*********
On Wednesday evening, David insisted that I go with him to Sydney and Jensen's for their weekly dinner. I had no problem going, but I suspected that he wanted me there to be a buffer between Sydney and himself. He had confessed to me how badly he had treated Sydney when he took off from the wedding on Saturday, leaving her to tell me that he had left me there. I saw how angry she was at him then, and the fact that she hadn't tried to contact him since was very telling. I had a feeling my presence wasn't going to help him at all, but I let him have his delusion. It would be shattered soon enough.
When David rang the Hayes' doorbell, it was Jensen who answered the door. Jensen looked pleased to see me and greeted me warmly with a wide grin. However, his demeanor changed when he looked at David. His eyes widened in trepidation as he shook his head.
"Brother," he said, "you are in some serious fucking shit with Sydney right now."
David sighed in resignation and gripped my hand tighter. "I know," he said quietly.
"Tread lightly," Jensen told him warningly.
David nodded and bit his lip nervously.
"It's really good to see you again, Natalie," Jensen said as I followed David through the door past him. "I was worried that you wouldn't be coming around anymore."
"He can't get rid of me that easily," I told him in a playful tone. "I badgered him daily until he woke the fuck up."
Jensen's eyes widened when I swore, then he smiled wryly. "Good for you."
"I acted like a dumb-ass," David admitted as we climbed the stairs up into the condo.
"Been there, done that," Jensen added with a smile.
David led me into the kitchen to find Sydney setting the table. She looked up and eyed me with a pleased smile that disappeared as soon as her gaze fell on David.
"Well, it's good to see that you didn't fuck everything up with Natalie," she told him snidely.
"Syd," David said in a placating tone as his grip on my hand got even tighter. His face was stricken as he looked at his best friend. "I'm so sorry."
She sighed deeply as Jensen came up beside her and took over setting the table without a word. "I don't know what I'm mad and hurt about most," she said angrily. "The fact that you abandoned Natalie and left me to deal with it, or the fact that you never told me what really happened with Paige." She shook her head in exasperation. "Why? Why didn't you tell me?"
"Look Sydney, I'm sorry about leaving you to tell Natalie that I left, but what happened with Paige wasn't something I wanted to tell anyone, until now," David told her in growing irritation. I stared at him incredulously. I didn't realize that he had kept the abortion to himself for over a year and a half.
"Why?" she asked looking annoyed. "So you could suffer all alone in silence?"
"It wasn't anyone's business," he said curtly as he let go of my hand to cross his arms across his chest.
"I'm your best friend and it was none of my business?" Sydney's jaw tightened. "After all the painful shit Jensen and I have shared with you?"
David let out a slow breath as he tried to calm himself down. "I didn't want anyone's goddamn pity," he finally growled out.
"Really?" Sydney asked incredulously, her gray eyes flashing in anger. "You didn't want me to fucking pity you? Is that what you felt for me five years ago? Is that how you felt about Jensen?"
"Don't be absurd," David retorted in a growl. "You know that's not true."
"You are a fucking hypocrite," Sydney snarled out as she took a step toward David.
"Goddamn it, Sydney." He narrowed his eyes, and I watched his jaw muscle clench as he tried to stare Sydney down, but she returned his glare stubbornly.
I startled a little as Jensen touched my upper arm gently. I had been so caught up in David and Sydney's argument that I didn't notice him come up beside me. He caught my eye and motioned toward the hallway. He was right. We needed to get the hell out of here before we got sucked into this fight.
We quietly left the room as Sydney let loose a tirade on David about friendship and trust, and him being an asshole. God only knew how he'd react to that. Jensen led me through the living room and upstairs. I could still hear the argument downstairs, but thankfully I couldn't make out the words anymore, but it was definitely getting heated down there. I followed him past his bedroom at the top of the stairs down a short hall to another room. There was a treadmill on the right, a computer desk under the window straight ahead, and a CD-filled shelving unit next to a line of guitars on stands along the wall to my left.
"I thought this might be a good time to show you my new guitar," Jensen said as he turned to face me. "And those two need some fucking space right now."
"How long have they been friends?" I asked curiously.
"Five years," he told me. "Sydney was in the hospital after trying to commit suicide, and David was a nursing student at the time."
"Sydney tried to do that?" I asked incredulously. She was such a strong sure woman, and I wouldn't have expected her to do something like that.
"Her parents were killed when she was only fifteen," he explained. "She didn't cope with it well."
"Wow," I said softly. "Can you imagine?"
"I can," Jensen unexpectedly answered my rhetorical question. "I tried to kill myself this summer." His voice was subdued as he met my eyes.
I stared at him in utter shock. "You..." I began and realized I didn't know what to say.
"I have PTSD from a car crash that killed my brother in March," he said quietly, his eyes haunted and filled with pain. "And my dad had a heart attack two days later and didn't survive."
"Oh my God," I blurted out apologetically. "I'm so sorry."
"I'm doing better now, but this summer was rough, and it nearly cost me Sydney and my life," Jensen said. "If it wasn't for David, Sydney and I wouldn't be here right now."
"He's a good man," I nodded.
"He's also more worried about other people's problems than his own," Jensen added. "He holds himself to this unattainable standard, then beats himself up if he can't meet it. He's very good at acting like he's fine when he's not."
"He can't fool me," I told Jensen with a shake of my head. "I see right through him."
Jensen smiled at me knowingly. "He needs someone like you; someone who doesn't take his fucking bullshit and calls him on it when he's full of it."
"Is that what Sydney does for you?" I asked him with a warm smile.
"Every fucking day," he admitted with a huge grin. "Anyway, I'm glad that you and David worked it out."
"Me too."
"Do you want to see my new guitar?" he asked as a boyish glee filled his eyes. "It was a wedding gift from Sydney."
"I'd love to."
He pulled one of the guitars from its stand. It was gorgeous with a sunburst stain pattern in the dark wood and a white pearl pick guard. He swung the strap over his head and let the instrument settle at his hips. "This is a Fender Telecaster Deluxe," he explained, even though I didn't know what any of that meant. He plugged the guitar's cord into a small amp nearby, then started playing a slow bluesy riff with an effortless grace that astounded me. His fingers glided across the frets without him even looking at the instrument. "I love this guitar," he said as he met my eyes with a smile; still playing while he spoke.
"You're really good," I told him as I shook my head.
"Thanks," he said and then started singing softly to the music. He sang about there being nobody but you, and he was just as good at singing as he was playing the guitar. I watched him, mesmerized for several long minutes until he trailed off, looking a little embarrassed. "Sorry," he said. "I got carried away there for a few minutes."
"I didn't mind," I said with a smile. "You sounded great. What song was that?"
"It called Nobody But You by Junior Kimbrough," he answered me.
"I've never heard of it, but I like it."
"You should come out and see me play sometime," he suggested. "You can bring David along if he survives tonight."
"I'm glad you're still alive, brother," Jensen said with a grin. "My wife is a force to be reckoned with."
"She's got nothing on Natalie," David said as he finally managed a small smile. "I'm definitely more afraid of her. She's diabolical." He pressed a soft kiss to my temple.
"And stubborn," I added unapologetically as I smiled at him.
"Syd is just about to finish cooking dinner," David told us.
"I'll go help her with that," Jensen announced as he unplugged his guitar from its amp and set it in its stand. He gripped David's shoulder affectionately for a moment on the way out of the room.
I turned to David, and he wrapped his arms around me. "Are you and Sydney okay now?" I asked him with a serious expression.
"We're okay," David reassured me with a wan smile. "We don't fight often, but when we do its usually a pretty big one. You should have seen her reaction when I told her I was going to the Ukraine for a year. She was livid."
"I bet," I said with a nod, then asked the question that had been nagging me. "Why didn't you tell anyone about what Paige did to you until now?"
He let out a deep sigh and pursed his lips. I was pretty sure he didn't want to talk about this, but I needed to understand. He must have sensed that since he didn't refuse to talk about it outright.
"I never planned on telling anybody," he answered truthfully. "I accidentally blurted it out to Syd on Saturday. Then when I saw my new niece, I realized that I had to get it out. It was slowly ripping me apart from the inside out. I was just living in denial until I met you."
"Thank you for telling me," I told him sincerely.
"Your welcome, sweetheart." He pressed a kiss to my temple. "Come on, let's go downstairs before Syd spits in my food. She accepted my apology, but she's still a woman. I know how you ladies like to hold grudges."
"You have no idea," I said with a wry smile that slipped away when he turned to lead the way downstairs. I couldn't help thinking about the grudge I had against Paige. What I wouldn't give to give her a piece of my mind and maybe my fist, even if she was pregnant.
Chapter Three
David
I was sitting in the cafeteria at the hospital reading during my lunch break on Friday. Well, trying to read, anyway. I kept thinking about Natalie and looking forward to her spending the weekend with me. I was considering texting or calling her, when my phone started vibrating in my pocket. A smile spread across my face. Maybe that was her. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and looked at the number that was labeled "unknown caller." I recognized the number immediately, even if I had deleted it from my contact list a long time ago. It was Paige.
I stared at the screen in disbelief as it buzzed repeatedly in my hand. My jaw clenched with sudden anger. Did she want to rub it in again? Did she want to make sure I knew without a doubt that I had never been good enough for her? I ground my teeth together, pressing ignore on the screen and letting it go to voice mail. Then I deleted the message immediately. I'd be damned if I listened to anything she had to say to me ever again.
I sat there for several minutes, my anger morphing into pain. Why was she doing this to me? She had to know how much seeing her had hurt me last Saturday. Why couldn't she just leave me alone? Hadn't she done enough damage to my life? Hadn't she taken enough from me? I felt tears sting my eyes and reined it in. The last thing I needed was to lose it at work.
I glanced at my watch. I still had ten minutes left of my lunch break, but I was done sitting here, and my appetite was gone. I took my tray and dumped what was left of my lunch in the trash then headed back up to the psych unit. Maybe if I threw myself into work for the rest of the afternoon, I could forget about that damn phone call. At least, I had Natalie to look forward to after work tonight.
My mood hadn't improved by the time I got home around four-thirty. I was sullen and irritable since that damn call, and hoped that seeing Natalie would pull me out of it. I changed clothes then spent the next half hour straightening up the house and setting up the huge litter box that I had purchased the other day for George. She was shocked when I suggested that she bring her cat with her, but I wanted her to feel at home here and that included her cat. I decided not to dwell on the fact that, deep down, I wanted her to live with me eventually.
I was in the kitchen cooking dinner for Natalie when the doorbell rang. My mood suddenly improved with a surge of joy as I went to answer the door. I found Natalie standing there holding George in her arms with his back feet dangling below her hips. He looked even more massive in her slender arms. George chirped when he saw me, and I grinned at them.
"Get in here and put George down before you fall over," I said with a laugh as I stepped out of her way. She walked passed me and set the cat on the floor after I closed the door.
"I need to teach him to walk on a leash," Natalie said with a sigh as she straightened. George stood still and looked around the room for a moment before coming to me and rubbing against my legs. "The rest of my stuff is in the car. I'll go get it." She reached for the doorknob, but I grabbed her hand and pulled her into my arms. I held her against me, inhaling her scent and breathing her in, my face inches from hers. Her green eyes lit up, and her tongue darted out to glide across her lower lip. I stared at her lips helplessly. My body was aching for her. I hadn't seen her since early Thursday morning when I had to leave her apartment to go to work.
"I missed you," I told her quietly as I brushed my lips across hers. "You can get your stuff later." I moved my right hand up to the back of her head and kissed her fiercely. I growled as she wrapped her arms around my neck and twisted my hair in her fingers, pulling on it with a delicious bite of pain. I pressed her back up against the front door, pushing my pelvis into hers and grinding my hardening cock into her. She let out the sexiest moan into my mouth, and I latched my teeth onto her lower lip with another low growl. Damn, she drove me insane.
I pulled my mouth from hers with a groan. "We shouldn't start this right now," I told her in a pained voice. "Dinner is almost ready."
"How long do we have?" she panted out with that wicked gleam in her eyes that I loved.
"Maybe five minutes," I said as I eyed her suspiciously.
"I can work with that," she said in a sensual tone. "If you'll allow me," she said with a nod.
"What did you have in mind?" I asked curiously.
Natalie smirked and grabbed my shoulders. I let her turn me so my back was pressed against the door instead. She held my gaze as her fingers reached for my belt and started working it loose. "Let's see if I can beat the clock." Her voice came out low and husky. It made me shiver all over.
She knelt down in front of me as she lowered the zipper of my jeans. She pulled my cock out, pumping it in her hand several times while still looking at me. Then without any warm up or even a warning, she deep-throated me in once swift motion.
"Fuck!" I shouted as her warm soft mouth engulfed me. Her tongue danced across the underside of my erection, her mouth sucking hard as her head bobbed up and down on me. I grabbed her hair in both hands, but let her keep control. It was something I usually didn't like to do, and I hadn't done in a very long time, but I'd do anything for Natalie, even give her this. It was easy giving up control to her, and I loved it because I loved her.
Within moments, she had me riding the edge of my release. I thrust my hips into her unconsciously, filthy words spilling from my mouth as I spurred her on. She was a woman on a mission, and her eyes were dark and determined as she watched me. I felt it coming as the pressure built up inside my balls. "I'm close, sweetheart," I panted out. "So goddamn close." She took me as deep as she could, and I felt the tip of my cock hit the back of her throat. I sucked in a breath and swore again, and when she hummed in pleasure around me, the vibration sent me over the edge.
A deep groan came up out
of me, and I watched in fascination as she took everything I gave her, swallowing it down with happy moans of pleasure. Her eyes were still locked on mine as I came hard and long into her sweet mouth. My legs felt like rubber as the last of my orgasm shuddered through me. She gently licked me clean and smiled in satisfaction.
"Natalie," I moaned her name in a hoarse voice as I cradled her face in my hands and smiled down at her.
"I love you," she said warmly as she stood, then she gave me a long lingering kiss that was interrupted by the sound of the oven timer going off. She pulled back to snort out a laugh. "Damn, I'm good," she said wryly.
"Yes, you are," I agreed with a laugh as I tucked myself back into my jeans and zipped them up, "and I love you, too." I looked around the room as I led Natalie to the kitchen. "Where did George go?"
"Knowing his lazy ass, he's probably already on your bed asleep," she told me with a grin.
"I'm glad I have a king-size bed," I said with a smirk. "Maybe he'll make room for us tonight."
"What's for dinner?"
"I hope you like fish," I answered her as I pulled the food out of the oven.
She eyed the lemon pepper fish with interest. "Why did you make so much?"
"I thought George might like some."
"Are you in love with me, or my cat?"
"Both," I admitted with a shrug. "I haven't had a pet in a long time."
"Are you trying to steal my cat?" she asked me with a suspicious glare.
"I'd only want that if you were living here," I said, and realized that I had said too much when she looked startled. I didn't want to freak her out. How did I get from taking things slow last week to talking about us living together already? I needed to chill out.
"I'll set the table," she said, changing the subject after a moment of discomfort, and I was grateful. I told her where the plates and silverware were while I got the side dishes ready. I let out a sigh after she walked out to the dining room.
You Are My Love: Breathless Book 2 Page 4
