The Best Kind of Trouble (2 page)

We’d only been at Beech Street for ten minutes, and I had already managed to make this date—or whatever it was— awkward.  Nathan was sitting next to me at a small table, his arm slung around the back of my chair.

Chase, a friend of Drew’s, plopped into the seat next to him and slapped him on the back. "Oh Nate-dog has many girlfriends alright," he said, grinning. Nathan just barked a laugh and shook his head at his friend’s wagging eyebrows.

"That's not really true," he said turning his eyes back to me. He shrugged-smiled.  "I dated a few girls in high school and a few since, but--"

Chase snorted when he said a few. Nathan ignored him.

"But nothing serious?" I asked.

"Nothing serious," he confirmed.

Before I could stop myself I blurted, "Why not?"

He shrugged and took a sip of his beer. "I don't know, I guess I figure out pretty quick if the girl is worth it."  I furrowed my brow.

"Look, my life's pretty full. Football and classes require a lot of commitment from me. Plus I got a big family and plenty of friends. If she's not the one, why get serious?"

Nathan took another swig of his beer and my frown deepened. I wasn't sure what to make of that statement.

Nathan stood up. "Don't go anywhere doll face, I'll be right back." With that Nathan disappeared into the bathroom.

I turned to Chase. He grinned at me, his green eyes twinkled knowingly. "So is he like a player or something?"

Chase chuckled. "Nah, he just doesn't get serious."

I frowned. It felt like there was more to the story. "That sounds like a player. I mean, I guess it's better than a string of one night stands but still it's like he's not really giving a girl a fair shot."

"And you want a fair shot?" Chase asked.

I looked at Katie and bit the inside of my cheek. She giggled.

Before I could answer, Nathan was back. He slid into the seat next to me and slung his arm around the back of my chair again. The waitress came by and plopped down a few fresh beers. Nathan immediately grabbed one and took a long pull. When he noticed me staring, he grinned.  "Miss me, Face?"

"So you've never met someone you wanted to get serious with?"

The smiled slipped from his face, and his blue eyes locked on mine. After a couple of seconds he replied, "I wouldn't say that."

"Then what would you say?"

Oh my god. Why was I pushing this?
I was having a serious case of word vomit.

"That when I meet the right the girl, I'll know."

His blue gaze didn't falter. I felt it like a physical touch, deep and penetrating. His eyes were so blue, dark and endless, causing an involuntary shiver to shimmy down my spine.

I swallowed hard, barely managing to squeak out, "How?"

He didn't answer right away. Instead he continued staring into my eyes. I couldn't help but be drawn in. My eyes fell to his lips. They looked so soft and full.

I bet he's a good kisser
.

Finally he spoke. His voice was a soft whisper but the way he said the words, so confidently, was like he was saying some inarguably truth, like the sky is blue.

"I'll just know."

I couldn't help it. I forgot about everything else, everyone else around us, and leaning in, I pressed my lips to his.

I think I shocked him.  And it made me feel even bolder.  I pressed my lips a little firmer to his and then licked his bottom lip.  Nathan groaned low in his throat, sending a jolt of desire through me.  He tangled his fingers in my hair and pulled me closer, titling my head back and opening his mouth to deepen the kiss.

After a moment, I pulled back, breathless.  When I opened my eyes, he was staring at me, my head still cradled in his large hand, grinning widely.

When he leaned back in, I pulled back. Nathan chuckled, “What? Only one kiss, doll?”

I blushed, surprised and embarrassed that I had kissed him.  In public.  In front of half the school and all our mutual friends.  Especially when I knew I shouldn’t get involved with Nathan.

His hand dropped away from my head, but he didn’t look offended or mad.  His smirk was on full display and his eyes sparkled with desire and the challenge I was presenting.
Crap.

Nathan took another long pull of his beer and for a moment I was mesmerized by his lips. 

God, I want to kiss him again.

Instead I turned my eyes back up to the stage and the band that was currently playing.  I refused to look at Nathan or Katie.

Nathan Williams was trouble.  I glanced at him from the corner of my eye.  He ran his large hand through his thick messy hair.  His blue eyes were smiling, his full kissable lips stretched across his face in a heart-stopping grin.  He looked at me then and his grin morphed into a knowing cocky smirk. A devilish gleam lit up his eyes.  He winked at me. 

Trouble.  Definitely trouble.

I looked back at the stage and he leaned over, his warm breath fanned across my cheek when he whispered in my ear, “Relax, sweetheart, I’m not a bad guy.”

I turned my head to look at him. 

Oh shit. Definitely shouldn’t have done that. 

That close his eyes looked really
really
intense.  My gaze dropped to his lips.  They were so close, before I could even think about resisting he leaned over and brushed them against mine.  Only once.

I wanted to groan out loud and pull him back to me when he pulled away.  Chuckling, he brought his beer up to his lips again.

“You may not be a bad guy, but you’re trouble,” I said.  He looked at me, but didn’t say anything, didn’t offer much of a reaction at all, so I added softly, “And I know trouble when I see it.”

One dark eyebrow quirked up and his lips twitched.  “Oh yeah? A sweetheart like you knows trouble?”

I cocked an eyebrow right back. “Yeah.”

His responding smile was so wicked and sexy I flushed. An intoxicating heat unfurled in my gut, spreading through my limbs, and collecting in earnest between my thighs.

He wrapped and arm around me, hauling me close to his side.  His deep throaty chuckle vibrated against me. “Well, I’m the best kind of trouble, then.”

The next twenty minutes we sat like that, with me glued to his side and a beer in his hand. My head was swimming, my heart pounding out a rhythm I was sure I’d never felt before.   Finally, when a new band came on and people started dancing, Nathan turned to me.

“Dance with me,” he commanded in his rough sexy voice.  It twisted my insides and made every hair I had stand on end.
God, this was too much.
One freakin’ kiss and I was already pulled under his spell.   

He stood up and reached out his hand for mine.  I should have said no.  Maybe I should have even ran in the opposite direction. But,
holy shit
, the way he was looking at me, the way his warm hand felt wrapped around mine made me forget my own name.

So I let him drag me out on the dance floor.

As soon as he got me there, he dropped my hand, grabbed my waist and pulled me tight against him.  His hands skimmed up my sides, pushing my arms up and around his broad shoulders.

Nathan smiled playfully at me and his blue-gray eyes twinkled with wicked mischief.

A rush of excitement flooded my system. 
So cute. So sexy.
 I stopped over-thinking and just went with it. It’s not like I was starting something serious with him.  Just having fun.

My heart clenched painfully in my chest. The chemistry that was sparking between us and the intensity of Nathan’s blue eyes that made my stomach flip told me I was lying to myself.

I pressed myself against him and moved my hips to the music, trying desperately to keep my head above the rising tide of emotions—lust, attraction, and something more— sweeping through me.

After countless songs, I dragged him off the dance floor back to the bar.  Sweaty and breathing heavily, I felt reckless.  And free. My blood was all jacked up with adrenaline and the intoxicating closeness of Nathan.  Sexy, manly, playful Nathan.

He grabbed two waters from the bartender and handed one to me.  After I gulped it down, he leaned into my ear.  “Want me to take you home?”

I pressed my lips together unsure.

Nathan slipped an arm around my waist and hauled me into his chest.  He cupped one large hand around the nape of my neck, his fingers tangling in my long blonde hair.

He leaned in and I really wanted to melt against him.  But something held me back.  His blue eyes seemed darker and his voice low and husky turned my insides to hot liquid.  “Let’s go back to my place.  We can talk.”

His place?
 

I wasn’t sure if I could do that.  My stomach knotted up.  He was cute and sweet and playful.  But he was also a cocky, popular, ladies-man football player who went through girls like I went through purses.

Not to mention, I always fell too hard and too fast.

My latest example was Colin.  One minute we were closer than ever and the next he was flirting with some other bimbo all night at a party he had invited me to. And then he slept with my fucking friend.

Honestly, it had been a giant mess from the start.  I had been single for forever and I let the physical stuff happen before the emotional.  Big mistake.

I took a deep breath and backed out of Nathan’s arms.

Nathan seemed to sense my mood change and sudden distress. He let me go but then leaned forward and brushed a chaste kiss to my cheek.  “No pressure Ashley, we’ll just talk or watch a movie.”

I pressed my lips together into a thin line.  I’d already had my heartbroken more times than I could count.  For exactly this reason.  Because some cute, cocky guy made me think with my heart and hormones.  I’d fall fast.  They’d lose interest or get scared.  And then they’d be gone. Or cheat.

I took another step back.  Nathan’s dark eyebrows furrowed, full lips turned down.

“I can’t—” I stuttered. 

I had to get out of there.  I tried to smile, but it felt more like a grimace.  “I’m sorry, I gotta go.”

I turned away from Nathan and tried to make my way through the crowd so I could find Katie.  I got back to our table and thank god, she was sitting there with her boyfriend Drew.

“Katie,” I said when I reached her.  “Are you ready to go?”

She looked up at me and the smile slipped off her face.  “Ash, what’s—”

Her eyes left mine to focus on something behind me.  Nathan.  My spine tingled with the awareness of him being so close.  I suddenly felt really stupid and a pink flush painted my cheeks.

“Ashley,” he said my name again.  In that sexy voice. 
Trouble.
  “I’ll take you home.”

I wanted to protest, but I knew it would make me look even crazier.  He just wanted to take me home.  I knew I was over-reacting.  Freaking out for no reason. 

He’d probably want to kiss me again.  I looked up into his dark blue eyes, and then let my gaze fall to his full lips.  I wanted to kiss him again, too.

I nodded my head, not trusting my voice to speak, and waved goodbye to Katie. 
You okay?
she mouthed.  I nodded and let Nathan lead me outside.

I definitely wanted to kiss him again.  No big deal.  I’d let him take me home, kiss him one more time—okay maybe two more times—and that’s it.  I didn’t have to give him my number or talk to him ever again.  Even if he liked the challenge and chased me, after a week or so he’d lose interest and move on to a more willing girl.

That was the pep talk I gave myself in Nathan’s truck all the way back to my apartment.  Even if it made me feel a little sick to my stomach to think about him with another girl. 
Oh my god, Ash, you barely know him!

Other than me giving him directions, we were silent on the way back.  He pulled into the parking lot and cut the engine.  At first there was a thoughtful expression on his face, but then he looked over at me and his whole face changed.  His blue eyes lit up playfully and he flashed me a grin.

Uh oh.
 He was definitely accepting the challenge I presented.

Before I could protest, he leaned over the console, cupped my face with both of his hands and pressed a kiss to my lips. 
God, he could kiss.

His lips moved slowly against mine, connecting and reconnecting.  It was soft and tender, almost chaste, but so incredibly sexy.  It caused my romantic little heart to beat faster.

He pulled away first and smirked at me, obviously pleased with my response.  I scowled at him, but he merely chuckled as I exited the truck, “See ya later, Face.”