way, if he hasn’t taken the bait yet, he isn’t going to.” Caroline was attempting to get the point across to two B.S. members, Kelly and Tiffany.
I was having a very difficult time keeping my coffee in my mouth. It was threatening to fly out all over my desk, files and computer screen. There was nothing worse than coffee stained documents.
I chanced a glance over at Nathan, also attempting not to laugh, his hand covering his mouth, concealing his upturned lips. His eyes betrayed him, laugh lines crinkling in the corners.
Laugh lines.
My addiction to seeing them was growing stronger every day. Each time he smiled, I wanted more.
Caroline was living up our secret to the fullest by giving it to the Boob-Squad.
“Whatever, Caroline.” Kelly sneered, pulling me from my internal musing, before grabbing Tiffany’s arm and leaving our office.
We continued to snicker about them after they left, our good mood making the office feel light.
It was short lived when Andrew’s voice rang out around the walls.
“Morning!” he greeted with a huge grin.
He and Nathan exchanged a brief glare before he turned back to me and smiled.
Andrew seemed to note our grins. “Did I miss something?”
“Just Caroline showing the Boob-Squad why she rocks,” I answered.
“Awesome!” He reached out to Caroline for a high-five. “Oh! Hey, Lila, guess who I ran into last night?” he asked, plopping down on the chair in the corner of our office.
“Who?”
“Teresa,” he stated.
My face lit up with a smile. “I thought she and Armando were still in Europe.”
“Yeah, apparently Joan found another kid that needed a home and, well, you know Teresa.”
I smiled as a picture of Joan Stateman popped into my head. It was with Joan’s help that I got out and was able to see what a normal family was like. It was because of them I had gotten as far as I had in life, despite my rocky start. I owed them my life.
“Yeah. She never passed up the opportunity to help any child,” I replied with a smile.
“What are you two talking about?” Nathan asked.
Andrew looked to me, I looked to Caroline, Caroline looked to Andrew, and we all looked to Nathan.
“Well, umm, Teresa was my foster mom for a little while.”
Nathan’s eyes grew wide as he stared at me in shock, his jaw slack.
Caroline jumped up, pulling on Andrew’s arm. “Come on, Andrew, let’s go get some coffee.”
“Umm, okay,” he mumbled, looking between Nathan and I in confusion.
Caroline shut the door as they exited. Another reason to love her.
“What?”