Torque by Gillian Archer (10 ebook reader txt) 📕

kiss that had me forgetting my own name. Until he pulled back and asked me, “Why were you skulking in the shadows?”

“Hmm?” I blinked a few times. “Oh. Right. I was just waiting for Ryan to go to work before I made my walk of shame. Pretty sure he’s gone now.”

“Shit. It’s Friday.” Nathan ran a hand through his hair. “I should’ve been to work an hour ago.”

“Well, you can leave now. I’ll go first and then you follow a few minutes later.”

“Fuck that. Lemme grab my shoes. We’ll go together.”

My heart filled with that same feeling from last night—awe and anxiety. “But I thought you agreed we should wait to tell anyone about us?”

“It’ll be fine, as long as no one sees you leaving my place. And you said Ryan’s left. Dylan probably didn’t even sleep here last night, and that last unit isn’t owned by family. Hope’s busy, so who’s around to see?”

“Right.” It’d be fine. I was just overthinking it. Right?

“Ready?” Nathan asked he stood now with his boots on.

I avoided looking at him and instead checked the window for foot traffic. “We’re clear.”

Nathan had already crossed to the door but stopped with his hand on the knob. A frown creased his brow. “You okay?”

“Yes, let’s go. I’ve still got to get dressed for work.” I joined him at the door and batted his hand away from the knob so I could open it.

“Seriously, Maddie, what’s going on?” Nathan asked just as I pulled the door open.

“Maddie?” My mom asked, spinning around. She had passed Nathan’s door on her way to Dylan’s. Now she stood frozen. Her eyes flicked from me to Nathan then back to me, taking in my borrowed Badass Builds t-shirt and wrinkled skirt. “Um, I thought you were staying with Dylan.”

Seriously? It couldn’t have been Hope? Or Dylan? “Mom. Oh my god. Really? You couldn’t have called?”

“Someone wasn’t answering her phone.”

“Well, someone was busy,” I snapped.

“So I see. And how long has this been going on?”

“I’m an adult, Mom. I stopped answering to you a long time ago. As you can see, I’m alive and well, so you can call off the search party. Now if you’ll excuse us, Nathan and I need to get ready for work.”

I was midway to kicking my mom off Nathan’s doorstep when I heard the distinct sound of baby Fliss’s wails, which could only mean that Hope was on her way out her door with Fliss.

Shit.

I grabbed my mom’s arm and tugged her into Nathan’s condo, slamming the door behind her.

Chapter Sixteen

Nathan

“What the hell’s going on?” I blinked at Maddie.

“Sshhhh!” Maddie hissed, ducking behind the curtains and peeking out.

A beat later, Fliss’s wails passed by the door. Hope murmured to her baby. “It’s all right. Uncle Nathan just needs to learn how to close his door like a normal person and not the jerk that Daddy says he is. Well Daddy doesn’t say jerk, but Mama doesn’t curse, and Daddy really shouldn’t either.”

Her words faded as she walked away and Maddie slumped against the window. “That was close.”

“What the heck is going on?” Maddie’s Mom swung her wide-eyed stare between me and Maddie. “I feel like I just stumbled into an episode of Three’s Company!”

I really didn’t know how to answer that without answering it. And we weren’t supposed to be answering it. God, I really needed a cup of coffee. “I’m dating your daughter.”

“Nathan!” Maddie’s glare could’ve started a fire.

“What? Is there another explanation for why you’re clearly wearing my shirt and hiding from one of your best friends inside my place?” I shook my head and headed for the kitchen. I didn’t do woman drama period, but I sure as fuck wasn’t gonna do it without some caffeine in my bloodstream.

But unfortunately, my attempt to run from the problem didn’t work. Maddie dogged my heels.

“I wasn’t ready to tell my mom about us yet. I thought we agreed to wait.”

“Fine.” I filled up the pot with water then transferred it to the machine. A few seconds later, the lifegiving scent of coffee flowed into the kitchen. I turned to Maddie’s Mom, Kim, and crossed my arms over my chest. “Maddie slept over last night since Dylan wasn’t home. She ripped her shirt and needed to borrow one of mine.”

“Uh huh.” Kim raised her eyebrows. “That all sounds like it could be the truth to me.”

“Because it is.” I grabbed a coffee cup and held it up for Kim. When she nodded, I grabbed three and set them on the counter. “The part I left out is where I ripped her shirt off her body and that she slept with me in my bed.”

“Nathan!” Maddie hid behind her hands with a groan. “Why are you doing this to me?”

Mostly because I enjoyed riling up her serious façade. The woman took herself way too seriously. Also, I still hadn’t had any caffeine this morning. “What? It’s the truth.”

“Truth that my mother doesn’t need to know. You wouldn’t say something like that to Wendy.”

“Can and have.” Not that it was the best idea to talk about past lovers, but it was the truth. “Aunt Wendy knows exactly who I am, and so do you. I just don’t see the point in lying to your mom. She knows what’s going on; she’s a savvy woman. And she doesn’t seem to mind.”

“I’m enjoying this actually.” Kim grinned at me as she crossed the room to pick up her coffee cup. “Do you have any non-dairy creamer?”

“No, but I do have soy milk since that’s what Maddie likes in her coffee.”

“Well aren’t you the sweetest boyfriend.” Kim’s eyes twinkled as she struggled to hide her laughter. She walked to the fridge and got out the soy milk. “And you two have clearly been dating a while if you already know how my daughter takes her coffee. In addition to other things.”

“Oh my god, Mom. This isn’t dinner and a show. We have to get ready for work. Or at least