Chapter Sixteen
Skylar couldn’t have been more excited about Kris and Nate’s relationship than if she’d gotten into Stanfordandmet Shawn Mendes on the same day.
When Nate broke the news, Skylar contained herself for all of thirty seconds before she blurted, “Itoldyou you guys would be perfect together!” and demanded bridesmaid privileges at their wedding. She’d then rushed off and returned an hour later with a list of romantic date ideas because she would “not let Nate mess this up.”
The entire ordeal had been disconcerting. Nate supposed his sister had been right about him and Kris up to this point, but they weren’t getting married. For one, he doubted Kris’s father would approve. For two, they’d both agreed they wouldn’t do the long-distance thing. He’d seen the toll such relationships took on other couples—the missed calls and texts, the frustration over not being able to see the other person when you wanted, the resentment over being tied to someone thousands of miles away. That was only the beginning. After that came jealousy, suspicion, irrational fights, and finally, a resigned, inevitable breakup. Days and weeks and hours wasted, clinging on to something that never had a chance.
Nate didn’t want that to be them. He’d rather they end things at the height of their heat and passion, untainted by broken promises and faded dreams—even if the thought of not seeing Kris again twisted his insides into suffocating knots.
“You okay?” She peered at him beneath thick, dark lashes. “You have a weird look on your face.”
“Yeah.” Nate stroked her shoulder, savoring the soft warmth of her skin. “I was just thinking about the shoot.”
Screw it. If they were on borrowed time, he would enjoy every second while it lasted. So far, dating Kris had been a blast. They bantered and bickered like normal, only now there were a lot more makeout sessions and date nights involved. They both drew the line at handholding, though—too juvenile and cheesy, they’d agreed.
Plus, Nate hadn’t entirely been lying when he said he’d been thinking about the shoot. His appearance inSix Doors Down,the Oscar Bravo thriller, had him on edge. Shooting started soon, and while the role wasn’t Tom Cruise inRisky Businessor Brad Pitt inThelma and Louisebig—Nate only had a few lines—he could parlay it into something much bigger down the line if he played his cards right.
“You’ll blow Oscar’s socks off.” Kris snuggled deeper into his side. “You’re hotter than him, anyway.”
Nate chuckled. “Thanks, but that’s not exactly a bonus.” Oscar was mega talented, but he was also notoriously vain and competitive. He couldn’t stand being upstaged.
“Hey, guys. Sorry I’m late!” What had to be Tesla Teague loped toward them, looking particularly douchey in a pale blue polo shirt and khakis. “Traffic.”
“No problem,” Kris said. “Nate, this is Teague. Teague, this is Nate.”
“Her boyfriend,” Nate couldn’t resist adding, baring his teeth in a semblance of a smile.
Teague looked amused, but at least he was smart enough not to offer his hand for a shake. Nate would’ve been liable to bite it off.
“Nice to meet you, and hey, congrats.” The blond’s eyes sparkled. “Not every guy has what it takes to date Kris Carrera.”
“I’m taking that as a compliment,” Kris said.
“It was,” Teague reassured her.
Nate growled. Maybe the guy wasn’t so smart after all, if he was flirting with Kris right in front of him.
HisSix Doors Downrole involved knocking a few guys around. He could punch Teague and write it off as character prep.
The blond cleared his throat and took a tiny step back. “Anyway, you guys ready? I have a sport pilot license and have taken a half dozen friends on flights before, so I know what I’m doing. Don’t worry.”
“I’m sure you do.” Kris twisted her hair up into a bun. “Conquering the seas and now the skies? Not bad.”
“You know me, always chasing the next thrill.” Teague glanced at the sleek white aircraft waiting for them. “I’m going to fire Maverick up. You guys decide who wants to go first.”
Kris arched an eyebrow. “Seriously? You named your plane Maverick?”
“Top Gun,”Nate and Teague said at the same time.
She sighed. “I’ll never understand men and their obsession with naming their vehicles, land-based and otherwise.”
“We have deep bonds with our cars,” Nate informed her while Teague walked off to ready the aircraft. “Or planes, if you’re a douche.”
“Nate.”
“Just saying.”
Kris tilted her head and examined him. “You don’t have to do this, you know,” she said. “Not if you don’t want to.”