Page 93 of Let’s Be Real

“Mmm…and I can’t run away.”

“Your legs are free. You could go if you wanted.”

“I couldn’t get very far.” Her nose crinkled. “What are you doing here, Nate?”

“I’m here to see you.”

That wasn’t the whole of it, but it was the truth. Adrian had told me it was her night off, but I’d still come half hoping she’d show up anyway.

“You are?” she whispered, like we were exchanging secrets. “And now that you’ve seen me like this, do you regret it?”

“I don’t regret anything about us.” I ran my finger along the rope beneath her breast. “I missed you.”

“Nate…”

I shook my head. I wasn’t allowing her to dismiss this.

“What were you going to do tonight if I hadn’t shown up?” I continued trailing my fingertips along the edge of the rope. “Would you have allowed someone else to hold you like this? Would you have let someone else unravel you?”

She tried to drop her head, but I kept her in my hold. “I don’t know. I can’t think.”

“You can.” I tipped her head back more. “The fact is, I don’t care about what you would have done. You would have wished it was me the whole time and regretted it the second it was over. I’m not going to allow that.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means this is real, Sam. You and I have something real, whether you want to say it or not. I’m not perfect, and neither are you, but I don’t care for perfection. I care about you.”

Moving swiftly, I dropped her onto her back and braced my hands on either side of her head. She wasn’t breathing or blinking or moving in any way. I parted her legs to slot myself between them, and she did nothing to stop me.

“Let’s be real, Samantha,” I whispered against her lips.

She finally gasped, and when I didn’t move away, she slowly exhaled into my mouth. Her eyes cleared as they met mine. “I wouldn’t have let anyone else touch me. The ropes…I wanted a break from thinking.”

I meant it when I’d said I wouldn’t have cared if she’d chosen to be with someone else tonight, but my caveman side was pleased she’d had no intention of doing it.

“Did it work?”

“It was starting to…until you stepped on stage.” She lifted her head to dig her teeth into my chin, nipping at me like an indignant puppy. “Do you want to be my boyfriend, Nate? Is that what you’re asking?”

Chuffing, I rolled my forehead against hers. “I’m too old to be a boyfriend. It sounds ridiculous in my head.” Then I sighed. “But yes, that’s what I’m asking.”

“You know I’m not a safe bet. My track record…”

“Neither of us is a safe bet from the outside. Let’s do it anyway.”

Her mouth twitched at the corners, the first hint of a smile. “Really? Even after the hard time I gave you?”

“I’m here, aren’t I?” I slid my face next to hers, pressing our cheeks together. “You’ve woken me up, Sam. For the first time in years, I feel like I’m wide awake. I don’t want to go back to sleep. I want to hang out with you in the light.”

She trembled beneath me, her bound hands clutching at my shirt. “I’m so scared to say yes.”

“I know.” I turned my face to touch my lips to her cheek again and again. “I know, sweet girl. It’s scary to me too, but I want to do it anyway. Be scared with me. Do it with me.”

“Do it scared.”

“Exactly.” Shifting off her, I rolled her to her side and curled around her back. “It’s up to you. I’ve played my hand. I can’t force you to give me a chance, but I really hope you do.”

My fingers grazed the knot on her back. “All I have to do is give this a tug and you’ll be free.”