"Then maybe we'll go some other night. Cat really wants to go on Ladies' Night, which is Tuesdays."
I nearly spit out my beer, laughing.
"What?" Nash asks. "You didn't know Cat dated? You don't know much about your cat, do you?"
"I guess not," I say, wiping my hand over my mouth.
"He said he's been cooped up in the house so much, it's been a while since he went on a date."
I set my beer down. "For me too."
"Maybe it's time you start dating again. You're not getting any younger."
"Oh, thanks. So now I'm old?" I smile.
"I'm just saying..."
"You're older than me."
"But I go on dates. You don't."
"So who was over here earlier?" I ask, because the dating topic was making me uncomfortable.
He leans back, smiling. "How'd you know someone was over here? Are you watching me out your window?"
"No." That's a lie. When I heard a car drive up, I ran to the window to see who it was, but it was too dark to tell.
"Marissa was here," he says, as though it's no big deal.
"Marissa, your fiancé?"
"EX-fiancé," he says emphatically.
"What did she want?"
"Sex," he says casually.
My jaw drops, but I snap it shut. "She drove all the way down here to have sex with you? Doesn't she have a boyfriend?"
"Yeah, but apparently he's not meeting her needs." He swigs his beer.
Sex with Nash must be really good if she was willing to drive two hours to get it. And cheat on her boyfriend.
"So why'd she leave?"
"Because I told her no. Did you really think I'd have sex with her?"
"Maybe. You two have a history, and it's been a while so maybe—"
"No." He shakes his head. "I'm not that desperate. I'm holding out for someone I actually want to be with." He sets his eyes on mine. "Unfortunately, she's not interested."
Does he really think that? Because the truth is, I am interested. I'm more than interested. I just can't let myself go there. There are too many things I need to deal with right now and a relationship is last on the list, although having sex with him wouldn't necessarily mean we're in a relationship.
I glance away, because his intense stare with those gorgeous blue eyes is arousing urges inside me that are getting harder to resist. Every time we're together, my attraction to him builds, my body longing to be with him.
I quickly change topics and tell him about my dinner with Lou the other night. We continue to talk, and the hours pass, and before I know it, it's almost midnight.
"I need to get to bed," I say, getting up from the table. The movement startles Cat and he sits up. "Goodnight, Cat." I pet his head. "Thanks for inviting me." He rubs his head on my hand and purrs.
"Told you he likes you." Nash picks Cat up and sets him just inside the door. "Go upstairs to your bed," he tells him, and Cat slinks off.
I stand there in awe. "I can't believe he listens to you."
"Come on." He goes down the deck stairs. "I'll walk you back to the house."
When we get to the door, he waits for me to unlock it, then says, "I had a good time tonight. Maybe we could do this again."
I look up at his rugged face, his well-defined jaw, his scruffy beard that he's let grow out a couple days. I feel that urge again. It's so strong, begging me to be with him, even if it's just for one night.
"Goodnight, Callie." He leans down like he's going to kiss me, but then stops himself and slowly backs away. "Habit." He smiles.
"Yeah." I bite my lip, fighting the urge to kiss him. "Goodnight."
"One more thing." He reaches over and loosely holds my hand. "When you're ready to take this beyond a professional relationship, I'm all in."
"But what about—"
"Callie," he says, interrupting me. "I don't care about whatever it is you were going to say. None of that matters to me. I just want to be with you. I want to go back to how we were before. I miss you." He leans down and kisses my cheek. "So when you're ready, you know where to find me."
He leaves, and I'm left wondering if he really means it. Would he really want to be with someone like me? Some days even I don't want to be with me. But I want to be with Nash. I really want to be with Nash.
The next morning, I get ready to meet Trina at the coffee shop. After we have lunch, I don't know what we're going to do. I guess we could go to the mall on the other side of town. Trina and I used to go shopping all the time back in high school. Now I never go.
As a fashion major, Trina always comments on my clothes so I put on something simple but nice, hoping she won't pick apart my outfit. I'm wearing a pair of black shorts, a white short-sleeve cotton blouse, and black sandals. I wore my hair down and put on silver hoop earrings.
The doorbell rings. It must be Nash. Or maybe it's Cat. I laugh as I picture him at the door. Maybe today he brought me coffee.
I open the door.