crowd. I watch until he disappears and then look at Tyler who’s smiling with his fingertips now tucked into his front pockets.
“Was I interrupting something?”
“Uh . . . no,” I lie. “How’s it going?”
“Great. Just wanted to check in, you know? Kind of missed you.” Winking, he pulls me against him and I expect to feel the butterflies and the heat but I don’t. With Tyler it’s just not the same. No matter how much time I spend with him, there’s never the full spark I want to feel. I’m not as thrilled or as excited with him as I am with Nolan. With Nolan, there’s a fire that ignites throughout me. The fire is so strong that sometimes I can’t think straight. With Tyler . . . my mind isn’t as boggled.
“Nat!” I turn around quickly, facing Harper who is grinning at me. I’m so glad she’s found me because being with Tyler at this moment—while my hormones are raging—is not good. I don’t want them to plummet. The drink I had is already getting to me and I want to continue to feel good, not have it go downhill. “Nat, did you see Nolan? He’s in the kitchen with Dawson.”
“Yeah, I saw him, Harp.”
She frowns. “Well what the hell are you still standing here for?” She looks at Tyler as if she’s just now seeing him and blinks quickly. “Oh, yeah . . . right. Hi, Tyler.”
“Harper,” he sighs. “Look, you ladies have fun. I’ll go check on the house. Don’t want anything to get too messed up.” He forces a smile, winks, and then walks away.
“Harper,” I whine as soon as he’s out of earshot. “Why would you say that in front of him? I already feel bad.”
“And you should,” she frowns. “Nolan is here for you and you only. Don’t make him available. These girls are hounding him like horny bitches.”
Sighing, I turn away from her and hurry for the kitchen. Sure enough, a girl is brushed against Nolan’s side and aiming for his attention but his gaze seems to be distant. In fact, he’s not even looking her way. I make my way towards him again and as soon as he spots me, he smiles. It’s faint but it’s a smile.
“I think we should talk now.”
He smirks, stepping away from the girl beside him. I grab his hand and this time I lead the way out. I push through the crowd, heading for the stairs and hoping I don’t run into Tyler. I want alone time with Nolan right now and I don’t want any interruptions. I just want it to be Natalie and Nolan. No one else outside of us.
I go for the bedroom with an open door and turn the light switch on. Nolan shuts the door behind us, locks it, and then turns around to look at me. The bass of the music is faint but I’m glad I can still hear it because the silence between us is about to pass for awkward.
Nolan finally makes his move. Taking slow, gradual steps towards me, he reaches a hand up and runs it through his dark hair. His shirt rises and I catch a glimpse of his firm abdomens before he drops his arm and stops less than an inch away from me.
His head tilts, and he moves his head in closer, our lips almost touching. I can feel him breathing evenly. I can feel the heat radiating from his body. “I don’t think you realize how much you actually mean to me, Natalie. I don’t like to see you with him.”
“Well that won’t change until you tell me what went on with you and Sharon.” He blinks and pulls back a little, thinking on it. What’s there to think about? Obviously if he’s hesitating to answer he must’ve done something. “Actually, I don’t know if I want an answer right now. I don’t know if I can handle hearing it,” I say, shaking my head.
“Well I want to tell you anyway. We have to make this work.”
“Will I be mad?”
“You might be, and you might not be.” He pulls me in by my belt loop and his knuckles brush against my stomach. My belly coils and my legs stiffen as he places his lips against my neck. He takes small steps forward and I take a few back until my back bumps against the nearest wall and then his hands grab at my hipbone. He picks me up in one swift gesture