Vera Xavier couldn't help but wonder, 'Am I dealing with a fake Nathaniel Nathan?'
Maybe it was the unique enchantment of the late night, or perhaps she'd been reading for so long that her brain had gone a little fuzzy. Whatever the reason, she acted on pure impulse. Without a second thought, she reached out, pinched his cheek, and muttered, "It really is Nathaniel Nathan!"
No one had ever dared to pinch Nathaniel Nathan's face before, so he was frozen for a second. By the time he processed what had happened, she had already snapped back to reality and retracted her hand. He stared at her, his gaze deep and inscrutable.
His look sent a shiver through her, snapping her completely back to her senses. Just as she was about to force a smile and try to bluff her way out of it, he reached out and touched her face. He gave it a light pinch and said, "Feels nice."
