Page 30 of Things I Read About

Everyone laughs and cheers for Nate.

He moves to my side and bends. He scoots the bench back easily, slips his coat over my shoulders and extends his hand to me. I take it and stand. As soon as I do his hands grip my waist and pull me into him. He leans down, so his nose caresses the soft skin beneath my ear. Shivers run over my whole body when his hot breath hits my ear. I grip onto his arms.

“If you’re going to spend the next few days making bad decisions, you’re gonna do it with me.”

“Come on, just a couple more, Sal. One of the famous ones.Claire desomething,” Kat whines, causing my eyes, which apparently had closed, to pop open.

I look up at the most devastating, interesting, scorching hot man I’ve ever met.

“You want to stay?” he asks me, as if he knows the answer.

I shake my head.

Then, I’m up.

In his arms again, cradled comfortably like I belong here, tucked into him. I stare up at his profile, drawn again to the soft buzzed hairs on the side of his face.

He looks down at me and slows. “Kat’s talking to you.” He turns so I can better see her.

“Do. You. Have. Your. Phone. On. You?” she repeats, exasperated.

“Sorry. Yes, of course. Bye guys.” I wave, stifling a laugh at the scene.

Evan seems shocked and put out.Really Evan, look at the size of Nate’s biceps, you really think you stood a chance?

Janie is actually chatting to Cam now, interested and smiling.

Kat is trying to get Evan’s attention. I hope she does. I hope they give each other a nice night, maybe even a better-than-mediocre-and-empty lay.

In the fastest couple minutes that have ever transpired, we’re already at my door.

I frown at Nate. Did he really take me from the party just to put me to bed? I’m wearing combat boots and spikes. I—

Nate runs his nose along mine, then pulls back to look at my eyes. “There you are.” His voice is rough and quiet. “Where do you go?”

“I… mostly spiral, I guess.”

“Spiral?”

I close my eyes and confess. “Like, why you would take me from the party back there just to bring me to my room. It’s not even that late, so the boots clearly didn’t work and—”

“Sally.” He says my name so close to my lips I think I can taste him. I think he tastes like dark beer. “We came here to get your ski suit.”

“Oh.”

“Keycard?”

I shift to get it, but I see he’s almost grinning again. Which is downright inspirational.

I channel my inner bad girl. “My back pocket.”

He exhales a gritty breath and slowly sets me down. As he straightens, his hand gently smooths up the back of my leg. It’s a soft touch and I want to lean back into it, to push myself into his massive palm. But without me even feeling it, he’s pulled the keycard out and scanned it at the door.

My lips part like his did at the piano.

“That’s why you shouldn’t keep important things in your back pocket. Even an amateur pick can swipe it easily.” He pushes the door open. “Suit up, Tinkles.”

My eyes go wide and my cheeks burn. “I was seven!”