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"Notdown her spine in reaction to Nathan’s touch The last thing she wanted was to give Jamal and Wendy the idea that Nathan and she were a couple "We’re friends Really good friends"

Wendy arched a brow and Mia knehat the unasked question was

"Unfortunately, not with benefits," Nathan said

Jahed "Too bad for you, buddy"

Nathan leaned over and nuzzled Mia’s ear "That could change anytilass and took a sip "Or not"

He swirled his thuoose bue your mind"

She hadn’t been this relaxed in led with the need to be touched and kissed She realized there wasn’t anyone else she wanted touching her but Nathan

So she leaned over and whispered in his ear "Give it your best shot"

She was testing the waters and ret it But she’d said the words and she wouldn’t take them back this time She was tired of the back and forth and maybe she just wanted Nathan

No, there was no maybe about it She did want him

So now that it was out there, she’d see what happened

ELEVEN

THIS HAD BEEN THE LONGEST GODDAMNED DINNER of Nathan’s life

He’d only had one glass of wine so he was pretty much stone-cold sober And before dinner he was certain Mia had put sex back on the table

He wanted dinner over with so he could get her alone Instead, they’d had a fucking four-course meal that had taken eleven hundred hours to eat, so they’d had to endure food and conversation, with Mia occasionally s him looks that told him exactly as on her mind

Sex It sure as hell had been on his

His dick had been semihard for the past two and a half hours He’d never been morehell

He stared down at his crème brûlée as it if were the eneetting in the way of his sex life

Mia brushed her fingers over his forear This fucking"No, I’ look at hirave;rave; dessert It was evil and had to be destroyed "I’m full"

She arched a brow "I cannot believe those words came out of your mouth You are never full Usually you eat your dessert and ed and stabbed his spoon into the dessert

Die, fucker

Although et out of there

He scooped up the offending custard and shoveled it in his mouth in a hurry He had it polished off in about six bites He had no idea what it even tasted like He didn’t care He just wanted it gone

Their waiter came over and asked if anyone wanted more coffee He prayed no one said yes

"I’m fine, thank you," Mia said

Both Jamal and Wendy declined

Nathan looked up at the waiter "We’ll just take the check"

While Mia and Wendy went to the restroo the bill It looked like they were finally going to get out of there

They stood when Wendy and Mia returned

"Ready to go?" Nathan asked

Wendy nodded "Yes, let’s do that" She took Jamal’s hand and led the way toward the exit

Mia leaned in close "Anxious to leave?"

He brushed his fingers against hers "You have no idea"

Her lips curved