Nate’s large hand settled at the small of Liberty’s back, and that electric tingling sensation invaded her body again as they followed the hostess through the main dining room. His powerful presence, his touch, and everything else about the man continued to do wicked things to her body. How was she going to get through dinner without wanting to hug him, kiss him, and go even further with him?
Just settle down, she thought and noticed the attention they garnered, especially from women checking out Nate. He was hard to miss. At over six feet tall with wide shoulders, and handsome enough to grace the cover of a magazine, if she were them, she would take a second and third look too.
“Here we are.” The hostess stepped aside to let them enter a beautifully decorated room. It was large enough to hold several round tables, but small enough to give a cozy feel. The wall of windows on the opposite side of the room gave a view of a courtyard with a waterfall and stone benches around it.
“Perfect. Thanks, Donna,” Nate said and pulled a chair out for Liberty. The hostess left them with a couple of menus before closing the door behind her.
Liberty settled in and perused the menu, taking in the prices of the entrees. They were a little steep for her budget, so she checked out the salad selection.
“Do you eat seafood?” Nate asked, his menu lying flat on the table.
She shook her head. “Maybe I’ll just get a salad.”
“I’m sure you eat enough salads. Kendricks’ has several vegetarian appetizers and entrees.”
“I didn’t really come prepared to eat out today,” Liberty said honestly, hoping he’d understand that the restaurant was out of her price range.
Nate studied her before speaking. “Liberty, I wouldn’t have invited you to dinner if I wasn’t planning to pay for it. I’m not that guy.”
She wasn’t sure if he was speaking of a particular guy, like Isaac. Or if he was speaking in general. Either way, she knew he was different than any man she’d ever met. Even with their years apart, he was still the sweet, generous gentleman she remembered.
“Order whatever you want, but I’d recommend the veggie enchiladas or the eggplant lasagna. They’re amazing.” He grinned and Liberty returned his smile. The past couple of weeks hanging around Nate had been better than she expected. Her only concern was that she could get used to his attentiveness. They worked well together and he went beyond the call of duty catering to her. For their morning meetings, he made sure there was a cup of coffee ready for her along with a variety of juices. If they met around lunchtime, he always ordered her a salad or some other vegetarian dish and had it at the office by the time she arrived. Those small gestures went a long way with her.
“Okay. I’ll try the eggplant lasagna.”
“Hey, nephew.”
They glanced toward the door and Nate smiled at the friendly, older woman coming toward them with a small note pad. Liberty wasn’t sure who she was, but she favored the actress Holly Robinson Peete. She glided into the room as if on a cloud and her vibrant smile was contagious.
“Hey, Aunt Cat. What are you doing here?” Nate stood and kissed her cheek.
“A couple of servers called in, and since I wasn’t doing anything,” she shrugged, “I figured I’d help out. Who’s your friend?”
“This is Liberty Stewart. Liberty, this is my aunt Carolyn Richwood, Martina’s mother.”
Nate explained that she used to be a bartender at the restaurant, but quit after getting married almost a year ago.
“Pleasure to meet you, Liberty.”
“Same here.”
“So, what can I get you two?”
Carolyn took their order and they all talked for a few minutes. Liberty loved what appeared to be a fun relationship between Nate and his aunt. She had a great sense of humor and seemed so down to earth. Liberty had been close to some of her extended family before going off to college, but had distanced herself from them when they didn’t come through for her parents. When she was a kid, she dreamed of having a large family of her own, but considering the way her life turned out, that desire would be—a dream.
Once Carolyn left to place their order, Liberty said, “She seems really nice.”
“She’s the best. Like you, she’s had some tough breaks but it takes a lot to keep Aunt Cat down. Some of the men she dated in the past were a little sketchy.” Nate chuckled. “But Lincoln is cool. He’s the first guy she hooked up with, as far as I know, who is actually her age. Normally the men were like ten years younger than her. Aunt Cat and Lincoln eloped after Christmas last year and she’s been happier than I’ve ever seen her.”
A server returned with their drinks. While she chatted with Nate, Liberty thought about what he’d said about his aunt and her bad breaks. If Carolyn could find love again, maybe there was a chance for her, Liberty thought. After her divorce, she hadn’t wanted anything to do with men and hadn’t entertained the idea of ever being in a serious relationship again. Until now. Until Nate. He had her imagining what it would be like to be in a loving relationship.
Nate’s laughter cut into Liberty’s thoughts. “Thanks again for the drinks, and tell your brother we need to get back on the golf course.”
“I’ll be sure to tell him,” the server said on her way out the door.
“Do you think you’ll ever get married?” The words were out of Liberty’s mouth before she could stop them, but she let them hang out there because she really wanted to know.
Nate took a long swig of his beer, his gaze steady on her as he set the glass down. “I hope so. I thought I’d be married by now with a few children, but so far it hasn’t happened. What about you? Do you think you’d ever get married again?”
Liberty ran her fingers along her water glass, wiping away some of the condensation. “Nate, if you would’ve asked me a year ago, heck, even six months ago, I would’ve said hell no.”
He chuckled and drank more of his beer. “But now?”
“Now, I don’t know. But if I ever do, I’ll be marrying for love.” She looked him in the eye. “I missed out once. I’ll never make that mistake again.”
Nate nodded, but didn’t comment on her response. Instead he asked, “How do you like Cincinnati?”
“It’s no Chicago.” She laughed. “Yet, so far Cincinnati has been a good move for me. It was past time for a change.”
“Well,” he lifted his glass to her and she raised hers, “I’m glad you’re here.”
Liberty smiled believing that he really meant it. “Me too.” They tapped glasses just as Carolyn and another server brought in their food.
Once their food arrived, they laughed and talked like old friends. After breaking up with Isaac, Liberty had lost the few acquaintances she’d made while being married. Watching her so-called friends turn on her and believe the nonsense that Isaac was feeding to the media made her sick. Until now, she didn’t realize how much she missed hanging out and sharing a meal with someone, especially a man.
“I’ve been wanting to ask you something,” Nate said, hesitation in his tone.
“What?”
“Did you finish law school? Did you pass the bar?”
Liberty moved lasagna around on her plate. The questions were simple, but there was still so much Nate didn’t know about her. Tonight wasn’t the time for another deep conversation.
“Yes, I have my law degree, but no, I haven’t taken the bar.”
As if sensing some hesitation, he asked, “Why do I feel as if there’s a story there and it involves Isaac?”
Liberty nodded. “There is, but…maybe we can talk about it another time.”
“I’m going to hold you to that.”
Liberty laughed. “I’m sure you are.”
“Tell me, what do you usually do after work?” Nate asked between bites.
“Not much. My boss has given me more projects. Some nights I work until I can’t keep my eyes open. Other nights I sit in front of the television and watch reality shows while vegging out on carrot and celer
y sticks.”
“I think you need to get out more.”
“Ya think?” They laughed and Liberty’s heart swelled. She and Nate had been friends before they became lovers in college. Spending time with him she realized how much she missed having him as a friend.
A cell phone vibrated and she reached for her handbag in the chair next to her.
“It’s mine,” Nate said digging his phone from his pants pocket. He glanced at the screen. “Sorry. I need to take this. I’ll be right back.”
“Okay.” Liberty watched him head to the door, taking in how good his ass looked encased in a pair of dress pants. Firm. Round. He had the type of butt that was perfect for making love. Not flat but one that she could hold onto each time he entered…
“Oh my, God.” Her heart slammed against her chest. “What is wrong with me?”
Liberty hadn’t had sex in almost six years. Not since she and Isaac had stop sleeping together long before they divorced. This was the first time she’d even entertained the thought of making love with anyone since then and with Nate no less.
Sighing loudly, she reached for her glass of water. Coming to dinner with him was a bad idea. A very bad idea. She had already started dreaming about him again, like she used to do when they first parted ways. Why torture herself by spending more time with him? He had already made it clear that he wasn’t interested in anything more than a working relationship.
But a girl can dream though.
Chapter Thirteen
“Hey, Uncle Ben. Tell me you heard something about the land,” Nate said regarding land that he and his uncle had bid on. They had recently joined forces and started a property development company. This property would be their first purchase under the new venture. When his uncle started talking, Nate could barely hear him. “Hold on a sec.”
Music and conversations from the main dining room drifted in Nate’s direction, and he glanced around for a quieter spot. He headed around the corner and stopped near the restrooms.
“Okay, what did you say?”
“They didn’t accept our offer, nor did they counter, but it might be a blessing in disguise. I heard from a reliable source that the property on Fairway Lane is going on the market in a couple of weeks.”
“Wait. The one that overlooks California Golf Course?”
“That would be the one. It’ll only be five acres, but I’m thinking if we tweak our initial plans, it could work. I’ll see if I can get an appointment with the owner for next week sometime.”
“Sounds good. Just text me the…” Nate’s voice trailed off when the women’s bathroom door swung open. Angel stopped short, her surprised expression probably mirrored his. What were the chances of him running into her? A slow smile tilted her lips upward. “Sorry, Uncle Ben, I have to go, but text me the day and time and I’ll make myself available,” he said before ending the call.
“Hey, Nate. I was going to call you. Are we still on for tomorrow night?” Angel asked, catching him off guard when she quickly touched her lips to his.
“What the hell, Angel!” Nate snapped, stepping away as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. The last thing he needed was to walk into the room to Liberty with another woman’s lipstick on his mouth.
“What?” The innocent expression on her face had him wondering if something was mentally wrong with the woman. She closed the gap between them. “I can’t kiss my man when I see him?”
“I’m not your man. Never have been. Never will be. What’s your problem? I’ve made it clear—I’m not interested.” At the moment, there was only one woman he was interested in, and she was sitting in a room, a few feet away, waiting on him.
“So, you’re telling me that you’re passing on all of this?” Her hands flowed down her body bringing attention to the way the short yellow sundress hugged her curvaceous body.
Nate could admit that she was a stunning woman, but he had never been the type of man to go for looks alone. He took the whole package into consideration.
He and Angel had met two months ago through mutual friends. At first, Nate thought she was nice and he was interested in getting to know her. After a few dates, that changed. She was possessive and clingy. When she began talking about marriage, he knew he had to cut all ties.
“Angel, clearly there’s a communication breakdown between us. We had a nice time, but there is no us.” He swung his hand back and forth between them. “We talked about this. It’s best if we go our separate ways, and I don’t know how else to make that clear to you.”
Angel shook her head, ready to protest when a male’s voice called out her name. She glanced over her shoulder at a man about Nate’s height, with a linebacker build approaching them. He wasn’t too happy if the glare directed at Nate was any indication.
“I was wondering what happened to you.” He wrapped his arm around Angel’s waist, kissing her on the cheek. She visibly stiffened with an awkward smile plastered on her face.
Hmm…interesting. If she was at the restaurant with a date, why had she kissed him?
“I was on my way to the table,” Angel said to her date, easing out of his hold and casting a freakishly sweet smile at Nate and then touched his arm. “I got sidetracked when I ran into Nate. I wanted to thank him for the flowers he’d sent.”
All types of warning bells sounded inside of Nate’s head. What flowers? The woman really was crazy. Unless…she was trying to make this guy jealous.
“I never sent you flowers, Angel.” Whatever game she was playing, he wanted nothing to do with it.
When she narrowed her eyes at him, her jaw clenched, Nate knew he had made the right decision to cut her loose.
“Come on. Let’s get out of here.” The linebacker started leading her away, but not before he turned back and glared at Nate.
“Two women, Nate? Really?” Carolyn came up behind him. Nate thought he had heard the door to the second level open before Angel’s little game started. When he didn’t hear or see anyone, he hadn’t thought anything else about the sound. The floor above was where Paul’s office was located.
“How much did you hear?”
“Enough to wonder if you’re juggling a couple of women.”
Nate shook his head. “I’m a one-woman man. Angel is someone from my past who doesn’t seem to understand that I’m not interested in her. And for the record, I never sent her flowers and we only went out a handful of times.”
“I see. What about the one you’re having dinner with?”
“She’s someone…” He paused to decide how he wanted to describe Liberty. “She’s someone I’m interested in getting to know better.”
Carolyn nodded. “Well, I suggest you be careful with Ms. Yellow Dress because the daggers that girl was shooting with her eyes could amputate a body part.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Nate reentered the family dining room. “Sorry, I didn’t mean for that to take so long.”
Liberty looked up from her cell phone. “No problem. I was just catching up on emails. Give me one second to finish this response.”
Nate reclaimed his seat, studying her as she tapped away on the device. Smooth skin the color of chestnuts shone under the lights and he longed to touch her. The white, sleeveless blouse showed off her long, graceful neck, perky breasts and toned arms. She definitely wasn’t the young, skinny girl he dated back in college, but a beautiful woman who had experienced a rough life and survived.
After all these years, there was still just something about her that called to him. Nate was falling for her all over again. At first, he thought the strong attraction was him adhering to the damsel in distress scenario his brother often called him out on. But this was different. The intense pull that drew him to her like a magnet to steel couldn’t be ignored.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Liberty asked, interrupting his thoughts.
Nate met her gaze. “You’re still one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever known.”
Her
brows shot up and she pointed to herself. “Me?” The surprise in her voice along with the nervous laugh made him think that she didn’t know just how attractive she was.
“Yes, you. Why do you find that so hard to believe?”
“Because… I find it hard to believe that I can even compare to the women you know. You’re a hot, good-looking man. Gorgeous women are probably coming out of the woodwork to get with you.”
Just not the right ones, Nate thought and then smiled. “You think I’m hot, huh?”
She laughed and it was as if a dark cloud was pushed out of the way by the sun. Her whole face lit up and suddenly he didn’t see the sadness that had been lingering in her eyes for the past couple of weeks.
For the next hour, they talked and laughed like old times. As they spent time together, memories of what they’d shared all those years ago filled his mind. Good memories. Memories of how he used to walk her to class and then sprint to his own class to keep from being late. Memories of his lips covering hers in heated kisses. Memories of how responsive she was to his touch. Even now he could almost feel her shivering against him, moaning with every trace of his fingers along her body.
“Nate?”
Nate blinked several times as Liberty waved her hand in front of his face.
“Where’d you go? Am I boring you?” she asked, a teasing smile on her lips that made him want to kiss her and see if they were as sweet as he remembered.
He chuckled. “On the contrary. I’m enjoying your company. As a matter of fact, I’d like to take you out again. What does your weekend look like?”
Liberty shrugged. “Besides doing a little work, I don’t have anything planned.”
“Would you like to go out with me?”
Her face broke out into a smile. “That would be nice.”
Nate took care of the check while they discussed possible things they could do on their date. He had wanted to ask her out before now, but there was still a bit of uncertainty nagging at him. Questioning whether seeing her on a personal level was a good idea.
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