8. Nate

EIGHT

NATE

She can't take her eyes off me. And the attention has me more turned on than I've been in a long time.

Slowly, I lift my glass—filled to the brim with champagne—to my lips.

The movement passes through her line of vision, and her gaze catches on the glass, following it to my mouth.

I take a drink.

I've already had a few whiskeys. I don't need more. But I do need more of this tempting woman.

My swallow is deliberate.

Then I take another mouthful.

Rosalyn lifts her eyes to mine, and her blue irises appear darker in the dim light.

I swallow.

There's something about Rosalyn that feels… right.

And I don't know what exactly it is, but I want to find out.

She wraps her fingers around her mug and mirrors me, lifting it to her mouth and pressing the rim against her lips.

She takes a drink.

Then a second .

I set my glass down. "Did your team leave you?"

Are you alone?

She sets her mug down. Then nods.

I step to the side, moving toward the end of the island. "What do you have left to do?"

How long do I have to wait?

She keeps her eyes on me as I continue to move around to her side of the island.

Nothing left between us.

"Dishes." Her word comes out breathy.

"Can I help you?"

Can I help you take your clothes off and have you say my name like how you just said the word dishes ?

She blinks at me. "Help me?"

"Yeah, Beautiful. Can I help you finish?"

God, I want to help her finish.

I slide the tip of my tongue against the corner of my mouth.

Is it hot in here?

I think it might be too hot in here.

We should probably get naked.

I swear she mouths the words help you finish while her eyes lock on the movement of my tongue.

She shakes her head just a little. "You don't need to help me."

I lean down, bringing our faces closer than we've been before.

Her breath hitches.

Her eyes jump up to meet mine, then drop back to my mouth.

I bend, bringing us even closer as I reach across the counter for my glass.

Slowly, I stand back up, bringing my drink with me. "You shared your champagne with me." I take a large swallow. "Drying some dishes is the least I owe you."