The Problem with Sports - M.E. Clayton Page 0,21

It shouldn’t have been that hard to agree to.

“How respectable?” Nathan asked, throwing me off.

“What?”

And then this soap opera took another turn into the strange when Nathan stepped to me and dipped his head to create an intimacy that had my heart thumping and body parts clenching.

Oh.

My.

Goodness.

“I mean, how respectable do I have to behave around you?” he asked, and there no mistaking his meaning. I might be in the middle of a dry spell, but I wasn’t that clueless.

“Nathan-” He stepped closer, stopping my words mid-sentence, and his body heat almost made me moan. Back to that dry spell, I missed sex. I hadn’t been lying to Rachel when I had told her that.

“See, the thing is,” he began, his voice a dark rumble, “as fascinating as Grant is, he’s not the only person in this house that I come over to see.”

Oh, God.

Nathan Hayes was hitting on me, and I was not equipped to handle something like this. I’d never been a casual sex kind of person, and while I wasn’t opposed to it, I’ve never had to navigate through the concept before. The men I’ve slept with had always been boyfriends or was Steven. Could I have a fling with Nathan Hayes? Probably.

Except for two very important factors…

“Nathan, I’m not sure this is a good idea,” I squeaked. “If this…turns sour, you’re my neighbor. Plus, there’s your friendship with Grant to consider.” Was I looking the man in the eyes as I delivered my little speech? Nope. Was it cowardly? Yep. But was it necessary? Absolutely. There was no way I’d be able to resist those baby blues filled with heat and wicked promises. So, rather than look directly into the sun, blinding myself stupid, I stared at his chest. Which, admittedly, wasn’t much better since the man was built like a god.

“And you’re positive it’s going to turn sour?” he asked the top of my head.

Yes.

“Uh, pretty sure,” I replied. “Besides, don’t you have…dates you can take out or something?”

He chuckled and I felt it all the way to my bones. “No, Andie,” he rasped out. “I don’t have dates I can take out or something. There’s only one woman I’m interested in taking out.”

I took a step back to give myself some thinking room, but that failed spectacularly when Nathan stepped with me.

Quit being a coward.

I looked up at the gorgeous man and hit him with the truth. “Nathan, I don’t have the time, patience, or level of self-esteem it takes to date someone like you,” I said, hoping I didn’t sound like a complete loser. “I’ve never had a one-night stand, and I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be able to handle you just in general.” I cleared my throat. “So, while I appreciate the interest, uh, I’m going to have to say no.”

“No?”

“No,” I confirmed with a confident nod. “Thank you, but no.”

Chapter 12

Nathan~

I didn’t see this coming.

Sure, I knew she’d have concerns over my friendship with Grant, and that she might even suspect I was befriending her son just so I could get into her pants, but I hadn’t anticipated a flat-out no. Ego aside, no wasn’t a word I heard often.

I stepped back and gave her some room. I wasn’t a total dick. I knew I was running roughshod over her and her son, but the kid was fucking awesome, so who wouldn’t want to hang out with him? And Andie was fucking gorgeous, so who wouldn’t want to take her out on a date?

“I’m not the type of man who would put a child in the middle of something like a breakup, Andie,” I told her.

The woman scoffed. “And how in the hell would I know that?” she returned. “I don’t know you, Nathan.”

“Well, what better way than to get to know me than a date?” I fired back.

“We become friends,” she tossed out like that was totally acceptable.

“I don’t want to just be your friend,” I said, going for honestly. Might as well put it all out there.

Andie let out a deep breath. “Nathan, I’m not opposed to casual sex, but it’s not anything I’ve ever-”

I swung my palms up to stop her. “Whoa, hold up,” I interrupted. “Who says I want to have casual sex with you? I asked you on a goddamn date, Andie. Not to meet me in some seedy motel.”

She winced. “All the same-”

“No.” I shook my head. “It’s not all the same. If I wanted casual sex, I’d hit up a bar or something.”

Andie regarded