11 - Nate.

Seconds after he’s gone, I hear a voice behind me, “Well, that was awkward.”

I turn to see Anastasia emerge, completely naked, from behind the couch, biting her lower lip and wiggling her hips.

“How long were you there?” I ask, shocked.

“Pretty much the whole time,” she giggles. “I snuck down behind you, trying to surprise you by being all sexy and naked, but then that happened, and well…”

Smiling, I go over to her and scoop her up into my arms. I kiss her and feel instantly better. It’s not like Emerson has that much of an effect on me, but he is obnoxious, and pressing my lips to Anastasia’s makes me forget all about him.

“Did he seriously want you to buy him a Porsche?”

“He seriously did,” I laugh. “And there was a time when I might have, just so I wouldn’t have to get into a conversation with my father. But not after what he did to you.”

Anastasia plumps up her lower lip and makes sincere puppy-dog eyes at me.

“You’re too sweet to me.”

“You ain’t seen nothin’ yet, gorgeous,” I reply. “As a matter of fact, instead of spending money on Emerson today, why don’t we spend a little money on you?”

“You gonna buy me a Porsche?” she teases, obviously sarcastically.

“I’d rather buy you one than him, I’ll tell you that much. But no. I had a better idea. Get dressed, we’re going out.”

“Um, yeah…” Anastasia says. “About that. Can we swing by my house real quick so I can get something decent to wear? I only have sweatpants and that sweater from last night.”

I chuckle. “Of course we can.”

I watch as Anastasia, in nothing but her birthday suit, scampers up the stairs to the bedroom and returns in her outfit from last night. God, what I wouldn’t give to have her running around here every day. She squeals as I toss her over my shoulder and carry her out to the Benz and set her down in the passenger seat. A few minutes later, we’re pulling up in front of her house.

She looks over at me, so cute, so innocent. “I’ll just be a minute, okay?”

“I’ll be timing you,” I tease. “Sixty-one seconds and I’m gone.”

Anastasia shrugs. “Time me, Daddy. I’m not one of those girls who takes thirty-minutes to get ready.”

Before I can respond, she’s out the door and running up to her house. I’m laughing as she vanishes through the front door, and just for kicks, start the timer on my phone. Of course I would never leave without her, but why not have a little fun?

I quickly check my e-mails as I wait. Luckily I don’t have anything pressing for today, so I’m not needed at the office. I send a quick reply to my assistant, and when I switch back to the timer, I see Anastasia has twelve seconds to make it back in time before our little game ends.

Christ, I can’t believe how much fun I’m having with her. I’m a very guarded man, but I’m completely vulnerable around her, teasing and messing around like I’m back in high school again. I can’t remember ever feeling this way in my life.

Six seconds left…

The door to Anastasia’s house bursts open, and she comes hurtling out, hair teased up, wearing a pair of ripped blue jeans with white sneakers and a cute white T-shirt that she’s almost bursting out of. She’s smiling all the way to my car.

“So did I make it?” she asks as she slides in beside me. I twist my timer to her as the last second ticks down to zero. She laughs triumphantly. “Ha! I told you!”

“Barely,” I tease, kissing her on the lips.

“Oh, you are not going to give me that,” she laughs. “A full outfit change and making my hair look like I didn’t just crawl out of a sleeping bag in one minute? That’s talent right there.”

I nod, pulling away from her house. “Yes, you are talented, Anastasia. And I cannot wait to see what other talents you have that I haven’t seen yet.” Anastasia blushes and lets her hair fall in front of her face. It’s cute how shy she still is around me. “Speaking of talents, that’s actually where we’re headed right now.”

Anastasia looks back at me, her eyes curious. “What…what do you mean?”

I smirk back. “You’ll see when we get there.”

She tries goading me into revealing our destination as we drive, but I give nothing up. It’s not until we’re pulling up in front of the Mac Store that she finally looks over at me with a hint of realization in her eyes.

“Wait…what?”

“When I was reading your column back at your house,” I explain, “that MacBook of yours was looking pretty worn out. I think it’s time we get you a new one. I can’t have a talented girl like you working on something so old and beat-up. Come on.”

I tug the handle on my door and swing one foot out of the car, but Anastasia grabs my arm to stop me.

“Nate, wait.”

“What is it, gorgeous?”

“You-you don’t have to do this.”

“I know,” I chuckle.

“I’m not…I’m not one of those girls,” she says. “You don’t have to spoil me to make me like you…”

Once an attorney for many years, I consider myself pretty adept at reading people and knowing when they’re being truthful and when they’re not, and right now I’m absolutely sure that Anastasia is not lying to me. And although the thought that she was a gold-digger had never even crossed my mind, the fact that she’s saying this to me now voluntarily makes me only like her more.

“I know you’re not,” I tell her, gently taking her chin between my thumb and forefinger. “God, it should be a crime to be this beautiful, you know that?”

Again, she blushes and averts her eyes. One of these days maybe she’ll grow accustomed to my praise, because I sure as hell am not going to stop showering her with it.

“Stop, I’m blushing,” she whispers.

“But I like it,” I tease. “Come on. This is just the beginning of our day together.”