Nina |18+|

12

THEO

So close.

So ridiculously, fucking close.

Subconsciously, my hands curled into fists around the edge of the sink. I had just finished packing away our empty plates after ignoring Nina's attempt at helping me. Despite her insistence, I wouldn't let her.

I didn't want her to do anything besides enjoy her night and her food. Which she did, and I was showered with compliments the entire time we ate.

It warmed my heart, but Nina didn't have a clue what went through my head when she complimented me.

Not a single clue.

She was currently in the bathroom, speaking inaudibly with one of her friends on the phone. I took a deep breath in, rolling my neck to relieve the tension that was suddenly there.

It was hard sitting across from her, pretending that I didn't want to cut our meal short and kiss the fuck out of her. I wanted to. More than anything.

Why was I feeling that way?

It was a foreign feeling, but I wanted to explore that feeling with everything in me.

Just as I sat down on the sofa, I heard Nina walk into the living room. I turned my head, letting my eyes meet hers and again—I was stunned by how pretty she looked. So much that I was forced to glance away.

Her hair was no longer down to her shoulders but instead her curls were tied into carefree bun on the top of her head. She had left a few pieces dangling loose, allowing it to frame her face and the back of her neck.

I ran my hand over my thigh, hoping that Nina wouldn't notice how she was making me feel.

I was also encouraging myself to not get hard. But it was too easy for her. All she had to do was look at me a certain way and I had to hide the result between my legs.

I gulped away the thick lump in my throat, feeling Nina plop herself on the sofa next to me.

She breathed out a satisfied and dreamy sigh, resting her head but my eyes couldn't stop from wandering down to her collarbones. Her throat was exposed, and she wasn't looking at me—she stared at the ceiling and I could see the satisfaction in her eyes.

"I haven't eaten that good in a while," she whispered, closing her eyes while she ran a hand over her belly. "Thanks, Theo. I owe you."

My gaze ventured lower, paying attention to all that I could. She had a tiny beauty spot on the side of her neck, and I ran my tongue across the inside of my cheek. I wanted to kiss it. When I stopped right at the beginning of her dress, I almost forgot that she had said something and I was supposed to respond.

"No," I stated, positioning myself to sit the way that she was.

It was just after ten, but I didn't want our night to end. We already had dessert, and there was nothing left besides...taking her home.

My nose scrunched at the thought, hating the idea of having to depart from Nina after the night we had.

If I had it my way, she'd sleep over and I'd take her to school in the morning. But that was unlikely.

"No?" Nina repeated, lifting her head for just a brief second. She had opened her eyes, staring at me curiously.

I played with the ring on my finger, twirling it around as I tried to distract myself from how close she was to me.

"No," I said softy. "You don't owe me."

She stared at me for a moment, until a gently smile made its way to her full lips. "Okay. Thank you, anyway."