Page 76 of Let’s Be Real

“Did you have a good meeting?”

“It was the first of many. Roman and I have to consider whether the company is worth investing in. I’m not convinced yet,” he replied, stroking my hair. “How about you? Did you and Ade like the building?”

“The building is fine. It needs a lot of work, but that was to be expected. We gutted the Denver club. We could do it again if we had to…” I sighed. “He’s made his mind up about opening the club here.”

“But you’re not sure?”

“I like things as they are. If we open here, it will mean traveling back and forth until we find staff we trust to do most of the day-to-day management.”

His fingers paused. “You’re not considering moving here?”

“No. Not even for a second. I like visiting the beach, but I’m a Denver girl, through and through. Ade doesn’t want to move either, but he likes the idea of creating more spaces like MHC. I’m just not sure now is the time.”

His rhythmic stroking restarted, and he hummed contentedly. “You’ll figure it out.” He sounded so sure.

“Probably.” My eye caught on the little bottle of clear liquid Nate had put on the nightstand. I poked his ribs. “You brought lube with you.”

He chuckled, squeezing me tighter. “I figured we might end up in the same bed.”

I wasn’t the least bit mad at his assumptions. When we were in the same place, it was impossible for us not to end up this way.

“You could have warned me you were going to be on the plane this morning.”

“I thought it would be fun to surprise you.” He shifted so he could see my face. “Were you disappointed to see me?”

“Of course not.” I meant that completely. Nate had become one of my favorite people, and it wasn’t just because of the sex. I genuinely like his company. “If I’d known we were going to share a hotel room, I would have come better prepared.”

His mouth hitched. “What does that mean?”

I shrugged my shoulders, going for saucy and mysterious. “I guess you’ll never know.”

That earned me a full-on laugh and landed me flat on my back, Nate hovering over me, smiling as wide as I’d ever seen. I reached up, brushing his hair away from his face.

“You look good like this,” I said.

“You look good, always.” He dipped down, brushing his mouth over mine. “You told Adrian you’re not seeing anyone.”

“Mmmhmm.” I raised my head to sip more from his lips. They were so warm and soft, I couldn’t get enough. “Notice how he didn’t ask you. It’s not really fair.”

“My answer never changes. I don’t date.”

He moved beside me, propping his head on his hand, and I mirrored his pose, bringing us face to face.

“You just sleep around.”

“I have sex without strings on occasion,” he said. “I’m not sleeping around now.”

My toes curled with pleasure. I’d known, but I liked hearing him say it. Probably more than I should have.

“You wouldn’t have the time.” I placed my hand in the center of his chest and grinned. “I keep you occupied.”

“You do.”

Maybe it was none of my business, but I was curious, and we hadn’t talked about this. “Why don’t you date?”

His sigh was heavy, and the crease between his eyebrows carved deep. “You know about Rosalie. We were together for nearly a decade. Well…off and on. Toward the end, off more often than on. It got pretty…toxic, as the kids say.” He shook his head. “For a long time, I figured if I couldn’t get things to work with her, after she’d stuck by me when I was barely hanging on, who would I be able to make things work with?”

A burst of pain sprouted in my chest. Nate and Rosalie had been broken up for years, and he’d gone this whole time thinking he wouldn’t be able to make a relationship work? But he was…so wonderful.