I hauled my luggage through the bustling Seattle airport, my eyes darting around in search of a pair of familiar grey eyes. After a fruitless search, I surrendered.
I fished my phone out of my pocket, ready to dial Nate, when suddenly, a pair of arms encircled my waist, lifting me off the ground.
The scent of a familiar, potent aftershave filled my nostrils, and I instantly knew who it was.
“Good grief, Nate. Put me down,” I laughed as he gently set me back on the ground. I spun around to face him, and my breath hitched. FaceTime had done nothing to capture his true allure.
He was even more handsome than I remembered, his jet-black hair slicked back, revealing a tantalizing glimpse of his tanned chest through his button-down shirt.
His grin was wide, causing his grey eyes to twinkle. I returned his smile, letting my gaze wander over his body, taking in every bit of his undeniable sexiness.
“Wow...just look at you,” he said, his eyes raking over me, eyebrows raised. His reaction surprised me—I was just wearing a plain t-shirt and skinny jeans, nothing fancy.
But I couldn’t deny the thrill I felt under his appreciative gaze.
“Come on, I'm starving.” I playfully smacked his head and tugged him by his arm.
“We could stop by a diner or something on the way to the apartment,” he suggested, hoisting my luggage as we headed towards his car.
“You still don't cook?” I asked, my tone laced with surprise.
“Why do you think I asked you to be my roommate?” he winked at me, loading my luggage into the trunk of his car.
“Asshole,” I retorted, playfully kicking his leg before sliding into his car. Damn, he must be raking in a good salary to afford a car this sleek. I ran my fingers over the leather seats, relishing the feel of it.
“Can I drive?” I asked, a hopeful smile on my face.
“No fucking way,” he scoffed, starting the car. I pouted and crossed my arms over my chest, sinking back into my seat.
“Did you check how far the school is from your place?” I asked, turning to face him.
“Yeah, it's about a ten-minute drive. I could drop you off on my way to work,” he replied, his eyes focused on the road.
“That's great,”
“Man, I missed you so much, dude,” he said, flashing me a grin that made my heart flutter and cringe simultaneously.
There was that word again—“Dude”.
“I missed you too,” I whispered, turning my gaze to the window.
“So what's new?”
“New?”
“Anything interesting? Did you find someone you like at least now?”
“Nah, I told you I'm not interested.” I lied, trying to brush it off.
“You've been giving me that reply since high school,” he teased, causing me to roll my eyes.
“I can't just date anybody, Nate. Now, enough about me, what about you? Who is the flavor of the month?” I tried to sound cheerful, but inside, I was praying there wasn't anyone.
“I'm just too busy with work and stuff. All that was over with college. Good old times!” he sighed dreamily, and I mentally gagged, thinking about all the girls he'd been with.
“You are such a man whore,” I grimaced, and he just laughed, pulling into a small diner.
We ate, catching up like long-lost friends, and I realized that nothing had changed between us. He still made my heart race, and I loved spending time with him.
If only he could see me as more than a friend.
We arrived at his apartment soon after. It was spacious but messy, with two bedrooms and a kitchen that looked barely used. The living room had a couch and a flat-screen TV.
I noticed that he hadn't made any effort to make the place feel like home.
“Damn, why does it look so lifeless in here?” I asked as he walked past me with my luggage, heading into the bedroom on the left.
“You know me, I'm just too lazy to decorate and do shit like that. So that's the kitchen and the bathroom is over there. We have to share it, and this is the living room.
“Welcome home, roommate,” he gestured towards the entire apartment, beaming proudly.
“Do you even do grocery shopping?” I asked, a frown creasing my forehead.
“I used to, but after my roommate left, I've been living on takeout,” he admitted, grinning sheepishly.
God, he was such a lazy ass.
“I'm gonna freshen up and get some rest. You better help me later to organize and clean up everything.”
“Yes ma'am,” he saluted, sinking onto the couch and turning on the TV. I made my way to my room, deciding to take a hot shower to calm my nerves.
“Cute PJ's, Thompson," I heard Nate's sarcastic comment from the couch as I emerged from the bathroom.
“Shut up,” I retorted, heading towards my room. I glanced down at my PJs—they were admittedly childish. Maybe he still saw me as a kid, not as a woman. I wanted him to think I was hot and sexy.
I groaned at my own desperation. Why did I even like that jerk? I began to unpack and arrange my things in my room.
Once everything was in place and I was satisfied with how my room looked, I flopped onto the bed, deciding to take a nap.
I was jolted awake by the shrill ringing of my phone. I squinted at the caller ID with one eye open. It was my mom.
Shit, I forgot to call her.
“Hey, mom,” I answered in a sleepy voice, bracing myself for the earful I was about to receive.
“I knew you would forget to call me when you saw Nate. Where are you, baby? Are you all settled in? I was worried sick,”
“Mom, I’m fine. I’m at Nate’s place and yes, I’m all settled in. I was so tired I forgot to call you, sorry,” I blurted out, sitting on my bed, suddenly wide awake.
“That’s okay. I miss you already,” she said, her voice tinged with sadness. My heart ached. I missed her too. She’d been so strong until I left. I knew she was on the verge of breaking down.
“I miss you too, Mom. But we can FaceTime, and I’ll visit you whenever I can,” I said, swallowing hard, trying to keep my tears at bay.
“I know, baby. I just want you to know that your dad would have been so proud of you,” she said.
“Yeah, I know, Mom.” I smiled, pushing my hair back from my face. I’d never been away from my mom before, and this was a huge transition for both of us.
We chatted for a while about Nate and the apartment before I ended the call, assuring her for the millionth time that I was going to be fine.
“You’re finally awake,” Nate said, pacing around the kitchen, shirtless. His back muscles flexed as he unpacked the groceries, making me drool instantly.
“What time is it?” I asked, trying to divert my eyes from his perfectly toned chest. Why was he walking around shirtless?
Oh, right. He lived here too.
“It’s almost seven. You were out cold, and I didn’t want to disturb you, so I went for a grocery run. I even tried to tidy up the place a bit,” he said, scratching the back of his head, looking so fucking cute. I looked around and couldn’t help but smile at the effort he’d made for me.
“Looks much better than before,” I said, walking into the kitchen and leaning against the counter.
“Now it’s your turn, missy. Make us dinner,” he said, tossing a pack of cheese at me, which I caught deftly.
“And here I thought you actually missed me,” I said, feigning a hurt tone as I got to work. He laughed out loud, placing the last item in the cupboard.
I stole a glance at his biceps and quickly averted my eyes before he could catch me staring. Halfway through cooking, I felt him behind me and my breath hitched.
My heart started to race as I felt his bare chest pressing against my back.
“I want mac and cheese,” he said, his hands lightly resting on my waist. His hot breath against my neck sent shivers down my spine.
For him, it was probably just a friendly gesture, but my skin was burning from his touch.
“Uhhh...sure,” I managed to say, clearing my throat and trying to hide the blush on my face with my hair.
“Great,” he said, kissing my cheek before walking away. What the hell? Was I supposed to get used to his shirtless pacing and friendly cheek kisses? I didn’t think my poor heart could take it.
It hadn’t even been a day, but I was sure of one thing.
I was royally screwed!
