I clicked my feet on my board and stood tall, hands on my hips looking up at him.
He was staring at me. Blinking and taking a step closer, he placed a hand on my waist, shocking me. Even through the thickness of my jacket, I felt the pressure of his...
I stood on the wooden step slowly inching towards the balcony.
With one step I looked down at the backyard and out at the wilderness behind the house.
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My eyes fixated on Red Mountain and I sighed involuntarily. Nathan's dare loomed in the back of my mind.
Maybe if I was a bit more like my mom I would do something impulsive like a ride down the mountain. But I wasn't that stupid.
The breeze picked up and I wrapped my wool sweater tighter around my arms. The moon was high in the sky and the stars somehow felt closer than they'd ever been.
The balcony door that was connected to our bedroom suddenly slid open.
"Steves, you think if I told Nathan I didn't want to do this anymore he'd be happy to be off the hook?" I asked, slowly turning around.
Nathan stood in the doorway, eyes on me, wearing a blank expression. Shit.
I opened my mouth and closed it, feeling uncomfortable that he heard that. "Umm...sorry...I thought you were..."
"Stevie?"
I looked down at my hands and kicked my boot into the wooden floor beneath me. "Uh...yeah."
Nathan closed the door behind him and sauntered down the short stairs, making his way towards the balcony's ledge.
I moved away from his direction, heading back inside. "I'll leave you to..."
"Don't go," he said abruptly, bringing my eyes to his. His brown eyes were earnest and unwavering. In the moonlight, his tan skin glowed. He only wore a long-sleeved sweater and sweatpants. "I actually wanted to talk to you."
I stood on the step, feeling the urge to make up an excuse and go back inside. But he looked uneasy, eyebrows tense as he stared at me.
"Okay," I said quietly, walking towards the ledge. I leaned my elbows on the wood and gave him my back, looking out at the sky.
Let's get this over with.
"I don't feel like I'm being held on a hook, by the way," His voice grew closer as he moved to stand beside me.
I played with the rings on my fingers and didn't answer. He didn't have to lie to make me feel better.
Nathan cleared his throat and mimicked my stance, leaving a foot of space between in. "So I hear from Stevie that you have a big crush on me?"
My head flew in his direction and I nearly choked on my words. "Wha--I...no...I don't..."
A smile formed on his lips and a hearty laugh escape his mouth. I sighed in relief.
I punched his arm lightly and shook my head, feeling heat creep up my face. "You're not funny."
"So is it true?" He said, teasing me. He was still smiling.
