head were running through hers, they could have an exciting night indeed. Or could if they weren’t both hopping on a plane first thing in the morning never to see each other again. Though she beyond tempted him to make an exception to his one-night-stand policy.
“First things first,” he said, taking her phone from her. “My arms are longer,” he explained, holding it out in front of them. “Smile.”
He tilted his face up, grinning until the flash went off. He handed the phone back to her, and she glanced at the picture. “Perfect.”
“Yes, you are,” Nash agreed, looking at the picture and then at her.
She shook her head. “Far from perfect, I assure you.”
He let his gaze roam over her, from her combat-booted feet to the top of her Russian coonskin hat. He stopped his perusal on her face. On the humor and kindness shining from those gorgeous eyes of hers. He thought back over the last several hours. She was wacky, funny, intelligent, kind, and beautiful, inside and out. If she wasn’t perfect, she was damn near as close as it came.
But telling a woman he barely knew that she was his version of perfect might have her hightailing it back to the airport with the Sloane Ranger as fast as she could. And then what would he and Clyde do? Iris and Sloane made them look pretty for once in their lives.
“What?” she asked. He’d been staring far too long.
“Nothing. Just assessing that perfection comment. I think you’re right.”
“I’m what?” she asked, her embarrassment turning to indignation.
“You’re right. You aren’t perfect.”
She folded her arms and mock-glared up at him. “Oh really? And why is that?”
He shrugged. “Well for one, you don’t drink caffeine. I can barely drag my ass out of bed without at least two cups. And yet you, a nurse, somehow manage to get through every day, not to mention what I’m sure are insanely long shifts, without any caffeinated help whatsoever.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Yeah. So?”
“So. That makes you one of those irritatingly perky people who probably bounces out of bed in the morning and keeps on going. It’s inhuman. It’s not natural. Ergo, you are not perfect.”
“Ah, you’re just jealous I don’t have to rely on chemical stimulation to survive the day.”
He laughed. “You’re probably right. Well, you may not be perfect, Oh Perky One, but you are close. Definitely close.”
Her cheeks blushed hot, and he wondered why compliments, even roundabout ones, seemed to agitate her so. She didn’t seem the type to get easily flustered. She had practically felt up a total (and scary looking) stranger on the train. She’d turned getting stranded at the airport into an adventure. He would’ve found a nice quiet museum or something to wander through for a few hours. Instead, he was traipsing around Chicago dressed like a reject from a seventies sitcom. And having the time of his life. All because of Iris. Yet a simple compliment had her red to the roots. Not upset necessarily, but not like she really believed what he was saying.
He’d just have to try harder.
Chapter Six
Iris put her phone away, a tingling pleasure still rushing through her. And it wasn’t just leftover desire from that kiss. Nash seemed to have a way of knocking her world off-kilter at the oddest moments. The compliments he kept paying her, the way he’d look at her. But it was even more than that. Anyone could say something pretty or put on a nice smile. It was a little more difficult to hide what you were feeling.
She’d had plenty of people tell her she was outgoing or carefree or some similar phrase. But they rarely meant it as a compliment, even if it was phrased as one.
Oh Iris, you’re so spontaneous. I could never just throw caution to the wind the way you do without caring about the consequences.
Oh Iris, I love your new hairdo. That’s so gutsy. If anyone ever shaved half my hair off I’d never leave the house. You’re so
“First things first,” he said, taking her phone from her. “My arms are longer,” he explained, holding it out in front of them. “Smile.”
He tilted his face up, grinning until the flash went off. He handed the phone back to her, and she glanced at the picture. “Perfect.”
“Yes, you are,” Nash agreed, looking at the picture and then at her.
She shook her head. “Far from perfect, I assure you.”
He let his gaze roam over her, from her combat-booted feet to the top of her Russian coonskin hat. He stopped his perusal on her face. On the humor and kindness shining from those gorgeous eyes of hers. He thought back over the last several hours. She was wacky, funny, intelligent, kind, and beautiful, inside and out. If she wasn’t perfect, she was damn near as close as it came.
But telling a woman he barely knew that she was his version of perfect might have her hightailing it back to the airport with the Sloane Ranger as fast as she could. And then what would he and Clyde do? Iris and Sloane made them look pretty for once in their lives.
“What?” she asked. He’d been staring far too long.
“Nothing. Just assessing that perfection comment. I think you’re right.”
“I’m what?” she asked, her embarrassment turning to indignation.
“You’re right. You aren’t perfect.”
She folded her arms and mock-glared up at him. “Oh really? And why is that?”
He shrugged. “Well for one, you don’t drink caffeine. I can barely drag my ass out of bed without at least two cups. And yet you, a nurse, somehow manage to get through every day, not to mention what I’m sure are insanely long shifts, without any caffeinated help whatsoever.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Yeah. So?”
“So. That makes you one of those irritatingly perky people who probably bounces out of bed in the morning and keeps on going. It’s inhuman. It’s not natural. Ergo, you are not perfect.”
“Ah, you’re just jealous I don’t have to rely on chemical stimulation to survive the day.”
He laughed. “You’re probably right. Well, you may not be perfect, Oh Perky One, but you are close. Definitely close.”
Her cheeks blushed hot, and he wondered why compliments, even roundabout ones, seemed to agitate her so. She didn’t seem the type to get easily flustered. She had practically felt up a total (and scary looking) stranger on the train. She’d turned getting stranded at the airport into an adventure. He would’ve found a nice quiet museum or something to wander through for a few hours. Instead, he was traipsing around Chicago dressed like a reject from a seventies sitcom. And having the time of his life. All because of Iris. Yet a simple compliment had her red to the roots. Not upset necessarily, but not like she really believed what he was saying.
He’d just have to try harder.
Chapter Six
Iris put her phone away, a tingling pleasure still rushing through her. And it wasn’t just leftover desire from that kiss. Nash seemed to have a way of knocking her world off-kilter at the oddest moments. The compliments he kept paying her, the way he’d look at her. But it was even more than that. Anyone could say something pretty or put on a nice smile. It was a little more difficult to hide what you were feeling.
She’d had plenty of people tell her she was outgoing or carefree or some similar phrase. But they rarely meant it as a compliment, even if it was phrased as one.
Oh Iris, you’re so spontaneous. I could never just throw caution to the wind the way you do without caring about the consequences.
Oh Iris, I love your new hairdo. That’s so gutsy. If anyone ever shaved half my hair off I’d never leave the house. You’re so
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