She’s just saying this because she hasn’t seen those two together yet. Luckily, I bite back my comments in time. Abuelita is clearly on a roll with her discourse and interrupting her would be pointless.
She is pointing her finger at me. The tip of her index trembles slightly, but she keeps her eyes fixed on mine. Whatever her next argument is, she must feel particularly strong about it. “Eva, you need to promise me that you’ll let Nathan peek above those walls that you created around your heart. Otherwise, he won’t get a chance to learn what a wonderful person you truly are. And that would be a pity. Something truly special might be on its way for you with him.”
She smiles brightly at me.
Oh, goodness. Maybe I should have tried to interrupt her. Even if I actually agree with a lot of what Abuelita is saying, I can’t promise her I’ll gamble my heart on her romantic reverie. It’s too much. I fear if I let myself believe that things between me and Nathan could be more than just what we have—whatever it is that we have—and it backfires, then I’ll open the gates for a heartache of dimensions I’ve never known.
The doorbell saves me.
He’s here. Quick, I need to hurry. I can’t let Abuelita meet Nathan when she’s in her matchmaking, love-will-make-you-whole mood.
My heart beats like the wings of a bird whose cage was accidentally left open, as I bolt to the door. When my hand reaches the doorknob, I call back. “I gotta run. Sorry! Don’t wait up for me like yesterday. I’m going to be working late.”
“Jovenes, always rushing…” She grumbles first, then she waves to me. “Have fun, hijita. And remember my advice.”
I pull the door closed quickly behind me before Abuelita can change her mind and decide to come out to lecture Nathan about the importance of relationships.
As I turn, I stumble and bump into Nathan’s muscular chest.
He grabs my shoulders to keep me upright. “Whoa, were you in such a hurry to see me? It’s very flattering.”
He must be coming from work, because he’s dressed in a smart-casual Oxford shirt in that particular blue shade that turns his gaze into that mesmerizing marengo. He has thrown a tailored navy suit over it that stretches so heavenly over his muscles, my knees almost buckle.
I take a step back and feel the door’s smooth surface press against my spine. The distance is not nearly enough to cancel out the effect of Nathan’s looks, but it’s sufficient to at least jumpstart my brain. “I was just outsmarting Abuelita. Trying to save you from a second round of interrogation, you see.”
Nathan grins. “It looked more like outrunning from where I stood. Anyway, your grandmother seems like a very kind and intelligent old lady. I wouldn’t mind chatting with her again.”
Strangely enough, Nathan sounds like he means what he says.
This realization startles me. Could he be this eager to converse with my grandmother if he only wants a fling between us?
Maybe my mind is overloaded processing this question, but it misses a beat and lets my mouth formulate the following incriminating words. “I think it’s better if you don’t. Abuelita has already taken you into her fancy. But we don’t want to give her the wrong impression, since we are…”
Nathan’s lips twitch. “Going to my house? Would she disapprove?”
“No, not that. She understands it’s just a quick visit. That we won’t…”
Now a clear smile is tugging at his lower lip. “We won’t…what, Eva?”
Ah, perfect. Why did I ever start on this topic?
While my cheeks heat up to a temperature that should give me a second-degree burn, I search for a smarter way to get out of this mess I’ve created. “That doesn’t matter, since we won’t. What matters is that Abuelita, if you keep on dazzling her like you did yesterday, will start to believe that we’re…you know…getting serious.”
Nathan’s face grows serious. “Are you still convinced we’re building a friendship here?”
His voice is deep, and I can’t decide what his take on it is. But it’s me who needs to express herself first. What should I say? After the sizzles between us on the dance floor last night, I can’t repeat my previous lie to him. He must have realized how I was staring at him and felt the hammering in my ribcage as our bodies swayed together.
I decide to go with the truth. “I don’t know what we’re building, Nathan.”
There I said it.
Nathan cocks his head to the side, but his eyes don’t leave mine. “Eva, what do you say if we drop the pretense and call our meetings what they are. Dating.”
Despite my heart begging me to assume the best of him, I’m paralyzed with fear as I repeat his words. “Dating? But we’ve only had a few—”
“Dates, yes. That’s why I think this label is appropriate for now.”
For now? What is that supposed to mean? I chew on my lip and glance at my hands. For Pete’s sake, why can’t I even keep his gaze while discussing this? It must be clear from my body language that I’m putting way too much weight on this definition. But a little “ing” adds so much layer to a relationship. At least for me. Is it the same for him? Would I dare to ask?
Nathan smiles. A real, ear-to-ear grin that makes him look so carefree. And hot. “You’re cute when you’re embarrassed,” he says. “It doesn’t happen often when we’re together. You always seem to have a right answer for everything. But…when it does…well, it makes your eyes sparkle.”
“Thank you,” I murmur.
Nathan points at his car. “Anyway, I think that’s enough semantics for a day, no? What do you say we get going? I have some fun planned for us at my place, but I know you have to be back at the Desert Rose
