Heartstrings - Forbidden Hearts Series Prequel

22| A Not So Good Night

When it came to waking up in the morning, I've experienced it many ways. I've had mornings where it felt like I was yanked out of a dream or I woke up in a sweat when I had a nightmare. Also there was the groggy lack of sleep mornings where I would keep hitting snooze and buried my head under my pillow. 

But I've never once been woken up by a guy I was seriously into stroking my hair. 

"Good morning, gorgeous." 

I looked up at him with a drowsy smile. "What are you doing in here, Nathan? What if Lanie or Harper came in?" 

"Give me some credit, Karma. I locked the door." He was stretched out next to me, resting his head on his hand like that day at the beach. "How did you sleep," he asked softly. 

The memory of our kiss came to mind and I blushed like an idiot. "I slept pretty good. You?" 

"Same. Although I have to say it wasn't as good as the night you ended up in my bed." 

I really wish I remembered that. Not knowing how I was feeling—besides hammered—that night ate at me. How did it feel having someone hold me while I slept? I guess I wouldn't know. 

"So what are you doing in here? Watching me sleep like a creeper," I teased. 

"Hardly. I wanted to check on you before you avoided me all day." His gaze was serious. "How do you feel about what happened last night?" 

"I'm not sure," I answered honestly. "I mean...for our first kiss it was very enjoyable. And intense. How do you feel about it?" 

"You know how I feel," he murmured. "If Lanie hadn't interrupted us, then I would have kept kissing you. And kissing you...and kissing you." 

I didn't doubt that. And one other thing that worried me was how skilled he was at it. Now that I'm looking back on it, he's probably kissed hundreds of women. He said I wasn't like those other girls, and I wasn't. I was nothing like them. 

But did he really mean it when he said I was different to him? That was my main concern. 

When he didn't say anything more I asked, "What are you thinking about?" 

"I'm thinking about how much you want me to kiss you again." 

With a short laugh I asked, "How did I give you the impression that I wanted you to kiss me again?"

Nathan's smug expression stayed in place. "You called it our first kiss."

"So?"

"So...'first' implies that there will be a second. And a third. And a fourth. You see how that works? It's basic math."

"You are unbelievable."

"Aw, Karma, you say the sweetest things." He leaned in a little closer to me and brushed the hair out of my face. "You know, gorgeous, you're pretty unbelievable yourself." 

I shook my head and gently pushed at his chest. "Will you please get out of here? I need to get up and get dressed and I really don't want you in here when Lanie comes to my room." 

Every morning Lanie came to my room when she got up to plan our day of activities. 

"Fine," he groaned and rolled off the bed. "I'll leave on one condition. I'm hanging with my dad for most of the day. Meet me on the beach tonight? So we can, you know, talk and stuff." 

We did need to talk about what happened. There were a lot of things that needed to be said and questions that needed to be answered. 

"I'll be there," I promised.