iMeet Cute | ✓

↺ 023 : golden autumn leaves & origami hearts

My eyes followed him all the way to the kitchen island. "You guys keep alcohol at home?"

"Your parents don't drink?" he asked. He set the tray on the island and began to share the ice cubes using a teaspoon.

"On occasion, they do. I mean, with Kaylee and Jonah, isn't that a little ... careless?"

I expected him to take offense, but he merely shrugged. "They know not to touch it, and if for some reason they do, they get to deal with a hangover. That'll teach them." He stirred the contents of each glass. "Care for a little sweetener?"

"A little cream, thank you."

Nodding, he turned to the refrigerator. Do you store cream in the fridge? "You looking forward to tomorrow?"

"Ugh, don't remind me. I almost hate it there, but it's better than being home all day." I pulled a throw pillow into my lap. "I still have a project to finish, though, so I'm less than excited."

He set the tray on the center table in front of us. "Another one?"

"It's not so bad. I like doing projects, but it's my first time doing it with a hardassed smartass." I carefully took my glass from him. "Thank you."

"It's okay. I needed an excuse, anyway." Nash clinked our glasses together, causing a little of it to spill over and onto my pillow. "Cheers."

It wasn't wine, but, "Cheers." I took a sip. It was cold on my tongue and a little sweet. In my throat, not so much. "To what?"

He shook his glass to rotate the liquid. The ice cubes rubbed against the inside of the glass. "What do you think?" he asked.

"I'm drawing a giant blank."

"Cheers to Lenny losing at Monopoly."

I couldn't help but laugh. "How is that something to be celebrated?"

Nash threw his head back, downing the contents of his glass in one go, save for the ice cubes. "Cheers to you spending the night here." I didn't catch the movement, but I heard his glass touch the table. I felt his arm snake around my waist. I felt our bodies inch closer together. "And to Kaylee not going bankrupt for the first time ever."

"Cheers to you being a smug-ass."

"Cheers to you being so damn fun to look at."

"Cheers to you being ..." I came up short.

"Cheers to finding peace. And to new beginnings." He blinked in slow motion. Have his lashes always been this long? Nash tapped my thigh. "Bottoms up."

"It's not a shot glass."

"Suit yourself, Len. I'll go get myself a refill."

• • •

"I DIDN'T KNOW YOU HAD a tattoo."

"I didn't know you liked soft lofi."

Nash's fingers trailed across my skin, sending sparks flying. His touch was so hot it felt like multiple mini volcanoes erupting along the lines of ink. I blamed it on the alcohol, even though it was so little that I was still relatively sober, aka, not even fucking tipsy.

"Sad lofi, and yes, you did."

"Not."

"It's cute," he said, "but I'm having a hard time reading the words." His face was already so close to the patch of exposed skin that it felt awfully intimate. He was so close he could kiss it. "What do they say?"

"Nothing important."

"Bullshit." He poked my side. It sent a jolt through me. "Spill."

"I'm serious." I shimmied out of reach. "Tell me something I don't know."