Page 81 of Night Moves
“Wow.” Natalie paused to look around, her eyes wide and luminous. “Some view. Looks like it’s clear enough that stars will be out later.”
Drake’s stomach rumbled, and he was tempted to open a bag and get out a burger but he couldn’t pull his focus from the wonder in her eyes. Even for a juicy burger. He was captivated by her. Plain and simple. Under her spell.
How did she have that calming effect on him? Or was it the city view?
He stared out the window. Nah. It was her.
She turned, her lips curving in a beaming smile. “When this is all over, you’ll have to bring me up here so I can spend some time watching the day change to night.”
He’d love to. Man, how he would love to. But now that they might be getting close to finding Gentry, it was time for Drake to face facts. Once they captured the guy, he wouldn’t likely see Natalie again, would he? Maybe at Gentry’s trial, but not in any other capacity unless he did something about that.
“We should eat before everything is cold.” He motioned for her to continue across the bridge.
She looked at him for a moment, her gaze assessing, then she turned and strode ahead of him. He’d probably hurt her feelings by not replying to her request, but he didn’t want to get into a discussion of the future in the skybridge.
His heart felt heavy as he got the elevator open, and they rode in silence to the second floor. In his condo, he put the bags on the island and reached for plates in the cabinet.
“I don’t need a plate.” She slid onto a stool and opened the bag.
“My mom would be horrified if I didn’t give you one.” He set it in front of her. “And you don’t want to get me in trouble with her, do you?”
Natalie’s pensive expression evaporated, and she laughed. “I like your mom. She’s just like the fake mom I conjured up as a kid when mine was so lame.”
He dug the burgers and fries from the bag. “I think back to my childhood traumas, like why wasn’t I starting in a baseball game, and after hearing about your childhood and seeing what the Gentry kids are going through, it all seems so trivial.”
“It was a normal childhood and normal is good.” Her expression darkened.
“Hey, what’s wrong?”
“If this lead pans out, I’ll need to tell the kids about Kirk and find them homes.” She unwrapped and set burgers on plates, releasing more of the savory aroma.
He sat on a stool and stared at his burger as he decided what he might want to say, if anything. He heard her unwrapping a straw and then saw her pick up her soda and take a long drink.
“After spending time with you, I kind of figured you’d end up taking the kids yourself.”
“I’ve thought about it. How I’ve thought about it.” She shoved a fry into her mouth and dipped another into ketchup. “Who knows? I might still be considering it.”
He didn’t like that answer. Not at all. Because thinking he might never see her again gave him the courage to ask her out. Maybe more than that. Ask for an exclusive relationship. Sure, they hadn’t even gone on a date, but they’d been together for days, and through some very tough times. He honestly couldn’t imagine life without her now.
Question was, did he tell her how he felt? And what about the kids? How did he feel about her having children? He still wasn’t ready to have kids in his life. Too much of a responsibility and a requirement to settle down.
He chomped off a huge bite of his burger but hardly tasted it. He was too concerned about potentially losing her. “What if I asked you out when Gentry was behind bars and the kids were settled?”
She took a long pull on her straw. “What if they’re settled with me?”
“I don’t know,” he answered truthfully.
She twirled the tip of a fry in the ketchup, leaving a swirly pattern on her plate. “You and Willow hit it off, and it looked like you were getting used to Sadie by the time the meal was over.”
“Yeah, but what if it’s a fluke? What if Logan doesn’t like me?”
She looked up. “I’m pretty sure he will.”
“And if the kids weren’t an issue?” He looked her in the eyes. “Would you go out with me?”
She didn’t answer right away, and his gut cramped around his food. Did she not have the same feelings that he thought she had? Was she going to blow him off?
She tilted her head. “Am I really your type?”
