“You okay here?” I asked, then took a step back.
“Actually, I’m feeling a headache coming on and was going to see about an Uber.”
“I’ll take you home, babe,” the younger guy said.
Kaelynn gave him a soft smile and said, “Thank you, but I’ve got some friends here who will most likely be heading out with me. Enjoy your evening.”
When she reached for my hand and tugged me along after her, I wasn’t sure if I should ignore the way her touch made my entire body shudder or ignore the urge to stick my tongue out at the bastard like I was eight years old.
In the end, I went for ignoring both.
The moment we got into the private room, Kaelynn dropped my hand and raised up on her tippy-toes as she looked for what I could only assume was Morgan.
“Are you really ready to leave?” I asked, leaning in from behind her and talking directly into her ear. She froze and slowly turned to face me. I took a step back when I saw the confusion in her eyes. “I didn’t mean to interrupt anything with that guy back there.”
Her eyes danced around on my face before she closed them, took in a deep breath, then snapped them back open. Something had changed in those pretty eyes of hers. She stood up a bit taller and let loose. “Listen, Nash, your sister already told me you’ve sworn off women. It’s pretty clear you and I had an attraction to one another, but this won’t work.”
“Had?” I asked, a smirk lifting at the corner of my mouth.
With a roll of her eyes, she sighed but couldn’t help the small smile that played over her face. “Fine. It’s pretty clear you and I are attracted to one another. I’m not looking for a casual one-night stand.”
My eyes widened in shock and she seemed to realize her statement might have been way off base, which it was.
“Oh God. You’re not attracted to me and not the least bit interested in . . .”
Her hands slapped over her mouth and she groaned. The sound made the lower half of my body come to full fucking attention.
“I’m so stupid,” she mumbled. At least that was what it sounded like she said. The music was now playing again, and it was beginning to get harder to hear.
“I’m sorry!” she shouted. “Let’s just forget any of this conversation took place.”
I could have just let her go. Let her think that I wasn’t interested in her. But I didn’t. Stupidly, I reached for her hand and gently tugged her closer to me.
“Kaelynn, I’m not interested in a one-night stand.”
Her cheeks heated and her eyes grew wet. Damn it.
“What I mean is, I like you. I enjoy talking to you and I would love to be . . .”
Everything inside of me screamed to tell her the truth. But something held me back at the last minute. That wall I had built around my heart was refusing to give way, no matter how much I wanted it to for this woman.
“I’d love to be friends.”
“Friends?”
It was hard to miss the disappointment in her voice. Hell, the moment the word came out of my mouth, I wished I could take it back.
Before I could respond, she nodded, stepped away from me, and repeated the word again, as if trying to remind herself that that was all we should be . . . that it was ultimately the best thing.
“Friends.” Then she forced herself to smile. “Sounds like a plan.”
WITH A LONG sigh, I dropped the folder onto the desk. I couldn’t seem to focus at all this morning. A week had passed since Morgan’s birthday party at Sedotto and I had thought I would be able to forget about Nash. I was so wrong. So very wrong.
I stood up and walked out onto the private balcony I had at the Hotel Saint Celilla. I had been staying in one of their studio rooms for the last month or so. I really needed to find a more permanent place; hopefully today would be the day.
As if on cue, my phone rang with my mother’s ringtone.
Quickly walking back in, I swiped to answer the call.