by TWCS Authors
Stupid cupids.
After this was over, I was begging Mario for a transfer. Maybe to the Halloween division. My gloom and doom attitude was perfect for that holiday.
I headed to the bar and ordered a bottle of white wine. The bartender laughed, but I assured him I wasn’t joking. I flashed him a smile, hoping it was borderline sexy. His eyes widened as he took in my indecent attire.
Feeling triumphant, I took my bottle of expensive wine and sat down at our assigned table. After pouring a glass, I sipped slowly, watching the scene unfold before me. Music blared from the sound system—a mixture of 80s power ballads and classic love songs—and couples were already dancing. Everyone was smiling and happy, while I sat at the table with my bottle of wine and moped as I scanned the room.
There was no sign of him.
Annalise finally arrived with her gorgeous husband on her arm. He was wearing his NYPD dress uniform with gloves, and she was draped in a lovely pink halter dress. She looked elegant and sophisticated, while she’d dressed me like a high-class hooker.
Classy, Jada.
By the time Mario took the stage to welcome everyone to the party, I was more than ready to call it a night.
He introduced each of the writers and illustrators, complimenting each of us on a job well done. The lights lowered, and he pointed our attention to the back wall, where a slideshow of the Cupid’s Arrow designs began to play.
And that’s when I felt someone’s hand on the small of my back.
“You’re absolutely stunning,” Nathan whispered against my ear.
His fingers crept along my spine, slowly sliding along my zipper. I gasped, leaning back against him as he placed a soft kiss below my ear.
“Where’s your date?”
His arm coiled around me, pulling me tighter against his body. My heart raced as his nose glided along my neck.
“She’s sitting with Annalise and her husband,” he said softly.
My best friend was such a traitor.
The room was shrouded in darkness, and every eye was fixed on the slideshow. Spectators murmured their appreciation as the designs appeared on the screen. I couldn’t pay attention to any of them because Nathan’s gentle kisses against my skin were driving me crazy.
“This dress is sinful, Jada.”
“I know.”
“I tried to call you all day.”
“I know.”
“So you were avoiding me?”
The pain in his voice was evident, and I felt guilty, knowing I was the reason for it.
“Yes.”
“Why, Jada?”
Swallowing nervously, I pulled myself out of his arms as the lights flickered to life once again. Everyone applauded, and the entire Valentine’s division received a standing ovation. Mario beamed and encouraged everyone to enjoy the rest of the party.
“Jada, look at me.”
Taking a deep breath, I turned around. He was in his tux, looking handsome and perfect, and gazing at me with those sparkling blue eyes that made butterflies erupt in my stomach every single time I looked into them.
“You should go back to your date,” I said quietly.
We stood there, staring at each other, until his face flickered with understanding.
“You said it was no problem,” Nathan whispered.
“It isn’t.”
“It obviously is if you’re avoiding my phone calls,” he replied, his voice aching and soft. “Jada, I couldn’t disappoint her. It’s all she’s talked about for weeks.”
Shaking my head, I blinked back my tears and reached for my glass of wine.
“You’re neglecting your date. You should get back to her.”
Nathan stared at me, his face incredulous, just as Annalise appeared at my side.
“Your date got a little restless, so she’s dancing with my husband,” she said, laughing loudly. Her giggles faded as she looked between the two of us. “Everything okay now?”
Nathan took a deep breath. “I should get back.”
I nodded.
He walked away, and Annalise seized my elbow.
“What’s going on?”
I ripped my arm out of her grasp. “What do you mean what’s going on? What are you doing being all chummy with his date? And letting her dance with your husband?”
“Jada . . .”
I quickly drained my glass of wine. “Don’t Jada me. You were right. I’m too attached, already. Far too attached. It shouldn’t bother me that he has a date, but it does. It bothers me a lot, and I know I’m being selfish and ridiculous, but I can’t help it. This is why I hate relationships. This is why I avoid love or anything that remotely resembles it. That’s why I despise this holiday!”
Annalise’s eyes were wide. “My God, you’re jealous.
“Clearly.”
“I’ve never seen you jealous,” she whispered. “It’s . . . a little scary.”
Suddenly, she exploded with laughter.
“You are the worst best friend ever,” I muttered.
“And you are being completely ridiculous. Pour yourself another glass, because you’re going to need it when you get a good look at Nathan’s date.”
“Are you crazy? I don’t want to see her.”
“Don’t make me drag you, Jada.”
I narrowed my eyes. “You wouldn’t dare.”
My best friend’s eyes flashed with determination, and before I could even reach for my glass, I was being dragged to the center of the dance floor. We stopped abruptly, and she grabbed my shoulders, spinning me around.
“Look,” she demanded.
I looked.
I gasped.
Just as I’d predicted, Nathan’s date was blond.
And beautiful.
And seven.
Arwen, dressed in a white satin dress with a bright pink sash tied around the waist, was standing on her father’s shoes as they danced.
“I’m an idiot,” I whispered shamefully.
“You’re an idiot,” Annalise agreed. “He really likes you, Jada. I’ve only spent fifteen minutes talking to the man, and it’s obvious. And Arwen is adorable. I can completely understand why you’re attached. Now, get your sexy ass over there and tell him you’re sorry for not giving him the chance to explain.”
The song ended, and everyone clapped. Taking a deep breath, I made way toward the two of them. Arwen’s eyes lit up when she saw me.
“Hi, Jada!”
“Hi, sweetheart. You look so pretty.”
“You’re pretty, too,” the little girl replied happily. “Would you like to dance with Daddy?”
Nathan’s eyes remained on the floor.
“I would love to dance with your daddy. I need to tell him how sorry I am.”
Arwen looked confused. “What’d you do?”
“I made a mistake.”
“That’s okay. Daddy says everybody makes mistakes.”
Nathan’s mouth twitched as he tried not to smile.
Annalise’s husband appeared, asking Arwen if she’d like to dance again. She giggled happily, and I smiled my thanks at Devin as the two of them found a spot on the dance floor. Another slow song began to play, and I stepped closer, taking his hand in mine. He didn’t pull away, and it gave me hope.
“Please dance with me,” I whispered.
He drew me close to his body, wrapping his arms around me. My hands slid along his shoulders, weaving around his neck, and we began to sway to the music.
“She’s always going to come first, Jada,” he whispered gently. “I thought you understood.”
“I do understand,” I said softly, gazing up into his eyes. “Nathan, I thought she was a real date. I mean, I thought she was a woman.”
He furrowed his brow. “That’s why you were avoiding me? You thought I was bringing an actual date?”
I nodded. “I have no right to be jealous. We’ve only known each other for two days.”
Nathan sighed softly and leaned his forehead against mine. “
Jada, didn’t you listen to any of my messages? I explained all this. I told you Arwen was so excited that she was getting to be a princess and go to a ball, and that my mom had taken her to some expensive store in the mall to buy a dress.”
I felt so foolish.
“No, I didn’t listen to any of them.”
“I wish you had,” Nathan said, “because you would have heard me pour my heart out like a lovesick puppy, telling you how much I couldn’t wait to see you tonight. And I told you that I wished I could take you tonight, and that I really hoped you didn’t have a date, because I knew I couldn’t handle seeing you in the arms of another man.”
A tear trickled down my cheek. “I’m sorry. I just assumed . . .”
Very gently, he wiped away my tears with his fingertips.
“You were jealous.”
I nodded.
Nathan smiled softly. “I would have been jealous, too.”
“This is insane. We barely know each other.”
He glanced across the room. I followed his gaze, finding Arwen sitting with Annalise and Devin. She was giggling and happy as she bit into her pink cupcake.
“Come with me,” he said softly.
“Okay.”
Tugging me by the hand, he led me through the dancers and out onto the balcony. It was dark and deserted, and the chilly air nipped at my bare skin.
Fortunately, I wasn’t cold for long.
Nathan gently pushed me against the exterior of the building. Heat radiated from him as his body pressed against mine.
“I know it’s fast,” he said softly, gliding his nose against mine. “I know we barely know each other, but I want to know you, Jada. I want to know everything, but right now, there’s something I absolutely have to do, and you have to let me. Please say you’ll let me.”
His blue eyes were blazing with need. With hunger. With a desperation that made me tremble.
“I’ll let you do anything,” I whispered.
With a groan that ignited my blood, he crashed his lips to mine. I moaned, pulling him closer, loving the taste as his tongue tangled with mine. My hand gripped his hair, and the growl that resonated from his chest only excited me more.
Breathless and panting, he pulled away, staring at me with his scorching gaze. After a few seconds, he kissed me again. This time was gentle and sweet, and I sighed when his hands tenderly framed my face as we kissed over and over again. I’d never been kissed like this, not even when I was married. No one had ever been so passionate one minute and so heartbreakingly tender the next.
I was immediately addicted to his kisses.
I was addicted to him.
When we returned to the party, Arwen was waiting at the table with Annalise and her husband.
“Did you say sorry?”
I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing. “Yes, I did.”
She looked up at her father. “Did you forgive her?”
Nathan pulled me close, placing a kiss on my forehead. “I forgave her,” he said softly, winking at me.
“Good. Can we dance now?”
Everyone laughed as Princess Arwen grabbed her father’s hand and pulled him toward the dance floor.
Nathan Reynolds was a man on a mission.
Over the next few weeks, getting to know everything about me had become a religion to him. He quizzed me incessantly about the most mundane things, such as my favorite color and my best subject in school. I learned that he loved to play guitar and really did have a beautiful singing voice, which I had the pleasure of hearing night after night as he sang his daughter to sleep.
After our bedtime story, of course.
It had become our little ritual, and while Annalise was still afraid we were moving too fast, and that I was becoming too attached, my nights with Nathan and Arwen were some of the happiest I’d ever known.
“You look so happy,” Nathan whispered. He was sitting in his usual spot on her bedroom floor with his sketchbook in his lap. The only sound in the room was our relaxed breathing, his daughter’s soft snores, and the scratching of his pencil against the paper.
Shifting on the bed, I ruffled Arwen’s curls and sighed contently. “I am very happy. Do you know what would make me even happier?”
“What’s that?”
“If you’ll show me whatever it is you’re drawing.”
Nathan grinned shyly, his eyes never leaving the paper. “It’s not done yet.”
“You keep saying that.”
“Because it’s true.”
“You’ve been working on it for weeks. Since our first dinner, actually.”
He hummed and continued to draw. I loved watching him work. He was always focused—so determined to catch every little detail in whatever his subject might be. I loved the way his brow would crease whenever he’d have to erase a line, and I loved how the tip of his tongue would just barely be visible as he worked on a particularly detailed part of the picture.
I loved him.
And I loved his daughter.
Was it too soon to tell him?
Probably.
I carefully climbed out of bed and placed Arwen’s favorite stuffed animal in her arm, tucking the blanket around her. Leaning down, I kissed her forehead.
“Sweet dreams, baby girl.”
When I turned around, Nathan was standing next to the door. His eyes were soft and warm as he moved closer to the bed. After kissing his daughter’s cheek, he reached for my hand and slowly led us out of her room, closing the door behind us.
“It’s ready,” Nathan said softly.
“The picture?”
He nodded.
Grinning like a kid at Christmas, I tried pulling him toward the living room, but he wouldn’t budge.
“In here,” he whispered, and my stomach did somersaults as he led me to his bedroom. I’d never actually seen his room, only passing it on my way to Arwen’s each night. The room was definitely masculine, decorated in deep chocolate and hunter green. The king-sized bed was facing the mounted plasma screen, and sliding glass doors revealed a pretty terrace. A love seat was nestled in the corner, and that’s where Nathan led me. Once we were settled, he handed me the sketchbook.
“First page.” His voice trembled slightly.
“You don’t have to show me, Nathan.”
“I want to. It’s just . . . it’s quite possibly the most meaningful sketch I’ve ever drawn, so I’m a little nervous.”
Very slowly, I lifted the cover of the sketchbook, my eyes instantly filling with tears when I saw the image on the page.
It was Arwen’s bedroom, and she and I were nestled in her bed with a storybook in my lap.
I quickly wiped my cheeks. The last thing I wanted was to ruin his beautiful drawing with my sentimental tears.
“Do you like it?” He sounded so uncertain, as if there was some way I wouldn’t absolutely adore it.
“I love it.”
A heartbeat passed—a mere second—and that’s when I heard his sweet voice.
“I love you.”
I smiled down at the picture and then into his beautiful blue eyes. His love was obvious. If I ever doubted it, all I’d have to do is look at this drawing. I could see it in every detail. Every line. Every stroke of the pencil.
“I love you, too.”
A million emotions crossed his face before he reached for the sketchbook. He took it out of my hands and placed it on the floor. Pulling me into his lap, he gazed sweetly into my eyes, wiping away what was left of my tears. He kissed me tenderly, holding me close as his hands stroked up and down my spine.
“I left my door open, hoping it would help me resist the temptation to carry you to my bed tonight.”
Smiling, I trailed my fingers through his hair. “Yes, that would be a very bad idea with a seven year old just across the hall.”
Nathan dipped his head, gently kissing along the column of my throat. I groaned softly. Oh, how I wish he’d closed the door.
“Tomorrow is Friday,” Nathan
murmured against my skin. “Arwen is spending the night at Grandma’s house. I was thinking . . . we could have a sleepover of our own.”
My entire body tingled with excitement.
“I think that’s a great idea,” I whispered breathlessly.
Your kiss makes me weak . . .
Your love ignites my soul . . .
“I never thought I’d say this, but I think your sappy greetings are giving me a toothache,” Annalise said with a grin.
She was peeking over my shoulder, which was something I usually despised, but today was Friday. I was in love with a man who loved me, and we were having a sleepover.
Nothing could spoil my day.
By the time the cab dropped me off in front of Nathan’s apartment, I was bouncing with nervous energy. With my overnight bag in hand, I made my way up the stairs, waving at the sweet doorman and hurrying toward the elevator. By the time I knocked on his door, I was vibrating with anticipation.
The door swung open, but I wasn’t greeted by the man I loved. Instead, it was a smartly dressed woman who looked to be in her fifties. She beamed at me with her pretty blue eyes.
This has to be his mother.
“You must be Jada,” the woman said, smiling warmly. “I’m Nathan’s mom, Evelyn.”
“It’s nice to meet you.”
I swallowed anxiously as she ushered me inside.
“We’re getting a late start. Nathan is helping Arwen with her suitcase,” she said, glancing down at my own bag in my hand. Her lips twitched—a trait—which had been passed down to her son. I felt the blood rush to my face, but she simply smiled.
Suddenly, Arwen bounced into the room with Nathan following close behind with her suitcase. She rushed toward me and I leaned down, hugging her tightly.
“Hi, Jada!”
“Hey, sweetheart. All ready for your sleepover?”
Arwen nodded excitedly. “We’re going to the zoo tomorrow.”
“That’ll be fun!”
The intercom buzzed.
“That’s your driver,” Nathan said, handing his mother the suitcase and all but pushing her towards the door.
She smirked at her son before turning to me.