by Scott, S. L.
“About?”
“About what’s on your mind. Did something happen?”
He rearranges his napkin on his lap and then sits up again as if he remembered he was in public. “The company is expanding to the Pacific Northwest. If they get the deal they want.” Adjusting the cuffs of his sleeves, he drops that bomb and then plays like that didn’t just happen.
But I’m still trying to read between the lines. “If everything is going so well, why are you concerned?”
Drinking, he finishes the rest of the alcohol before setting the glass back down. “You’re right. Things are going well. We targeted New York. Seattle is an unexpected opportunity, but it would poise us for the growth goals we’re aiming for. Just a fast track to reaching them. I just thought . . . Well, I thought New York was enough for now.”
I stare at him, noticing how little eye contact he’s made. My gaze dips to his hand again to find him still spinning that glass. Nick has tells, and the glass is one of them. He’s holding back, not giving me the full story. I can’t help but wonder why, so I try a different tactic. “I like the apartment. When do you think you’ll move in?” I ask, testing which direction the waters of his mood flow in.
The check is delivered, and he’s quick to take it. “Dinner was good.”
I toss my napkin on the plate. “It was. Now, what’s going on?”
“I was thrown by a comment my brother made earlier.”
I rest my arms on the table just as my mom taught me not to do, but stress makes me forget my proper upbringing. “Then talk to me.”
“Can we talk in California after two days of nakedness?” He laughs, and I’m glad to see there isn’t doubt in his eyes. I roll my eyes and giggle. He’s a sweet goof. But he is still restless.
The bill with his credit card inside is swiped by the server from the table as she passes. “While two days of nakedness sounds amazing . . . and you want me to meet your family—”
“I do.”
Rolling my eyes, I say, “You and those I do’s. It’s like you can’t get it out of your system.”
“Not until I say it for real, I suppose.”
Mimicking his body language, I sit back again and cross my arms over my chest. “I’d like to meet your family on one condition.” When I have his interest piqued, I say, “You have to tell me what you want to talk about in California.”
He shifts forward, lowering his arms, his guard, and his voice. “I don’t want it to ruin tonight since nothing’s set in stone.”
“Your mind’s been elsewhere throughout dinner. I’d rather talk about it than leave it hanging out there between us.”
He nods. “I’m sorry. You deserved better than that. We’re here to celebrate—”
“We’re here to be together before you have to leave again.” This time, I reach over and run the tips of my fingers over the top of his hand. “I want to hear what’s going on in your world. That’s not ruining anything. It’s communicating and sharing the burden.”
Staring into my eyes, he smirks. “I’m the luckiest guy alive. You’re amazing, you know that?”
“You can show me later, but right now, spill.”
“My brother suggested I might be better utilized in Seattle.”
I lean forward in a panic. “Versus New York?”
“Yes.”
“And? What about our plans and you being here?”
“You’ve been honest with me, so I’ll be honest with you. I’m feeling caught between you and my family. Nothing’s decided yet, but that me moving there was tossed out so easily bothers me.”
Sitting back, I look around at the restaurant, noticing couples and families, friends, and what appear to be business associates enjoying their meals. The atmosphere is energized with joy, making me realize Nick does that for me. I say, “I don’t want you to feel caught in the middle.”
“I know. It’s not something you put on me. It’s something I’m doing to myself.” Pushing his plate out of the way, he rests his arm on the table, seemingly frustrated. “I’m a beach guy. I surf. I hang out. I’m not that hard to please, but then I met you again, and I started reevaluating things. I want to be with you, Natalie, and I’m willing to move to be with you. But where does that leave me in the long-term?”
“With a girlfriend who loves you.”
The most genuine smile I’ve ever seen arrives just in time, soothing my frantic heart when I needed it most. He reaches around the plates and places his hand palm up. I slip mine on top, always marveling at the perfect fit. Nick says, “I love you too. That’s why I want you to come to California and meet my family. I want to spend a few days with you at the beach with nothing to do but make love and cook out on the patio.”
“Sounds like my kind of place, but where does Seattle stand?”
“Honestly, I don’t know. It was mentioned in passing today, so I haven’t really had time to ask more questions and find out whether my dad believes it’s a complete relocation or something I can manage remotely at times. My guess? Whatever’s decided, they’ll survive without me living there full time. I can travel from here to there just as easily as I can from LA.”
“Apparently, you’re not familiar with our airports.” He chuckles at the joke and holds my hand a little tighter. I’ve not ever thought about leaving Manhattan to live anywhere else other than Paris during my senior year of high school. I got over that when I realized it will always be there for me to visit. But Nick has me considering what I’d do for love, for us. “Whatever is decided, we’ll make it work, and I can’t wait to introduce you to my family.”
24
Natalie
Two weeks later . . .
Closing my eyes, I let the sunshine warm my cheeks as the wind whips in through the window. It’s not like the doom and gloom in New York. I love fall there, but for a few days, it’s nice to escape to somewhere sunny that’s forgotten what season it is.
I reach over and rub the back of Nick’s neck, teasing him with the tips of my nails. I can tell by how he leans into the caress that he missed me as much as I did him. “It’s funny how I never imagined you driving or what you might drive. I drive so little that I’m not sure my license is even valid.”
“In LA, you need a vehicle to get everywhere.”
“You look good in this one.”
“I bought this 1974 Range Rover with my own money during my sophomore year in high school. I worked on it some, but never got it running because I was too busy with my studies to mess with it. My parents had it fully restored as a graduation gift, adding in the drop-top in the back for my surfboards.”
“I like the green color and the truck. It’s nice. It’s very you—rugged and adventurous but has style and class.”
He reaches over and rubs my thigh. “You think so highly of me.” He slides his hand under my skirt. His eyes may not be on me, but I can see his chest rise with deeper breaths.
“You’ve not given me a reason to think otherwise.”
“You’re the only one. My dad’s still mad at me for not delivering a file before I left New York.” The tips of his fingers find the edge of my panties. “You’re very distracting, beautiful, especially in the morning. I almost missed my flight.”
“Hope you didn’t get into too much trouble.”
“I sent it that night when I arrived back in LA, but I’m not sure he’ll ever let me live it down. I know hard work is the way to win him over, so that’s what I’ve been doing.”
“I noticed. I’ve been missing our late-night video chats.”
“That’s why I’m so glad you’re here.”
I drag my nails into his hair and slide down in the seat to put his fingers a little closer to where I want them . . . “Me too.”
He takes his eyes from the road, and his gaze lands heavy on me, his intentions clear just from a look that pins me to the seat. When he continues driving, I make a suggestion instead of waiting for an invitation. “Are we meeting your family first or . . . because I
have an itch that only you can scratch.”
His signature smirk, the one full of confidence, lifts the edges of his lips, and he turns back to me. “I’ll take you to meet my family tomorrow. I can’t wait to be alone with you at the beach, or should I say inside making love while listening to the ocean waves crashing just outside the windows.”
“Romantic and sexy. I like your style.” I can’t wait for that either, but the traffic here is insane, so it seems I’m going to have to. It takes more than an hour to get there, but the house is perfect. The little three-bedroom love nest is not too big but has all the necessities, keeping the attention on the ocean with an entire wall of accordion-style sliding glass doors bringing the outside in.
While Nick opens the place up, I snoop around, finding hints of his family everywhere. From the matte silver frames on the white oak bookshelves in the living room to the monogrammed towels in the bathrooms, it’s a well-appointed home with no detail left unfinished. Joining him on the patio deck, I ask, “How long has your family owned this place?”
“Twenty years or so. It was a shack they got for a steal. My mom poured her love of decorating into it and had it redesigned and renovated. Like me and my SUV, they appreciate designs of the past, taking old things and making them new again.”
“Like the apartment in Manhattan. It’s an old building with new amenities.” I laugh. “My mom is the opposite. She loves cutting-edge fashion and anything straight off the runway. She considers it art and collects everything from clothes to shoes and accessories. She wears them once or twice but then packs them away in archival storage containers.”
“What does she do with them? Will she sell the pieces one day or—” Maybe he felt he was overstepping some imaginary boundary with me because he stops mid-sentence and returns his gaze to the crashing waves. Before I can say anything, he turns to me, and says, “I’m not really a collector. I just buy what I like and what I need.”
I shouldn’t be offended, but I can’t help but get defensive. “Like I said, it’s art. She just doesn’t share it with the world. It’s not on display for everyone to see, but she shares it with me, teaches me how to wear something properly.”
“You have your style, and it’s unpredictable like you. I like the way you look. I like how you dress for celebrations, Tuesday night, or even for me, but I really like that you dress for you and what makes you feel good.”
“Why do you sound upset?”
“I’m not upset. I’m just . . .” He runs his hands through his hair and then turns to face me. Moving closer, he fills the space that existed between us and kisses my cheek and then my lips. “I want to be with you,” he whispers.
“You’re with me. I’m right here.” Cupping his face, I ask, “What happened?”
“They want me in Seattle.”
The news smacks me, sending my head to jerk back. “I thought, well, we . . .” I struggle to gather my thoughts on this. “You said you’d commute from New York. I even looked up flights from Newark and JFK. You can take the red-eye or an overnight to lessen the time away, but you don’t need to be there. I need you with me.”
As I start to move away, my worries becoming a reality, he grabs my waist and keeps me there. I ask, “When did you find out?”
“This afternoon. You were already on your flight.”
“We’ll figure it out, right? Find the best solution, one that works for us. That’s a job, a paycheck. What we have is more, so whatever comes our way, we’ll face it together.”
He’s nodding, seeming to absorb every word. “Together. We’ll be together.”
I smile, the certainty I have in us more powerful than the threat of being long distance. “Together, Nick. No matter what.” He kisses me with all the pent-up passion from our time apart, and this talk of the future has me returning his embrace. His fingers weave into my hair, and then he’s leading me back into the house and down the small hall to a bedroom facing the ocean. Although the view is incredible, his eyes never leave me as if I can compete with Mother Nature.
Sitting on the bed, he rests back, letting his gaze take a leisurely stroll along my body. I’m not sure if he’s here as an observer and plans to participate until he says, “Strip for me, beautiful.”
It’s not the first time I’ve gotten naked for a man, but it’s the first I’ve done it completely sober in broad daylight. With him, I’m not embarrassed or shy. When he looks at me like I’m the sexiest woman he’s ever seen, I believe him. It feeds my ego, and I pull my shirt over my head and then start on my jeans. He’s not bashful by the way he lets his eyes roam my body. The heat of his stare warms my insides, emboldening me, and I go to him. With his eyes set on me, I stand and unclasp my bra. The straps come down one by one, exposing my breasts to him.
Cupping both as if testing the weight in his hands, he then leans forward, taking my areola into his mouth and teasing my nipple with his teeth. When it’s puckered hard and wet, he does the same to the other one. Sitting back, he squeezes them, kneading, and runs his thumbs over the buds.
When he kisses the skin between them, I lean in, causing his legs to spread farther as I slink in to take up space. Rubbing my hands over the back of his head, I can tell my body is ready for him, silently begging for fingers or his dick. I’d be happy with either filling me until I come. “God,” I pant, helpless to letting my thoughts run wild as his lips delight in every inch of my skin.
Flipped by my hips to the mattress in a sudden swift motion, he finds the straps that keep me covered. The last scraps of fabric are pulled down over my ankles and lost in the frenzy of his mouth replacing the lace. He slides his tongue between my lower lips, causing my back to arch off the bed, and a moan escapes me.
“So fucking good.” His words are warm breaths against the apex of my legs. The sensual kisses he’s giving send me into bliss, and I catch up to a release that I couldn’t find when we were apart. My body tightens and then tremors under his lips.
While my body recovers, he’s fast and stripping off his clothes. This time, he came prepared. I’m tempted to laugh, but I feel too good to move, anticipating the second round to be better than the first.
Dropping over me, he kisses my mouth, and then whispers, “You and me, baby. Always us.” My body blooms as if he’s the morning sunlight, and he fills me. We’re slow at first, but then I wrap my arms around him, and he starts thrusting.
“Always us,” I repeat through jagged breaths. You’d think we’d been apart for months or years and not just a few weeks. Our insatiable craving caught up in each other. The push and the pull, we tumble until I’m on top. Resting my hands on his chest, I rise up and slowly sink back down. I ride him until his fingers dig into my hips, and he takes control, fucking me right back.
I feel that delicious tightening deep inside me that I know leads to a glorious release. I move back and forth, chasing it down until it catches me instead. Striking like an earthquake, it rocks my body until my insides are clenching around him. “Oh God, Nick. Yes. Yes. You make me feel so good.”
Every last quiver is fucked from me, and then I’m held down on top of him until his release dissipates as my name is repeated. I lie down, tilting my head to the side and listening to his thundering heartbeat. It might be arrogance, but that I can make this man’s heart race like he makes mine has me smiling with pride.
Tracing figure eights on his shoulder, I stretch to kiss his chin. Catching my attention, he rests back enough to make eye contact. “What if—”
“I thought we weren’t doing what-ifs anymore?” I tease, still smiling like a goof.
“Bear with me.” Even through the closed windows, the ocean insists on being heard. That may fill my ears, but I see Nick’s Adam’s apple bob in this throat from a heavy gulp, and it just about does me in. Again. Sexy bastard.
He rubs my bare back, the change in his demeanor is sudden, and his eyes full of passion. “I know this sounds crazy, but I need you to hear me out. Okay?”
I hol
d his hands just as tight and look into his pleading eyes. “Okay, I’m listening.”
“We barely know each other in the scheme of things. We haven’t met each other’s families. Hell, I know you’re a professional gift giver, but I don’t even know the name of your company. These are things I should know. I should know your ring size and your favorite food. What’s your favorite song, and if you could go anywhere, where would that be? How many kids do you want, or do you not want any at all? What movie always makes you cry, and did you grow up with pets? Are you a cat or dog person? Fuck.”
He squeezes his eyes closed and rubs them like he’s been asleep for his entire life until now, and he’s seeing things for the first time. I lift up, not wanting to miss any of it.
When he looks at me again, he continues, “There’s so much left to learn about each other, but what I do know is that I’ve never felt like this about anyone else before. My feelings are true and run deep, and although I’m no psychic, I’m willing to bet my future on you. I could promise you forever, and I wouldn’t be lying.” He sits up next to me. “We can go to Mexico or Vegas or even Catalina Island again. We can be together. I’ll live wherever you want to, and we’ll make it a home.”
“What are you saying, Nick? Are you asking me to move in with you?”
Taking my hand, he says, “No. I should be asking you all those other questions and a million different ones to get to know you better. Instead, I’m asking if you want to get married?”
25
Natalie
Yes.
I wish I could give him that answer, but that word doesn’t cross my lips. Thoughts run through my brain on overdrive, not giving me a second reprieve to catch up. Did he just ask me to marry him?
Still looking at me with nothing less than a desperation to love me, his fingers graze over the top of my bare ring finger. “I don’t have a ring, but you can pick out anything you like, or I can surprise you. I think I have a good idea of what you’d like. I just want to be with you, tied to you in ways that no one can tear us apart. Will you marry me, Natalie?”
