My father closed his eyes and tilted his head up to the sun, letting the warm rays heat his face. "I’m going to tell you something I've never told anybody. When I met your mother, in a lot of ways, I was like you. I had sowed my oats a little bit, and I dated a couple of women who then turned around and squashed my heart like it was a bug." He gave out a little laugh, which surprised me because I knew first-hand getting your heart squashed like a bug wasn't funny.
"The truth of the matter is, Hunter, I had no choice but to fall for your mom. My heart dragged me kicking and screaming into that relationship and thank God that it did. And I won't deny that losing her crushed my soul. It's not something I've ever completely recovered from as I know you are aware of. But when I look at you boys, I see parts of her in all of you. And it brings me such joy to see her living through you. In a couple of months Kellie and Ryan are going to have a child, and your mom will live on through that baby as well, and it fills my heart with such joy."
I looked down because it was hard not to be swayed by the power of my father's words and honest conviction about the power of love and the enduring legacy of my mother. But I couldn't imagine putting myself out there and risking what my father was asking me to risk.
"Now, like I said Kellie’s sister may not be the one for you, but I would encourage you to open your heart to the possibility of love because there's nothing better, Hunter. There really isn't anything better than that."
That evening as I drove home, I thought about everything that my father had been saying to me. It wasn’t that I didn't want to have what he and my mother had, or even what Ryan and Kellie had. My reluctance was that I was too much of a coward to take the risk. There wasn't just the possibility of getting my heart squashed, but also having to experience humiliation and embarrassment. Already Natalie and I had been exposed in an embarrassing way. Having had to endure that before, I didn't want to do it again.
On the other hand, I had to concede that there was a part of me that was powerless to get Natalie out of my system. I tried to resist her, and then I tried to indulge in her, I was working to get her out of my system. And now I was trying to resist her again and that wasn't working either as all I wanted to do was drive over to her apartment to see her.
The thing that really made me hesitant about pursuing something with Natalie was the fact that I was helplessly drawn to her. She, more than any woman I'd ever met, had the power to bring me to my knees. And despite what my father said about love being worth it, I wasn’t sure I had the courage to take that risk.
And at the same time, I discovered that I wanted nothing more than what my father said love can bring. I needed to make a decision. I pulled out my phone and texted Natalie.
22
Natalie
Every time I felt sad over the fact that Hunter and I weren't seeing each other anymore, I chastised myself for it. This was supposed to be a no strings relationship, and as cocky and difficult as Hunter could be, I ended up falling for the big galoot.
I told myself to be grateful that he had the strength to stay away, even though it added to my sadness that he could. While a string of my heart had tethered to his, clearly he hadn't felt the same about me.
So, I was surprised when I got the text from Hunter that afternoon, giving me the name of the hotel and the room number. Was this the official we can't see each other anymore meeting? Or had he changed his mind and wanted to continue? I knew what I wanted the answer to be, but I also knew that for both our sakes, he probably should be delivering the breakup line.
There was a perverse part of me that wanted to dress in a sexy outfit, so that he might feel bad when he delivered the blow that things were over between us. Another part of me thought I might just wear my painter overalls, so that he wouldn't think I would be too hurt by his breakup message.
But what if he wasn't breaking things off?
How did this get so complicated?
I arrived at the hotel room wearing what I'd worn to work. My thinking was, it was nice enough for an interlude, but didn't look like I had made any effort in case he was about to give me the boot.
I knocked on the door and a moment later he opened it, and my heart rolled in my chest. He was dressed casually in jeans and a T-shirt with an open button shirt over it. He held the door open and smiled welcoming me in.
Inside the suite had a fireplace with a fire and in front of it was a coffee table with a bucket of champagne and an array of desserts.
I looked up at him, not sure what this all meant. "What's going on?"
"If it’s not obvious, I have some work on my setting the scene skills." He led me over to the fireplace and we sat on the floor, leaning back against the couch.
"I wasn't sure which type of dessert you like the best, so I got a little bit of everything," he said, giving me a sheepish grin. "But I picked the champagne that I thought would be best." He popped the cork and poured two flutes of the bubbly.
I was so confused. This didn’t seem like a breakup scene. At the same time, I was nervous that all of this wasn't real. Maybe I was misunderstanding the situation. Maybe I was dreaming. So, I simply took the flute and clicked it against his and then sipped.
"I like most kinds of desserts," I said.
"Good, because we have most desserts here,” he said, his hand motioning to the array of cakes, pies, fruits, and more.
We each sipped and sat and looked at the fire.
Finally, he said, "I heard from Giles that two more paintings sold."
I whipped my head to look at his. "Really?" Then I looked at the fire. "Do you think it's because they really liked it, or because they want a piece of scandal?"
Hunter bent his knees and rested his forearms on them with his champagne flute in one hand as looked out over the fire. " I don't know but I wonder if it really matters. I mean, you sold two paintings, and face it, in the scheme of things you and I getting caught kissing in a corner really isn't that big a deal compared to some other scandals that could be out there. I mean, today there was something in the paper about Senator Jones and his secretary. They’re married to other people. I think people are going to care more about that than me or you, don’t you think?"
I turned to look at him, surprised at his attitude considering when he found out we’d been caught, he'd gone ballistic. But it didn't seem to be an issue at the moment anymore so maybe it was time to move on.
"Well, I am glad to have made the sales, and I do hope they enjoy the paintings."
"Have you been painting more?"
I considered making a comment about all the extra time I had now that we hadn't been meeting, but I didn't want to ruin this enjoyable evening that we were having by being snarky. Normally when we met, by now we would be in bed, so the fact that we are sitting here enjoying champagne and dessert was new and I wanted to savor it for whatever it was.
"Some. How is your dad doing?" I asked him.
He took a sip of his champagne. "He's doing good. I think he's in a lot of pain, but he has a live-in helper for physical therapy, and he is determined to recover fully."
"Oh, I'm so glad. I know how important he is to all of you."
He downed his champagne and put his glass on the table. Then he turned to me and drew his fingertips along my face. "I don't know what the hell this is, Natalie, but whatever it is, it's not out of my system yet, and I'd like to continue spending time with you."
I looked down as profound disappointment filled me. He just wanted to continue our friends with benefits situation.
He crooked his finger under my chin, lifting my head so that I could look at him. "I'm not just talking about being fuck buddies. That's why there’s champagne and dessert. Maybe sometime we could go for dinner even."
I was unable to contain the happiness that his words made me feel. There were no promises of the future, only the indication that he wanted to have more than just a friend with benefits.
I nodded. "I'd like that."
"Having said all that
, I feel like it's wrong for me to want to get you naked right now before having dessert."
I gave him a sexy smile as I reached over and scooped some frosting off the cake, then I gently rubbed it over his lips. "Who says we can't have both at the same time?"
His eyes flashed with that wild heat I loved to see in them. He sucked my finger into his mouth, his tongue licking over my finger, making my whole body go hot with need.
Like always, we undressed in record time. But instead of heading to the main event where he was over me, sliding into me, he straddled my thighs. “I think I’m going to like you covered in dessert.”
My hips rose in instinct. He looked over the choices of dessert on the table. He scooped up the whipped cream on the pie and topped my nipples with a dollop. The cool cream on my sensitive nipples made my gasp and writhe with need.
He lay over me, cupping my breasts in each hand, pushing them together. His gaze looked up at me. “So fucking delicious.” Then he lapped his tongue over one nipple as he rubbed the cream into the other with his fingers.
“Oh God Hunter,” I moaned at the onslaught of sensation.
“Mmm…” he murmured against my breasts, and the vibration radiated down to my pussy.
I ran my fingers through his hair holding him to me as he sucked and licked and drove me wild.
He rose up, reaching over to the table again. This time, he had frosting that he slid down over my belly and through my pussy lips.
He looked at me again. “I might come just from eating you.”
“You better not. I want a turn too.”
He groaned, and then lowered over me, dragging his tongue over the trail of frosting. He settled his shoulders between my legs and began to feast on my pussy. Instantly I was rocking and writhing.
“Make me come…” I chanted as the pleasure teetered on torture.
He sucked my clit hard, and I was off like a rocket. I screamed out his name and gripped his scalp to hold him to me as I fucked his face.
He slowly brought me down, then slid back up my body. “I love it when you come.” He kissed me, hard and at the same time, there was something else to it. Or maybe it was wishful thinking.
When I finally had my bearings back, I pushed him over and straddled his thighs. His dick was long and hard, looking up at me like an offering. “My turn for dessert.”
“He won’t last long.” Hunter’s hands slid up and down my thighs.
I studied my dessert choices and decided on the strawberry pie. I pulled off the top crust and coated my fingers in the gooey pie filling.
“Fuck…” he groaned as he watched.
With my fingers dripping in pie, I ran one finger up the length of him, loving how he barked out explicative and his hips bucked up. Precum pearled on the tip of his dick.
I wrapped both hands around his length and slowly stroked. His hips rose and fell at my movements.
“Fuck that’s…shit…I’m going to cum.” His head arched back. His face was contorted into that mixture of pleasure and pain. “Suck me, Natalie…fucking suck me off.”
I smiled, loving the power I had over this man. I wouldn’t pretend that I knew and understood what was inside him as he kept himself so closed off. At the same time, I liked to believe that in moments like this, I saw more of him than anyone.
I bent over, and flicked my tongue over his tip, a mixture of strawberry and Hunter filling my mouth. Desire to taste all of him filled me. Any thought to dragging this moment on left me, and instead, I took him deep into my mouth.
“Yes…fuck yes…” His fingers gripped my head and his hips pumped up and down as I fucked him with my mouth.
I slid my fingers over his balls, gently massaging them.
“I’m coming…I’m coming…” He chanted, and this his hips shot up, and warmth filled my mouth. I stroked his dick with my hand as my mouth continued to suck him as he came.
When he was done, I sat up looking down on him.
It took a moment, but then his eyes fluttered open. He arched a brow. “You’re looking pretty smug up there.”
“I’m feeling smug.” I ran my hands over his chest and lay over him.
In an instant, he rolled us until I was under him. “Give me a minute, and I’ll be ready to be smug too.”
23
Hunter
Natalie covered in dessert was fucking heaven. I’d known women who could be adventurous in bed, but there was something about Natalie’s effervescence and adventurous nature that made it even more exciting. Tonight, it made us sticky too.
“Come on.” I stood and helped her up.
“Where are we going?”
“Shower.” I took her hand and led her to the bathroom.
“Ooh, look at the tub,” she said as I turned on the shower.
“Next time.” I checked the water, and thinking it was warm enough, I picked her up and carried her into the stall.
“You’re such a neanderthal sometimes, you know that?” she said, smiling at me.
“Did neanderthals have big dicks?”
Her hand wrapped around my cock, making him go from hard to steel in a nanosecond. “You do.”
I set her down and turned her so her back was to me. I pumped out soap from the dispenser and began to run my soapy hands over her body. She sighed and rubbed her ass against my dick. I held her tits, flicking my thumbs over her nipples as I kissed her neck.
“Hunter.” Her hands reached back and gripped my thighs.
“You’re ready fast,” I said, nibbling on her ear.
“I’m always ready fast.” Her hand cupped me.
“Widen your legs baby.” I took my cock in my hand, and guided it to her sweet pussy. I kissed her shoulder and then pressed in. Jesus, fuck, it was always like sliding into heaven with her.
She pressed her hands on the tile wall and tilted her ass and I sank in even deeper. I gripped her hips, thrusting hard and steady, but quickly reaching the point in which I’d have to let go of control and my body would take us the rest of the way.
“You hot baby?” I asked.
“Yes,” she moaned.
I picked up the pace.
“Yes, Hunter…more…harder.”
What she wanted, I’d give her. Soon I was like a fucking freight train, barrelling down the track. I gritted my teeth as I hoped to hell she’d come before me, but I was quickly losing the battle.
And then her head flew back and she cried out. He pussy tightened around my dick as I thrust in, and sweet mother in heaven, pleasure swelled and rolled through me like a tidal wave.
We tested the tub, and then later were back in front of the fireplace. I lay on my side facing the fire with Natalie spooned on her side against me also facing the fire.
Romance was never something that entered into the relationships I had with women, at least not over the last few years. In fact, there was a time I decided that romance was just for suckers. But when I made the decision that I was willing to see where the relationship with Natalie could go, despite the fact that I was terrified that it would end with my heart crushed, the need to bring her romance bloomed. It’s why I picked a suite that had a fireplace and arranged for champagne and desserts, as a quick check on the Internet indicated that women liked that kind of stuff.
When Natalie told me that she was interested in seeing what happened between us too, I let out a huge sigh of relief. And now, after having mind blowing sex, laying with her in front of the fireplace with the warmth of the fire, I understood the power and need of romance.
I lifted my head and bent forward to kiss her shoulder. "What would you think of staying the night?"
Her head turned up to look at me, the fire sparkling in her blue eyes as she smiled. "I think I'd like that."
The more she agreed with me the braver I was beginning to feel. In fact, I was thinking perhaps we'd end up staying the whole weekend. But I wasn't feeling quite brave enough to ask for that. At least not yet. Let’s take it one day at a time.
The next day I woke up in the large king size bed, stretching my arm across it to find her luscious soft warm body. But the bed was empty. I jerked up and looked around wondering if something had gone wrong. Immediately my heart went into panic mode. Had she duped me all along?
"You alright there, slick?" her voice asked.
My head whipped around to find her sitting in a corner. "What are you doing?"
"I'm sketching you." She held up one of the pins and pads of paper that could be found in hotel rooms. "They’re not the ideal art tools, but it was all I could find and I absolutely had to sketch you. Did you know you're like an Adonis?"
It took a minute for my heart to settle back into my chest, but when I finally realized what she was saying to me, I gave her my sexy smile and patted the bed next to me. "Why don't you come over here and tell that to me to my face."
She gave me that sexy smirk of hers. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to get an up close view."
I pulled the sheet down, exposing my naked body, and my already growing erection.
She stood and sauntered over setting the pen and pad of paper on the side table. She dropped the robe she’d been wearing and climbed into bed with me. I knew then that we would be here the whole weekend.
Over the next week, I couldn't say that I was completely comfortable with the change in our relationship. There was still a little part of me that worried it could go terribly wrong. But I also knew I had very little choice but to see what happened. I clearly had no willpower when it came to staying away from Natalie.
However, we did resume a professional relationship at work. It was important to both of us that we be seen as professionals in our jobs. That didn't mean I didn't think about taking her on my desk every now and then, but I was able to restrain myself, or if I wasn't, I was able to arrange a long lunch break for us at a nearby hotel.
Giving In To Love: A Friends with Benefits Office Romance (Strong Brothers Book 2) Page 14
