more than one night to get her out of his system. Maybe a lifetime of nights. And if she came on to him again, good idea or not, he wouldnât be pushing her away.
He would just have to hope that she didnât.
Only after heâd hung up with Ana, and checked his schedule for his next meeting, did Nathan realize the mistake heâd just made. He was supposed to go to Adam and Katyâs holiday get-together Saturday evening. That was what he got for not checking his schedule before committing himself. Heâd been so enticed by the idea ofspending some real quality time with his son, he hadnât even considered he might have another obligation.
Damn it. Emilio and his fiancée would be there, and he knew his brother would never miss an opportunity to score a few brownie points. Leaving him the odd man out. He could call Ana back and tell her he couldnât make it, but something told him that wouldnât go over really well.
He knew going into this that being a parent would require sacrifice. Besides, Adam had assured him it was okay if he didnât come, that he knew it was last-minute.
Nathan just hoped he meant it. Heâd come too far, was too close to getting everything he wanted to throw it all away.
Â
Everything was going to be fine.
Ana sat on the couch, one eye on Max in his exersaucer and one on the clock. Nathan was due there any minute to babysit. And though she was maybe a tiny bit nervous about leaving him and Max alone for the first time, she was crazy nervous about Nathan being here. Their lunch date Thursdayâusing the word date in the loosest of sensesâhad fallen through, so she hadnât actually seen him since they slept together Tuesday night. They had talked on the phone a couple of times, but that wasnât the same as seeing someone face-to-face.
So much for her brilliant theory about sleeping with Nathan to get him out of her system. All that did was make her want him more, make her fall just a little more in love with him. But what was the point of being in love with someone who didnât love her back?
Easy. There wasnât one.
What had she expected? That sleeping with her was going to make Nathan suddenly realize that he loved her and couldnât live without her? Clearly that wasnât goingto happen. She didnât doubt that he cared about her, and desired her. Just not enough to want to spend the rest of his life with her. She was fun in the short term, just not marriage material.
Wasnât that the story of her life?
He may have been her one true love, but obviously she wasnât his. And even if he were willing to settle for a life with her and Max, she wanted more than that. She had no illusions about who she was and what she needed from a relationship to be happy. With all her insecurities, she needed someone who adored her. Someone who put his love for her above all else.
Nathan would never be that man. Not for her, and probably not for anyone else. He was too independent, too focused on his own life to devote himself completely to someone else.
The only exception to that rule seemed to be Max.
The bell sounded and she shot up off the couch like a spring. Jeez, Ana, relax. She forced herself to walk slowly to the door, glancing at her reflection in the foyer mirror. She didnât get out much these days, so sheâd really taken her time getting ready. Usually by this point in the evening she was a disheveled mess, but even she had to admit that she looked pretty hot. Who knows, maybe she would meet someone at the bar tonight. She had wanted to devote her life 24/7 to Max when he was an infant, but he was practically a toddler now, and old enough that she could start thinking about dating again.
If she could just get her mind off of Nathan. She only hoped when she saw him, there wasnât any of that morning-after awkwardness. Even though technically it was more than four mornings after.
Heart in her throat, she
He would just have to hope that she didnât.
Only after heâd hung up with Ana, and checked his schedule for his next meeting, did Nathan realize the mistake heâd just made. He was supposed to go to Adam and Katyâs holiday get-together Saturday evening. That was what he got for not checking his schedule before committing himself. Heâd been so enticed by the idea ofspending some real quality time with his son, he hadnât even considered he might have another obligation.
Damn it. Emilio and his fiancée would be there, and he knew his brother would never miss an opportunity to score a few brownie points. Leaving him the odd man out. He could call Ana back and tell her he couldnât make it, but something told him that wouldnât go over really well.
He knew going into this that being a parent would require sacrifice. Besides, Adam had assured him it was okay if he didnât come, that he knew it was last-minute.
Nathan just hoped he meant it. Heâd come too far, was too close to getting everything he wanted to throw it all away.
Â
Everything was going to be fine.
Ana sat on the couch, one eye on Max in his exersaucer and one on the clock. Nathan was due there any minute to babysit. And though she was maybe a tiny bit nervous about leaving him and Max alone for the first time, she was crazy nervous about Nathan being here. Their lunch date Thursdayâusing the word date in the loosest of sensesâhad fallen through, so she hadnât actually seen him since they slept together Tuesday night. They had talked on the phone a couple of times, but that wasnât the same as seeing someone face-to-face.
So much for her brilliant theory about sleeping with Nathan to get him out of her system. All that did was make her want him more, make her fall just a little more in love with him. But what was the point of being in love with someone who didnât love her back?
Easy. There wasnât one.
What had she expected? That sleeping with her was going to make Nathan suddenly realize that he loved her and couldnât live without her? Clearly that wasnât goingto happen. She didnât doubt that he cared about her, and desired her. Just not enough to want to spend the rest of his life with her. She was fun in the short term, just not marriage material.
Wasnât that the story of her life?
He may have been her one true love, but obviously she wasnât his. And even if he were willing to settle for a life with her and Max, she wanted more than that. She had no illusions about who she was and what she needed from a relationship to be happy. With all her insecurities, she needed someone who adored her. Someone who put his love for her above all else.
Nathan would never be that man. Not for her, and probably not for anyone else. He was too independent, too focused on his own life to devote himself completely to someone else.
The only exception to that rule seemed to be Max.
The bell sounded and she shot up off the couch like a spring. Jeez, Ana, relax. She forced herself to walk slowly to the door, glancing at her reflection in the foyer mirror. She didnât get out much these days, so sheâd really taken her time getting ready. Usually by this point in the evening she was a disheveled mess, but even she had to admit that she looked pretty hot. Who knows, maybe she would meet someone at the bar tonight. She had wanted to devote her life 24/7 to Max when he was an infant, but he was practically a toddler now, and old enough that she could start thinking about dating again.
If she could just get her mind off of Nathan. She only hoped when she saw him, there wasnât any of that morning-after awkwardness. Even though technically it was more than four mornings after.
Heart in her throat, she
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