Torque by Gillian Archer (10 ebook reader txt) 📕

There was no way this was my life. Any minute I’d wake up.

I really didn’t want to wake up.

“Sorry about that.” Nathan pulled his chair back out and sat across from me again after he’d placed my water down in front of me.

I didn’t know what he was apologizing for. “What?”

“I should’ve ordered you a drink when you got here. I think I was still so stunned at how gorgeous you are. And how stupid I was to never notice it before.” His eyes dipped from my face, lingering on my cleavage. “I’m just glad as hell that I finally figured it out.”

Me too. I thought it but didn’t have the courage to say it. Instead, I took a sip of my water then cleared my throat. “You’re not having another round?”

“Nah. Gotta work tomorrow and yell at my brothers. Easier to do without a pounding head from a hangover. Speaking of, what were you up to last night that left you with a hangover this morning. Hot date? You still seeing that asshole biker?”

He might’ve been trying for a casual tone, but I could hear the annoyance and frustration he was fighting to suppress.

I closed my eyes with a wince. Shit. I’d forgotten that Nathan had assumed I was seeing that scary biker. “Um, no. No date. I haven’t seen ‘that asshole biker’ since that night. Definitely not seeing him.” I don’t know what made me tell the truth, but it fell out of my mouth before I even thought about it. “I needed some liquid courage to fill out my profile.”

“Really.” Nathan sat back in his chair with that smirk that drove me crazy. “So your profile hasn’t been up that long.”

I rolled my eyes. “Long enough. It got your attention.”

“That it did.” His smirk turned into a smile. He shook his head and softly repeated, “That it did.”

As if on cue, my phone chimed with a notice from the app.

He raised his eyebrows. “You need to get that?”

I lifted a shoulder. “Probably just another dick pic.”

I don’t know where this sass came from. I felt like a heroine in one of the books I loved to read. This was definitely my favorite dream ever. I never wanted to wake up.

“Dick pic?” He repeated flatly. “Give me your phone.”

“What? No. Why?”

“Because I’m going to block those fuckers. No one should be sending you unsolicited dick pics. Ever. What the ever-loving fuck!”

“You’re sweet.” If not more than a little overbearing. “But it’s not necessary. I know how to block assholes, thanks.”

He simmered as he glared at my purse where my phone chimed with another incoming app message. It was crazy-hot that he was already this territorial over me.

Although a small part of me wondered if he was actually seeing me as a woman or if this was still thinking of me as sister-adjacent. I’d seen him go all aggro over Sabrina with men before.

Yup, this was definitely the part where I woke up.

Wanting to delay the inevitable, I gave him a twisted smile as I pushed away from the table. “I really should get. Those books won’t shelve themselves tomorrow.”

Because that was a sexy thing to say. Remind him that you have the world’s most boring and unsexy job. Where was my romance heroine sass? Crap, I had to get out of here before I completely unraveled.

“Maddie, wait.”

I paused, my back still turned. I couldn’t face him when I was all flustered. I didn’t want him to see me barely holding it together.

“Let me walk you to your car.”

I nodded tightly. All my insecurities and awkwardness bubbled to the surface. I couldn’t say anything because if I spoke now all that crap would fall out of my mouth. Instead, I walked away from the table and through the bar without looking to see if he was following. I could feel his presence just behind me. I was always aware of where Nathan was, no matter what room we were in. I just knew.

We left the bar without speaking another word. The door shut behind us, leaving us on the street in sudden silence.

I still couldn’t look at him. “I’m parked just up the street.”

Nathan didn’t say anything, so I headed off in the direction of my car with Nathan silently trailing me.

“This is me.” I stopped on the sidewalk next to my car, staring at my shoes. I’d worn my sexiest heels, certain that they’d give me the power to feel sexy and feminine with him. That hadn’t lasted. “Thanks for…”

I didn’t even know what I was thanking him for, so I trailed off as I tucked some hair behind my ear.

“Well the water was free and the company was charming although brief, so I think I should be the one thanking you.” Nathan’s voice was deep and just above my head as he stepped into my personal space. “When can I see you again?”

I caught my breath and lifted my gaze to search his eyes. He wanted to see me again? “Like a date? Or do you mean am I coming to Wendy’s next family dinner?”

“Like a date. You know, dinner, drinks, and hopefully a kiss at the end. A date.”

I pressed my lips together at the thought of kissing Nathan Burns. Shoot, this better not be a dream.

“Tomorrow, okay?” He asked when I didn’t say anything.

Still speechless, I nodded silently.

Nathan’s eyes crinkled with his smile. “Fan-fucking-tastic, darlin’. I’ll text you the details after I make our reservation.”

I held my breath as he leaned into me. But his lips only passed over my cheek before he was stepping back.

“Drive safe.”

I nodded vacantly and stared back at him.

His eyes crinkled again. “This is the part where you get into your car, Maddie.”

“Car. Right.” I blinked a few times before I jerked into motion. I felt kinda dizzy as I tottered around the rear of my car, hitting the button to unlock my door. “Good night.”

Nathan just waved as he watched me open my car door and sit in the