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“Oh well. We have a town hall meeting once or twice a month, but I guess that’s work related. I watch reruns of Sex and the City with my best friend. Oh! Three Barrell Distillery shows a horror movie outside on a big sheet every Friday from September through October, so I try to go to as many as I can.”
“You like horror movies?”
“Kind of. It’s more about the whole setting. Sitting outside around the bonfire as the air is starting to get that crisp, fall feeling. There’s nothing better. It really sets the mood for the season.”
My mind drifted to the last time I was around the bonfire. How Nero had sat beside me under the blanket, and I’d linked my fingers through his.
I glanced back in his direction. He was smiling at something Clyde had said. He looked devilishly handsome in a blue button up, the sleeves rolled over his forearms. Heat crept up my neck and into my cheeks.
“Is your neck bothering you?” Damian asked. “You keep turning it to the side.”
I brought my attention back to him and smiled. “Just a little. Looking down at cakes all day does that. If you’ll excuse me.” I pushed from the table. “I need to use the ladies room.”
“Of course.”
With a smile, I hurried off to the bathroom, refusing to look toward Nero. I didn’t stop until I was behind the bathroom door. I rested my hands on either side of the sink and took a deep breath. I met my own eyes in the mirror and, just as I expected, I was a blotchy mess.
Cold water on the wrists always helped, so I turned the water on and stuck my arms beneath the cold stream. I closed my eyes, letting the coolness rush through my body. I pictured Damian and his adorable dimple, allowing my focus to stay on him completely. I opened my eyes, turned the water off, and dried my hands and wrists with paper towels.
The heat dissipated, and my breathing evened out. I needed to get back to Damian before he became suspicious.
I walked out of the bathroom and went to walk down the short hallway when a hand wrapped around my wrist and yanked me into the coat closet. A scream built in my lungs, and my lips parted, but it halted before it could pass. Nero pinned me to the wall, a couple of coats on either side of us.
“What are you doing?” I demanded as his body pushed into mine.
His hand lifted, fingers tucking my hair behind my ear and lingering on my jaw. “God, you're beautiful.”
I ignored the heat his touch elicited. “Did you really need to yank me into the coat closet to tell me that?”
“I didn’t want to interrupt your date.”
“Then what do you call this?”
“He thinks you’re in the bathroom.”
“Yes, and if you don’t let me go, he’s going to think I either ditched him or am having severe digestion issues.”
“Let him.” Nero moved into me, his chest pressing against mine, his thigh pushing in between my legs.
“Nero,” I breathed. “What are you doing?”
He tilted my chin, his blue-black eyes locking on mine. “I miss you.”
My heart skittered. “You only have yourself to blame.”
“I know.” His thumb brushed across my bottom lip. “Beautiful,” he said again.
“Nero, I’m on a date.”
“But you’d rather be with me. I know, because I know you. If you didn’t want to be in this closet with me, you would have left by now. So why are you still here?”
I sucked in a jagged breath. I should’ve left. Should have about-faced it the hell out of here, but his stormy blue eyes bore into mine, holding me hostage.
His hand wrapped around my waist, his fingers digging into my curves. “If you want to go, then go.”
My treacherous body ached for his touch and bowed into him. I placed my hand on his chest, mustering the strength to push him away and head to Damian.
Damian. My date.
