it was totally irrational and Nate didn’t owe me a thing, I felt betrayed. I even was angry at the woman for invading my territory despite that being a ridiculous way to feel.
At that moment Nate glanced over the woman’s shoulder and our eyes met.
I froze.
Nate’s eyes bore into me as though he was trying to communicate with me telepathically. I looked away, not wanting him to know how hurt I was and not wanting him to think I was paying any attention to him at all. But when I glanced back up a moment later, his eyes were still on me.
He mouthed something at me then, even as the squirmy, curvy woman giggled again and whispered something in his ear. I stared back at him coolly and raised an eyebrow, not understanding. So he mouthed it again.
“Help” – that was what Nate was mouthing.
I felt a glimmer of hope deep inside.
I stood up. It was as though there was a disconnect between my body and my mind, because even though I had no idea what I was doing or what I was going to say, I found myself marching pointedly toward Nate and the woman on his lap.
“You’re so tense! Come on baby, just have one drink...let’s loosen you up,” the woman was purring as she massaged Nate’s broad shoulders – and managed to press her heaving chest against him in the process. I was sure it wasn’t an accident. I felt a flash of irritation, as though she was manhandling something precious to me. Part of me wanted to tell her to take a hike.
“Amanda!” Nate breathed, clearly relieved to see me. He stood up so quickly that the woman practically tumbled off his lap and onto the floor. “Uh, I have to go, sorry,” he mumbled to her, clearly unable to get out of there fast enough. “I promised to show Amanda that, uh, thing. You know, the...thing that’s...outside?”
“Oh right,” I played along with a nod. “The...thing...yeah, I can’t wait.”
“Good,” Nate said, reaching down to take my hand. When our fingers touched I felt a jolt of electricity so intense that I nearly jumped. “Let’s go,” he murmured, practically pulling me along with him. I had to break into a near-sprint just to match his long, deliberate strides. It was vaguely reminiscent of that first morning on the farm with him when he’d made me practically run after him as he went about his chores, only this time I knew he wasn’t trying to be rude.
“What was that all about?” I demanded as soon as we were outside, the cool night air kissing our warm skin. Nate kept right on walking, but thankfully slowed down a little once we’d made our escape. “Who is she?”
He rolled his eyes. “That was Traci. She’s a girl I went to high school with,” he explained. “She’s kind of been throwing herself at me ever since senior year. She spotted me tonight and I couldn’t get away from her, so thanks for saving me.”
“She’s pretty,” I observed quietly, hating that it was true. She was one of those voluptuous, confident, overtly sexy women I wished I could be. How was I supposed to compete with that?
“She’s not my type,” Nate muttered dismissively.
“Why?”
He shrugged. “Traci’s a drama queen. Like I said before, I’m a simple guy. She’s pretty high maintenance and between you and me? She comes on a little strong. She’s just not my type, that’s all.”
“Oh.” Keeping my tone neutral was a challenge, but I didn’t want let Nate know how relieved I was. It would have made me feel silly. I paused then and cocked my head to the side. “What’s that I hear?” I asked, straining to separate the music from the other sound that had captured my attention.
“It’s the river,” Nate replied. “It’s just beyond those trees over there,” he added, pointing to a patch of foliage at the edge of the property. “My dad and I spent a lot of time fishing there. It’s a nice spot.”
“Can we...will you show it to me?” I
At that moment Nate glanced over the woman’s shoulder and our eyes met.
I froze.
Nate’s eyes bore into me as though he was trying to communicate with me telepathically. I looked away, not wanting him to know how hurt I was and not wanting him to think I was paying any attention to him at all. But when I glanced back up a moment later, his eyes were still on me.
He mouthed something at me then, even as the squirmy, curvy woman giggled again and whispered something in his ear. I stared back at him coolly and raised an eyebrow, not understanding. So he mouthed it again.
“Help” – that was what Nate was mouthing.
I felt a glimmer of hope deep inside.
I stood up. It was as though there was a disconnect between my body and my mind, because even though I had no idea what I was doing or what I was going to say, I found myself marching pointedly toward Nate and the woman on his lap.
“You’re so tense! Come on baby, just have one drink...let’s loosen you up,” the woman was purring as she massaged Nate’s broad shoulders – and managed to press her heaving chest against him in the process. I was sure it wasn’t an accident. I felt a flash of irritation, as though she was manhandling something precious to me. Part of me wanted to tell her to take a hike.
“Amanda!” Nate breathed, clearly relieved to see me. He stood up so quickly that the woman practically tumbled off his lap and onto the floor. “Uh, I have to go, sorry,” he mumbled to her, clearly unable to get out of there fast enough. “I promised to show Amanda that, uh, thing. You know, the...thing that’s...outside?”
“Oh right,” I played along with a nod. “The...thing...yeah, I can’t wait.”
“Good,” Nate said, reaching down to take my hand. When our fingers touched I felt a jolt of electricity so intense that I nearly jumped. “Let’s go,” he murmured, practically pulling me along with him. I had to break into a near-sprint just to match his long, deliberate strides. It was vaguely reminiscent of that first morning on the farm with him when he’d made me practically run after him as he went about his chores, only this time I knew he wasn’t trying to be rude.
“What was that all about?” I demanded as soon as we were outside, the cool night air kissing our warm skin. Nate kept right on walking, but thankfully slowed down a little once we’d made our escape. “Who is she?”
He rolled his eyes. “That was Traci. She’s a girl I went to high school with,” he explained. “She’s kind of been throwing herself at me ever since senior year. She spotted me tonight and I couldn’t get away from her, so thanks for saving me.”
“She’s pretty,” I observed quietly, hating that it was true. She was one of those voluptuous, confident, overtly sexy women I wished I could be. How was I supposed to compete with that?
“She’s not my type,” Nate muttered dismissively.
“Why?”
He shrugged. “Traci’s a drama queen. Like I said before, I’m a simple guy. She’s pretty high maintenance and between you and me? She comes on a little strong. She’s just not my type, that’s all.”
“Oh.” Keeping my tone neutral was a challenge, but I didn’t want let Nate know how relieved I was. It would have made me feel silly. I paused then and cocked my head to the side. “What’s that I hear?” I asked, straining to separate the music from the other sound that had captured my attention.
“It’s the river,” Nate replied. “It’s just beyond those trees over there,” he added, pointing to a patch of foliage at the edge of the property. “My dad and I spent a lot of time fishing there. It’s a nice spot.”
“Can we...will you show it to me?” I
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