by Nana Malone
Why was it she wanted to call him instead of Gemma? Gemma was her best school friend. The two of them were thick as thieves.
You know why. That unsettled her more than anything else. The rules with Nathan were clear. She was not to fall for him. He was just fun. He was an easy way to pass some time. And she was learning things. That was all.
Oh yeah? Then why is he the first one you want to call to tell you about your good news?
Never mind that. Instead of calling him, she very deliberately went to speed dial number one and dialed Gemma. Gemma would be thrilled to hear her news. She didn't need to tell Nathan anything. Yeah, just keep telling yourself that.
20
Nathan
He should never have answered the call. Nathan knew it the moment he'd seen the somewhat familiar number. But he had, which was why he just spent the last three hours dealing with a client call for his father. A client, previously his, who couldn't get a hold of the old man. And of course, when they didn’t call the old man to talk to him about it, it hadn't gone well.
"I don't understand why you don't just come back. You think you're better at my job than I am?"
"Dad, I left for a reason. And would you stop with the antics? Having clients calling me? It's not going to end well. You're going to lose them and I won't be able to do anything about it."
"Is that a threat?"
And it just deteriorated from there. By the time he reached the bar where he was meeting Garrett, he was exhausted, cranky, and in no mood.
"Mate, you look like you could use a drink."
"Yeah, I feel like I could use one too."
Garrett chuckled. "Let me guess: the old man?"
Nathan shook his head. "It's like he's deliberately sabotaging the whole company just to force my hand to come back. I'm not going back."
His friend only chuckled and took a sip of his Guinness. "Are you sure about that? You left what? Nine months ago? I know that you have a few of your own clients, the start-up type stuff, but honestly, like it or not, Windsor Corp. is still the two ton behemoth in the game. And you were very good at your job. Your portfolio reflects that."
Garrett, as his accountant, kept an eye on his bottom line. The two of them had been friends since St Andrews.
"It’s not about the bottom line, Garrett. It's about him taking the bloody piss. Oh, by the way, I should probably tell you. I bought a theater."
Garrett stopped mid sip of his beer, "Excuse me?"
Nathan nodded. "The Timmons Theater. I saw that it was being closed down, so I bought it."
His friend stared. "Aren't you supposed to discuss major purchases with me?"
"I won't even notice the loss of funds. Besides, it's for a good cause. The theater owners can get back on their feet with a little direction from me."
Garrett shook his head. "Seriously, what's gotten into you?”
"Nothing, I'm fine. So yeah." He shrugged. "I bought a theater."
Garrett just tossed his arms up. "Fine, you bought a theater. Make sure to send me some specifics in the morning. I'll look at the contract, get everything signed, etc. But please no more theater buying. At least give me a call, or text me something so I can draft the contract properly."
Nathan shrugged. "Fair enough, but I don't know. I saw it today when I was walking in the West End. And I just —"
Garrett chuckled again. "You were just walking around, just taking the day off to stroll around London?"
Nathan shrugged. "I guess."
"I don't think I've ever known you to do that."
What the hell was he getting at?
"Well, there’s a first time for everything."
It didn't matter what Garrett said or did. His mood was still shit. Nathan tried to get into the spirit and he and Garrett hadn't caught up in over a month. But he couldn't help it. He wasn't just in the mood.
A sexy blonde passed by them a couple of times. Each time she made eye contact with him. Oh boy, he knew what was coming. Eventually she just walked over, looking the two of them directly in the eye. "Hi, I'm Ivy." And then she waited for one of them to say something.
Garrett, understanding his role in all this, took the lead and immediately started talking to her. But she was looking at Nathan. As they chatted, she found excuses to brush her hand along his knee or his arm. Nathan knew this dance. He had perfected this dance. And honestly, a good, long shag would do wonders to improve his mood.
Only problem was, he really wasn't into it. Oh sure, she was fit. Long, toned legs. Great smile. But somehow the last thing he wanted to do was toss her around the bed.
Garrett gave him a lifted brow as if to ask, "What the hell is wrong with you?"
The blonde started chatting with the girl near their booth for a moment and as he watched her, Nathan had a feeling he knew what was wrong with him, but he didn't feel like dealing with that right now. "Mate." He leaned forward so Garrett could hear him. "I think I want to take off."
Garrett's eyes went wide. "Where the hell are you going?"
"Home. I'm not really into this."
"You, Nathan, have been my best mate since St Andrews, and you're not into this? What is going on?"
You’ve had her and now you want another taste. "I wish I could explain."
"Mate, I think this is Sophie. You've been spending a lot of your time with your neighbor lately."
Nathan ignored him. "No, it's not." It totally was. Because as much as he wanted to deny it, he would rather spend a day with her, than here, having conversations with beautiful but vapid blondes. "I'll check you later."
Within thirty minutes, he was charging up the stairs of his flat, and instead of going to his place, he went straight for Sophie's. When she opened the door, she looked beat up, exhausted and there were circles under her eyes. "Did I wake you?"
She shook her head. "No, I just feel like muck right now."
"Well, lucky for you I am here to cheer you up."
"I don't think there's anything you can do about this one."
He reached for her and gave her a cocky smirk. "Oh, I think I have a thing or two that can put you in a good mood."
Sophie shook her head. "No, not today."
He frowned. Was she ill? "What's wrong?"
She sighed. "If you really must know, I have my period. I've got cramps. I'm bloated. My feet hurt and I just want to have lie down. And or shoot someone, all the while I have the overwhelming urge to cry."
Her period. He frowned. This was one of the oddest conversations he'd ever had with a woman. But he could do this. He'd rather be with her than in his flat alone anyway. "What do you need?"
She gave him a weak smile. "Nathan, honestly, you're very sweet. But when I say I have my period I mean no fooling around. It does not mean it’s blow job week for you."
He coughed a laugh. "Pity about the blow jobs, but I'm not that much of a twat. I know that. I'm just asking what you need. Whatever it is, I'll do it for you."
She studied him for a long moment. "Well, besides a foot massage, a tub of ice cream and to lay here on the couch doing absolutely nothing. Not much else. Wish I was more fun right now."
He just rolled his eyes before heading straight for her fridge. He pulled the ice cream out from the freezer, grabbed a couple of spoons from her drawers and then inclined his head toward the couch. When she tucked in next to him, he handed her the ice cream and then patted his lap. "Come on. Feet up."
"Are you serious right now?"
He nodded. "Yeah, I am very good with my hands." He waggled his eyebrows.
"Somehow I feel like I know this already."
He winked. "You should."
For the next couple of hours, they watched reality television and he massaged her feet. He would never tell Garrett this, but he was happier now than he'd been in the bar. Just having someone to talk to, someone who also smelled amazing. He liked talking to her. It calmed him down. And after that call with his father, he'd needed it.
When she finally fel
l asleep, he'd been loathe to let her go. But he pulled up the blanket and covered her before giving her a brief kiss on the forehead and heading back to his place.
Garrett was right. He had it bad. The problem was Sophie saw him as nothing more than fun and distraction. How the hell did he change her mind?
21
Nathan
Was this what dating felt like? Nathan had never really done it before. Most of his life had been filled with sort of arranged relationship situations, with charities and functions, and being seen with the right people at the right time. So there were the women that he’d associated with for that.
Then there were the situations in the Uni years, where everyone was chatting up everyone else and things were fluid, and you were sort of just with someone. Even though he’d still been careful about entanglements. He’d had two relationships the whole time he’d been at St. Andrews. They had lasted a couple of months each. Both of the women were beautiful and fun, and it was nice having someone available to accompany him to St. Kitts on the odd weekend in Ibiza.
And then, he’d been out of university, and found it far easier to distance himself. The emotional drain wasn’t anything he was looking for. The constant need for someone else’s approval and attention wasn’t really his thing. And it was easier to avoid getting hurt that way.
But what he had with Sophie right now? This odd friendship with incredible sex attached felt … amazing. The usual need he had to run away from emotional situations didn’t occur with her. And then, of course, there were the lessons he was giving her on how to remain unattached and unemotional in romantic situations. Yeah, because that seemed like a good idea at that time.
But, the more he got to know her, the more time he spent with her doing things other than actively shagging, the more he liked her. And not in some sappy, he-wanted-to-marry-her kind of way, but in a way that spoke to the ease of being with her. If one of them didn’t really feel like talking, they didn’t really have to. They could watch a movie, or grab a drink, or even just sit there and read.
It had been a month since their arrangement began and more and more the thought of her taking everything he taught her and finding someone new made him twitchy.
I don’t want that.
But he took those emotions and shoved them down. When did this happen? When had he broken his own rules and started to feel things? That wasn’t part of the bargain. Honestly, he knew better. Or at least you should have.
Today he’d met her near Regent’s Park for lunch. He’d anticipated some sit down at a restaurant, but oh no, she’d surprised him. She’d taken sandwiches and some drinks and had insisted they walked to the park. Together. The whole time they were walking and talking, he was so aware of her. All he wanted to do was touch her, and hold her, and —Shit. He was in trouble —so much trouble.
“What are you thinking about?”
“Nothing really. I was trying to figure out what your next lesson is going to be.”
She was silent for a moment. “You know, I don’t really think I need lessons anymore. You’ve already proven that the more aloof I am, the more detached I am, the more men find me appealing, which is disconcerting in so many ways, because honestly, why chase after someone who clearly isn’t that into you?”
He chuckled. “Men are enigmas. Or, not really. What can I say? We like the chase. We like knowing we have to prove to you that we’re worthy of your attention. For however long that might be. An hour, a day, a month, a year —whatever.”
“So, what you’re saying is that it’s one big competition?”
He shrugged as he laughed. “Kind of, yeah. We are a bunch of twats, aren’t we?”
Her peal of laughter made his gut clench. He watched her with her head thrown back and her hand wrapped around her middle even as she held her bag of sandwich and drink, and Jesus Christ, she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his entire life.
“You’re staring at me again. What, do I have food on my face?”
He considered telling her. Considered being honest. Just telling her what he was feeling and what he was thinking.
But you told her that this was no pressure. You told her this was not going to happen. You warned her against this yourself. What if she rejected him? What if she’d mastered the art of nonemotional entanglements? What if he’d been too good of a teacher?
“Nothing. I just like the red. It’s like I’m sleeping with a whole new woman.”
She’d gone back to the hairdresser last week and gone back to her natural color. She’d left a few blond highlights and the overall effect was striking. It was like when he’d seen her for the first time all over again. And these days, instead of that sad, haunted woman, she was always smiling around him. Always happy.
“No, you don’t. Don’t do that. What are you really thinking?”
He wanted to tell her. It was on the tip of his tongue. Imagine if he’d opened his mouth and just said, “I want more with you”?
She would laugh. Or run. He wasn’t going to let either of those two happen. “No, I’m serious. You look incredibly sexy. I can’t believe that wanker told you to go blond. Come on, let’s sit over there.”
He led her over to one of the benches and they sat and had their lunch. It was better that he didn’t tell her. Better that he got his emotions under control. Because the alternative meant he was going to get hurt. Or worse, that he would eventually hurt her and that was the one thing he couldn’t allow.
Sophie
“I must say, I was skeptical, but the two of you seem to have this whole, like, friends and benefits thing going pretty well.” Gemma appraised Nathan even as she gave Sophie a light shoulder shove. Her gaze slid over Garrett following that and she said, “Maybe you and I should try it?”
Garrett downed his drink and flashed her a grin. “I have been hoping you would say that. Why don’t you and I get the shagging bit out now and then we can work on being friends later?”
Gemma just rolled her eyes. “Nathan, how come all your friends aren’t as enlightened as you?”
Nathan laughed. “What can I say? I’m an evolved kind of man.”
Sophie watched the banter between everyone and she had to smile to herself. She liked this. She liked him. Who was she kidding? She was totally falling for him. Every day was a struggle not to show her emotions. To not show how she was feeling, and to not tip him off, because if she did, then he would stop. The lessons would stop. Their time together would stop.
The nights they just sat around watching movies and drinking wine would stop. So never mind that she, like the idiot she was, had fallen in love with the guy who was too rich and too good-looking for his own good. Yeah, never mind that. He thought they were just friends. Imagine that.
She leaned forward. “He’s not that enlightened. I keep waiting for him to run like a little jackrabbit. I’m just waiting to see when his experiment ends.”
The smile he gave her was teasing, but she saw that it didn’t reach his eyes. Shit, had she said something wrong? When he spoke, his tone was light. “Well, you keep doing that thing that you do, you know, when I’m between your —”
“Nathan, stop it.” She gave him her very stern look, even as she fought a laugh. And this time, the smile reached his eyes. And with that classic Nathan Windsor smile, heat flooded to her center. Yes, this was completely unhealthy. Yes, she was going to get hurt. But it was the most fun she’d had in any of her relationships. She was happy. And she didn’t want it to end. So, she just wasn’t going to rock the boat. She wasn’t going to let him see.
“I mean, honestly, Sophie, you could give a class. I mean the way you —”
She clasped a hand over his mouth. And he kissed her fingers while he winked at her.
“Nathan Windsor, if you so much as say a word, you will be in so much trouble.”
Gemma leaned forward, interested. “Are you gonna spank him?”
Garrett guffawed. Nathan nearly choked on the scotch.
Sophie shook her head. “You three are impossible. I’ll be right back.” She scooted off her stool and headed back to the throngs of people toward the loop. She needed a moment away from him —a moment to tamp down the fear and to get herself under control so that she wouldn’t blurt out, “I’m in love with you, Nathan.”
When she reached the loo, she gave herself the once-over in the mirror and gave herself the same speech she’d been giving on repeat for weeks. “You cannot be in love with him. He made it very, very clear. So, get your shit together.”
There was nothing like a good old pep talk to knock some sense into her. Liar.
On the way back to the table, she bumped into someone tall and broad shouldered. “Sorry, it’s really crowded in here.” When he turned around, she realized he looked familiar. “Have I seen you before?”
He grinned down on her. “Isn’t that supposed to be my line?” He was definitely her type. Good looking, a couple of tattoos, stubble, emotionally unavailable. Now where had she seen him before?
“Yes, I suppose that is supposed to be your line.”
“Actually, you do look familiar. How about I take you out, and we can figure out where we know each other from? What’s your name?”
“Hi, I’m Sophie.”
“Hi Sophie. I’m Adam. I think we actually met at a bar a couple of months ago.”
She frowned and slid her gaze over him. “Oh God, yeah.” At one of the first nights of her lessons with Nathan. “Okay, yeah, yeah. I remember now. How’s it going?”
“Better now. So, about that date —”
Her gazed looked past him over to Nathan, Gemma, and Garrett. That was what she wanted. Her boyfriend and his friend getting along with her best friend. She wanted that. But, Nathan had been very, very clear. That’s not what they were. She couldn’t have that with him. And the whole point was, she was supposed to learn how to have fun and date and not get herself hurt. So, she would need practical application, wouldn’t she? “Um, well, the thing is —”
