Page 107 of Guarded Deputy

We move a few steps away where other people are dancing and move to the beat. He spins me around before placing one of his hands on my waist. My body tingles and warms under his touch.

“You’re gorgeous.” Nate looks into my eyes.

“And you’re handsome.” I reach up and cup his face.

He closes his eyes, turning his head to kiss my palm. His beard feels like home against my skin. My other arm goes around his head, and I step closer, looking into his eyes. The world fades around us as I connect with the man who’s stolen my heart after telling myself that it was closed for business.

“I can’t tell you enough how happy I am that we met,” he says.

“Me too. I’m glad I made an unforgettable impression on you.” I wink.

Nate laughs deeply, kissing my forehead. I’m happy he sounds better than he did when I called him earlier. I was worried when I heard the bite in his voice, but it seems he’s okay.

We dance and laugh, Nate singing the song along with the musician. As perfect as he is, he does not have the voice of an angel, and I laugh at the way his voice cracks when he attempts to sing at a higher pitch.

When the song ends, we head back to our friends, who are talking, some of them dancing. I grab my beer and take a drink. Nate leans against the table and talks to Luke.

I glance at him from the corner of my eye, smiling at the way he fits in so well. His laughter when Luke says something makes me smile. Suddenly, Nate tenses.

He reaches into his pocket and takes out his phone, looking at it with a scowl. His fist clenches around the phone before shoving it back in his pocket. Luke seems oblivious, but I can’t help but notice the way Nate’s demeanor changes.

“Are you okay?” Avery asks.

“Yeah.” I smile. “Just tired.”

“Tell me about it.” She suppresses a yawn.

“It might be time to take Avery back home, ladies.” Gabriel wraps his arm around us.

Avery glares at him and elbows his ribs. “Hush, Grinch. You’re alert because you decided to sleep in.” Avery and Gabriel met during the holidays when he wanted to buy her bakery, and she nicknamed him her Grinch.

“I was also up until late with online meetings with my bakeries on the West Coast.” He arches a brow.

“Whatever.” Avery rolls her eyes.

Gabriel owns a popular chain of bakeries across the country, and now he helps Avery run her local bakery in town. They met a few months ago and are the perfect match.

I smile at their exchange and look back at Nate. He’s once again looking at his phone, Luke nowhere to be seen.

“Excuse me,” I tell my friends and go to Nate.

I wrap an arm around his waist. “Hey.”

He jolts, snapping his head up at me. Well, that’s not the reaction you want your boyfriend to have when you touch him.

“Hi.” He forces a smile.

I furrow my eyebrows, surprised at his reaction.

“Is everything okay?”

“Yeah.” His jaw ticks, and he looks at Luke again.

“Are you sure? Because you were giving your phone an awful glare.”

“It’s nothing Lizzy. Drop it,” he says harshly.

I blink at him, surprised by his tone. His face is proof that he’s not in a good mood with his flared nostrils and tight jaw.