by M. Clarke
My lips quivered, my heart broken. “I know. And it won’t be the same without you.” My voice became softer, broken, trying to hold back the sob as I wiped away more tears. It didn’t help to see Isla doing the same.
“We had great times here, you and I,” she said, taking a breath. “I’m going to miss this place. I knew eventually we would move out. I just didn’t think it would be this soon.”
I shoved my face to her shoulder and let the tears flow freely. “I’m going to miss our place. Thank you for everything, Isla. And I’m so sorry you had to deal with Troy.”
Isla’s sobs made it difficult to hear her, but I understood. “It’s not your fault. You have to stop blaming yourself. And I’m so happy for you. Nathan is an amazing guy. You’re both lucky to have found each other.”
I pulled away, nodding in understanding as I wiped my tears again. “Well, this isn’t goodbye. At least we’ll get to see each other as often as we like in LA.”
“Yes,” she said with elation. “As the saying goes, when one door closes, another one opens to greater things. Anyway, text me when you get there.”
“I will and you text me as soon as you land.”
Isla and I glanced around one last time and released a long sad sigh. Then she turned to Nate and embraced him. “Thank you, Nathan. See you in LA. I don’t need to tell you what to do ‘cause you take amazing care of her, but don’t make me use a Taser on you.”
Nate chuckled. “Don’t worry. You’ll have no reason to. Be careful.”
Isla backed away and jumped into my arms tightly. “One last hug in our apartment. I’ll talk to you soon.”
Chapter 30
Nathan
Olie and I stood in front of my parents’ home holding bags filled with wrapped Christmas presents. Though we didn’t have time to shop, and though I had told Olie we didn’t need to bring gifts, she insisted, especially since it was close to Christmas and her first time meeting them.
“Ready?” I asked, adjusting her scarf to hide the redness on her neck. It had improved a lot in a few days. It was hardly noticeable, but Olie was self-conscious. And I was pretty sure she didn’t want any reminders of that day.
“How are my eyes? Are the red dots gone yet?”
“You can’t tell,” I lied, sort of. “Besides, they’ll be too mesmerized by your beauty.” I planted a small kiss on her forehead. Though the petechia were still present, they were faint. I had already spoken to my mom about the incident on the phone and told her to tell everyone not to talk about what had happened and especially not to stare at her eyes or neck.
Olie inhaled a deep breath. “Okay. Then I’m ready.”
I could have opened the door with the house key tucked inside my pocket, but I thought it would be better to have everyone come greet Olie at once, so I rang the doorbell and stared at the oversized pine wreath Mom hung every Christmas.
The door swung open.
“Nathan. Olivia,” Mom gushed. Behind her, Natalie, Nick, and Dad beamed welcoming smiles.
We stepped inside, and one by one, we exchanged hugs. No formal introduction was needed. Olie had seen pictures of them and vice versa. Then the aromas of something tasty mixed with pine tree whiffed through my nostrils.
“It’s so nice to finally meet you.” Mom smiled.
“Same here, Mrs. Cross. I feel like I already know everyone,” Olie said, meeting everyone’s eyes. Her nervousness settled, and she seemed right at home.
“Call me Dawn.”
“We thought you were a fake girlfriend Nathan made up,” Nick joked.
Everyone laughed.
“Oh, these gifts should go under the tree.” Olie raised the bags.
“You shouldn’t have, but thank you,” Mom said, smiling. “Let’s not stand in the foyer all night. Let’s get comfortable in the family room.”
“I’ll put the gifts under the tree.” I took the bag from Olie and the one in my hands and headed for the Christmas tree.
Olivia
My pounding heart slowed to a steadier beat when Nate’s mom greeted us. The chandelier in the foyer caught my eyes next. I glanced at the staircase on the left, spiraled with long strands of garland, before Nate’s father, Natalie, and Nick embraced me, one by one. Though I could tell from the outside structure, being inside confirmed Nate’s parents’ house was huge. I had tried not to gawk as our taxi driver cruised down the street. I knew Nate’s parents were both lawyers, but we never talked about their financial status, nor was it my business.
Nate’s mom’s sweet, tender voice soothed me, and the rest of the family beaming with welcoming smiles helped too. Dawn’s smile radiated, making her look more beautiful than her picture. With brown hair past her shoulders, manicured nails, and hardly any wrinkles on her skin, she looked to be a woman who cared about her appearance.
I took a seat in the family room with my hands clasped. Nathan sat beside me while his parents sat across from me.
“Would you like some water or tea?” Dawn asked.
“No, thank you.” I smiled and glanced at the massive family room furnished with the finest leather sofa, Mahoney cabinet, and the biggest flat screen I’d ever seen. Between the family room and the kitchen stood a tall Christmas tree elegantly decorated with red bows and colorful Christmas ornaments. Several of them looked school-made. Then I shifted my eyes back to the mantel filled with picture frames and small Christmas figurines of Santa Claus and elves.
Nate’s dad eased back into the sofa and brushed his brown hair back. Then his arm landed around Nate’s mom’s shoulder. I smiled, thinking about how many times Nate mimicked the same actions.
“Have you been to Texas before?” Natalie asked, crossing her legs and shifting her body to face me.
Natalie had long brown hair. With her figure and beautiful face, she could have been a model too. Nick, on the other hand, wasn’t handsome like Nate, but rather cute in a boyish way. He was thin rather than muscled like Nate.
“This is my first time,” I answered.
“Well, Texas welcomes you,” Nick said with a slight tilt of his head.
I smiled, letting out a weak laugh. The air became hot. Everyone’s eyes on me made me a bit uncomfortable and antsy. Wanting to readjust my scarf, my hand fidgeted, but I forced myself to focus on something else. So, instead, my mind reeled with thoughts: were they going to ask me about Troy and the attack? I was sure every so often their eyes strayed down my neck. And had Natalie noticed the petechia in my eyes?
“How was New York?” Dawn asked cheerily. Her eyes grew wider either in shock or regret. “I meant...” Her eyes shot to Nate, asking for help. “Nathan had an ad shot for his cologne line.” Her eyes fell back to mine. “Olivia, did you have a project too?” She smiled nervously.
I gulped. “Yes, I did,” I sort of fibbed. “It was for a new designer.”
The memory of Troy standing at the door seized me. His eyes pinning mine, so dark and cold, I’d thought his look alone could have killed me. At that moment, my heart skipped a beat and my body slightly trembled. I didn’t want to make her feel worse than she already did. Nate had asked her over the phone not to talk about Troy and the situation that was probably all over the news. He hadn’t told me, but I overheard.
Nate’s thumb caressed my shoulder, reminding me to stay in the present, that he was with me.
“How exciting. Do you get to keep the clothes?” Natalie jumped in. Her cheerful tone made me smile.
“Yes, I do. I have many designer clothes. I also receive gifts. I’ll look through my clothes and see if there is something you would like. I have several unworn outfits.”
“Really?” Natalie’s tone rose with excitement and then steadied back to her neutral tone. “I mean. I don’t want to impose.”
“We are about the same height and...” I studied her body, trying not to make it obvious. “I think we are about the same size. I can ship them to you.”
“Oh, wow. Thank you.”
“Nathan told u
s he’ll be moving to his new house soon,” Nate’s father said when another silence fell. “When he’s ready, his mom and I were thinking of taking a visit to Los Angeles. We’ve been on the Orange County side before and have taken our family to Disneyland, but we never visited Los Angeles per se.”
“That would be wonderful, Mr. Cross. We would love that.”
“Please, call me Chris.” He grinned.
I gave him a quick smile back.
“Well, is anyone hungry?” Dawn asked.
Nick stood up, adjusting his jeans. “You don’t have to ask me. I’m starving.”
Natalie tugged Nick’s shirt playfully to the dining area. “You’re always hungry. How do you still manage to stay so lean?”
As the laughter filled the air, I stopped by the Christmas tree. A picture of an adorable boy about the age of five dangled inside a clear ornament. The ornament had been decorated with paint on the top and bottom, but left enough space to see the photo. Admiring it, I asked. “Is that you?”
“Yep.” Nate tucked his hands inside his pants pockets. His lips quirked and his eyes twinkled with memories. “That was me in kindergarten. We made it in school to give it to our parents as a Christmas present.”
“You were so cute,” I gushed. “Who knew this little boy would grow up to be the Sexiest Man Alive?”
Nate leaned closer. His eyes bored into mine. “Who knew that little boy would grow up and meet the most beautiful, intelligent, brave, sexiest woman alive. So let me correct you. He’s the luckiest man alive.”
I melted into a puddle, and my world spun with happiness. After he gave me a quick kiss on the lips, he snapped me out of my daze by placing his hand on mine and guiding me to where we needed to go.
The catered dinner was amazing—chicken breast, asparagus, and couscous. Then we had a delicious homemade strawberry cheesecake that melted in my mouth. Our dinner conversation mostly centered on Nate’s family. I made sure to ask Nick about his internship, Natalie about her college schedule, and Dawn and Chris about their jobs. Though I already knew his family was amazing, I fell in love with them even more.
“We find it ironic that Nathan models.” Dawn took a sip of her wine. She snorted and continued. “When he was younger, he had several agents interested in him, but he refused. He never wanted to take that route. He even hated taking pictures. I guess it doesn’t matter how much you desire to be something else, fate has a plan for everyone.”
Chris crossed his arms on the red linen cloth on the table and nodded to agree. “I never wanted to be a lawyer. It just happened.”
“I’m not sure about my path,” Natalie added, easing back into her chair and gazing at the flickering candles set on crystal bases.
“You’ll find your way. We all do.” Chris winked.
Natalie shrugged. “I suppose.”
“I agree with Dad.” Nate took my hand in his. “I like to think that our path in life is centered on finding your soul mate. Because without your soul mate, you are lost.”
My face flushed, and it wasn’t from the sip of wine I just took. Nate expressing his love for me in front of his parents made me shy, and his family stared at us in awe.
After the table was cleared, we moved back to the living room and conversed more about movies and vacation places. Then it was time to call it a night. Nate took me on a tour of the house, and we entered the last room.
“This is my bedroom. This will be your room for the weekend.”
A queen-size bed sat in the corner of the room. A large desk with a computer and lamp leaned against the wall by the window. The walk-in closet to the right of me was a good size for a single person. On the wall shelves were plaques, awards, and pictures.
“These are your baseball awards and pictures from high school,” I squealed, admiring them. “You were the pitcher, right?”
Nate’s hand on my shoulder as I studied the photos sent a wave of pleasant heat down my back.
“I was very good with my hands even back in high school.” A hint of flirtation slipped into his voice.
I whipped around, my back against the wall with nowhere to go. “Were you, Nathan Cross?” I gave him the same tone back.
“I’m much better now, I assure you.” He waggled his brows. “I had a lot of practice so that when the day came to meet my soul mate, I would be perfect. Would you like for me to show you, Olivia Hunt?”
Hearing him call me his soul mate filled my heart with so much bliss, my stomach fluttered and my heart expanded. “You’re perfect, Nathan Cross. Always have been and always will be.” He leaned closer, so close our breath passed to each other. “You can show me plenty when we get back to LA, but while we’re at your parent’s place, you behave.” I moved his hands away from my waist as his lips touched mine. He had no idea how much forceful effort that took.
He lips curled down, looking like an adorable little boy who had just had his toy taken away.
“We’ll see about that.” There was a promise in his tone.
Then I playfully shoved him out of the room. After I washed up and called my mom, I tucked myself in bed. Safe in Nathan’s room, my mind and body relaxed until I heard the door creak open and close. A cool breeze slipped under the blanket and then warmth from Nate’s body pressed against my back.
I turned around and placed my arms against his chest to stop him. “What are you doing here?” I giggled. Trying to sound like I didn’t want him there was impossible.
“I forgot to tell you that although I was the all-star pitcher, I was terrible at following rules. So here I am.” He wrinkled his nose with a mischievous grin. “Besides, I’m not doing anything wrong. This is my bedroom and my bed. What’s on my bed is mine.”
“You’re terrible.” I lightly punched his bicep, and then without thinking—because with Nate next to me, all intelligent thoughts flew out the door except for the lust one—I ran my hands over the hills and valleys of his arms.
“Don’t worry. I’m not going to do anything unless you ask me to.” He paused while his hand slipped down to my ass. My long T-shirt gave him easy access. “Or you beg.” That one word, puffed into my ear, sent a hot, electrifying tingle down to my sex. The war of who would be in control barely started, and I had already lost the battle.
“You’re terrible,” I whimpered, wilting as Nate’s tongue laved my neck. “I’m going to stop you. I’m not going to beg.” Oh God. His tongue met my nipple and a finger rubbed my clit.
Moaning, I bit my lips, trying to stop the throbbing, aching need and want Nate was inflicting. The lust grew even more when Nate pressed his hardness against me and conquered my lips in hunger. The harder he kissed and the harder he pressed, the more the overwhelming tingling sensation took over, controlling me as my hands trailed all over his body. I tugged at his pants, urging him to take them off, but he wouldn’t. My craving for him, his body, turned me into a wild animal needing to fulfill this desire Nate had built up.
“Nate, please. Oh God.” The contact with his hard, defined chest when I slipped my hand under his night shirt was the last straw. “Please.” I begged. “I can’t take it anymore. Fuck me.” My hot breath seductively seethed by the side of his ear.
Nate growled, “As you wish. I told you so.”
Chapter 31
Nathan
I knew my family would love Olivia. Mom even took me to the side and told me herself. As always, it was difficult to say goodbye to my family, especially since I had told them I wouldn’t be around for Christmas. Olie needed me. Knowing how much she meant to me and the tragedy of the situation with Troy, my family understood. They were not only concerned about Olivia’s welfare, but for mine as well. We flew back Sunday late afternoon and arrived Sunday evening in Los Angeles.
Olie unlocked the door with her set of keys. As soon as we opened the door, her mom jumped at her. Behind her, Charlene clasped her hands and tears pooled in her eyes.
“My baby, my baby.” Emily’s body shook, sobbing into Olie’s hair. Af
terward, she pulled back to wipe her tears. “Let me look at you.”
“I’m fine, mom,” Olie said softly. “It’s okay. It’s over. Let’s think of happy thoughts.”
“Nathan, thank you for taking good care of her.” Emily embraced me, followed by Charlene after she hugged Olie.
After I set my suitcase by the door and Olie’s in her room, I sat on the sofa beside her. Though Olie had explained to her mom over the phone about Troy, I had a feeling we would have to relive that day again. As much as I didn’t want to talk about it, I had to out of respect for Olie’s mother. I would have felt the same way had it been my daughter. No, I would have killed Troy if I were her father.
“Are you hungry?” Emily asked. Her pale skin and sunken eyes spoke of not enough sleep.
“We ate at the airport,” Olie explained. “I think we’re good.” She looked at me to confirm.
“I’m fine, thank you.”
Emily shifted her attention to Olie. “How was the visit at Nate’s parents’ house?”
Olie looked at me. “Better than I’d imagined. They’re wonderful.”
“What’s going on with Troy? Did they put him in jail yet?” Emily sneered. Her eyebrows furrowed in disgust.
“I already told you on the phone this will take some time. They don’t just put people in jail without a trial,” Olie explained.
“They should hang him.” Charlene scowled. “Apparently Olivia isn’t the first person he threatened. Other models are coming out. This is going to be good for the case. Guys like him deserve everything bad coming their way. Hell, if I had a gun, I would shoot that bastard.”
Ever since Troy happened, I only scrolled through the media sites to post a few pictures and leave. I also didn’t want to read the negative things the media had to say about Olie and her relationship with Troy. Many would be false anyway.
“Anyway...” Charlene continued. “It’s over. Olivia and Nathan are safe. Troy will be in jail soon. All is good.” Her cheerful voice resurfaced. She always had a way of making conversation bright and sometimes even perverted. “I hope you thought about a restraining order.”
