"One of these days we're going to do this without any clothes," he whispered against my lips as the elevator dinged, announcing the arrival to our floor.
"And maybe we can even involve a bed," I said, unlocking my legs from around his waist as the elevator doors slid open.
Nathan groaned at my words as if he was in pain. "You're slowly killing me," he said, adjusting his pants.
I couldn't help giggling as he strolled beside me looking uncomfortable. "Fair play can be a bitch," he warned, lacing his fingers through mine.
"Ooh, I'm shaking in my boots," I mocked.
"Is that a challenge?" he asked with his eyes glinting with interest.
"Bring it on, big boy."
"Oh, it's on," he said, dragging me in for a hard kiss before helping me into his vehicle.
I was smiling at his threat as he climbed behind the wheel. I enjoyed the obvious power I had over him and was relieved it wasn't one-sided. "How about some lunch since I ripped you off at dinner last night?" he asked, backing out of the parking place.
"Can't. I have to be at Fran's by eleven," I answered, glancing at the clock on the dash that showed the current time at a quarter past ten.
"Damn, that gives us hardly enough time to get you there, let alone stopping to get you something to eat."
"That's okay. I'm really not that hungry," I answered truthfully. My appetite was hit or miss lately, and it wasn't unusual for me to skip a meal or two.
"What time do you get off?"
"Six," I answered.
"You can't work for seven hours without eating anything," he said, looking disgruntled before abruptly turning the vehicle into a fast food restaurant right before the highway. "You can eat in the car," he insisted.
"You're kind of pushy, you know that, right?"
"I just know when I'm right," he said, pulling into the drive-thru. "What would you like?" he asked as a nasally voice screeched over the intercom.
"A burger and fries is fine," I said. "Coke to drink," I added.
"Two number fours with Cokes to drink," Nathan said through his open window.
"We won't be serving lunch for another ten minutes, would you like to wait?" the voice squawked over the intercom.
Nathan looked at me questioningly. "I guess that's fine. I'll give Fran a call and tell her I'll be a few minutes late.
"We'll wait," Nathan said into the intercom.
"Pull forward, please."
Stopping in front of the drive-thru window, Nathan handed over a twenty to the cashier who looked harassed, although the day really had just started. "If you park in one of the spaces over there, we'll bring out your food when it's ready," she said, handing over our drinks and change.
"Will Fran mind that you're late?"
"No, she really only hired me to keep her company. I try to lighten her load by handling all the grunt work, but she's a tough old bird," I answered, taking a sip of my soda.
"You sound like you enjoy it," he said.
"I do. It's nice to be accountable to something that makes me feel normal," I admitted, momentarily forgetting who I was talking to. He had an easy laid-back manner that had me disclosing information best left unsaid.
"What do you mean normal?" he asked, taking a sip of his own drink.
"Oh, you know how life seems disjointed while you're in college. You're neither an adult out in the working world, or a teenager who can count on your parents to solve all your problems," I lied, covering up my slip of the tongue. "It's nice to be off the limbo fence now."