He chuckled and kissed the tip of her nose, concentrating on keeping his hands around her waist. Any more exploring of her body and he was likely to change his mind and drag her inside to the bedroom she’d shown him earlier. Somehow, knowing what her bed was like made it harder to leave her here, unfulfilled. Any normal man would carry her in there and give her exactly what she’d asked for.
Nate Black wasn’t any other man. When he gave himself to her, she would know that he meant it. No way would he let his body make any kind of promises that his heart didn’t intend to keep. When he and Kelly finally explored each other for the first time, he’d make sure she wouldn’t quickly forget it.
She surprised him by pulling away slightly. He slipped his finger under her chin and tipped her head up to search her eyes. They met his without hesitation and she stretched up to drop small kisses on his lips. “You’d better get going, Nate. Another few minutes and you’ll have no say in what else happens tonight.”
“Okay,” he whispered. “How about we see the other movie tomorrow night. Pick you up at six?”
Chapter 6
The next few days passed in a whirlwind for Nate. He spent each day at work thinking about the night he had planned with Kelly. The second movie was great and he avoided being dragged into her house afterward. She pretended to pout and then laughed hysterically when he worried he’d upset her.
On Wednesday night, they went bowling and she teased him all night about bowling being a sport for old men or little kids. When she trounced him on the scoreboard in both games he declared he’d been hustled. Her giggling all the way home gave her away and she had to admit to playing in a bowling league for three years in high school.
When they were almost home Kelly surprised him. “Can we go to your place?”
“Mine? Why?”
“I’d like to see your new letterbox.”
She grinned as he kept his eyes firmly on the road. “Sure you would. You’re up to no good, I can tell.”
“Me?” She sounded shocked but he knew her too well by now. Kelly’s humour was never far from the surface, no matter what they were doing.
“Yes. Don’t you have to go home for Fang?”
Her hand settled on his thigh and he tried not to jump. “I left him extra food in case I was… late.”
Nervousness tickled at his chest and he made himself stare straight out the windscreen. Did he want this with her tonight? Wasn’t it still too soon?
Hell yes, I want to be with her tonight!
His foot pressed a little harder on the accelerator as she snorted and squeezed his thigh. “That’s what I thought.”
***
“The letterbox is nice. It suits the house perfectly. I’m glad you didn’t buy one of those cheap metal ones with the shiny gold numbers.” Kelly raised her glass of wine to Nate. His mouth was dry as he took a sip from his own glass and settled beside her on the couch.
“You know way too much about home repairs.”
She raised her glass again, “Right back at ya!”
They drank, eyes locked together, each nervous of what could follow. Kelly finally took the initiative and placed her glass on the coffee table. She slid across the couch so her knee was touching Nate’s. He cleared his throat and put his glass down, too, tentatively placing his hand on her knee.
“Don’t take this the wrong way,” Kelly began, “but you have done this before, right?”
Nate laughed out loud, throwing back his head and finally relaxing his back. “Do I look that terrified?”
“Frankly, yes.” She grinned at him and raised her eyebrows.
“Come here.” He pulled her toward him and she stood up and turned to face him, straddling his lap with her knees. His fingers twined through hers and he kissed the back of her hand. “I’m sorry, I’m overthinking this a bit. Don’t think for a second that I’m not enthusiastically anticipating the moment we get naked.” His hand curved across her cheek and she pressed her face against his palm.
“I can take care of that right now,” she said with a grin. She rubbed her palm over the back of his hand and then her fingers found the top button of his shirt. She undid the first and continued to the next, grinning at him as he settled back against the couch. She made faces at him as she undid each one and pushed his shirt open to reveal a smattering of chest hair. When his shirt hung open she leaned forward and dropped light kisses across his chest. Nate’s intake of air made elicited a chuckle and she leaned back to start on her own clothing.
“Let me.” He pushed her hand away and tugged her closer. The flimsy fabric of her shirt fell apart in his hands, the buttons coming open easily. Moving the shirt aside revealed a bright red bra embroidered with tiny black flowers. “You like red, don’t you?” His warm hand moved across her chest, teasing the swell of her breasts as she bit her lip and watched his face.
“It’s my favourite colour,” She chirped, willing him to move his hand further. She shrugged out of her shirt and settled herself in his lap again. “What now?”
“Almost a shame to remove it.” He grinned as her face fell. She might be the one to do the teasing but he could hold his own. He slipped his hand behind her neck and pulled her forward. When their lips met, the quiet in the room receded, leaving both drowning in each other. Tentative exploring quickly turned to panting. Hands ran over places they hadn’t dared earlier in the week. When they broke away, Nate had to catch his breath. The silence in the room again caught his attention.
“We should have put some music on.”
Nate laughed as she articulated his exact thoughts. He grabbed a remote from the couch and pointed it at the stereo. Music filled the room as he adjusted the volume down and threw the controller to the side. “Better?”
“Much. Thank you.” He watched her lips rise in a grin, the sight of which made his insides curl with need. Just a few days into spending time with her, and he was already lost. When she stood and dropped her skirt to the floor he had to close his eyes for a moment to calm himself. When he opened them, she was holding out her hand.
“Shall we?”
He took it and pulled himself up. “Oh, definitely. Here.” He bent his knees and picked her up in one swift move. She laughed and gave a short squeal as he carried her down the hallway. The door stood open, inviting them both inside as he paused at the threshold. “You sure about this?”
“Oh, definitely,” she mimicked his earlier words.
“Okay then.” He placed her on the edge of his bed and she scooted back, placing her feet on the floor as he began to undo his pants.
She reached out and dug her fingers inside the band of his jeans. “Here. Let me.” She tugged him forward, moving his hands to her shoulders. Long fingers pulled the zipper down and flicked the button open, her eyes focussed on his. Then she pulled at the denim, dragging it down with a small grin on her lips. She quickly followed suit with his briefs and then she leaned back, licking her lips in an exaggerated manner.
Nate laughed and pushed her back onto the bed. “I think I like a girl who knows what she wants.”
“Especially when that something is you, hey?” She raised her arms above her head and arched her back. A sharp intake of breath from above and suddenly he covered her body with his, pressing her back against the covers. She sighed and wrapped her arms around his back, holding him close. Their lips met again, more comfortable now. Urgent.
He kissed her neck, lifting her hair out of the way and tangling his fingers in it. As he moved down his mouth catalogued every dip and curve, kissing and nibbling as she squirmed against him. His fingers tucked into her red panties and he slid them down, following their path with his mouth. She lifted her legs and he threw the tiny slip of material over his shoulder. When he lay over her again, his knee pushed gently between her thighs.
“You are so tempting.” He murmured against her ear. “I don’t even know where to start.”
“Start here.” She took his hand and placed it over her breast, the red
fabric rising and falling with her shortened breath. She grinned up at him, “Always a great place to start.”
The laughter that bubbled from his chest relaxed him and he slid his hand under her to fumble with the clasp. His fingers searched and bent, working to undo the tiny metal clips and grant him the access he sought. “Ahh…,” he frowned as he worked, sight unseen. “Got it!” He slid the red straps down her arms and pulled the fabric away. The pretty bra soon joined her underwear on the floor and his lips grazed the ripe buds that were now exposed. Her sigh and naughty smile, along with her fingers in his hair urged him on, and he cupped his hands around his prize, licking and tasting. He ground his arousal against her and she opened her legs, pushing against him in the most wanton way, her legs wrapping around him without hesitation.
His greedy mouth consumed her and he swiftly took possession of her lips again, dipping his tongue to meet hers, exploring the sweet taste of her. His plan to take it slow quickly went up in smoke as her hand slipped between them and clasped him, guiding him toward her opening with an urgent need that took him by surprise. She arched her hips and he squeezed his eyes shut as the ecstasy of the entry almost overwhelmed him. Nate hauled in a breath as she moved beneath his firm strokes, the warmth of her breath and her fingers digging into his shoulder urging him to go faster.
Kelly’s knees clamped around him and she gripped him tightly inside, matching his rhythm, holding intimately to him as short moans escaped her throat. Nate looked down at her parted mouth and hooded eyes and a sudden flush of excitement burst through him.
“God you’re beautiful,” he breathed, pushing himself further, exploring every inch of her warmth.
She rewarded his words by plunging her tongue inside his mouth, curving her spine to allow the continued pummelling by his body as she sucked his tongue between her lips. He couldn’t tear his mouth away from the sweet nectar of hers and his fingers held her hips firmly in place as he drove deeper. The rhythm of their movements increased, ragged breathing quickly taking the place of short, shallow gasps. A sheen of sweat rolled over him and they slid together as he pushed her close to the edge, her moving slightly, prolonging the moment she’d burst into flames.
Ripples of pleasure licked at her insides and she clamped her teeth into his lower lip. The move was enough to send him over the edge, no matter how hard he tried to hold his explosion back. He let out a shout and drove deep with one last thrust. As he spilled inside her she clenched around him, her moans joining his, caught up in her own release. She ground against him, drawing out her pleasure until she was spent and he collapsed on top of her, their bodies tangled together.
“Wow,” he spoke into her shoulder while she held him close. “That was amazing.”
“It was. It’s been so long, I thought I forgot how to do it.” She kissed his head and the end of his nose.
He laughed and collapsed onto the bed beside her, pulling her against his chest. “How long exactly?”
“Longer than you’ll believe. Totally worth waiting for, though.” She snuggled against him and then stretched out, like she was wildly satisfied. “Let’s nap. Then we can do that again.”
“I’d like that a lot.” Nate closed his eyes, a smile lingering on his mouth as he began to doze off. When the light from the curtain woke him the next morning he blinked his eyes in surprise.
“Hey you.” Kelly kissed his chest and rolled against him. “Thanks for that midnight surprise.”
“That was real?” He grinned and ran his finger over her nipple. “For a second I thought I dreamt it.”
“If only dreams were as real as that.” She grinned back and traced small circles across his chest with her finger. The she flopped her arm across him. “I have to go away for work this afternoon.”
“Oh? When will you be back?” Nate’s tongue explored the inside of her elbow that lay across his chin, his fingers twining in hers.
“Friday, after lunch.”
“Dinner Friday night, then?”
“Sure. How about we stay in and cook for something different? I’ll cook in your kitchen.”
“Sounds good.” He tugged on her hand and she slid onto his chest. “Mmm… I’ll miss you tomorrow.”
“Me too. One night of Nate Black is not nearly enough. Especially when you’ve been waiting all week.” She kissed him, a long leisurely kiss that he returned with equal vigour. Their breathing increased, tongues meshing, before he pulled away and glanced at the clock.
“It’s only six. I don’t have to be at work until nine. Can I interest you in a relaxing farewell?”
Chapter 7
Nate hung up the phone and settled back into his chair with a grin as Samantha slipped through his door. “Head office called just now when you were on the phone. Said to check your email.” She stopped and stared at him. “What’s got you grinning like an idiot? Did you get lucky last night?”
Her incredulous look made Nate laugh. “None of your business.”
“Well, that’s a yes, I guess. I haven’t seen you smiling like that in years. Who’s the mystery girl?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?”
“I would.” She pulled his visitor chair out and plopped into it. “Come on, spill. Everyone will want an answer once they get a look at your face. I’d like to be able to fill them in.”
“I’ll keep that information to myself a little longer, but,” he eyed his mobile phone on the desk, “how soon is too soon to text?”
Samantha smirked, stood up and turned for the door. “In my limited experience of men who actually want to text me the next day, I’d say you can never text too early, but you can text too late. If you feel like it, send her a message.”
He watched her leave and considered the time he’d spent with Kelly this week. For several nights he’d been asking himself why he’d stayed locked up at home or out with the boys for the last few years. Every moment he spent with her made him feel alive and it was a feeling he didn’t want to end. His fingers crept toward his phone as he argued with himself. She was as interested as he was and she didn’t hesitate to push him to get him to commit to seeing her. Surely a quick text at nine in the morning wouldn’t freak her out?
Maybe I’ll just wait until after lunch. I have to retain some dignity. So far since we met I’ve been bitten by her tiny dog and she’s discovered I’m a homebody who barely dates.
Instead of alerting her that he’d been thinking about her within thirty seconds of arriving at work, he turned on his computer to check his email instead. The usual assortment of advertising and correspondence filled the screen. The last email was from his immediate manager who was based in Sydney. He clicked on that one and read the few paragraphs with a frown on his face. His boss wanted him to attend an emergency meeting the next day. His frown deepened as he considered this information. His bank rarely called emergency meetings; when they did, it generally meant something was wrong.
He clicked over to the internet to check available flights, then completed a travel request and sent it for sign off. It came back ten minutes later and he booked the last flight for the end of the working day.
Now he did have an excuse to text Kelly straight away. He was going to have to cancel their date for tomorrow night.
***
Nate paced around his lounge room as he tried to decide what to do. He was packed and ready for his flight but he still hadn’t heard from Kelly. Two texts and a phone message later he needed to leave. If he called her again he started to look desperate; if he didn’t he risked leaving without knowing if she’d taken his messages the wrong way. He’d been clear that this was a last-minute work meeting. After last night, though, there was every chance she’d think he was running away.
Which sucked, because it was the last thing he wanted.
He let out a sigh and picked up his bag. They’d just have to work it out when he got back.
***
By nine thirty on Friday morning Nate’s carefully laid out future was in tat
ters. His emergency meeting had been the bad news he’d suspected. He just hadn’t expected it to impact him so directly. There had been meetings and talking and apologies all day and he’d been glad to get away in a taxi when it was all over.
As he sat in the airport lounge at four o’clock, waiting for his flight home he read and re-read the letter with his name printed at the top. The sad expression on his manager’s face hadn’t prepared him for the contents of the envelope he’d been handed. One paragraph had his attention now and the words swam before his eyes as he read them over and over.
It is with deep regret that the bank informs you of the imminent closure of eighteen branches. Please be advised that with this letter we confirm the intention to make your position redundant within six months. Your branch, and your current staff, will commence the process to close immediately.
His eyes flicked down further to the last line.
Your redundancy package is included separately with this letter. Please be advised that there is no extra payment allowed should you choose to stay until the final day of the close out period. If you are successful in securing employment elsewhere, the bank will support you and allow you to commence your new position without detriment to your termination package.
He could leave immediately and they’d still pay him. The amount printed on the attachment was crazy. He’d be able to pay out his mortgage and have a nice bundle to add to his savings while he found a new job.
Holy shit! I can leave straight away if I want and still get my full payout. I never would, but what the hell would I do with myself if I did?
Maybe a holiday was in order? Part of the reason his payout figure was so decent, on top of his redundancy package, was that it included 20 weeks of accrued holiday pay. He’d also receive a payout of his unused sick leave. Since he never took sick days he had a nice number of those to cash in, too.
So, what did he want to do? The sensible option would be to work out the six months and get his affairs in order during that time. Except there was nothing to get in order. He had savings, few expenses and his only debt was his mortgage. Six extra months of pay wouldn’t make a huge difference either way, but it wasn’t an amount of money to be ignored.
Tight Ass! (Panty Dropper Series Book 3) Page 4
